Ultrasonic levitation device based on lotus-type expansion array

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of ultrasonic suspension, in particular to an ultrasonic suspension device based on a lotus-style expansion array. The ultrasonic suspension device comprises a power module, a motion controller, a driver, a two-dimensional rotating device and an ultrasonic phased array, the ultrasonic phased array is uniformly provided with ultrasonic wave emitters, and the two-dimensional rotating device is connected with the ultrasonic phased array through a transmission device. The ultrasonic suspension device provided by the application realizes automatic and intelligent suspension control through the joint use of the motion controller and the two-dimensional rotating device; through the design of the spherical ultrasonic phased array, the phase of the ultrasonic wave emitters is accurately controlled by combining the motion controller and the driver, the accurate control of the position of an object is realized, and the demand of complex operation is met; through the adoption of the two-dimensional rotating device, each ultrasonic phased array is independently rotated, the shape of the container can be changed to adapt to different space environments, and the application range is widened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultrasonic levitation technology, and in particular to an ultrasonic levitation device based on a lotus-shaped stretching array. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional storage containers are generally used for storing objects, which involve direct contact between the object and the container walls. This can lead to uncontrolled changes in the object's properties, altering its shape, physical or chemical composition. For example, low-melting-point metals stored in metal containers will form alloys and corrode the containers; oxidizing chemicals cannot be stored in rubber bottles. Different chemicals require different types of containers due to their varying properties, uses, and safety requirements. Furthermore, different chemicals may require different handling methods and precautions, increasing the complexity of operations and safety risks.

[0003] Currently, various technologies exist for levitation. Magnetic, electrical, and optical levitation technologies require the levied object to possess specific physical properties, while acoustic levitation can levitate almost any type of material, including solids, liquids, and even small living animals. The principle of acoustic levitation is to use the force of sound radiation to counteract the effects of gravity, keeping the object suspended and preventing it from contacting a solid surface. Therefore, acoustic levitation has the potential to become a highly promising tool in fields such as analytical chemistry, biomedicine, spatial volume display, micro-assembly, and cell culture.

[0004] In the field of acoustic levitation, most existing technologies are based on fixed ultrasonic phased arrays. This means the array remains in a fixed position in space, and the movement of the object is controlled by changing only the amplitude and phase of the ultrasonic transducers. However, fixed ultrasonic phased arrays have a limited levitation control area; they can only levitate within the area directly in front of the array, and beyond that area, they become uncontrollable.

[0005] Currently, the main structure for non-contact transport devices using acoustic levitation is a gripping, opposing ultrasonic phased array. These structures typically only allow objects to levitate within a limited area, enabling objects to be placed or removed from specific directions. They cannot change the shape of the array and are difficult to adapt to different spatial requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and propose an ultrasonic levitation device based on a lotus-shaped stretching array. This device enables independent control of each ultrasonic phased array. By changing the shape of the device, multiple levitation arrays can cooperate in space to achieve the transportation and storage of objects using acoustic levitation.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following specific technical solution:

[0008] The ultrasonic levitation device based on a lotus-shaped stretching array provided by the present invention includes a power module, a motion controller, a driver, a two-dimensional rotating device, and an ultrasonic phased array. Ultrasonic transmitters are uniformly arranged on the ultrasonic phased array, and the two-dimensional rotating device is connected to the ultrasonic phased array through a transmission device.

[0009] The power supply module is connected to the motion controller, the driver, and the two-dimensional rotation device, respectively.

[0010] The motion controller is used to calculate the phase of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter when the suspended object is suspended at the target point, and sends the calculated phase information to the driver;

[0011] The driver is used to process the received phase information, generate a pulse width modulation signal, amplify the power, and send it to the ultrasonic phased array, thereby controlling the ultrasonic transmitter to emit the corresponding ultrasonic waves;

[0012] The two-dimensional rotating device is used to control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array via a transmission device; the motion controller is also used to control the two-dimensional rotating device by sending control signals, and then control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array via the transmission device.

