Electrical charge absorber, charge sensor and magnetometer

Abstract

The present invention relates to an absorber (10) for electrical charge in the environment, the absorber (10) comprising a diamagnetic element (12) surrounded by an insulator (14), the insulator (14) being an insulating envelope with respect to electromagnetic radiation.

Description

[0001] Electric charge absorber, charge sensor and magnetometer

[0002] The present invention relates to an electric charge absorber. The present invention also relates to a charge sensor, a magnetometer comprising such an absorber and to a use of such a device.

[0003] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Measuring electric charge is important for many applications.

[0005] However, the devices currently used are unable to accurately measure low electrical charges,

[0006] There is therefore a need for devices that can measure low electrical charges with greater precision.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] For this purpose, the description describes an absorber of electric charge from the environment, the absorber comprising a diamagnetic element surrounded by an insulator, the insulator being an insulating envelope with respect to electromagnetic radiation.

[0009] According to particular embodiments, the absorber has one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

[0010] - the diamagnetic element is made of a diamagnetic material which is chosen from the list consisting, without it being limiting, of:

[0011] - money,

[0012] - pyrolytic carbon, in plate or sintered powder,

[0013] - an organic compound, in particular sucrose, and

[0014] - water.

[0015] - the diamagnetic element has a cylindrical shape.

[0016] - the diamagnetic element is a cylindrical bar provided with two ends, a first end being an open end and a second end closed by a paramagnetic element.

[0017] The description also describes a load sensor, the sensor comprising an absorber as previously described and an electromagnetic waveguide comprising a conduit, the conduit preventing the propagation of standing waves, the conduit extending between two ends, one end being the diamagnetic element. According to particular embodiments, the load sensor has one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

[0018] - the other end of the conduit is a reflecting parabola.

[0019] - the sensor further comprising a removable shutter, the shutter being made of a paramagnetic material, for example aluminum.

[0020] The description also relates to a magnetometer comprising:

[0021] - an electrode mounted to rotate around an axis, the electrode being a hemispherical electrode made of a diamagnetic material,

[0022] - a sensor as previously described, the sensor being mounted movably on a slide arranged between the sensor and the electrode,

[0023] - a measuring sub-assembly suitable for measuring the distance between electrodes during the deflection of the electrode caused by a movement of the sensor, the value of the magnetic field measured by the magnetometer being the measuring distance and

[0024] - a discharge subassembly capable of discharging the electrical charge of the electrode when a part of the discharge subassembly is in contact with the electrode.

[0025] According to particular embodiments, the magnetometer has one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

[0026] - the hemispherical electrode is a black body.

[0027] - the subassembly includes an electrically conductive element made of ferromagnetic material to carry out the discharge.

[0028] - the discharge subassembly includes an insulating enclosure made of a paramagnetic material.

[0029] - the measuring subassembly includes a light sensor.

[0030] - the magnetometer also includes a mast to which the electrode is connected, and a device for maintaining the direction of the mast.

[0031] - the magnetometer also comprises an arm connecting the electrode to the mast, the arm being made of a paramagnetic material.

[0032] The description also describes a use of a magnetometer as previously described, the charges resulting in particular from a natural induction produced by a living organism, in one of the following applications:

[0033] - measurement of the diamagnetic charge of at least one part of a living organism, such as a human being, a plant or an organic compound, such as an essential oil, - measurement of the diamagnetic charge of an ore, for example an ore found in the path of stony ground,

[0034] - monitoring the germination of a seed,

[0035] - storage and transfer of diamagnetic energy, for delayed therapeutic use, for example skin care or fire barrier.

[0036] - determination of the degree of freshness of a food, such as a fruit, a vegetable, meat or fish,

[0037] - measurement of the charge remanence of a living organism subjected to electromagnetic radiation, in particular electromagnetic radiation coming from a mobile terminal,

[0038] - detection of diamagnetic gradients of a soil, and

[0039] - mapping of diamagnetic gradients of a soil, signatures of present or disappeared archaeological deposits, such as feudal mounds, arrow slits, stairways, ancient roads, protohistoric huts.

[0040] In this description, the expression "suitable for" means indifferently "adapted for", "adapted to" or "configured for".

