Sonic levitation apparatus
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsStanley A. Dunn, Alan R. Pomplun, Elmer G. Paquette, Edwin C. Ethridge, Jerry. L. Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sonic levitation apparatus (A) is disclosed which includes a sonic transducer (14) which generates acoustical energy responsive to the level of an electrical amplifier (16). A duct (B) communicates with an acoustical chamber (18) to deliver an oscillatory motion of air to a plenum section (C) which contains a collimated hole structure (D) having a plurality of parallel orifices (10). The collimated hole structure converts the motion of the air to a pulsed, unidirectional stream providing enough force to levitate a material specimen (S).
Claims20
Apparatus for levitating a material specimen comprising:
- a duct having an interior adapted to be filled with gas;
- a collimated passage means disposed within and at an end of said duct, said collimated passage means including an array of parallel passageways communicating with the interior of said duct with the surrounding atmosphere;
- and
- a sound generator means for imparting oscillatory motion to the gas within said duct so as to provide levitating force in the form of pulsed, unidirectional motion of gas axially beyond the end of said collimated passage means.
An apparatus for providing a pulsed, unidirectional gas flow comprising:
- a tubular duct adapted to be filled with gas;
- a collimated passageway structure disposed within and at an end of said duct, said structure having an array of parallel passageways communicating the interior of said duct with the surrounding environment;
- a sound generator means for imparting oscillatory motion to the gas within said duct, thereby providing a pattern of pulsed, unidirectional gas flow at a zone located beyond the outer end of said passageway structure.
Apparatus for levitating a material specimen in a low or variable-gravity environment comprising:
- a plurality of tubular ducts arranged in opposed pairs in a triaxial orthogonal coordinance system, each of said ducts having an interior adapted to be filled with gas and containing at one end a collimated passage means including an array of parallel passageways communicating with the interior of the duct with the surrounding atmosphere and at its other end a sound generator means for imparting oscillatory motion to the gas within the duct so as to provide levitating force in the form of pulsed unidirectional motion of gas axially beyond said collimated passage means;
- and
- means for variably supplying energy to said sound generator means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.