Patent Application
20130266379
The present invention relates to the field of actuators, and more specifically, to a magnetic wave generator for generating waves in a fluid.
There are numerous applications that utilize the generation of waves in a fluid, including, for example, research and development for marine equipment, e.g., marine vessels, devices for power generation from ocean waves, etc., educational apparatuses for demonstrating wave phenomena and properties, and so forth. Wave generators are often used with a wave tank (or, alternatively, a ripple tank), in which a driver, e.g., a motor, causes an actuator in or on the surface of the fluid in the wave tank, e.g., a plank, to move up and down or back and forth, i.e., to reciprocate, thereby generating waves in the fluid.
However, prior art wave generators generally rely on a material, i.e., mechanical, coupling between the driver and the actuator, which can make calibration and control of the wave generator for different conditions difficult, inflexible, and unwieldy.
Thus, improved means for generating waves are desired.
Various embodiments of a magnetic wave generator for generating waves in a fluid are presented below.
The magnetic wave generator, which may be referred to herein simply as “the wave generator”, may include components for an actuator portion, and components for a driver portion. The driver portion may include a rotating mount that includes a first magnet situated on a circumferential edge of the rotating mount. The driver portion further includes a motor (e.g., in a housing), coupled to and configured to rotate the rotating mount. Note that the first magnet is positioned on or in the rotating mount such that when the motor rotates the rotating mount, the magnet revolves around the axis of rotation of the rotating mount.
While in some embodiments, the rotating mount is a thick disk (or alternatively, a short cylinder), in other embodiments, the rotating mount may be of any shape desired, so long as it can be made to rotate by the motor, and thereby cause the first magnet to revolve, e.g., an L-shaped member with one leg aligned with the axis of rotation, and the other holding the first magnet, among others.
In some embodiments, the components for the actuator portion may include a pivot mount, a pivoting arm, and a float member, e.g., a buoyant tube. The pivoting arm may include a second magnet at a first position on the pivoting arm, and the float member at a second position on the pivoting arm. Note that the pivoting arm may couple to or include the float member, i.e., the pivoting arm and the floating member may be one piece or not.
When assembled, the pivoting arm is rotatably coupled to the pivot mount. In other words, the pivoting arm can rotate with respect to the pivot mount. This pivoting functionality may be implemented in any of various ways, including, for example, a pivot hole and pivot post, or alternatively, via a flexible joint, e.g., a short, durable, flexible ribbon that attaches to the pivot mount and the pivoting arm, and allows the pivoting arm to pivot about the point of attachment on the pivot mount. More generally, any pivoting or hinging means can be used as desired, e.g., any of various hinges or hinging mechanisms.
The float member is buoyant, and thus, when submerged in a fluid, such as water in a wave tank, has a tendency to rise to the surface of the fluid, i.e., the buoyancy of the float member generates an upward force. Note that in various embodiments, any type, material, or shape of float member may be used as desired, so long as it is buoyant.
When installed, the actuator portion of the wave generator is at least partially submerged in a wave tank that contains a fluid, and the driver portion is situated just outside the wave tank and proximate to the actuator portion. Thus, the driver portion and the actuator portion are proximate and magnetically coupled via the first and second magnets. Note that in some embodiments, the actuator portion is mounted (or positioned) on the bottom (floor) of the wave tank; however, in other embodiments, the actuator portion may be mounted (or positioned) elsewhere in or on the wave tank.
The driver portion may be configured to rotate the rotating mount, thereby repeatedly and alternatively moving the first magnet near then away from the actuator portion. Note that the first and second magnets are preferably oriented to repel each other upon closest approach. In other words, as the rotating mount brings the first magnet near the actuator portion, and thus near the second magnet, the magnets are in opposition, i.e., the orientations of the first magnet and the second magnet are such that either their North poles are aimed at or facing each other, or their South poles are aimed at or facing each other.
The pivoting arm of the actuator portion may be configured to rotate in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet near the actuator portion due to second magnet being repelled from the first magnet, thereby pushing the float member down in the fluid of the wave tank. Said another way, in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet near the actuator portion, the second magnet may be repelled from the first magnet, due to repelling force, thereby rotating the pivoting arm of the actuator portion and pushing the float member down in the fluid of the wave tank, as indicated by rotation (which is with respect to the pivot point of the actuator portion). In other words, the force that repels the second magnet may rotate the pivoting arm, which may push the float member deeper into the fluid of the wave tank.