[0041] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0043] - Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an electric charge absorber,

[0044] - Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an electric charge sensor,

[0045] - Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a magnetometer, and

[0046] - Figure 4 is a schematic representation of part of the magnetometer of Figure 3.

[0047] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] An absorber 10 is illustrated in Figure 1.

[0049] The absorber 10 is here an electrical type absorber, that is to say an absorber of electrical charge from the environment.

[0050] The absorber 10 comprises a diamagnetic element 12 surrounded at least in part by an electromagnetic radiation insulator 14.

[0051] As its name suggests, a diamagnetic element 12 has a part made of diamagnetic material. Diamagnetism is a behavior of materials which leads them, when subjected to a magnetic field, to create a very weak magnetization opposite to the external field, and therefore to generate a magnetic field opposite to the external field.

[0052] Several materials can be considered for the diamagnetic material.

[0053] For example, 935 silver or an organic compound, such as sucrose, could be considered.

[0054] According to yet another embodiment, the diamagnetic material is water.

[0055] In this case, it is a silver wire that has undergone machining by cutting and polishing the ends.

[0056] However, preferably, when greater compactness is sought, the diamagnetic material chosen is pyrolytic carbon which has the advantage of having a relatively high diamagnetic susceptibility, this amounting to -40.10' 5 This corresponds to a size reduction of 20 compared to the case where the diamagnetic material chosen is silver.

[0057] Pyrolytic carbon (or pyrocarbon) is a synthetic material (non-existent in nature) similar to graphite, but with covalent bonds between its graphene layers due to imperfections during its production. It is usually produced by heating a hydrocarbon near its decomposition temperature (thermolysis), and allowing the graphite to crystallize (pyrolysis). One method is to heat synthetic fibers in a vacuum. Another method is to place seeds in the very hot gas to cover them with a graphite deposit.

[0058] According to the example described, the diamagnetic element 12 is a solid cylinder made of diamagnetic material.

[0059] The cylinder has a height between 3 millimeters (mm) and 20 mm.

[0060] According to the example described, the height is equal to 10 mm.

[0061] The cylinder also has a basic shape, which is a disc in the case of Figure 1.

[0062] The disc has a diameter between 1 mm and 10 mm.

[0063] According to the proposed example, the diameter is equal to 2 mm.

[0064] The charge and discharge time constant is proportional to the mass of the cylinder.

[0065] The diamagnetic element 12 is thus a cylindrical bar provided with two ends 16 and 18.

[0066] The first end 16 is an open end and the second end 18 is closed by a paramagnetic element not shown in Figure 1. Paramagnetism designates in magnetism the behavior of a material medium which does not have spontaneous magnetization but which, under the effect of an external magnetic field, acquires a magnetization oriented in the same direction as the applied magnetic field. A paramagnetic material has a magnetic susceptibility of positive value.

[0067] The insulator 14 serves to strongly attenuate external electromagnetic radiation (such as visible or infrared light rays) to ensure that the diamagnetic element 12 can absorb the electrical charge from the immediate environment of the absorber 10.

[0068] It may be noted here that the insulator 14 thus serves to modify the radiation pattern which is a function of the solid opening angle.

[0069] The insulator 14 is, here, an insulating envelope with respect to electromagnetic radiation.

[0070] According to the example illustrated, the insulator 14 is made of aluminum.

[0071] In particular, the insulator 14 is here a flexible aluminum film in contact with the diamagnetic element 12.

[0072] Alternatively, the insulator 14 is, in the case of FIG. 1, a hollow cylinder surrounding the diamagnetic element 12.

[0073] The absorber 10 described is thus an absorber capable of efficiently absorbing the electrical charge of the environment.

[0074] The absorber 10 can be seen as a diamagnetic mass probe capable of acquiring and memorizing a potential. The diamagnetic element 12 will thus keep in memory the charge captured by the environment.

[0075] This capacity can be advantageously exploited to acquire or measure the electric charge. For this, a charge sensor 20 of the electromagnetic energy is described in the following with reference to FIG. 2.

[0076] The load sensor 20 comprises an absorber 10 and an electromagnetic waveguide 22.

[0077] Due to the nature of the absorber 10, the sensor 20 is a low load load sensor.

[0078] The electromagnetic waveguide 22 comprises a conduit 24 and a shutter 26.

[0079] Duct 24 has a curved profile without a right bend in order to avoid the propagation of standing waves.