[0013] Preferably, the ultrasonic phased array is arc-shaped, and there are N (N>1) two-dimensional rotating devices and ultrasonic phased arrays. Each two-dimensional rotating device controls a corresponding ultrasonic phased array, thereby realizing independent control of each ultrasonic phased array.

[0014] Preferably, the two-dimensional rotating device is selected from any one of the following: servo motor, DC motor, AC motor, and stepper motor.

[0015] Preferably, the transmission method of the transmission device includes transmission by controlling the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array through a screw jack, transmission by means of a bent transmission rod, and transmission by direct connection with the rotation center.

[0016] Preferably, the two-dimensional rotating device controls the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array to open and close the ultrasonic phased array. When the ultrasonic phased array is closed, its shape is spherical or ellipsoidal.

[0017] The present invention can achieve the following technical effects:

[0018] 1. The ultrasonic levitation device based on lotus-shaped stretching array provided by the present invention uses acoustic levitation technology to achieve non-contact levitation of objects, thereby avoiding contact between objects and container walls, maintaining the original state of objects, avoiding contamination from containers, and solving the problem of uncontrolled changes in object properties.

[0019] 2. By combining a motion controller and a two-dimensional rotating device, automated and intelligent levitation control is achieved. By simply inputting relevant parameters, the system can automatically calculate and adjust the phase of the ultrasonic transmitter and the rotation of the two-dimensional rotating device to realize the transportation and storage of objects, reducing the difficulty of operation.

[0020] 3. By designing a spherical ultrasonic phased array, combined with a motion controller and driver, the phase of the ultrasonic transmitter is precisely controlled, thereby achieving precise control of the object's position and meeting the needs of complex operations;

[0021] 4. By using a two-dimensional rotating device to control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array, the container can change shape to adapt to different spatial environments, thus broadening its application range.

[0022] 5. Suspended objects are not limited by the properties of the object itself. Almost any type of object can be suspended. It does not require the object to have specific properties. Whether it is metal, inorganic non-metal, organic material, liquid or even living creature, it can be suspended. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall system of the ultrasonic levitation device based on a lotus-shaped stretching array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 These are three views of an ultrasonic phased array provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a two-dimensional rotating device controlling an ultrasonic phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic phased array when it is closed, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ultrasonic phased array when it is turned on, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic levitation device for transporting objects according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] The reference numerals in the figures include:

[0030] 1. Ultrasonic phased array; 2. Ultrasonic transmitter; 3. Suspended object. Detailed Implementation

[0031] In the following description, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description below, the same modules are denoted by the same reference numerals. Where the same reference numerals are used, their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, their detailed description will not be repeated.

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0033] This invention provides an ultrasonic levitation device based on a lotus-shaped stretching array, comprising a power module, a motion controller, a driver, a two-dimensional rotating device, and an ultrasonic phased array. The overall system of the ultrasonic levitation device is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, ultrasonic transmitters are uniformly arranged on the ultrasonic phased array, and the two-dimensional rotating device is connected to the ultrasonic phased array through a transmission device.

[0034] The power supply module is connected to the motion controller, the driver, and the two-dimensional rotation device, respectively.

[0035] The motion controller is used to calculate the phase of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter when the suspended object is suspended at the target point, and sends the calculated phase information to the driver;

[0036] The driver is used to process the received phase information, generate a pulse width modulation signal, amplify the power, and send it to the ultrasonic phased array, thereby controlling the ultrasonic transmitter to emit the corresponding ultrasonic waves;

[0037] The two-dimensional rotating device is used to control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array via a transmission device; the motion controller is also used to control the two-dimensional rotating device by sending control signals, and then control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array via the transmission device.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the ultrasonic phased array is arc-shaped, and there are N (N>1) two-dimensional rotating devices and ultrasonic phased arrays. Each two-dimensional rotating device controls a corresponding ultrasonic phased array, achieving independent control of each ultrasonic phased array. The two-dimensional rotating devices control the rotational movement of the ultrasonic phased array, realizing the opening and closing of the ultrasonic phased array.

[0039] The ultrasonic levitation device provided by the present invention will be described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0040] The ultrasonic levitation device uses the same ultrasonic transmitter, and there are no restrictions on its size and resonant frequency. Generally, a size of 10mm or 16mm in diameter and a resonant frequency of 40kHz are selected. The specific model is MA40S4S.

