1. An apparatus for safely training a rider of a two-wheeled or a three-wheeled vehicle having front forks to perform a wheelie, the apparatus comprising a restraining frame that is fixed directly to the front forks of the vehicle, wherein the restraining frame comprises a right securing means and a left securing means by which the restraining frame is fixed directly to the vehicle, wherein the right securing means is securely and directly fixed to the right front fork, and the left securing means is securely and directly fixed to the left front fork, and wherein the restraining frame further comprises a right outer arm and a left outer arm;
and a support frame, wherein the support frame comprises a horizontal bottom frame, and a top frame mounted upon the bottom frame, wherein the top frame comprises two vertical and approximately parallel side walls, and a top structure fixed to both side walls, wherein each side wall defines one trackway disposed therein so as to provide an opposing pair of trackways, wherein each trackway is shaped and sized so as to accept an outer arm of the restraining frame, so that said outer arm may be slideably confined within the trackway, and wherein the restraining frame is slideably moveable within, but restricted by, the geometry of the trackways, wherein the trackways are shaped as an arc or an inflected arc.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one roller mounted within the bottom frame such that the roller is positioned forward of the rear wheel(s) when the vehicle has all wheels on the ground but such that when performing a wheelie the rear wheel(s) move(s) forward to contact the roller.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bottom frame further comprises a plurality of wheels mounted upon the underside thereof.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bottom frame further comprises skids mounted upon the underside thereof.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of the opposing pair of trackways is selected from the group consisting of: a trackway that is shaped as an arc, a trackway that is shaped as an inflected arc, a trackway that is straight.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the opposing pair of trackways is shaped as an arc.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the opposing pair of trackways is shaped as an inflected arc.
8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the right outer arm and the left outer arm of the restraining frame are hinged andor pivoted so as to allow the forks to move relative to the head portions of the outer arms.
9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bottom frame has a front end and a back end and wherein the bottom frame and the top frame or a portion thereof, may move relative to each other when a force is applied on the top frame such that the top frame may slide forwards and backwards upon the bottom frame.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the trackways are straight trackways.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the trackways are vertical.
12. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the right securing means and the left securing means are each selected from the group consisting of: a clamp, a strap, a nut-and-bolt system, a luer-lock system, a slot-and-flange system, a mechanical c-clamp type connector, and a ratcheting high-tensile cord.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the right securing means and the left securing means are each selected from the group consisting of: a clamp and a mechanical c-clamp type connector.
14. A system comprising a two-wheeled or a three-wheeled vehicle having front forks, and an apparatus for safely training a rider to perform a wheelie,
the apparatus comprising a restraining frame that is fixed directly to the front forks of the vehicle, wherein the restraining frame comprises a right securing means and a left securing means by which the restraining frame is fixed directly to the vehicle, wherein the right securing means is securely and directly fixed to the right front fork, and the left securing means is securely and directly fixed to the left front fork, and wherein the restraining frame further comprises a right outer arm and a left outer arm; and a support frame, wherein the support frame comprises a bottom frame and a top frame mounted upon the bottom frame, wherein the top frame comprises two vertical and approximately parallel side walls, wherein each side wall defines one trackway disposed therein so as to provide an opposing pair of trackways, wherein each trackway is shaped and sized so as to accept an outer arm of the restraining frame, and wherein the restraining frame is slideably moveable within, but restricted by, the geometry of the trackways, wherein the trackways are shaped as an arc or an inflected arc, and wherein the range of motion of the vehicle is restricted so that the center of gravity always remains forward of the axis of the rear wheel(s), thereby preventing the vehicle from tipping over backwards.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein each of the opposing pair of trackways is selected from the group consisting of: a trackway that is shaped as an arc, a trackway that is shaped as an inflected arc, a trackway that is straight.
16. The system of claim 14 wherein the bottom frame further comprises skids or wheels mounted upon the underside thereof.
17. The system of claim 14 wherein the horizontal bottom frame and a top frame may move relative to each other when a force is applied on the top frame such that the top frame may slide forwards and backwards upon the bottom frame.
18. The system of claim 14 further comprising at least one roller mounted within the bottom frame such that the roller is positioned forward of the rear wheel(s) when the vehicle has all wheels on the ground but such that when performing the wheelie the rear wheel(s) move(s) forward to contact the roller.
19. The system of claim 14 wherein the right outer arm and the left outer arm of the restraining frame are hinged andor pivoted so as to allow the forks to move relative to the head portions of the outer arms.