The float member may be configured to provide a restorative force (due to the buoyancy of the float member) that rotates the pivoting arm in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet away from the actuator portion, thereby allowing the float member to rise in the fluid of the wave tank.
Thus, as the first magnet revolves through one cycle, moving close, then away, from the second magnet, and back again, the repelling force may increase (to a maximum at closest approach), which is enough to overcome the buoyancy of the float member and push the float member down into the fluid, then may decrease (to a minimum at furthest approach), where the buoyancy (restorative force) overcomes the repelling force, and thus lifts the float member and rotates the pivoting arm. Thus, each rotation cycle of the rotating mount may cause the actuator portion to transition back and forth between two states (respectively characterized by the extrema of the pivoting arm's rotation positions): a first state, where the float member is at its highest point and the second magnet is nearest the side of the wave tank, and thus the driver portion, and a second state, where the float member is at its lowest point (in the fluid) and the second magnet is furthest away from the side of the wave tank, and thus the driver portion.
The rotation of the pivoting arm in response to said repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet may induce waves in the wave tank via the float member. More specifically, as the float member moves up and down, waves are generated in the fluid of the wave tank.
Expressed in a slightly different manner, during operation of the wave generator, the motor of the driver portion may rotate the rotating mount, thereby revolving the first magnet, and so repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet through a range of closest approach to the actuator portion, then through a range of furthest approach to the actuator portion, where the first and second magnets are oriented to repel each other upon closest approach.
In response to the first magnet being in the range of closest approach, the second magnet may be repelled from the first magnet, thereby causing the pivoting arm to rotate from a first angular position where the float member is at a first depth in the wave tank to a second angular position where the float member is at a second depth in the wave tank, and where the second depth is greater than the first depth.
In response to the first magnet being in the range of furthest approach, the float member's buoyancy may provide a restorative force that causes the pivoting arm to rotate from the second angular position where the float member is at the second depth in the wave tank back to the first angular position where the float member is at the first depth in the wave tank. As noted above, the rotation of the pivoting arm in response to said repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet induces waves in the wave tank via the float member.
Thus, various embodiments of the magnetic wave generator disclosed herein may be used to generate waves in a fluid, e.g., in a wave tank, without requiring a mechanical coupling between a driver portion of the wave generator and an actuator portion of the wave generator.
A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
The following references are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as though fully and completely set forth herein:
U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/621,197, titled “Magnetic Wave Generator”, filed Apr. 6, 2012.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,568 titled “Graphical System for Modeling a Process and Associated Method,” issued on Apr. 3, 1990.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,741 titled “Method and Apparatus for Providing Attribute Nodes in a Graphical Data Flow Environment”.
The following is a glossary of terms used in the present application:
Memory Medium—Any of various types of memory devices or storage devices. The term “memory medium” is intended to include an installation medium, e.g., a CD-ROM, floppy disks 104, or tape device; a computer system memory or random access memory such as DRAM, DDR RAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, Rambus RAM, etc.; a non-volatile memory such as a Flash, magnetic media, e.g., a hard drive, or optical storage; registers, or other similar types of memory elements, etc. The memory medium may comprise other types of memory as well or combinations thereof. In addition, the memory medium may be located in a first computer in which the programs are executed, or may be located in a second different computer which connects to the first computer over a network, such as the Internet. In the latter instance, the second computer may provide program instructions to the first computer for execution. The term “memory medium” may include two or more memory mediums which may reside in different locations, e.g., in different computers that are connected over a network.
Carrier Medium—a memory medium as described above, as well as a physical transmission medium, such as a bus, network, and/or other physical transmission medium that conveys signals such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals.
Programmable Hardware Element—includes various hardware devices comprising multiple programmable function blocks connected via a programmable interconnect. Examples include FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices), FPOAs (Field Programmable Object Arrays), and CPLDs (Complex PLDs). The programmable function blocks may range from fine grained (combinatorial logic or look up tables) to coarse grained (arithmetic logic units or processor cores). A programmable hardware element may also be referred to as “reconfigurable logic”.
Software Program—the term “software program” is intended to have the full breadth of its ordinary meaning, and includes any type of program instructions, code, script and/or data, or combinations thereof, that may be stored in a memory medium and executed by a processor. Exemplary software programs include programs written in text-based programming languages, such as C, C++, PASCAL, FORTRAN, COBOL, JAVA, assembly language, etc.; graphical programs (programs written in graphical programming languages); assembly language programs; programs that have been compiled to machine language; scripts; and other types of executable software. A software program may comprise two or more software programs that interoperate in some manner. Note that various embodiments described herein may be implemented by a computer or software program. A software program may be stored as program instructions on a memory medium.
