Industry Patents

Patent: 8915790

Large-Area Controlled Electrostatic Levitation of Lightweight Show Objects

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Patent Number: 8915790 
Title: Large-Area Controlled Electrostatic Levitation of Lightweight Show Objects 
Abstract:

A system for electrostatically levitating an object with a body adapted for receiving a static charge. The system includes an array of at least three electrostatic generators, with each of the electrostatic generators including an exposed element that becomes statically charged during operation of the array. The system also includes a controller operating to generate control signals to the array to independently operate each of the electrostatic generators to provide the static charge at first, second, and third voltages. When positioned in a flight space above the array, the object is levitated above the array of the electrostatic generators by an electrostatic lifting force(s). Each of the electrostatic generators is a high voltage Van de Graaff generator. The first, second, and third voltages are in the range of 0 to 300,000 volts and are varied over time to direct the levitated object along a flight path by the controller.  

Country of Issue: US 
First Named Inventor: Smoot 
Assignee: Disney Enterprises 
Continuation or Divisional of:  
International Classification: A63G 31/00 
US Classification: 472/68 
Issue Date: 12-23-2014 
Filing Date: 04-30-2013 
Application : 13/873728 
Notes:  
Link to Patent at freepatentsonline.com: 8915790 at Freepatentsonline 
Link to World Patent Family1: World Patent Family at European Patent Office 
Link to Google Patents1: 8915790 at Google Patents 

 

1. The Google Patents and World Patent Family links will likely not work until a few weeks
after the patent has issued - they take a while to get new patents in their systems.

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