Gravity gradiometer

Details Gravity gradiometer Gravity gradiometer

2011-05-17

2011-05-17

Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)

Measuring and testing

Gravitational determination

C073S38200R

Reexamination Certificate

active

07942054

ABSTRACT:
A gravity gradiometer is disclosed which has a sensor in the form of bars (41and42) which are supported on a mounting (5) which has a first mount section (10) and a second mount section (20). A first flexure web (33) pivotally couples the first and second mount sections about a first axis. The second mount has a first part (25), a second part (26) and a third part (27). The parts (25and26) are connected by a second flexure web (37) and the parts (26and27) are connected by a third flexure web (35). The bars (41and42) are located in housings (45and47) and form a monolithic structure with the housings (45and47) respectively. The housings (45and47) are connected to opposite sides of the second mount section20. The bars (41and42) are connected to their respective housings by flexure webs (59). Transducers (71) are located in proximity to the bars for detecting movement of the bars to in turn enable the gravitational gradient tensor to be measured. The first mount section (10) has cut-outs (16) and the second mount section (20) has lugs (13) which pass through the cut-outs for connecting the first and second mount sections (10and20) in a Dewar (1).

REFERENCES:
patent: 2743415 (1956-04-01), Williams et al.
patent: 2809524 (1957-10-01), Masterson
patent: 3273397 (1966-09-01), Forward
patent: 3564921 (1971-02-01), Morrill
patent: 3758854 (1973-09-01), Zimmerman
patent: 3805398 (1974-04-01), Russell et al.
patent: 3926054 (1975-12-01), Buck
patent: 3956690 (1976-05-01), Rorden
patent: 4024468 (1977-05-01), Hirschi
patent: 4398167 (1983-08-01), Dickie et al.
patent: 4399694 (1983-08-01), Mayer
patent: 4713890 (1987-12-01), Wells et al.
patent: 4809545 (1989-03-01), Lyle
patent: 4828376 (1989-05-01), Padera
patent: 4841772 (1989-06-01), Paik
patent: 5130654 (1992-07-01), Mermelstein
patent: 5224380 (1993-07-01), Paik
patent: 5293119 (1994-03-01), Podney
patent: 5326986 (1994-07-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5339684 (1994-08-01), Jircitano et al.
patent: 5357802 (1994-10-01), Hofmeyer et al.
patent: 5488295 (1996-01-01), Seppa
patent: 5505555 (1996-04-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 5587526 (1996-12-01), Lumley et al.
patent: 5589772 (1996-12-01), Kugai
patent: 5668315 (1997-09-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 5728935 (1998-03-01), Czompo
patent: 5804722 (1998-09-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 5817939 (1998-10-01), Lumley et al.
patent: 5922951 (1999-07-01), O'Keefe et al.
patent: 5962781 (1999-10-01), Veryaskin
patent: 6082194 (2000-07-01), Gladwin
patent: 6450028 (2002-09-01), Vail, III
patent: 6494091 (2002-12-01), Couture
patent: 6526825 (2003-03-01), Manson
patent: 6612171 (2003-09-01), Stephenson et al.
patent: 6658935 (2003-12-01), Feinberg
patent: 6668646 (2003-12-01), Davies et al.
patent: 6724188 (2004-04-01), Butters et al.
patent: 6799459 (2004-10-01), Dosch et al.
patent: 6837106 (2005-01-01), Etkin et al.
patent: 6882937 (2005-04-01), McElhinney
patent: 6885192 (2005-04-01), Clarke et al.
patent: 6954698 (2005-10-01), Tryggvason
patent: 7053610 (2006-05-01), Clarke et al.
patent: 7081747 (2006-07-01), Butters et al.
patent: 7305879 (2007-12-01), Moody et al.
patent: 7360419 (2008-04-01), French et al.
patent: 7584544 (2009-09-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2002/0092350 (2002-07-01), Etkin et al.
patent: 2003/0033086 (2003-02-01), Lee et al.
patent: 2003/0209070 (2003-11-01), Dosch et al.
patent: 2004/0211255 (2004-10-01), Leeuwen et al.
patent: 2005/0116717 (2005-06-01), Dransfield et al.
patent: 2005/0160815 (2005-07-01), Lee
patent: 2005/0236909 (2005-10-01), Baker, Jr.
patent: 2006/0117848 (2006-06-01), Raffalt
patent: 2006/0156810 (2006-07-01), Brett et al.
patent: 2006/0207326 (2006-09-01), Moody et al.
patent: 2006/0277993 (2006-12-01), Wang et al.
patent: 2007/0241747 (2007-10-01), Morley et al.
patent: 2008/0074113 (2008-03-01), Clarke et al.
patent: 2008/0115374 (2008-05-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0115375 (2008-05-01), Van Kann
patent: 2008/0115376 (2008-05-01), Van Kann
patent: 2008/0115377 (2008-05-01), Van Kann
patent: 2008/0115578 (2008-05-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0116905 (2008-05-01), Van Kann