Hardware Configuration Program—a program, e.g., a netlist or bit file, that can be used to program or configure a programmable hardware element.
Program—the term “program” is intended to have the full breadth of its ordinary meaning. The term “program” includes 1) a software program which may be stored in a memory and is executable by a processor or 2) a hardware configuration program useable for configuring a programmable hardware element.
Graphical Program—A program comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes or icons, wherein the plurality of interconnected nodes or icons visually indicate functionality of the program. The interconnected nodes or icons are graphical source code for the program. Graphical function nodes may also be referred to as blocks.
The following provides examples of various aspects of graphical programs. The following examples and discussion are not intended to limit the above definition of graphical program, but rather provide examples of what the term “graphical program” encompasses:
The nodes in a graphical program may be connected in one or more of a data flow, control flow, and/or execution flow format. The nodes may also be connected in a “signal flow” format, which is a subset of data flow.
Exemplary graphical program development environments which may be used to create graphical programs include LabVIEW®, DasyLab™, DiaDem™ and Matrixx/SystemBuild™ from National Instruments, Simulink® from the MathWorks, VEE™ from Agilent, WiT™ from Coreco, Vision Program Manager™ from PPT Vision, SoftWIRE™ from Measurement Computing, Sanscript™ from Northwoods Software, Khoros™ from Khoral Research, SnapMaster™ from HEM Data, VisSim™ from Visual Solutions, ObjectBench™ by SES (Scientific and Engineering Software), and VisiDAQ™ from Advantech, among others.
The term “graphical program” includes models or block diagrams created in graphical modeling environments, wherein the model or block diagram comprises interconnected blocks (i.e., nodes) or icons that visually indicate operation of the model or block diagram; exemplary graphical modeling environments include Simulink®, SystemBuild™, VisSim™, Hypersignal Block Diagram™, etc.
A graphical program may be represented in the memory of the computer system as data structures and/or program instructions. The graphical program, e.g., these data structures and/or program instructions, may be compiled or interpreted to produce machine language that accomplishes the desired method or process as shown in the graphical program.
Input data to a graphical program may be received from any of various sources, such as from a device, unit under test, a process being measured or controlled, another computer program, a database, or from a file. Also, a user may input data to a graphical program or virtual instrument using a graphical user interface, e.g., a front panel.
A graphical program may optionally have a GUI associated with the graphical program. In this case, the plurality of interconnected blocks or nodes are often referred to as the block diagram portion of the graphical program.
Node—In the context of a graphical program, an element that may be included in a graphical program. The graphical program nodes (or simply nodes) in a graphical program may also be referred to as blocks. A node may have an associated icon that represents the node in the graphical program, as well as underlying code and/or data that implements functionality of the node. Exemplary nodes (or blocks) include function nodes, sub-program nodes, terminal nodes, structure nodes, etc. Nodes may be connected together in a graphical program by connection icons or wires.
Data Flow Program—A Software Program in which the program architecture is that of a directed graph specifying the flow of data through the program, and thus functions execute whenever the necessary input data are available. Data flow programs can be contrasted with procedural programs, which specify an execution flow of computations to be performed. As used herein “data flow” or “data flow programs” refer to “dynamically-scheduled data flow” and/or “statically-defined data flow”.
Graphical Data Flow Program (or Graphical Data Flow Diagram)—A Graphical Program which is also a Data Flow Program. A Graphical Data Flow Program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes (blocks), wherein at least a subset of the connections among the nodes visually indicate that data produced by one node is used by another node. A LabVIEW VI is one example of a graphical data flow program. A Simulink block diagram is another example of a graphical data flow program.
Graphical User Interface—this term is intended to have the full breadth of its ordinary meaning. The term “Graphical User Interface” is often abbreviated to “GUI”. A GUI may comprise only one or more input GUI elements, only one or more output GUI elements, or both input and output GUI elements.
The following provides examples of various aspects of GUIs. The following examples and discussion are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of GUI, but rather provide examples of what the term “graphical user interface” encompasses:
A GUI may comprise a single window having one or more GUI Elements, or may comprise a plurality of individual GUI Elements (or individual windows each having one or more GUI Elements), wherein the individual GUI Elements or windows may optionally be tiled together.
