Using vortex rings to deliver gases at a distance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9339772-B1
Application number	US-201514681962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2015
Priority date	Dec 5, 2014
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A system for delivering vortex rings to an intended target includes a vortex ring generator, one or more component storage containers, and a component additive mechanism. The vortex ring generator is configured to deliver and air vortex rings. The component additive mechanism is configured to remove a component from at least one of the one or more component storage containers, generate a gas from the component, and to add the gas to a vortex ring after the vortex ring is generated by the vortex ring generator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for delivering vortex rings, comprising:
receiving, by a control module, inputs regarding an intended target;
combining one or more components to form a gas combination;
generating vortex rings using a vortex ring generator;
adding, by a component additive mechanism, the gas combination to the generated vortex rings;
steering the generated vortex rings using an aiming nozzle; and
monitoring the trajectory of the launched vortex rings and the intended target using a sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising aiming vortex rings using an aiming nozzle based on sensor data acquired by the sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling operation of the aiming nozzle to direct a first vortex ring based on the sensor data, wherein the sensor data includes data regarding the trajectory of the first vortex ring.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling operation of the aiming nozzle to direct a second vortex ring based on the sensor data, wherein the sensor data includes data regarding the trajectory of a first vortex ring.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling operation of the aiming nozzle to direct a second series of vortex rings based on the sensor data, wherein the sensor data includes data regarding the trajectory of a first series of vortex rings.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vortex rings include a fluorescent component.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fluorescent component is at least one of visible, non-visible, excitable by ambient illumination, or excitable by dedicated tracking illumination.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first vortex ring is intercepted and modified by a second vortex ring.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second vortex ring steers the first vortex ring.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second vortex ring causes the speed of the first vortex ring to change.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vortex rings are aimed to be delivered to a specific body part of the intended target.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein vortex rings are launched in a sequence to cause the intended target to make a desired reaction.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the desired reaction is to lead the intended target in a desired direction.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delivery of subsequent vortex rings is modified based on the response of the intended target to a first vortex ring.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modification comprises changing the aiming of the subsequent vortex rings.

16. A method for delivering vortex rings, comprising:
receiving inputs regarding an intended target using a control module;
launching a first vortex ring toward the intended target using a vortex ring generator;
incorporating a gas into the first vortex ring using a component additive mechanism;
acquiring sensor data regarding the intended target using a sensor; and
aiming and launching a second vortex ring at the intended target using the vortex ring generator based on the sensor data;
wherein the component additive mechanism includes a mesh containing one or more components, and wherein the vortex rings travel through the mesh before the vortex rings reach the intended target.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the component comprises at least one of a fluorescent component, a smellable component, a smell-canceling component, a medicinal component, and a hormonal component.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising adding smellable components to the vortex rings before the vortex rings are launched.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the component additive mechanism is configured to add one or more components to the vortex rings before or during the generation of the vortex rings.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising adding multiple components to the vortex rings using the component additive mechanism.

21. The method of claim 16 , further comprising controlling adding smellable components to the vortex rings before the vortex rings reach the intended target using the component additive mechanism.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the smellable components are pheromones.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein a first vortex ring is intercepted and modified by a second vortex ring.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the second vortex ring steers the first vortex ring.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the second vortex ring causes the speed of the first vortex ring to change.

26. A method for delivering directional smell cues, comprising:
identifying an intended target;
determining a desired reaction of the intended target;
generating and delivering vortex rings to the intended target using a vortex ring generator and component additive mechanism;
tracking the vortex rings and monitoring the intended target using a sensor; and
selectively delivering additional vortex rings based on determining if the vortex ring reached the intended target and if the desired reaction was made by the intended target;
wherein the component additive mechanism includes a mesh containing one or more components, and wherein the vortex rings travel through the mesh before the vortex rings reach the intended target.

27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising aiming the vortex rings based on data provided by a sensor.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the sensor monitors the trajectory of the vortex ring being aimed.

29. The method of claim 27 , further comprising aiming a second vortex ring based on data provided by the sensor, wherein the data provided by the sensor includes trajectory data of a first vortex ring.

30. The method of claim 26 , wherein the vortex rings include a fluorescent component.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the fluorescent component is at least one of visible, non-visible, excitable by ambient illumination, or excitable by dedicated tracking illumination.

32. The method of claim 26 , further comprising controlling adding one or more components to the vortex rings using the component additive mechanism before or during the generation of the vortex rings.

33. The method of claim 26 , further comprising controlling adding multiple components to the vortex rings using the component additive mechanism.

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Brav Ehren J
• Duncan William D
• Hyde Roderick A
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• B01F3/04014 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F3/04049

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• A61L9/04

  using substances evaporated in the air without heating · CPC title

• A61L2209/134

  Distributing means, e.g. baffles, valves, manifolds, nozzles · CPC title

• B05B7/0458

  the gas and liquid flows being perpendicular just upstream the mixing chamber · CPC title