Active electrostatic seal and electrostatic vacuum pump
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrostatic device comprising:
- a conductive element and a dielectric element each having a surface, the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element being closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element; and
a voltage source for applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of said conductive element and said dielectric element, wherein said voltage source generates voltages that each include attractive voltage segments and non-attractive voltage segments in a repeating sequence and wherein said voltages are phased such that said attractive voltage segments and said non-attractive voltage segments move from electrode to electrode and define a direction of gas transport.
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Abstract
An electrostatic device includes a conductive element and a dielectric element having surfaces that are closely-spaced or contacting, a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of the dielectric element and a voltage source for applying voltages to the electrodes. Either the conductive element or the dielectric element is flexible. The voltages applied to the electrodes produce a moving wave in the flexible element, wherein a gas between the surfaces is transported in the direction of the moving wave. The device may function as an active electrostatic seal between the surfaces or as an electrostatic vacuum pump.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An electrostatic device comprising:
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a conductive element and a dielectric element each having a surface, the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element being closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element; and
a voltage source for applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of said conductive element and said dielectric element, wherein said voltage source generates voltages that each include attractive voltage segments and non-attractive voltage segments in a repeating sequence and wherein said voltages are phased such that said attractive voltage segments and said non-attractive voltage segments move from electrode to electrode and define a direction of gas transport. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electrostatic device comprising:
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a conductive element and a dielectric element each having a surface, the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element being closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible; and
a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element in response to voltages applied to said electrodes, wherein the voltages applied to said electrodes each include attractive voltage segments and non-attractive voltage segments in a repeating sequence and wherein said voltages are phased such that said attractive voltage segments and said non-attractive voltage segments move from electrode to electrode and define a direction of gas transport. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electrostatic device for sealing to a surface of a conductive workpiece, comprising:
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a dielectric element having a surface, the surfaces of the workpiece and said dielectric element being closely-spaced or contacting when said device is in use, one of the workpiece and said dielectric element being flexible;
a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element; and
a voltage source for applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of the workpiece and said dielectric element, wherein said voltage source generates voltages that each include attractive voltage segments and non-attractive voltage segments in a repeating sequence and wherein said voltages are phased such that said attractive voltage segments and said non-attractive voltage segments move from electrode to electrode and define a direction of gas transport. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for transporting a gas, comprising the steps of:
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providing a conductive element and a dielectric element having surfaces that are closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
positioning a plurality of electrodes adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element; and
applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of said conductive element and said dielectric element. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An electrostatic device comprising:
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a conductive element and a dielectric element each having a surface, the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element being closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element; and
means for applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the
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Specification