System and method for alignment of objects

• US 7,800,472 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cedar Ridge Research LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US12/243,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20090251244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 335/285, 335302-306, 243/03, 310/90.11, 310/90.5, 2102-103, 231/2, 231/5, 231/9, 232/1, 232/2, 233/8, 242/2, 246/2, 291/3
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/02 for manufacturing cores, coils, or magnets H01F41/14 takes precedence; for dynamo-electric machines H02K15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0278 for generating uniform fields, focusing, deflecting electrically charged particles for magnetic separation by Lorentz force B03C1/023; specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/383
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0284 using a trimmable or adjustable magnetic circuit, e.g. for a symmetric dipole or quadrupole magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0266 using field effect transistors as protective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49075 including permanent magnet or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49904 Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53091 for work-holder for assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53265 with work-holder for assembly

Abstract

An improved field emission system and method is provided that involves field emission structures having electric or magnetic field sources. The magnitudes, polarities, and positions of the magnetic or electric field sources are configured to have desirable correlation properties, which may be in accordance with a code. The correlation properties correspond to a desired spatial force function where spatial forces between field emission structures correspond to relative alignment, separation distance, and the spatial force function.

Claims

1. A system for alignment of objects, comprising:

a first field emission structure affixed to a first object, said first field emission structure having a plurality of first field emission sources having polarities in accordance with a first correlation function defined by a first code; and

a second field emission structure affixed to a second object, said second field emission structure having a plurality of second field emission sources having polarities in accordance with a second correlation function defined by a second code, said first object becoming substantially aligned with said second object when each one of said plurality of first field emission sources becomes substantially aligned with a corresponding one of said plurality of second field emission sources thereby producing a peak attractive spatial force in accordance with said first correlation function and said second correlation function, said first code and said second code corresponding to a spatial force function, said first code corresponding to a code modulo of said first field emission structure and said second code corresponding to a code modulo of said second field emission structure, said first code and said second code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of said code modulo of said first field emission structure with said code modulo of said second field emission structure, said first code and said second code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of said code modulo of said first field emission structure and said code modulo of said second field emission structure, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of said peak spatial force.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said second field emission structure comprises the mirror image of said first field emission structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first object or said second object comprises one of a cylindrical object, a spherical object, a conical object, a planar object, a curved object, a stepped object, a table, a track, a shoe, a glove, a structural beam, a robot, a hovering object, or a surface, pivot mechanism, a structural member, a cover panel, a latch mechanism, an alignment mark, a lever, a hinged latch clip, a latch knob, a turning mechanism, a swivel mechanism, a housing, a rotating shaft, a cutting edge, a bump pad, a windmill, a water wheel, a turbine, an engine, an energy scavenging device, an axle, a window, a refrigerator, a freezer, a food storage container, a boat hatch, a submarine hatch, a gasket, an o-ring, a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, a gas cylinder, a pumping device, a floor, a ceiling, a roof, a shingle, a frame, a toy, a puzzle, a construction set, a belt, a harness, a boot, a skateboard, a ski, a cargo container, a scanner, a printer, a plotter, a television, a computer monitor, a generator, a transformer, a watch, or a jewelry item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first object and said second object correspond to at least one of a valve mechanism, a locking mechanism, a holding mechanism, a clasp mechanism, a sealing mechanism, a pressing mechanism, a pressure control mechanism, a hydraulic control mechanism, a ball joint, a wheel, a gear, a bearing, a prosthetic device, a fastening device, a tool, a machine, a motor, a placing mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a directing mechanism, a vehicular system, a robotic control system, an assembly system, a computer numerical control machine, a cross-bracing, a truss, a wall structure, a piece of furniture, an electronic connector, a plumbing connector, an attachment mechanism, a scaffold structure, a traction device, a flow control system, a storm shutter, a button, a drawer fastener, a door fastener, a safe, a fishing net, a crab cage, a microphone, a speaker, a hinge, or a measurement system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure provide a frictionless hold force between said first object and said second object.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a turning mechanism, a tool insertion slot, an alignment mark, a latch mechanism, a pivot mechanism, a swivel mechanism, a lever, a housing, a slip ring mechanism, a heat sink material, a kill mechanism, an active intermediate layer, or a passive intermediate layer, a back keeper layer, a front saturable layer, a heat source, an inductive loop, a plating nichrome wire, or an embedded wire, or a kill mechanism.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure comprises a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, an electret, a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a portion of a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a soft magnetic material, or a superconductive magnetic material.

