Magnetic Wave Generator

Abstract

Magnetic wave generator and use. The wave generator includes a driver portion with motor and rotating mount with a first magnet; and an actuator portion that includes a pivot mount and a pivoting arm coupled thereto, with a second magnet at one position on the pivoting arm, and a buoyant float member at another. During operation, the actuator portion is at least partially submerged in a fluid of a wave tank, with the driver portion just outside the wave tank. The driver portion rotates the rotating mount, repeatedly moving the first magnet near then away from the actuator portion. Accordingly, the pivot arm rotates away due to magnetic repulsion, pushing the float member down into the fluid, then buoyancy of the float member provides a restorative force that rotates the pivoting arm, allowing the float member to rise. The movement of the float member induces waves in the wave tank.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A magnetic wave generator for generating waves in a fluid, comprising:
 a driver portion, comprising:
 a rotating mount, wherein the rotating mount comprises a first magnet situated on a circumferential edge of the rotating mount; and 
 a motor, coupled to and configured to rotate the rotating mount; and 
   an actuator portion, comprising:
 a pivot mount; and 
 a pivoting arm, configured to rotatably couple to the pivot mount, and comprising:
 a second magnet at a first position on the pivoting arm; and 
 a float member at a second position on the pivoting arm, wherein the float member is buoyant; 
 
   wherein during operation the actuator portion is at least partially submerged in a wave tank that contains a fluid, and the driver portion is situated just outside the wave tank and proximate to the actuator portion, and the driver portion and the actuator portion are proximate and magnetically coupled via the first and second magnets;   wherein the driver portion is configured to rotate the rotating mount, thereby repeatedly and alternatively moving the first magnet near then away from the actuator portion, wherein the first and second magnets are oriented to repel each other upon closest approach;   wherein the pivoting arm of the actuator portion is configured to rotate in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet near the actuator portion due to the second magnet being repelled from the first magnet, thereby pushing the float member down in the fluid of the wave tank;   wherein the float member is configured to provide a restorative force that rotates the pivoting arm due to the buoyancy of the float member in response to the driver portion moving the first magnet away from the actuator portion, thereby allowing the float member to rise in the fluid of the wave tank; and   wherein the rotation of the pivoting arm in response to said repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet induces waves in the wave tank via the float member.   
     
     
         2 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 1 , wherein the float member comprises a cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 1 , wherein the float member comprises a sphere. 
     
     
         4 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 1 , wherein the driver portion is configured to communicatively couple to a controller, wherein the driver portion is configured to receive commands from the controller specifying a rotation rate or a change in the rotation rate for the motor, and wherein the motor is configured to rotate accordingly in response to the received commands. 
     
     
         5 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 1 , wherein the driver portion further comprises means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank, and wherein the pivot mount of the actuator portion comprises means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank. 
     
     
         6 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank comprises one or more suction cups. 
     
     
         8 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank comprises a clip configured to grip a top edge of the side of the wave tank. 
     
     
         9 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank comprises:
 a third magnet attached to the driver portion; and   a fourth magnet, configured to be placed on an inside surface of the side of the wave tank opposite the third magnet, thereby securing the driver portion to the side of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.   
     
     
         10 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprises:
 a third magnet attached to the pivot mount; and   a fourth magnet, configured to be placed on an outside surface of the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank opposite the third magnet, thereby securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.   
     
     
         12 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprises means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom of the wave tank, wherein the means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom of the wave tank comprises a weight. 
     
     
         13 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 5 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank and means for securing the pivot mount to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprise:
 a third magnet attached to the driver portion; and   a fourth magnet attached to the pivot mount;   wherein when the driver portion and the pivot mount are placed opposite one another on either side of the side of the wave tank, both the driver portion and the pivot mount are secured to the side of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.   
     