[0041] The ultrasonic phased array consists of six units, forming a spherical shape with a diameter of 10 cm when closed. Taking an example of 10 ultrasonic transmitters distributed within each ultrasonic phased array, each array comprises: an ultrasonic levitation array shell and 10 internal ultrasonic transmitters. Throughout the container, the distance between any two adjacent ultrasonic transmitters on the same layer is equidistant. The upper and lower portions of the ultrasonic phased array are symmetrical along a central axis. In the lower half of an ultrasonic phased array, the central angles corresponding to the arcs between adjacent layers of ultrasonic transmitters and the bottom of the array differ by 26°. The number of ultrasonic transmitters in the upper layer is greater than or equal to the number in the lower layer. The three-view diagram of the ultrasonic phased array is shown below. Figure 2 As shown.

[0042] The ultrasonic phased array is controlled by a two-dimensional rotating device, which may include, but is not limited to, servo motors, DC motors, AC motors, and stepper motors. In this embodiment, a servo motor is used as the two-dimensional rotating device to control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array. The motion controller is connected to the two-dimensional rotating device that controls the ultrasonic phased array, and controls the movement of the two-dimensional rotating device through control signals to realize the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array in space.

[0043] The servo motor and the ultrasonic phased array are connected via a transmission device. This transmission device can be connected in any way, including but not limited to: using a jack as a transmission device to control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array, using a curved transmission rod for transmission, or direct connection to the rotation center. This embodiment uses a jack as a transmission device to control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array. Figure 3 As shown.

[0044] Figure 4 The structure of the ultrasonic phased array when it is closed is shown, such as Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the ultrasonic levitation device includes six ultrasonic phased arrays arranged in parallel. Each ultrasonic phased array can rotate independently around the bottom center. Theoretically, the maximum rotation angle of each ultrasonic phased array is 90°.

[0045] Figure 5 The structure of the ultrasonic phased array when it is turned on is shown, such as Figure 5 As shown, the six-petal ultrasonic phased array opens simultaneously. As the rotation angle of the ultrasonic phased array increases, the range of objects that can be suspended in the container without contact also increases, changing from the initial spherical structure to a flat lotus-shaped structure. The influence of the sound field between the ultrasonic phased arrays is weakened. When rotated to a certain angle, objects can be suspended above each petal of the ultrasonic phased array, making it easier to place objects directly.

[0046] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an ultrasonic levitation device transporting an object is shown, such as... Figure 6As shown, each segment of the ultrasonic phased array can be controlled independently. When one segment of the ultrasonic phased array 1 is opened as the container's inlet, the suspended object 3 to be stored can be placed on this open segment. Based on the real-time position of the suspended target, the focusing point of the array's standing wave acoustic field is adjusted to move the object towards the center of the container, tracking the suspended target's position in real time. Alternatively, real-time two-dimensional rotation control can be performed based on the suspended target's position to gradually close the container inlet, maximizing the suspended object's acoustic radiation. Inside the container, the object can be suspended at any position by adjusting the focusing point of the standing wave acoustic field. When there are multiple suspended objects inside the container, multiple focusing points can be set to precisely control the suspended position of the objects, achieving spatial isolation. Alternatively, the focusing points can be brought closer together, controlling the objects on the focusing points to merge and react. When it is necessary to remove the object, one segment of the ultrasonic phased array can be opened as the container's outlet. The focusing point of the array's standing wave acoustic field is adjusted to move the object towards the container's outlet. After being sent out of the container, the object can be directly removed or transported using other non-contact transportation methods. The container can be closed again after the object is removed. It has six ultrasonic phased arrays, each of which can be individually controlled to realize the entrance and exit, and can serve as a transportation hub in the containerless transportation process.

[0047] The motion controller sends control signals to control the position of the multi-lobe ultrasonic phased array in three-dimensional space, adjusting the rotation angle of each lobe in real time. By setting the position of the focal point, the phase of the sound waves emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter on each lobe of the ultrasonic phased array is controlled, thereby generating standing wave nodes at specified locations in space for suspending target objects.