A GUI may be associated with a graphical program. In this instance, various mechanisms may be used to connect GUI Elements in the GUI with nodes in the graphical program. For example, when Input Controls and Output Indicators are created in the GUI, corresponding nodes (e.g., terminals) may be automatically created in the graphical program or block diagram. Alternatively, the user can place terminal nodes in the block diagram which may cause the display of corresponding GUI Elements front panel objects in the GUI, either at edit time or later at run time. As another example, the GUI may comprise GUI Elements embedded in the block diagram portion of the graphical program.
Front Panel—A Graphical User Interface that includes input controls and output indicators, and which enables a user to interactively control or manipulate the input being provided to a program, and view output of the program, while the program is executing.
A front panel is a type of GUI. A front panel may be associated with a graphical program as described above.
In an instrumentation application, the front panel can be analogized to the front panel of an instrument. In an industrial automation application the front panel can be analogized to the MMI (Man Machine Interface) of a device. The user may adjust the controls on the front panel to affect the input and view the output on the respective indicators.
Graphical User Interface Element—an element of a graphical user interface, such as for providing input or displaying output. Exemplary graphical user interface elements comprise input controls and output indicators.
Input Control—a graphical user interface element for providing user input to a program. An input control displays the value input by the user and is capable of being manipulated at the discretion of the user. Exemplary input controls comprise dials, knobs, sliders, input text boxes, etc.
Output Indicator—a graphical user interface element for displaying output from a program. Exemplary output indicators include charts, graphs, gauges, output text boxes, numeric displays, etc. An output indicator is sometimes referred to as an “output control”.
Computer System—any of various types of computing or processing systems, including a personal computer system (PC), mainframe computer system, workstation, network appliance, Internet appliance, personal digital assistant (PDA), television system, grid computing system, or other device or combinations of devices. In general, the term “computer system” can be broadly defined to encompass any device (or combination of devices) having at least one processor that executes instructions from a memory medium.
Measurement Device—includes instruments, data acquisition devices, smart sensors, and any of various types of devices that are configured to acquire and/or store data. A measurement device may also optionally be further configured to analyze or process the acquired or stored data. Examples of a measurement device include an instrument, such as a traditional stand-alone “box” instrument, a computer-based instrument (instrument on a card) or external instrument, a data acquisition card, a device external to a computer that operates similarly to a data acquisition card, a smart sensor, one or more DAQ or measurement cards or modules in a chassis, an image acquisition device, such as an image acquisition (or machine vision) card (also called a video capture board) or smart camera, a motion control device, a robot having machine vision, and other similar types of devices. Exemplary “stand-alone” instruments include oscilloscopes, multimeters, signal analyzers, arbitrary waveform generators, spectroscopes, and similar measurement, test, or automation instruments.
A measurement device may be further configured to perform control functions, e.g., in response to analysis of the acquired or stored data. For example, the measurement device may send a control signal to an external system, such as a motion control system or to a sensor, in response to particular data. A measurement device may also be configured to perform automation functions, i.e., may receive and analyze data, and issue automation control signals in response.
Automatically—refers to an action or operation performed by a computer system (e.g., software executed by the computer system) or device (e.g., circuitry, programmable hardware elements, ASICs, etc.), without user input directly specifying or performing the action or operation. Thus the term “automatically” is in contrast to an operation being manually performed or specified by the user, where the user provides input to directly perform the operation. An automatic procedure may be initiated by input provided by the user, but the subsequent actions that are performed “automatically” are not specified by the user, i.e., are not performed “manually”, where the user specifies each action to perform. For example, a user filling out an electronic form by selecting each field and providing input specifying information (e.g., by typing information, selecting check boxes, radio selections, etc.) is filling out the form manually, even though the computer system must update the form in response to the user actions. The form may be automatically filled out by the computer system where the computer system (e.g., software executing on the computer system) analyzes the fields of the form and fills in the form without any user input specifying the answers to the fields. As indicated above, the user may invoke the automatic filling of the form, but is not involved in the actual filling of the form (e.g., the user is not manually specifying answers to fields but rather they are being automatically completed). The present specification provides various examples of operations being automatically performed in response to actions the user has taken.
As
In various embodiments, power may be provided to the motor 122 via any of a variety of means, e.g., batteries, direct current (e.g., via a transformer and cable), alternating current (via a cable), or even a hand crank, among others.
