37 results about "Artificial gravity" patented technology

An aerospace hardware derelict item is salvaged in space, modified, and reused to provide manned facilities in orbit. The hardware packages added onto the salvaged discarded item enhances its value, and incorporates at least the subsystems required to effectively reuse portions of previously discarded launch vehicle components, and other derelict objects in space. The hardware, and technique used reduces the cost of launching comparable hardware to orbit, because of the reuse, and provides a human habitation in orbit. The salvaged items include the external tank of the space shuttle, other derelict orbital hardware, the add-on cargo pod in two forms, and the ability to convert the derelict into a cost effective reusable item. The salvaged hardware is initially capable of contributing mass, length, interior volume, strongback, rotational stability mass, interior pressurized volumes, artificial gravity, and stability with the addition of simple subsystems for salvage, and interior development packages.

A geosynchronous Solar Power Satellite System is created by an artificial gravity, closed ecology, multiple use structure in low earth orbit that manufactures modular solar power panels and transmitter arrays. This facility takes empty fuel tanks and expended rocket boosters from launch vehicles that are sent into low earth orbit, and re-manufactures them into structural components. These components are mated to solar cells that are launched from earth. The modular solar panels are transported to geosynchronous orbit by vehicles with ion engines, where the panels are mated to other solar panels to collect power. Structural components are also mated to transmitter elements launched from earth. These are likewise transported to geosynchronous orbit. They are mated to the solar power collecting panels and they beam the collected power back to earth.

This invention provides a mechanism to create an artificial gravitational environment in a toroidal space station in which gravity may vary from zero, of advantage during repairs, manufacturing and research activities, and docking maneuvers, to values greater than one g for preparing astronauts for missions to other planets, or for other purposes. The mechanism couples the rotation of a high density cylinder in the center of the hub to that of the torus through gears such that the total angular momentum of the station is zero, allowing maneuvering of the station to be less complicated since gyroscopic effects are eliminated, and the level of gravity in the torus to be varied without the use of external thrusters. Gears are driven by motors attached to the hubs, providing redundancy for maintenance and emergency operations, with power provided by solar cells, a nuclear power plant, or other means.

An artificial gravity system and method for a spacecraft including a least one pair of rotatable stages wherein each stage is capable of rotating about at least one structural support in the spacecraft and wherein the rotatable stages in each pair of rotatable stages counter-rotate one another wherein each stage is capable of accommodating a plurality of occupants. The stages may be circular and deployable. The system may also include dynamic balance equipment in each stage consisting of a fluid redistribution design utilizing fluid pumping systems, storage- and reserve-volume tank pairs to redistribute fluid throughout each stage for optimal mass balance, stage- and spacecraft-mounted laser-tracking equipment for redundant speed measurement, drive assembly and a brake motor and wheel assembly, foldable structural support arms capable of reducing the radial space of each stage during takeoff, and an inertial measurement unit capable of detecting overall vehicle rotational rates.

A microlens is affixed in the far field of an optical fiber to spatially transform a beam either entering or exiting the fiber. In a first embodiment, a droplet of photo polymer is placed on the end of an optical fiber and the fiber is spun to create an artificial gravity. The droplet is cured by UV radiation during the spinning. In a second embodiment, nanoparticles are mixed into the droplet to increase the refractive index of the photo polymer. A third embodiment employs artificial gravity to attach a microsphere to the end of the optical fiber. A fourth embodiment chemically treats the surface of the microsphere so that the requirement of artificial gravity is either reduced or eliminated. In a fifth embodiment the droplet is cured under equlibrium or nonequilibrium conditions to obtain different final shapes for the lenslet. A sixth embodiment discloses fabrication of microlens arrays.

An Artificial Gravity Fueled Fluid Dynamic Day Energy Generator/Motor that initially uses external power to spin a partially submerged low drag fluid distributor rotor that uses centrifugal force to cause fluid to flow from the center of rotation, through a plurality of Euler contoured penstocks, in a true radial direction through a high “g” artificial gravity field, which dramatically increases the fluid's kinetic energy and releases available power, before it is guided out tangentially from the distributor via a plurality of nozzles symmetrically located at a small height just above the reservoir surface (near zero lift). As the frequency of the rotor is increased linearly the fuel Artificial Gravity increases exponentially, as does the fluid dynamic available power Pa. Turbine runners on the rotor assembly capture the available power, and a positive feedback mechanical transmission couples the captured rotational power to the I/O shaft in its initialized direction.

The invention discloses a mixed aluminum-plastic scrap separator system which comprises a first vibrating screen, a first conveying belt, a crushing machine, a roller drying machine, a second conveying belt, a second vibrating screen, a third conveying belt and an electrostatic separation machine, wherein a discharging port of the first vibrating screen communicates with the left end of the first conveying belt; the right end of the first conveying belt communicates with a feeding port of the crushing machine; a discharging port of the crushing machine communicates with a feeding port of the roller drying machine; a discharging port of the roller drying machine communicates with the left end of the second conveying belt; the right end of second conveying belt communicates with a feeding port of the second vibrating screen; a discharging port of the second vibrating screen communicates with the left end of the third conveying belt; and the right end of the third conveying belt communicates with a feeding port of the electrostatic separation machine. By adoption of the mixed aluminum-plastic scrap separator system disclosed by the invention, mixed aluminum-plastic scraps which are obtained by mixing aluminum and plastic at different ratios can be subjected to full-automatic pipelined separation, instead of original artificial gravity separation, thereby greatly improving the production efficiency and the labor intensity of staff.

