The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 02, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 17, 2000
Randall Gardner Hulet, Houston, TX (US);
Kevin Edwin Strecker, Houston, TX (US);
Jordan Mitchell Gerton, Houston, TX (US);
William Ian McAlexander, Fresno, CA (US);
Curtis Charles Bradley, Fort Worth, TX (US);
Jeffrey J Tollett, Houston, TX (US);
Charles Ackley Sackett, Boulder, CO (US);
Bita Ghaffari, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Stephen Calvin Moss, Los Alamos, NM (US);
Other;
Abstract
Neutral particles, such as atoms and molecules, transported along a path having at least one curved region are selectively conveyed or filtered according to each particle's velocity by generating an inhomogeneous magnetic field across a cross-section of the path. The neutral particles may be transported through a physical tube or simply through the region defined by the magnetic field. The path may have more than one curved region and may additionally have one or more straight regions. The magnetic field may be generated for example by homogeneously or inhomogeneously magnetized permanent magnets or by current carrying elements. The magnetic elements may additionally be used in conjunction with at least one piece of a high permeability magnetic material for focussing or containing the magnetic field.