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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8166819 | Standing wave field induced force At least one transducer of an apparatus in one example is configured to generate a first standing wave field within a cavity. The first standing wave field exerts a first field-induced force to cause a plurality of particles within the cavity to align in a desired c... | 05/01/2012 |
| 7493816 | Smoke detectors An aspirated smoke detector includes a flow path and a generator of acoustic waves in the flow path. Airborne particulate matter in the flow path responds to the acoustic field by particle agglomeration; the resulting larger particles flow into a photoelectric-type ... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7373805 | Apparatus for directing particles in a fluid There is disclosed apparatus for directing particles entrained in a fluid, comprising a chamber having a first wall, including means for generating a sound wave having a frequency v, and a second, opposite wall capable of reflecting the sound wave in which the first... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7340957 | Ultrasonic analyte concentration and application in flow cytometry The present invention includes an apparatus and corresponding method for concentrating analytes within a fluid flowing through a tube using acoustic radiation pressure. The apparatus includes a function generator that outputs a radio frequency electrical signal to a... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7323136 | Containerless mixing of metals and polymers with fullerenes and nanofibers to produce reinforced advanced materials The present invention relates to fullerene, nanotube, or nanofiber filled metals and polymers. This invention stems from a cross-disciplinary combination of electromagnetic and acoustic processing and property enhancement of materials through fullerene or nanofiber ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7302840 | Method and apparatus for aerodynamic/hydrodynamic testing of a model An aerodynamic or hydrodynamic test apparatus that permits all air to be evacuated from the test enclosure, such that no free liquid surfaces remain. This permits more accurate testing of structures, particularly at low Reynolds numbers. The apparatus includes a sea... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7282837 | Small piezoelectric air pumps with unobstructed airflow A T-shaped blade, or one or more hollow tubes, are vibrationally excited by one or more piezoelectric elements to generate an airflow from a free end of the blade or tube(s). The airflow may be directed to, or drawn away from, an electronic component to cool the ele... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7172795 | Method for making three-dimensional structures having nanometric and micrometric dimensions A method for making three-dimensional structures of nanometric or micrometric dimensions comprises the following steps: obtaining of a photopolymeric or UV mixture including nanoparticles orientable in space; deposition of a layer of the mixture on a respective subs... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7168747 | Device for gripping and holding an object in a contactless manner A device is proposed for the contactless grasping and holding of an object from a direction directed at least partially in the direction of the force of gravity, using a holding element situated counter to the direction of the force of gravity, at least partially ab... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7108137 | Method and apparatus for separating particles by size A method and apparatus for separating a mixture of particles of various sizes in a capillary tube into groups by size using multiple forces of controlled amplitude. Ultrasonic radiation at a first selected frequency is applied to set up a standing pressure wave in t... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7081192 | Methods for manipulating moieties in microfluidic systems This invention relates generally to the field of moiety or molecule manipulation in a chip format. In particular, the invention provides a method for manipulating a moiety in a microfluidic application, which method comprises: a) coupling a moiety to be manipulated ... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7061161 | Small piezoelectric air pumps with unobstructed airflow A T-shaped blade, or one or more hollow tubes, are vibrationally excited by one or more piezoelectric elements to generate an airflow from a free end of the blade or tube(s). The airflow may be directed to, or drawn away from, an electronic component to cool the ele... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7015047 | Microdevices having a preferential axis of magnetization and uses thereof This invention relates generally to the field of moiety or molecule isolation, detection and manipulation and library synthesis. In particular, the invention provides a microdevice, which microdevice comprises: a) a magnetizable substance; and b) a photorecognizable... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7002169 | Method for generating photons by sonoluminescence A method of generating photons by sonoluminescence, from a gas bubble trapped in a liquid reservoir (2) by a standing ultrasound wave. An ultrasound impulse emitted by high-frequency transducers (T1–T8) is superposed on the standing wave, the ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6969224 | Workpiece levitating device A communication chamber defined in a body is supplied with a fluid under pressure through a pipe connected to a supply port defined in the body. The fluid under pressure is ejected from the communication chamber through fluid ejection members, which are made of a po... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6943062 | Contaminant particle removal by optical tweezers The invention describes how contaminant particles may be removed from a surface without in any way damaging that surface. First, the positional co-ordinates of all particles on the surface are recorded. Optionally, only particles that can be expected to cause curren... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6925856 | Non-contact techniques for measuring viscosity and surface tension information of a liquid A non-contact method for measuring viscosity and surface tension information of a liquid in a first liquid containment structure. The steps of the method include oscillating a free surface of the liquid in the liquid containment structure; detecting wave characteris... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6918283 | System and method for demonstrating and investigating brownian motion effects on a diamagnetically suspended particle An apparatus for demonstrating, investigating and observing Brownian motion and temperature of a medium, such as gas or liquid, uses a small particle which is diamagnetically suspended in the medium. The tiny magnetized particle having a known mass is levitated usin... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6802220 | Apparatus for transporting levitated objects An apparatus levitates and transports an object. The apparatus levitates the object above the surfaces of a plurality of vibrators by air pressure of sound waves that are generated by the vibrators. The apparatus has a plurality of vibration devices, each of which c... