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US 8,616,328 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for wave generation and detection using tensegrity structures
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsChiara Daraio, Fernando Fraternali
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tensegrity apparatus having multiple tensegrity units for the transmission of solitary waves with adjustable profiles into a material or structure, and the detection of such waves from a material or structure.
Claims22
An apparatus for propagation of solitary waves, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of tensegrity units,
- a plurality of junction elements, wherein one or more junction elements from the plurality of junction elements are disposed between adjacent tensegrity units in the plurality of tensegrity units,
- wherein each tensegrity unit comprises a plurality of compression members and a plurality of tension members connected thereto, and
- wherein one or more tensegrity units, one or more junction elements, or one or more junction elements and one or more tensegrity units are configured to support propagation of a solitary wave with specified wave characteristics.
1 more element
A method for generating solitary waves with specified characteristics, the method comprising:
- disposing a plurality of tensegrity units, wherein one or more tensegrity units have adjustable parameters;
- disposing one or more junction elements between one or more adjacent tensegrity units;
- receiving one or more incident pulses at an end element coupled to one tensegrity unit;
- and,
- adjusting the adjustable parameters to generate a solitary wave with the specified characteristics.
2 more elements
A system for solitary wave generation or detection, the system comprising a solitary wave pulse generator, the solitary wave pulse generator comprising:
- a plurality of tensegrity units, wherein the tensegrity units have tensegrity unit characteristics;
- a plurality of junction elements, wherein the junction elements have junction element masses and wherein one or more junction elements are disposed between adjacent tensegrity units of the plurality of tensegrity units;
- and,
- an end member coupled to at least one tensegrity unit, the end member configured to receive one or more incident pulses,
- wherein the tensegrity unit characteristics and the junction element masses are selected to generate a solitary wave pulse with specified characteristics.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.