     
         14 . The magnet wave generator of  claim 1 , 
     
     
         14 . A method for operating a magnetic wave generator, the method comprising:
 installing a magnetic wave generator, comprising:
 placing a driver portion outside a wave tank that contains a fluid, wherein the driver portion comprises a first magnet; and 
 placing an actuator portion inside the wave tank, wherein the actuator portion comprises a second magnet coupled to a buoyant float member; and 
   rotating the first magnet of the driver portion;   wherein said rotating periodically moves the first magnet near the second magnet, thereby inducing a repellant force on the second magnet that pushes the buoyant float member down into the fluid;   wherein said rotation further periodically moves the first magnet away from the second magnet, thereby allowing the buoyancy of the float member to provide a restorative force that causes the buoyant float member to rise in the fluid; and   wherein movement of the buoyant float member induces waves in the fluid of the wave tank.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the driver portion is configured to communicatively couple to a controller, wherein the driver portion is configured to receive commands from the controller specifying a rotation rate or a change in the rotation rate for the first magnet, and wherein the magnet is configured to rotate accordingly in response to the received commands. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the driver portion further comprises means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank, and wherein the actuator portion comprises means for securing the actuator portion to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank comprises one or more of:
 an adhesive;   one or more suction cups; or   a clip configured to grip a top edge of the side of the wave tank.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank comprises:
 a third magnet attached to the driver portion; and   a fourth magnet, configured to be placed on an inside surface of the side of the wave tank opposite the third magnet, thereby securing the driver portion to the side of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the means for securing the actuator portion to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the means for securing the actuator portion to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprises:
 a third magnet attached to the actuator portion; and   a fourth magnet, configured to be placed on an outside surface of the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank opposite the third magnet, thereby securing the actuator portion to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the means for securing the actuator portion to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprises means for securing the actuator portion to the bottom of the wave tank, wherein the means for securing the actuator portion to the bottom of the wave tank comprises a weight. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the means for securing the driver portion to a side of the wave tank and means for securing the actuator portion to the bottom or one of the sides of the wave tank comprise:
 a third magnet attached to the driver portion; and   a fourth magnet attached to the actuator portion;   wherein when the driver portion and the actuator portion are placed opposite one another on either side of the side of the wave tank, both the driver portion and the actuator portion are secured to the side of the wave tank via magnetic attraction between the third and fourth magnets.   
     
     
         23 . A magnetic wave generator for generating waves in a fluid, comprising:
 a driver portion, comprising:
 a rotating mount, wherein the rotating mount comprises a first magnet situated on the rotating mount; and 
 a motor, coupled to and configured to rotate the rotating mount; and 
   an actuator portion, comprising:
 a pivot mount; and 
 a pivoting arm, configured to rotatably couple to the pivot mount, and comprising:
 a second magnet at a first position on the pivoting arm; and 
 a float member at a second position on the pivoting arm, wherein the float member is buoyant; 
 
   wherein during operation the actuator portion is at least partially submerged in a wave tank that contains a fluid, and the driver portion is situated just outside the wave tank and proximate to the actuator portion, and the driver portion and the actuator portion are proximate and magnetically coupled via the first and second magnets;   wherein the driver portion is configured to rotate the rotating mount, thereby repeatedly and alternatively rotating the first magnet to move first and second poles of the first magnet near corresponding first and second poles of the second magnet, then move the first and second poles near the second and first poles of the second magnet, respectively, thereby repeatedly and alternatively generating respective repulsive and attractive forces between the first and second magnets;   wherein the pivoting arm of the actuator portion is configured to rotate in response to the driver portion moving the first and second poles of the first magnet near the corresponding first and second poles of the second magnet, due to the second magnet being repelled from the first magnet, thereby pushing the float member down in the fluid of the wave tank;   wherein the pivoting arm of the actuator portion is further configured to rotate in response to the driver portion moving the first and second poles of the first magnet near the second and first poles of the second magnet, respectively, due to the second magnet being attracted to the first magnet, thereby pulling the float member up in the fluid of the wave tank;   wherein the float member is configured to provide a restorative force that rotates the pivoting arm due to the buoyancy of the float member in response to the driver portion the first and second poles of the first magnet near the second and first poles of the second magnet, respectively, thereby allowing the float member to rise in the fluid of the wave tank; and   wherein the rotation of the pivoting arm in response to said repeatedly and alternately moving the first magnet induces waves in the wave tank via the float member.   
     
     
         24 . The magnetic wave generator of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second magnets each comprises one of:
 a diametric magnet;   a bar magnet; or   a horseshoe magnet.