Patents by Inventor Michael Joslin Buckingham

Michael Joslin Buckingham has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Gravity gradiometer
    Patent number: 5804722
    Abstract: A gravity gradiometer for measuring off-diagonal components of the gravitational gradient tensor includes a housing comprising a pair of electromagnetic shield enclosures (22, 23) arranged one inside the other, and a body (25) including superconducting material mounted within the inner enclosure (23) for fine pivotal flexure about an axis passing substantially through the center of mass of the aforesaid body. An array of superconducting coils (30) is supported by the outer enclosure (22) and positioned in close proximity to the aforesaid body (25) for diamagnetically applying a rotational force to the body with respect to the axis of flexure and/or for responding by modulation of inductance to pivotal flexure of the body arising from a gravitational gradient across the body. The array is arranged to apply the rotational force in both rotational directions and to respond to flexure in either rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignees: RTZ Mining & Exploration Ltd., University of Western Australia
    Inventors: Frank Joachim Van Kann, Michael Joslin Buckingham
  • Gravity gradiometer with flexural pivot bearing
    Patent number: 5668315
    Abstract: A gravity gradiometer for measuring off-diagonal components of the gravitational gradient tensor includes a housing having a pair of electromagnetic shield enclosures (22, 23) arranged one inside the other, and a body (25) including superconducting material mounted within the inner enclosure (23) for fine pivotal flexure about an axis passing substantially through the centre of mass of the aforesaid body. An array of superconducting coils (30) is supported by the outer enclosure (22) and positioned in close proximity to the aforesaid body (25) for diamagnetically applying a rotational force to the body with respect to the axis of flexure and/or for responding by modulation of inductance to pivotal flexure of the body arising from a gravitational gradient across the body. The array is arranged to apply the rotational force in both rotational directions and to respond to flexure in either rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignees: The University of Western Australia, RTZ Mining and Exploration Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Joachim Van Kann, Michael Joslin Buckingham