[0080] The conduit 24 has walls 28 made of insulating material. The insulating material is, for example, polyethylene terephthalate. Such a material is more often designated by the abbreviation PET.

[0081] Alternatively, the insulating material is a resin, particularly a resin suitable for additive manufacturing or plastics molding.

[0082] According to the example described, the conduit 24 has the same cross-sectional shape, which is that of a ring for which an internal diameter and an external diameter can be defined.

[0083] This conduit 24 is wound around a cylinder 30.

[0084] The inner diameter is between 1 mm and 3 mm, preferably equal to 2 mm.

[0085] The outer diameter is between 3 mm and 5 mm, preferably equal to 4 mm.

[0086] Since the diameters are relatively small, the conduit 24 can be described as capillary.

[0087] The length of conduit 24 is between 10 cm and 100 m.

[0088] Furthermore, the conduit 24 is free from elbows having a radius of curvature greater than or equal to 10 mm.

[0089] The conduit 24 extends between two ends 24A and 24B, one end 24A being the diamagnetic element 12 and the other end 24B being the shutter 26.

[0090] The shutter 26 makes it possible to close or not the conduit 24, the shutter 26 making it possible to isolate the sensor 20 from the outside.

[0091] The shutter 26 is removable.

[0092] The shutter 26 is made of a paramagnetic material, such as aluminum.

[0093] The sensor 20 further comprises a protective housing 32 surrounding the absorber 10, the conduit 24 and the shutter 26.

[0094] The sensor 20 is, in addition, provided with a parabola 34.

[0095] Parabola 34 is a reflecting parabola.

[0096] The sensor 20 also includes an index 35 making it possible to locate the position of the sensor 20.

[0097] It may be noted here that the sensor 20 has a relatively low mass, the mass being less than or equal to 2 grams.

[0098] In operation, the sensor 20 is thus designed to charge in less than 10 milliseconds and memorize a charge without alteration by conduction. The sensor 20 is, in particular, insensitive to the external environment and in particular to radiation oriented mainly along the main axis of the sensor 20. This advantageously makes it possible to determine a charge of low amplitude with relatively good precision, for example with a magnetometer 36 as described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0099] Magnetometer 36 is a device for the electric charge of a body.

[0100] The magnetometer 36 is thus capable of measuring the value of the magnetic field generated by a body.

[0101] The magnetometer 36 comprises the sensor 20 described previously, a displacement subassembly 38, a capture subassembly 40, a measurement subassembly 42 and a discharge subassembly 44.

[0102] The assembly of the elements of the magnetometer 36 rests on a support 46 for which an end 48 can be defined.

[0103] The support 46 extends perpendicular to the vertical direction which is identified by an axis Z in FIG. 3.

[0104] The support 46 thus extends in a plane for which a first transverse direction (marked by an X axis in FIG. 3) and a second transverse direction (marked by a Y axis in FIG. 3) can be defined. The X and Y axes are chosen to form a direct orthonormal reference frame.

[0105] In the remainder of the description, for ease of understanding, the first transverse direction will be referred to as the first transverse direction X, the second transverse direction will be referred to as the second transverse direction Y and the vertical direction will be referred to as the vertical direction Z.

[0106] The displacement subassembly 38 is a slide 38.

[0107] The slide 38 is arranged between the end 48 of the support 46 and the capture subassembly 40.

[0108] The slide 38 extends along the first transverse direction X.

[0109] The sensor 20 is mounted movably on the slide 38.

[0110] The slide 38 is thus arranged to lead the sensor 20 to the capture subassembly 40.

[0111] For this, the sensor 20 can be driven by hand by an operator.

[0112] Alternatively, the sensor 20 is driven by a motorized plate. The motor used to move the sensor 20 is a stepper motor, for example equipped with a 200 steps per revolution encoder.

[0113] To locate the position of the sensor 20 along the first transverse direction X, the slide 28 comprises a graduated ruler 49 which interacts with the index 35 to obtain the desired position. The capture subassembly 40 is shown more precisely in FIG. 4 in the rest position.

[0114] The capture subassembly 40 comprises an electrode 50, a mast 52, a holding device 54 and an arm 56.

[0115] Electrode 50 is a hemispherical electrode made of a diamagnetic material 12.