patent: 2008/0120858 (2008-05-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0121035 (2008-05-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0121036 (2008-05-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0122435 (2008-05-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0163682 (2008-07-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0173090 (2008-07-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0236277 (2008-10-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0257038 (2008-10-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0282796 (2008-11-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0302179 (2008-12-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0302180 (2008-12-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 2008/0307883 (2008-12-01), Van Kann et al.
patent: 1278067 (2000-12-01), None
patent: 197 51 724 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 2002-40155 (2002-06-01), None
patent: 2 046 380 (1995-10-01), None
patent: 2 056 642 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 2 127 439 (1999-03-01), None
patent: 2 156 481 (2000-09-01), None
patent: 2 167 437 (2001-05-01), None
patent: 2 171 481 (2001-07-01), None
patent: 2 171 482 (2001-07-01), None
patent: 2 171 483 (2001-07-01), None
patent: 2 172 967 (2001-08-01), None
patent: 2 175 773 (2001-11-01), None
patent: 2 221 263 (2004-01-01), None
patent: 2 242 032 (2004-12-01), None
patent: 2 253 138 (2005-05-01), None
patent: 2 253 882 (2005-06-01), None
patent: 2 290 674 (2005-10-01), None
patent: WO 90/07131 (1990-06-01), None
patent: 97/41459 (1997-11-01), None
patent: 00/31550 (2000-06-01), None
patent: WO 02/44757 (2002-06-01), None
patent: WO 2007/038819 (2007-04-01), None
patent: WO 2008/061282 (2008-05-01), None
Non-final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/722,050, filed Jun. 26, 2009, 18 pages.
Chan, H., et al, “Superconducting gravity gradiometer for sensitive gravity measurements”, Physical Review D., vol. 35, No. 12, Jun. 15, 1987, pp. 3551-3571.
F. J. van Kann,End-of-Grant Report: Project No. 880, “An Airborne Cryogenic Gravity Gradiometer for Geophysical Exploration,” The University of Western Australia Department of Physics, May 1992, 68 pages.
Forward, R., “Electronic cooling of resonant gravity gradiometers”, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 50, No. 1, Jan. 1979, pp. 1-6.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in connection with PCT/AU2006/001271 dated Nov. 9, 2007.
International Search Report for PCT/AU2006/001271, Oct. 19, 2006; 2 pages.
M.V. Moody, H.J. Paik: “A Superconducting Gravity Gradiometer for inertial navigation”, Position Location and Navigation Symposium, 2004, Plans 2004, Apr. 26-29, 2004, p. 775-781.
Mark Helm Dransfield, “Airborne Gravity Gradiometry,”The University of Western Australia Department of Physics, 1994, 254 pages.
Moody, M., et al,., “Principle and performance of a superconducting angular accelerometer”, Review of Scientific Instruments, vol. 74, No. 3, Mar. 2003, pp. 1310-1318.
Moody, M., et al., “Gauss's Law Test of Gravity at Short Range”, Physical Review Letters, vol. 70, No. 9, Mar. 1, 1993, pp. 1195-1198.
Moody, M., et al., Superconducting gravity gradiometer for space and terrestrial applications:, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 60, No. 12, Dec. 15, 1986, pp. 4308-4315.
Moody, M., et al., “Three-axis superconducting gravity gradiometer for sensitive gravity measurements”, Review of Scientific Instruments, vol. 73, No. 11, Nov. 2002, pp. 3957-3974.
Nadal-Guardia et al., “Constant Charge Operation of Capacitor Sensors Based on Switched Current Circuits”, IEEE Sensors Journal, vol. 3, No. 6, Dec. 6, 2003, pp. 835-842.
Paik, H., Superconducting tunable-diaphragm transducer for sensitive acceleration measurements, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 47, No. 3, Mar. 1976, pp. 1168-1178.
Paik, H., et al., 6 page reprint of “Airborne/shipborne SGG Survey System”, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Kinematic Systems in Geodesy, Geomatics and Navigation, Banff Canada, Jun. 1997, pp. 565-570.
Paik, H., J., “Superconducting tensor gravity gradiometer”, Second International Symposium

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Gravity gradiometer does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Gravity gradiometer, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gravity gradiometer will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2658805