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6779650 | Apparatus for levitating objects and apparatus for transporting objects An apparatus for levitating objects has an elongated diaphragm and a transducer. The diaphragm has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is fixed to a horn and the second end portion is fixed to a supporting member. The transducer is co... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6766691 | Method and apparatus for optical acoustic molding Acoustic energy is used to control the shape of a particle or particle cluster for the purpose of inducing a phase and hence density change as a result of exposure to radiation. This process, known as optical acoustic molding, employs an acoustic transducer and refl... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6680994 | Monitoring the contents of a container by ultrasonic means The contents of a container 1 are non-intrusively monitored by probing the container with an ultrasonic signal, and measuring changes in the ultrasound signature of the received signal after the signal has passed through the contents of the container.... | 01/20/2004 |
| 6647791 | Device for contactlessly gripping and positioning components A mechanism for the contactless gripping and positioning of a component having a planar peripheral edge region, including a sound producing device producing a pattern of levitation sound waves for keeping the component in suspension at a selected position... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6644118 | Cylindrical acoustic levitator/concentrator having non-circular cross-section A low-power, inexpensive acoustic apparatus for levitation and/or concentration of aerosols and small liquid/solid samples having particulates up to several millimeters in diameter in air or other fluids is described. It is constructed from a commercially... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6561309 | Gas flow generator and apparatus for using the same A gas flow generator for use in a position control apparatus having an oscillating motion driver, a chamber having a side wall extending outwardly from the oscillatory motion generating surface of the driver, a distal end wall spaced from the driver and j... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6467350 | Cylindrical acoustic levitator/concentrator A low-power, inexpensive acoustic apparatus for levitation and/or concentration of aerosols and small liquid/solid samples having particulates up to several millimeters in diameter in air or other fluids is described. It is constructed from a commercially... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6216538 | Particle handling apparatus for handling particles in fluid by acoustic radiation pressure An ultrasonic manipulation apparatus has a plurality of ultrasonic wave oscillators arranged in two dimensions to trap, fix or move particles to an optional position in the solution or perform cell fusion by using a gradient force obtained by superposing ... | 04/17/2001 |
| 6029518 | Manipulation of liquids using phased array generation of acoustic radiation pressure A phased array of piezoelectric transducers is used to control and manipulate contained as well as uncontained fluids in space and earth applications. The transducers in the phased array are individually activated while being commonly controlled to produc... | 02/29/2000 |
| 6029519 | Apparatus and method for manipulating a body in a fluid Apparatus for testing hydrodynamic performance characteristics of an object is operative for remotely manipulating the object using standing acoustic wave fields. The object is provided with a plurality of internal solid ies, each having a region of or... | 02/29/2000 |
| 5203209 | Motion measurement of acoustically levitated object A system is described for determining motion of an object that is acoustically positioned in a standing wave field in a chamber. Sonic energy in the chamber is sensed, and variation in the amplitude of the sonic energy is detected, which is caused by line... | 04/20/1993 |
| 5096017 | Aero-acoustic levitation device and method An acoustic levitator device for suspending a specimen object under the influence of gravity without contact with a solid surface comprising in combination gas levitation means for directing a concentrated flow of gas along an axis upwardly against the ob... | 03/17/1992 |
| 5036944 | Method and apparatus for acoustic levitation An acoustic levitator includes a pair of opposed sound sources which have interfering sound waves producing acoustic energy wells in which an object may be levitated. The phase of one sound source may be changed relative to the other in order to move the ... | 08/06/1991 |
| 5006266 | Manipulating means utilizing ultrasonic wave energy for use with particulate material Particulate material influenced by the acoustic forces in an ultrasonic standing wave is manipulated in a liquid column (16) by the use of at least two standing waves having axes extending transversely across the column at different orientations to its lo... | 04/09/1991 |
| 4964303 | Acoustic positioning and orientation prediction A method for use with an acoustic positioner, which enables a determination of the equilibrium position and orientation which an object assumes in a zero gravity environment, as well as restoring forces and torques on the object, of an object of arbitrary... | 10/23/1990 |
| 4948497 | Acoustically fluidized bed of fine particles An apparatus to acoustically fluidize a bed of fine particles comprises a generally box-shaped hollow chamber. An acoustic source is located at the bottom of the chamber and a convection inhibiting heater is located at the top of the chamber. An acoustic ... | 08/14/1990 |
| 4841495 | Horn loaded transducer for acoustic levitation A sound source coupled to an acoustic levitation chamber is provided with horn loading to improve efficiency and to protect the sound source from heat. A dish sound source may be used, and the horn may include a half wavelength pathway from the rear of th... | 06/20/1989 |
| 4800756 | Acoustic controlled rotation and orientation Acoustic energy is applied to a pair of locations spaced about a chamber, to control rotation of an object levitated in the chamber. Two acoustic transducers applying energy of a single acoustic mode, one at each location, can (one or both) serve to levit... | 01/31/1989 |
| 4736815 | Single mode levitation and translation An apparatus is described for acoustically levitating an object within a chamber by the application of acoustic energy of a single frequency resonant mode, which enables smooth movement of the object and suppresses unwanted levitation modes that would urg... | 04/12/1988 |
| 4573356 | Single transducer levitator A method is described for using acoustic waves to hold an object in position against wandering in any direction, by the use of a single transducer. Formulas are provided for levitating an object along an axis of a rectangular or cylindrical chamber or the... | 03/04/1986 |
| 4565557 | Containerless high purity pulling process and apparatus for glass fiber Apparatus and method for pulling optical glass fibers in a containerless environment is disclosed which includes a single-axis acoustical levitation furnace (10) in which a specimen (S) is levitated and melted. A reflector unit (16) is carried in the inte... | 01/21/1986 |