[0116] In a specific embodiment, the electrode 50 is a hollow half-sphere with a diameter of 30 mm and a wall of 0.4 mm.

[0117] The electrode 50 is made of a highly absorbent material, for example a black resin.

[0118] Electrode 50 here forms a black body.

[0119] The electrode 50 is rotatably mounted around the mast 52.

[0120] The mast 52 extends in a main direction, called the direction of the mast 52.

[0121] As seen in Figure 4, the direction of mast 52 is the vertical direction Z.

[0122] The holding device 54 is suitable for maintaining the direction of the mast 52. The holding device 54 is, for example, a stirrup 54.

[0123] The stirrup 54 is, for example, made integral with the support 46 to guarantee good stability of the mast 52.

[0124] The electrode 50 is thus mounted to rotate around the vertical axis Z.

[0125] Arm 56 connects electrode 50 to mast 52.

[0126] The arm 56 extends in the rest position in the second transverse direction Y.

[0127] Arm 56 is made of a paramagnetic material, such as silver.

[0128] The arm 56 is, according to a specific example, a foil having a length of 70 mm. The length is the dimension along the second transverse direction Y.

[0129] As seen in Figure 4, the foil has a width less than the diameter of the electrode 50, typically 25 mm.

[0130] Such an example of a capture subassembly 40 allows the movement of the sensor 20 to generate a movement of the electrode 50. The capture subassembly 40 thus in a certain way captures the charge stored by the sensor 20.

[0131] The movement described by the electrode 50 is thus a portion of a circle around the vertical direction Z.

[0132] The circle portion is limited to an angle of 60°, so that the deviation of the electrode 50 is between 0° and 60°. The measuring subassembly 42 is capable of measuring the deviation of the electrode 50 caused by a movement of the sensor 20, the value of the magnetic field depending on this deviation.

[0133] The law relating the magnetic field value and the deflection is not linear and has been determined previously for magnetometer 36.

[0134] This law is parabolic in shape.

[0135] According to the specific example described, the measuring subassembly 42 comprises a photovoltaic cell capable of detecting when the deviation of the electrode 50 caused by a movement of the sensor 20 exceeds a predefined threshold, for example equal to 45°.

[0136] Alternatively, according to another example, the measuring subassembly 42 comprises a light sensor.

[0137] The photovoltaic cell is capable of obtaining the position of the arm 56 by determining the position where the light coming from a light plane is obscured by the arm 56.

[0138] Knowing the position of the arm 56 makes it possible to know its angular deviation which corresponds to the angular deviation of the electrode 50.

[0139] The value of the magnetic field measured by the magnetometer 36 is related to the deviation measured by the aforementioned law.

[0140] The discharge subassembly 44 is capable of discharging the electrical charge of the electrode 50.

[0141] Such a discharge occurs when a portion of the discharge subassembly 44 is in contact with the electrode 50.

[0142] According to the example described, the discharge subassembly 44 comprises a conductive element 58.

[0143] The conductive element 58 is an electrically conductive element made of ferromagnetic material making it possible to capture the charge of the electrode 50.

[0144] The discharge subassembly 44 also comprises an enclosure 60 which is an insulating enclosure made of a paramagnetic material.

[0145] The enclosure 60 also serves as the capture subassembly 48 since the enclosure 60 acts as a screen by preventing electromagnetic disturbances from outside.

[0146] Such a magnetometer 36 allows a determination of a low amplitude charge with relatively good precision.

[0147] The magnetometer 36 just described can be advantageously used for many applications.

[0148] In particular, the magnetometer 36 can be used to measure electro-biological quantities, that is to say electromagnetic fields emitted by a living organism in a space, such as an animal, a plant or a bacterium, fields whose amplitude is eminently low. In particular, the electric field, the charge or the impedance can be determined.

[0149] Thus, as a particular example, the magnetometer 30 can be used to measure the diamagnetic charge of at least a portion of a living organism, such as a human being, a plant or an organic compound, such as an essential oil.

[0150] From this capacity, it can be considered to use the magnetometer 30 for any application based on the knowledge of an electro-biological quantity.

[0151] In particular, monitoring the germination of a seed can be cited.

[0152] Another example is determining the freshness of a food item, such as fruit, vegetables, meat or fish.