An generator/motor that initially uses external power to spin a partially submerged low drag fluid distributor rotor that uses centrifugal force to cause fluid to flow from the center of rotation, through a plurality of Euler curved penstocks, allowing the fluid to flow in a true radial direction through a high “g” artificial gravity field, which dramatically increases the fluid's kinetic energy and released available power (Pa), before it is guided out tangentially from the distributor via a plurality of nozzles symmetrically located at a small height just above the reservoir surface (near zero lift). As the frequency of the rotor is increased linearly the fuel artificial gravity increases exponentially, as does the fluid dynamic available power (Pa). Turbine runners on the rotor assembly capture the available power (Pa), and a positive feedback mechanical transmission couples the captured rotational power to the I/O shaft in its initialized direction thus replacing the external power with internal fluid dynamic derived mechanical power to sustain rotator rotation and drive the shaft of an electric generator.

A compact, portable, lightweight, easily transportable leg press exercise apparatus to simulate both exercise and the daily activity of sitting in a microgravity environment. The exercise portion of the apparatus creates stress on the lower extremities by supplying a variable resistance to a reciprocating foot pedal by way of a coil spring and damper system acting through a four-bar linkage. The leg press exercise apparatus is paired with an existing Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) box to add an evenly distributed pressure-induced stress to the lower extremities. By combining resistance exercise and lower body negative pressure with the LBNP leg press exercise apparatus, the users experience one or more times body weight (BW) in stress on their musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and nervous systems. By achieving one times BW or greater (artificial gravity) during exercise and two-thirds BW during sitting, the gap between the precondition and post condition syndrome will become smaller.

The invention provides an artificial gravity simulator which consists of seven parts, namely, a pedal driving device (2), an electrical driving device, a control device (5), a display device (4), a seat (6), a pivoted arm (3) and a pedestal (13); the pedal driving device (2) and the electrical driving device are used for supplying power, while the control device (5) and the display device (4) are respectively used for controlling and displaying the rotating speed of the artificial gravity simulator. If driven by the pedal driving device, the artificial gravity simulator not only can generate artificial gravity, but also can carry out lower limbs exercise, and if driven by the electrical driving device, the artificial gravity simulator only can generate artificial gravity and is suitable for the weightlessness confrontation training of astronauts.

The invention discloses an artificial gravity body-building cabin which comprises a base, a rotary cabin, a rotary cabin cover, a driving motor, a cabin climbing platform and the like. The inner surface of the rotary cabin is a rotary paraboloid or the rotary paraboloid is expanded outwards in the normal vector directions at all positions for the distance approximate to the height of the gravity center of a human body. When the rotating cabin rotates at a proper angular speed, various different gravity strengths can be simultaneously provided, the bone density is increased, and the muscle strength is enhanced; moreover, multiple persons can share the cabin, and the cabin has a large activity space; furthermore, the artificial gravity direction is perpendicular to a cabin wall, the cabin issuitable for various postures and postures, a user can freely move and can freely go in or out whenever and wherever possible, and the cabin is safe enough and is easy to install, repair and maintain.

The artificial gravity space station, the spaceship and the artificial earth gravity permanent livable facility of the extraterrestrial body of the present invention include multi-form continuously variable speed artificial gravity space station, the artificial earth gravity permanent livable facility of the extraterrestrial body, the artificial earth gravity spaceship, the magnetic levitation drive of the artificial gravity, the nuclear Deep space ferry and artificial earth gravity barge composed of power and ion engine. The forward and reverse artificial gravity living and experimental cabins driven by magnetic levitation provide the gravity environment of the earth and the gravity environment of selected aliens. Man-made gravity living and experimental cabins with forward and reverse shapes; alien artificial earth gravity permanent livable facilities, centrifugal force caused by magnetic levitation drive, and alien surface gravity, jointly create the required alien earth gravity environment, built on alien bodies Underground or on the surface of an alien body; artificial earth gravity spacecraft consists of deep space ferry with nuclear power cabin and ion engine and artificial earth gravity barge.

The invention provides a space bicycle used in space travel. The space bicycle is composed of a base, a stand column, suspension arms, a suspension arm support, a seat, pedal driving devices, a transmission and speed variation device and the like. The pedal driving devices drive the suspension arm support to rotate around a wheel axle, the suspension arm support drives the suspension arms to rotate to generate inertial centrifugal force, the suspension arms are gradually unfolded outwards under the action of the inertial centrifugal force, and therefore artificial gravity is applied to the human body. The space bicycle saves energy, protects the environment, is small in occupied space, is simple and convenient to operate, achieves the effect that physical exercise and artificial gravity practice are carried out at the same time, can effectively and comprehensively resist against a weightlessness effect, and improves exercise efficiency.

A spacecraft propulsion method uses cosmic ray triggered nuclear micro-fusion events to provide repeated or continuous thrust for artificial gravity during a space flight. In one embodiment, successive packages of deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material is projected in a specified direction outward from a spacecraft. In another embodiment, the micro-fusion fuel material is a coating upon a set of angled rings arranged circumferentially around the spacecraft. In a third embodiment, the micro-fusion fuel is dispersed in proximity to “wind” turbines to generate electricity for ion thrusters. In each case, the material interacts with the ambient flux of cosmic rays to generate micro-fusion products having kinetic energy that either produce thrust upon the spacecraft or drive the turbines whose electrical output in turn powers the ion thrusters.

Lack of gravity is a cause of major health concerns for astronauts travelling or living in space. The systems, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention, provide Artificial Gravity. The users or subjects experience Artificial Gravity while exercising in an environment without gravity, such as space. Another embodiment includes chambers shielded by multilayer magnetic toroid and multilayer soft magnetic layered clothing that shields astronauts from radiation and stray magnetic fields while providing a gravitational (artificial gravity) effect.