In the embodiment shown, the components for the actuator portion 110 include a pivot mount 112, a pivoting arm 102, and a float member 106, which in this particular embodiment is a buoyant tube. As indicated, the pivoting arm 102 includes a magnet, 108B, e.g., a second magnet, at a first position on the pivoting arm 102, and the float member 106, at a second position on the pivoting arm. Note that the pivoting arm may couple to or include the float member 106, i.e., the pivoting arm and the floating member may be one piece or not.
When assembled, the pivoting arm 102 is rotatably coupled to the pivot mount 112. In other words, the pivoting arm 102 can rotate with respect to the pivot mount 112. This pivoting functionality may be implemented in any of various ways, including, for example, a pivot hole 104 and pivot post 114, as shown. In another exemplary embodiment, this functionality may be implemented via a flexible joint, e.g., a short, durable, flexible ribbon that attaches to the pivot mount 112 and the pivoting arm 102, and allows the pivoting arm to pivot about the point of attachment on the pivot mount. More generally, any pivoting or hinging means can be used as desired, e.g., any of various hinges or hinging mechanisms.
The float member is buoyant, i.e., the float member is a buoyant element that when submerged in a fluid, such as water in a wave tank, has a tendency to rise to the surface of the fluid, i.e., the buoyancy of the float member generates an upward force. Note that while the float member 106 shown in
Embodiments of the assembled and installed magnetic wave generator and its operation are now described with reference to
As may be seen, in
The driver portion 120 may be configured to rotate the rotating mount 124, thereby repeatedly and alternatively moving the first magnet near then away from the actuator portion 110. Note that the first and second magnets are preferably oriented to repel each other upon closest approach. In other words, as the rotating mount 124 brings the first magnet 108A near the actuator portion, and thus near the second magnet 108B, the magnets are in opposition, i.e., the orientations of the first magnet 108A and the second magnet 108B are such that either their North poles are aimed at or facing each other, or their South poles are aimed at or facing each other. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the North poles are utilized, as indicated by the “N” label of the first magnet 108A.
The pivoting arm of the actuator portion 110 may be configured to rotate in response to the driver portion 120 moving the first magnet near the actuator portion 110 due to second magnet being repelled from the first magnet, thereby pushing the float member down in the fluid of the wave tank. Said another way, in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet 108A near the actuator portion, the second magnet 108B may be repelled from the first magnet, due to repelling force 202, thereby rotating the pivoting arm of the actuator portion and pushing the float member down in the fluid of the wave tank, as indicated by rotation 204A (which is with respect to the pivot point of the actuator portion). In other words, the force that repels the second magnet 108B may rotate the pivoting arm 102, which may push the float member 106 deeper into the fluid of the wave tank.
The float member may be configured to provide a restorative force 203 (due to the buoyancy of the float member) that rotates the pivoting arm in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet away from the actuator portion, as indicated by rotation 204B (which is opposite of rotation 204A), thereby allowing the float member to rise in the fluid of the wave tank.
Thus, as the first magnet 108A revolves through one cycle, moving close, then away, from the second magnet 108B, and back again, the repelling force 202 may increase (to a maximum at closest approach), which is enough to overcome the buoyancy of the float member 106 and push the float member down into the fluid, then may decrease (to a minimum at furthest approach), where the buoyancy (restorative force) overcomes the repelling force, and thus lifts the float member and rotates the pivoting arm. Thus, each rotation cycle of the rotating mount may cause the actuator portion 110 to transition back and forth between two states (respectively characterized by the extrema of the pivoting arm's rotation positions): a first state, where the float member 106 is at its highest point and the second magnet is nearest the side of the wave tank, and thus the driver portion, as illustrated in
The rotation of the pivoting arm in response to said repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet may induce waves in the wave tank via the float member. More specifically, as the float member moves up and down, waves are generated in the fluid of the wave tank.
Expressed in a slightly different manner, during operation of the wave generator, the motor of the driver portion may rotate the rotating mount, thereby revolving the first magnet, and so repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet through a range of closest approach to the actuator portion, then through a range of furthest approach to the actuator portion, where the first and second magnets are oriented to repel each other upon closest approach.
In response to the first magnet being in the range of closest approach, the second magnet may be repelled from the first magnet, thereby causing the pivoting arm to rotate from a first angular position where the float member is at a first depth in the wave tank to a second angular position where the float member is at a second depth in the wave tank, and where the second depth is greater than the first depth.
