Rotational Oscillation Sensor with Magnetic Trap System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensors lack sensitivity to low angular rates of change and low angular frequencies, which are crucial for applications like teleseismic monitoring, structural monitoring, and sensing natural phenomena, as they often require detection of low-frequency oscillations and rotations in large structures.
Innovation Solution
A rotational oscillation sensor utilizing a plurality of parallel dipole line (PDL) sensor units, each comprising cylindrical diametric magnets (CDMs) and a diamagnetic object, which allows for high sensitivity measurements of low-frequency harmonic rotations by leveraging the magnetic trap system's ability to levitate and detect the diamagnetic object's position, thereby measuring rotational oscillations without the need for attachments that restrict motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional sensors are used to detect rotational oscillations, then they can measure high-frequency rotations, but they lack sensitivity to low angular rates and low angular frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical sensing mechanisms with a magnetic trap system using diamagnetic levitation. The diamagnetic object levitates in a magnetic field created by magnet arrays, and its position is detected optically or capacitively. This substitution eliminates mechanical friction and contact wear, enabling high sensitivity to low-frequency rotational oscillations without the limitations of mechanical sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor employs multiple magnet arrays arranged in specific configurations (e.g., tetrahedral, rectangular) that create independent magnetic trap zones. Each magnet array can be analyzed separately to determine different components of rotational motion, allowing the system to resolve low-frequency oscillations along multiple axes simultaneously through segmented measurement zones.
2Ease of operation
If attachments are used to secure sensors to structures, then the sensors can be firmly mounted, but the attachments restrict the motion being measured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical attachment and coupling mechanisms with a contactless magnetic levitation system. The diamagnetic object is suspended in a magnetic field without physical contact to the sensor housing or mounting structure. This eliminates the restriction of motion caused by mechanical attachments while maintaining firm mounting of the overall sensor assembly to the structure being measured.
3Measurement precision
If conventional sensors are deployed for structural monitoring, then they can detect high-frequency vibrations, but they are bulky and energy-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical components (moving coils, magnets, mechanical linkages) with a lightweight diamagnetic levitation system. The diamagnetic object (e.g., pyrolytic graphite) has very low mass, and the magnetic field is generated by efficient permanent magnet arrays. Optical or capacitive position detection requires minimal energy compared to mechanical actuation, significantly reducing both weight and power consumption while maintaining vibration detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameters of the sensor by using diamagnetic materials with specific magnetic susceptibility properties and optimizing the magnet array configurations. This allows the system to achieve high sensitivity to low-frequency vibrations with reduced mass and energy consumption by tuning the magnetic field strength, gap distances, and diamagnetic object properties to optimize the levitation stability and detection sensitivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides high sensitivity to low-frequency vibrations and rotations, achieving corner frequencies of 1 Hz or lower, making it suitable for detecting slow periodic motions and low periodic rotation rates, and is less bulky and energy-intensive compared to conventional sensors, allowing for widespread economic deployment.
Implementation Method 1
each of the plurality of PDL sensor units may comprise a plurality of cylindrical diametric magnets (CDMs) mounted in parallel around a first open region, and a diamagnetic object in the first open region
Implementation Method 2
a diamagnetic object in the first open region
Implementation Method 3
detecting a current position of each diamagnetic object relative to at least one of the plurality of cylindrical diametric magnets
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure include a rotational oscillation sensor, a method of detecting rotational oscillation of an object, and a rotational oscillation sensor unit. One embodiment of the rotational oscillation sensor may comprise a first plurality of parallel dipole line (PDL) sensor unit units. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of PDL sensor units may comprise a plurality of cylindrical diametric magnets (CDMs) mounted in parallel around a first open region, and a diamagnetic object in the first open region.