[0153] Another example is the measurement of the charge remanence of a living organism subjected to electromagnetic radiation, in particular electromagnetic radiation from a mobile terminal.

[0154] As another example, the devices can also be used for detecting diamagnetic gradients in soil. Therefore, the magnetometer 36 can be used to search for present or disappeared archaeological deposits that have left their mark by a residual diamagnetic charge and ancient pathways because cosmic rays tend to diamagnetize the soil. This diamagnetization loses its homogeneity when humans build.

[0155] It should be noted here that the sensor is also operational in urban environments. This sensor does not produce any artifacts when passing over a cast iron manhole cover, or between parked cars.

[0156] In yet another example, these devices can also be used in alternative medicine.

[0157] In fact, these devices allow the storage and transfer of diamagnetic energy, particularly through skin care or fire protection.

[0158] In other words, such a device could produce a therapeutic effect equivalent to that of a magnetizer.

[0159] In fact, the magnetizer has a diamagnetic charge concentrated in his palms. By making movements close to an affected area of ​​a patient, a charge transfer occurs from the magnetizer to the patient. Currently, the magnetizer practices in the presence of the patient in his office.

[0160] With the devices described, the charge transfer would be done via a buffer tank, for delayed treatment. It could also be envisaged that the extent of the transfer zone could be controlled by the use of a controllable focal length parabola.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Absorber (10) of electric charge from the environment, the absorber (10) comprising a diamagnetic element (12) surrounded by an insulator (14), the insulator (14) being an insulating envelope with respect to electromagnetic radiation.

2. Absorber according to claim 1, in which the diamagnetic element (12) is made of a diamagnetic material chosen from the list consisting of: - money, - pyrolytic carbon, and - an organic compound, in particular sucrose, - water.

3. Absorber according to claim 1 or 2, in which the casing is made of aluminum.

4. Absorber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the diamagnetic element (12) is a cylindrical bar provided with two ends (16, 18), a first end (16) being an open end and a second end (18) closed by a paramagnetic element.

5. Load sensor (20), the sensor (20) comprising: - an absorber (10) according to claim 4, and - an electromagnetic waveguide (22) comprising a conduit (24), the conduit (24) preventing the propagation of standing waves, the conduit (24) extending between two ends, one end (24A) being connected to the diamagnetic element (12) and the other end (24B) to a removable shutter (26).

6. Sensor according to claim 5, in which the shutter (26) is made of a paramagnetic material, for example aluminum.

7. Magnetometer (36) comprising: - an electrode (50) mounted to rotate around an axis (Z), the electrode (50) being a hemispherical electrode made of a diamagnetic material, the electrode (50) preferably being a black body, - a sensor (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the sensor (20) being mounted movably on a slide (38) arranged to lead the sensor (20) to the electrode (50), - a measuring subassembly (42) suitable for measuring the deflection of the electrode (50) caused by a movement of the sensor (20), the value of the magnetic field measured by the magnetometer (36) being proportional to the measured deflection, the measuring subassembly (42) comprising, for example, a light sensor, and - a discharge subassembly (44) capable of discharging the electrical charge of the electrode (50) when a part of the discharge subassembly (44) is in contact with the electrode (50).

8. Magnetometer according to claim 7, in which the discharge subassembly (44) comprises at least one element chosen from: - a conductive element (48), the conductive element (48) being a ferromagnetic material, and - an enclosure (60), the enclosure (60) being an insulating enclosure made of a paramagnetic material.

9. Magnetometer according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the magnetometer (36) further comprises: - a mast (52) to which the electrode (50) is connected, and - a device (54) for holding the mast (52), the magnetometer (36) further comprising, preferably, an arm (56) connecting the electrode (50) to the mast (52), the arm (56) being made of a paramagnetic material.

10. Use of a magnetometer (30) according to any one of claims 7 to 9 in one of the following applications: - measurement of the diamagnetic charge of at least one part of a living organism, such as a human being, a plant or an organic compound, such as an essential oil, - monitoring the germination of a seed, - determination of the degree of freshness of a food, such as a fruit, a vegetable, meat or fish, - measurement of the charge remanence of a living organism subjected to electromagnetic radiation, in particular electromagnetic radiation coming from a mobile terminal, and - detection of diamagnetic gradients in a soil.

Images