20. An apparatus for safely training the rider of a two-wheeled or a three-wheeled vehicle having front forks, to perform a wheelie, the apparatus comprising a restraining frame that is fixed directly to one of the front forks of the vehicle,
wherein the restraining frame comprises a securing means by which the restraining frame is fixed directly to the vehicle, wherein the securing means is securely and directly fixed to one of the front forks, and at least one outer arm extending from the securing means; and a support frame, wherein the support frame comprises a horizontal bottom frame, and a top frame mounted upon the bottom frame; wherein the top frame comprises at least one vertical side structure, wherein the vertical side structure defines a trackway shaped and sized so as to accept the outer arm of the restraining frame, so that said outer arm may be slideably confined within the trackway, and wherein the restraining frame is slideably moveable within, but restricted by, the geometry of the trackway, wherein the trackway is shaped as an arc or an inflected arc.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for heating and fracturing a subterranean formation containing an electrically conductive fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of electric glow discharge devices, wherein each electric glow discharge device comprises:
a first electrically conductive cylindrical screen having a first end, a second end, and a first diameter,
a second electrically conductive cylindrical screen having a first end, a second end, and a second diameter smaller than the first diameter,
a first insulator attached to the first end of the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and the first end of the second electrically conductive cylindrical screen, wherein the first insulator maintains a substantially equidistant gap between the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and the second electrically conductive cylindrical screen,
a second insulator attached to the second end of the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and the second end of the second electrically conductive cylindrical screen, wherein the second insulator maintains the substantially equidistant gap between the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and the second electrically conductive cylindrical screen, a non-conductive granular material disposed within the substantially equidistant gap, wherein (a) the non-conductive granular material does not pass through either electrically conductive screen, (b) the non-conductive granular material allows the electrically conductive fluid to flow between and contact the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen, and (c) the combination of the non-conductive granular material and the electrically conductive fluid prevents electrical arcing between the electrically conductive screens during the electric glow discharge,
a first electrical terminal electrically connected to the first electrically conductive screen, and
a second electrical terminal electrically connected to the second electrically conductive screen;
connecting the first and second electrical terminals of each electric glow discharge device to a DC electrical power supply;
positioning a first of the electric glow discharge devices at a first location within the subterranean formation via a first well, and positioning a second of the electric glow discharge devices at a second location within the subterranean formation via a second well; and
heating and fracturing the subterranean formation by applying a DC voltage to the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen of each electric glow discharge device using the DC electrical power supply comprising the steps of:
heating the subterranean formation by operating the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and the second electrically conductive screen of the first of the electric glow discharge devices as the cathode, and the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and second electrically conductive cylindrical screen of the second of the electric glow discharge devices as the anode, and
fracturing the subterranean formation by operating the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen of the first of the electric glow discharge devices and the second of the electric glow discharge devices as a cathode, and the second electrically conductive cylindrical screen of the first of the electric plow discharge devices and the second of the electric glow discharge devices as an anode.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first well comprises at least one injection well and further comprising the step of introducing at least a portion of the electrically conductive fluid into the subterranean formation via the at least one injection well.
3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive fluid comprises water, produced water, wastewater or tailings pond water.
4. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of creating the electrically conductive fluid by adding an electrolyte to a fluid.
5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the electrolyte comprises baking soda, Nahcolite, lime, sodium chloride, ammonium sulfate, sodium sulfate or carbonic acid.
6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of heating and fracturing the subterranean formation by applying the DC voltage to the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen of each electric glow discharge device using the DC electrical power supply comprises the step of: creating a glow discharge in the electrically conductive fluid between the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen that heats the first electrically conductive screen or the second electrically conductive screen to a temperature of at least 500\xb0 C. by applying the DC voltage in a range of 50 to 500 volts DC to the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen of each electric glow discharge device using the DC electrical power supply.
7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the range of the DC voltage is 200 to 400 volts DC.
8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the temperature is at least 1000\xb0 C.
9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the temperature is at least 2000\xb0 C.
10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining the electric glow discharge without the electrically conductive fluid once the electric glow discharge is created.
11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second wells comprises a production well and an injection well, and the step of positioning the plurality of electric glow discharge devices within the subterranean formation via first and second wells comprises the steps of:
positioning a first of the plurality of electric glow discharge devices at a first location within the subterranean formation via the production well; and
positioning a second of the plurality of electric glow discharge devices at a second location within the subterranean formation via the injection well.
12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:
the one or more wells comprise a first well and a second well;
the step of positioning the one or more electric glow discharge devices within the subterranean formation via the one or more wells comprises the steps of:
positioning a first of the one or more electric glow discharge devices at a first location within the subterranean formation via the first well, and
positioning a second of the one or more electric glow discharge devices at a second location within the subterranean formation via the second well; and
the step of heating or fracturing the subterranean formation by applying the DC voltage to the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen of each electric glow discharge device using the DC electrical power supply comprises the steps of:
fracturing the subterranean formation by operating the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen of the first of the one or more electric glow discharge devices and the second of the one or more electric glow discharge devices as a cathode, and the second electrically conductive cylindrical screen of the first of the one or more electric glow discharge devices and the second of the one or more electric glow discharge devices as an anode, and
heating the subterranean formation by operating the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and the second electrically conductive screen of the first of the one or more electric glow discharge devices as the cathode, and the first electrically conductive cylindrical screen and second electrically conductive cylindrical screen of the second of the one or more electric glow discharge devices as the anode.
13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of introducing at least a portion of the electrically conductive fluid into the subterranean formation via the first well or the second well.
14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subterranean formation contains bitumen, kerogen or petroleum.
15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subterranean formation contains oil shale or oil sand.
16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subterranean formation contains oil shale, and the step of heating or fracturing the subterranean formation by applying the DC voltage to the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen of each electric glow discharge device using the DC electrical power supply further comprises the step of carbonizing the oil shale in situ.
17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subterranean formation contains petroleum, and the step of heating or fracturing the subterranean formation by applying the DC voltage to the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen of each electric glow discharge device using the DC electrical power supply further comprises the step of upgrading the petroleum in situ.
18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of heating or fracturing the subterranean formation by applying the DC voltage to the first electrically conductive screen and the second electrically conductive screen of each electric glow discharge device using the DC electrical power supply further comprises the step of producing hydrogen in situ.