Patent · US Expired

Droplet floating apparatus

US5558837A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
7References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 15, 1994
Grant dateSep 24, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 15, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02N13/00
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A droplet floating apparatus is provided to float a sample without any contact so as to carry out various types of experiments and develop new materials. The droplet floating apparatus includes a liquid sample supply pipe whose distal end is opened to a floating space, to receive supply of a liquid sample to form a droplet at the distal end, a separating device for separating the droplet from the liquid sample supply pipe, and a device for confining the separated droplet in the floating space without ambient contact. The separating device uses a gas to spray a pressurized gas on the droplet, and the confining device uses voltage. The liquid sample supply pipe is periodically vibrated, and the distal end of the liquid sample supply pipe may be diagonally cut away or may be heated. A plurality of liquid sample supply pipes may be mounted to supply a plurality of types of liquid samples. Further, the droplet may be recovered by suction of a droplet recovery pipe, an adsorber, or the like.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.