In response to the first magnet being in the range of furthest approach, the float member's buoyancy may provide a restorative force that causes the pivoting arm to rotate from the second angular position where the float member is at the second depth in the wave tank back to the first angular position where the float member is at the first depth in the wave tank. As noted above, the rotation of the pivoting arm in response to said repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet induces waves in the wave tank via the float member.
While the above describes an exemplary embodiment of the magnetic wave generator, it should be noted that numerous other embodiments are also contemplated.
For example, as noted above, in various embodiments, the float member may be made from any of various materials. Regarding materials, in some embodiments, the float member may be made of a solid buoyant foam-based material, such as Styrofoam™, foam rubber, etc., or other naturally buoyant substance. In other embodiments, the float member may be hollow (e.g., filled with air or one or more other gases), and made of any material of sufficient thinness and/or lightness such that the float member is suitably buoyant, e.g., plastic, metal, etc. In one embodiment, the float member may simply be a balloon affixed to the pivoting arm.
As also noted above, in various embodiments, the float member may have any of a wide variety of shapes, as desired. Note that the shape of the float member may determine the types of waves generated. For example, the cylindrical shape of the float member shown in the above described figures may produce substantially linear waves; a spherical, oval, or convex “C” shaped float member may produce divergent waves; and a concave “C” shaped float may produce convergent waves. Of course, other float member shapes may be employed to generate other, e.g., more complex, waveforms.
It should be noted that while the rotating mount 124 shown in the figures rotates in a horizontal plane, this orientation is not required, but rather, any orientation may be used, so long as the rotation moves the first magnet 108A near to and far from the actuator portion, e.g., a vertical orientation, or rotates the first magnet such that it alternately attracts and repels the second magnet, as now discussed.
In some embodiments, the magnets may be selected and arranged in a manner such that magnetic attraction between the magnets operates to augment (or possibly even replace) the restorative force provided by the float member. More specifically, the magnet on the float member (corresponding to magnet 108B of the Figures, and referred to as the float magnet) may present both North and South poles (simultaneously) to the magnet on the motor (corresponding to magnet 108A, and referred to as the motor magnet), which may similarly present both of its poles to the magnet on the float member. Note that in these embodiments, the axis of the motor is preferably horizontal, as opposed to the vertical orientation of the above-described embodiments. During operation, the relative orientations of the magnets repeatedly changes from a repulsive configuration in which the North and South poles of the motor magnet are aligned with, and thus repel, the North and South poles of the float magnet, to an attractive configuration in which the North and South poles of the motor magnet are aligned with, and thus attract, the South and North poles of the float magnet.
Note that these embodiments can be implemented via at least two different types of magnet. In some embodiments, the motor magnet and/or the float magnet may be a diametric magnet, which, as is well known in the magnetic arts, is a cylinder (or cylindrical annulus) whose faces are half North and half South. Similarly, in other embodiments, the motor magnet and/or the float magnet may be a bar magnet or a “horseshoe” magnet, or any other type of magnet (or arrangement of magnets) whose poles can be presented at the same time (i.e., in a plane at substantially the same distance from the other magnet). For example, in cases where the motor magnet is a diametric magnet, the (magnet's) cylinder or annulus axis is parallel or coincident with the motor axis, as illustrated in
In either arrangement, during operation the poles of the motor magnet rotate with the axis of the motor. When the North pole of the magnet lines up with the North pole of the float magnet, and concurrently the South poles line up, a repulsive force 202 is generated that pushes the float down into the fluid. Conversely, when the North and South poles of the motor magnet align with the South and North poles of the float magnet, an attractive force 205 is generated that operates to pull the float up, and possibly out of the water, thus augmenting the buoyancy based restorative force 203 (see
In yet another embodiment, the rotating mount may be configured to augment the buoyancy based restorative force 203. For example, in one embodiment, this may be achieved by including an additional magnet situated on the opposite radial edge of the mount from magnet 108A and with the opposite polarity. Alternatively, magnet 108A may be a bar magnet of sufficient length to present respective poles on opposite sides/ends of the rotating mount, e.g., referring to
In some embodiments, the driver portion further includes means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank, and the pivot mount of the actuator portion includes means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank. For example, in some embodiments, the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank and/or the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank may include an adhesive.
Alternatively, or additionally, in some embodiments, the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank and/or the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank may include one or more suction cups.
In one embodiment, the means for securing the driver portion or the actuator portion to a side of the wave tank may include a clip (e.g., a hanger) configured to grip or catch a top edge of the side of the wave tank.