8. A method for alignment of objects, said method comprising the steps of:

affixing a first field emission structure to a first object, said first field emission structure having a plurality of first field emission sources having polarities in accordance with a first correlation function defined by a first code;

affixing a second field emission structure to a second object, said second field emission structure having a plurality of second field emission sources having polarities in accordance with a second correlation function defined by a second code; and

aligning each one of said plurality of first field emission sources with a corresponding one of said plurality of second field emission sources thereby producing a peak attractive spatial force in accordance with said first correlation function and said second correlation function thereby substantially aligning said first object with said second object, said first code and said second code corresponding to a spatial force function, said first code corresponding to a code modulo of said first field emission structure and said second code corresponding to a code modulo of said second field emission structure, said first code and said second code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of said code modulo of said first field emission structure with said code modulo of said second field emission structure, said first code and said second code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of said code modulo of said first field emission structure and said code modulo of said second field emission structure, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of said peak spatial force.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first field emission structure comprises the mirror image of said second field emission structure.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said first object or said second object comprises one of a cylindrical object, a spherical object, a conical object, a planar object, a curved object, a stepped object, a table, a track, a shoe, a glove, a structural beam, a robot, a hovering object, or a surface, pivot mechanism, a structural member, a cover panel, a latch mechanism, an alignment mark, a lever, a hinged latch clip, a latch knob, a turning mechanism, a swivel mechanism, a housing, a rotating shaft, a cutting edge, a bump pad, a windmill, a water wheel, a turbine, an engine, an energy scavenging device, an axle, a window, a refrigerator, a freezer, a food storage container, a boat hatch, a submarine hatch, a gasket, an o-ring, a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, a gas cylinder, a pumping device, a floor, a ceiling, a roof, a shingle, a frame, a toy, a puzzle, a construction set, a belt, a harness, a boot, a skateboard, a ski, a cargo container, a scanner, a printer, a plotter, a television, a computer monitor, a generator, a transformer, a watch, or a jewelry item.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said first object and said second object correspond to at least one of a valve mechanism, a locking mechanism, a holding mechanism, a clasp mechanism, a sealing mechanism, a pressing mechanism, a pressure control mechanism, a hydraulic control mechanism, a ball joint, a wheel, a gear, a bearing, a prosthetic device, a fastening device, a tool, a machine, a motor, a placing mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a directing mechanism, a vehicular system, a robotic control system, an assembly system, a computer numerical control machine, a cross-bracing, a truss, a wall structure, a piece of furniture, an electronic connector, a plumbing connector, an attachment mechanism, a scaffold structure, a traction device, a flow control system, a storm shutter, a button, a drawer fastener, a door fastener, a safe, a fishing net, a crab cage, a microphone, a speaker, a hinge, or a measurement system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure provide a frictionless hold force between said first object and said second object.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure comprises at least one of a turning mechanism, a tool insertion slot, an alignment mark, a latch mechanism, a pivot mechanism, a swivel mechanism, a lever, a housing, a slip ring mechanism, a heat sink material, a kill mechanism, an active intermediate layer, or a passive intermediate layer, a back keeper layer, a front saturable layer, a heat source, an inductive loop, a plating nichrome wire, or an embedded wire, or a kill mechanism.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure comprises a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, an electret, a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a portion of a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a soft magnetic material, or a superconductive magnetic material.

15. A method for aligning objects, said method comprising:

associating a first field emission structure with a first object, said first field emission structure being in accordance with a first code;

associating a second field emission structure with a second object, said second field emission structure being in accordance with a second code, said second field emission structure being the mirror image of said first field emission structure; and

aligning said first field emission structure with said second field emission structure to produce a peak attractive spatial force thereby substantially aligning said first object with said second object, said first code and said second code corresponding to a spatial force function, said first code corresponding to a code modulo of said first field emission structure and said second code corresponding to a code modulo of said second field emission structure, said first code and said second code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of said code modulo of said first field emission structure with said code modulo of said second field emission structure, said first code and said second code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of said code modulo of said first field emission structure and said code modulo of said second field emission structure, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of said peak spatial force.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure comprises a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, an electret, a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a portion of a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a soft magnetic material, or a superconductive magnetic material.