[0048] The power supply module includes a 12V DC power supply and a step-down module based on the XL2596S. The power supply generates a 5V DC voltage through the step-down module to power the FPGA and motion controller, and provides a 12V DC voltage to the driver chip and the two-dimensional rotation device.

[0049] The motion controller is based on an ARM processor. Its parameters include the coordinates of each ultrasonic transmitter, the three-dimensional coordinates of the suspended target, the object's mass, and the initial phase of the ultrasonic transmitters. Selectable motion controller types include, but are not limited to, PCs, ARM processors, and FPGAs, used to control the movement of the focal point of the ultrasonic phased array and the two-dimensional rotating device.

[0050] The driver includes an FPGA and a power amplifier module. The FPGA has 60 pins outputting pulse-width modulated (PWM) signals, each with a different time delay representing its carried phase information. The power amplifier module uses a TC4428 chip, with two input ports simultaneously receiving one FPGA output signal. The two outputs are connected to two pins of the ultrasonic transmitter, and a bypass capacitor is connected to the chip's VDD terminal for filtering and voltage regulation. The connection method between the ultrasonic phase array and the driver is not limited, including but not limited to: one end receiving the power-amplified PWM signal, and the other end sharing ground, or both ends receiving opposite PWM signals. The driver chip performs power amplification, including but not limited to TC4428, L298n, MIC4127, etc., to amplify the PWM signal carrying phase information generated by the driver FPGA.

[0051] The motion controller and driver use UART as the transmission protocol, transmitting 64 bytes of phase information after each calculation. Two bytes are set at the beginning and end for verification, and the middle 60 bytes contain phase information for 60 ultrasonic transmitters. The FPGA in the driver receives the phase information and uses it as a time delay to generate pulse-width modulated waves of different phases, which are then sent to the ultrasonic transmitters.

[0052] The specific control method of the ultrasonic levitation device in this embodiment can be as follows:

[0053] 1) Simultaneously controlling the rotation angle of each lobe of the ultrasonic phased array and jointly controlling the two-dimensional rotation of the multi-lobe ultrasonic phased array can realize the change of container shape and has higher spatial flexibility.

[0054] 2) The two-dimensional rotation angle of a single segment of the ultrasonic phased array can be controlled individually to open and close the container;

[0055] 3) By controlling the amplitude and phase of each ultrasonic transmitter, high-precision control within a certain range can be achieved.

[0056] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0057] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0058] The specific embodiments of the present invention described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made in accordance with the technical concept of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic levitation device based on a lotus-shaped stretching array, characterized in that, It includes a power module, a motion controller, a driver, a two-dimensional rotating device, and an ultrasonic phased array. Ultrasonic transmitters are uniformly arranged on the ultrasonic phased array, and the two-dimensional rotating device is connected to the ultrasonic phased array through a transmission device. The power module is connected to the motion controller, the driver, and the two-dimensional rotation device, respectively. The motion controller is used to calculate the phase of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter when the suspended object is suspended at the target point, and sends the calculated phase information to the driver; The driver is used to process the received phase information, generate a pulse width modulation signal, amplify the power, and send it to the ultrasonic phased array, thereby controlling the ultrasonic transmitter to emit corresponding ultrasonic waves; The two-dimensional rotating device is used to control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array via the transmission device; the motion controller is also used to control the two-dimensional rotating device by sending control signals, and then control the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array via the transmission device. The ultrasonic phased array is arc-shaped. There are N two-dimensional rotating devices and ultrasonic phased arrays, where N > 1. Each two-dimensional rotating device controls a corresponding ultrasonic phased array, enabling independent control of each ultrasonic phased array. The two-dimensional rotating device controls the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array to open and close it. When closed, the ultrasonic phased array is spherical or ellipsoidal.

2. The ultrasonic levitation device based on a lotus-shaped stretching array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission device can be driven in several ways, including by a screw jack controlling the rotation of the ultrasonic phased array, by means of a curved transmission rod, or by direct connection to the center of rotation.

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