Alternatively, in some embodiments, the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank may include a third magnet attached to the driver portion, and a fourth magnet, configured to be placed on an inside surface of the side of the wave tank opposite the third magnet, thereby securing the driver portion to the side of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets. In other words, the third and fourth magnets may “sandwich” a wall of the wave tank, and thus hold the driver portion in place against the side of the wave tank. Similarly, the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank may include a (different) third magnet attached to the pivot mount, and a (different) fourth magnet, configured to be placed on an outside surface of the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank opposite the third magnet, thereby securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.
In a variation or hybrid version of the above, in yet another embodiment, the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank and means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank may include a third magnet attached to the driver portion, and a fourth magnet attached to the pivot mount, where when the driver portion and the pivot mount are placed opposite one another on either side of the side of the wave tank, both the driver portion and the pivot mount are secured to the side of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.
In a further embodiment, the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprises means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom of the wave tank, and the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom of the wave tank comprises a weight. In other words, in some embodiments where the pivot mount is positioned on the bottom (floor) of the wave tank, the weight of the pivot mount and/or the actuator portion in general, may be sufficient to hold the actuator portion in place.
Other embodiments may include variants or combinations of the above. For example, in yet another exemplary embodiment, both the driver portion and the actuator portion may hang from the top edge of a side (on opposite sides of the wave tank side or wall), e.g., via respective clips (e.g., hangar), a single combination clip, e.g., a dual hanger from which each portion is suspended (on opposite sides of the wave tank side or wall). Any other means for securing the wave generator portions may be used as desired.
In some embodiments, the magnetic wave generator may be controlled simply via one or more controls coupled directly to the device, e.g., via a rheostat coupled to the motor. However, in other embodiments, the wave generator may be coupled to a controller, i.e., a computer, and controlled thereby.
In some embodiments, the programs may be graphical programs developed under the LabVIEW™ graphical program development environment, provided by National Instruments Corporation, although any type of software may be used as desired.
As may be seen, the computer system 82 may include a display device configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI) for user configuration or control (or calibration) of the wave generator via the computer system. The graphical user interface may comprise any type of graphical user interface, e.g., depending on the computing platform.
The computer system 82 may include at least one memory medium on which one or more computer programs or software components according to one embodiment of the present invention may be stored. For example, the memory medium may store one or more graphical programs which are executable to configure or control the wave generator. Additionally, the memory medium may store a graphical programming development environment application used to create and/or execute such graphical programs. The memory medium may also store operating system software, as well as other software for operation of the computer system. Various embodiments further include receiving or storing instructions and/or data implemented in accordance with the foregoing description upon a carrier medium.
In some embodiments, the computer system (or controller) may be coupled to the wave generator via a network, such as the Internet, and thus may be configured or controlled remotely.
The computer may include at least one central processing unit or CPU (processor) 160 which is coupled to a processor or host bus 162. The CPU 160 may be any of various types, including an x86 processor, e.g., a Pentium class, a PowerPC processor, a CPU from the SPARC family of RISC processors, as well as others. A memory medium, typically comprising RAM and referred to as main memory, 166 is coupled to the host bus 162 by means of memory controller 164. The main memory 166 may store a program, e.g., a graphical program, configured to control the driver portion of the wave generator, e.g., to control or modulate the frequency, and in some embodiments, the amplitude, of the generated waves. The main memory may also store operating system software, as well as other software for operation of the computer system.
The host bus 162 may be coupled to an expansion or input/output bus 170 by means of a bus controller 168 or bus bridge logic. The expansion bus 170 may be the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) expansion bus, although other bus types can be used. The expansion bus 170 includes slots for various devices such as described above. The computer 82 further comprises a video display subsystem 180 and hard drive 182 coupled to the expansion bus 170. The computer 82 may also comprise a GPIB card 113 coupled to a GPIB bus 112, and/or an MXI device 186 coupled to a VXI chassis 116.
As shown, a device 190 may also be connected to the computer. The device 190 may include a processor and memory which may execute a real time operating system. The device 190 may also or instead comprise a programmable hardware element. The computer system may be configured to deploy a graphical program to the device 190 for execution of the graphical program on the device 190. The deployed graphical program may take the form of graphical program instructions or data structures that directly represents the graphical program. Alternatively, the deployed graphical program may take the form of text code (e.g., C code) generated from the graphical program. As another example, the deployed graphical program may take the form of compiled code generated from either the graphical program or from text code that in turn was generated from the graphical program.
