Janice D Houston

US Patent:

61592714, Dec 12, 2000

Filed:

Sep 11, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/151858

Inventors:

Brian J. Tillotson - Kent WA
Janice D. Houston - Huntsville AL

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

B03C 102

US Classification:

95 28

Abstract:

A method and system for orienting diamagnetic liquids in a container in a low gravity environment includes at least one magnet. The magnet or magnets are placed at the end of the container opposite a desired location for the diamagnetic liquid. The magnetic field generated by the magnet creates a diamagnetic force that repels the diamagnetic liquid away from the magnet and toward the desired location.

US Patent:

61623644, Dec 19, 2000

Filed:

Jun 16, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/097896

Inventors:

Brian J. Tillotson - Kent WA
Larry P. Torre - Bellevue WA
Janice D. Houston - Huntsville AL

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

B03C 100

US Classification:

210695

Abstract:

A method and system for diamagnetic manipulation of an object in a surrounding medium in a low gravity environment is provided. The system can be used in various applications such as containerless materials processing, protein crystal growth, and particulate filtering. If the application requires directional manipulation of the object, at least one magnet or electromagnet is required. The object is repulsed by the magnet if the object is more strongly diamagnetic than the surrounding medium. If the object is less diamagnetic than the surrounding medium, however, then the object is effectively attracted to the magnet. For an application that requires suspension of the object, two oppositely polarized magnets are used to generate an appropriate magnetic field gradient to suspend the object in a location where opposing field vectors generated by the two magnets cancel each other out, producing a net field strength of zero.