As indicated above, the frequency of rotation of the rotating mount 124 determines the frequency of the resulting waves in the fluid. There are various ways in which the amplitude of the waves may also be specified or controlled, based on setting or modifying various attributes of the wave generating device, such as, for example, the strength of the magnets, the distance of closest approach of the magnets, the structure of the pivoting arm, e.g., distance from the pivot to the float member, and the buoyancy of the float member, among others.
For example, in one embodiment, the driver portion may be configured to be a specified distance from the side of the wave tank, e.g., via spacers. Alternatively, or additionally, the driver portion may be constructed such that two or more of the sides of the motor housing are at different distances from the rotating mount's axis of rotation. For example, assuming a roughly square housing, the axis of rotation may be 6 inches from a first side of the housing, 9 inches from a second side of the housing, 12 inches from a third side of the housing, and 15 inches from a fourth side of the housing, and so the distance of nearest approach of the magnets may be discretely set simply by the side of the housing placed against the side of the wave tank. In a continuous variation of the above, the housing may have an oval shape (or other closed curve), and this distance may be varied smoothly simply by rotating the housing.
In another exemplary embodiment, e.g., where the rotating mount has some type of “L” shape, the leg of the “L” that holds the first magnet 108A may be telescopic, and thus, a user may simply extend that leg of the mount to shorten the distance of closest approach, thereby increasing the repelling force 202 between the magnets at closest approach.
Any other means for adjusting this distance, and thus, controlling the amplitude of the generated waves, may be used as desired.
First, in 602, a magnetic wave generator may be provided. As described above, the magnetic wave generator may include a driver portion, comprising a rotating mount that includes a first magnet situated on a circumferential edge of the rotating mount, and a motor, coupled to and configured to rotate the rotating mount; and may further include an actuator portion, comprising a pivot mount, and a pivoting arm, configured to rotatably couple to the pivot mount. The pivoting arm may include a second magnet at a first position on the pivoting arm, and a float member at a second position on the pivoting arm, where the float member is buoyant.
In 604, the driver portion may rotate the rotating mount, thereby repeatedly and alternatively moving the first magnet near then away from the actuator portion, where the first and second magnets are oriented to repel each other upon closest approach. More details regarding the driver portion, its structure, and its operation are provided above.
In 606, in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet near the actuator portion, the pivoting arm of the actuator portion may be rotated away from the first magnet via the second magnet being repelled from the first magnet, thereby pushing the float member down in the fluid of the wave tank.
In 608, in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet away from the actuator portion, the pivoting arm of the actuator portion may be rotated toward the first magnet via the buoyancy of the float member providing a restorative force that allows the float member to rise in the fluid of the wave tank.
In 610, waves may be induced in the wave tank via the float member by repeatedly rotating the pivoting arm in response to said repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet.
In a more general embodiment of the above method, a magnetic wave generator may be installed, in which a driver portion may be placed outside a wave tank that contains a fluid, where the driver portion includes a first magnet, and an actuator portion may be placed inside the wave tank. The actuator portion may include a second magnet coupled to a buoyant float member.
Once the magnet wave generator is installed, the first magnet of the driver portion may be rotated. The rotating may periodically move the first magnet near the second magnet, thereby inducing a repellant force on the second magnet that pushes the buoyant float member down into the fluid. The rotating may further periodically move the first magnet away from the second magnet, thereby allowing the buoyancy of the float member to provide a restorative force that causes the buoyant float member to rise in the fluid. The movement of the buoyant float member may induce waves in the fluid of the wave tank. Additionally, as discussed above, in some embodiments, the buoyancy-related restorative force may be augmented (or replaced) with an attractive force via anti-alignment of diametric, bar, or horseshoe magnets.
Further details regarding the actuator portion, its structure, and its operation are presented above. Note that any of the features and embodiments disclosed herein may be used in any combinations as desired.
Thus, various embodiments of the above-described magnetic wave generator may be used to generate waves in a fluid, e.g., in a wave tank, without requiring a mechanical coupling between a driver portion of the wave generator and an actuator portion of the wave generator.
Although the embodiments above have been described in considerable detail, numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.
This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/621,197, titled “Magnetic Wave Generator”, filed Apr. 6, 2012, whose inventor is David E. Wilson, and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as though fully and completely set forth herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61621197 | Apr 2012 | US |
