Nanotube particle device and method for using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10112317-B2
Application number	US-201414493041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2014
Priority date	Sep 22, 2014
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A nanotube particle device for two dimensional and three dimensional printing or additive/subtractive manufacturing. The nanotube particle device comprising a nanotube, a particle shooter, a positioning mechanism, and a detection sensor. The particle shooter shoots a particle down the nanotube towards a target, the detection sensor senses the collision of the particle with the target, and the positioning mechanism re-adjusts the positioning of the nanotube based on the results of the collision. A method for aiming the particle shooter and additive/subtractive manufacturing are also disclosed and described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nanotube particle device comprising:
a nanotube having a first end and a second end;
particle shooter, wherein the particle shooter is coupled to the first end of the nanotube and wherein the particle shooter is configured to shoot a particle from the nanotube to a target located beyond the second end of the nanotube;
a positioning mechanism, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to position the nanotube in relation to the target; and
a detection sensor, wherein the detection sensor is configured to receive and transmit energy or movement, emanating from an interaction between the particle and the target, to the positioning mechanism to determine the relative position of the nanotube device to the target,
wherein the positioning mechanism comprises an electrostatic coupling, an electromagnetic coupling, or a piezoelectric coupling.

2. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the nanotube is a carbon nanotube.

3. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 wherein the particle is selected from the group comprising of a photon, an electron, a proton, an atom, and a molecule.

4. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the particle shooter is a laser.

5. The nanotube particle device of claim 4 , wherein the laser is selected from the group comprising a pulsed laser, a continuous laser, an LED, an adjustable power laser, and an adjustable wavelength laser.

6. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the positioning mechanism is a piezoelectric.

7. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the nanotube is positioned to aim particles at specific areas of the target selected from the group comprising a single atom, a bond between atoms, space between atoms, an atom-bond, multiple bonds, multiple atom-bonds, a molecule, and a group of molecules.

8. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the target is selected from the group comprising graphene, a graphene sheet, a nanotube, a fullerene, a semiconductor, a substrate and multiple layers of each.

9. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the detection sensor is a system of sensors comprising sensors for sensing energy or movement selected from the group comprising optical, mechanical, vibrational, electrical, heat-sensing, and electro-magnetic energy and movement.

10. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the detection sensor is located above, below, both above and below, or in the same plane as the target.

11. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the particle shooter is configured to shoot a particle at a first power for positioning the nanotube, and wherein the particle shooter is configured to shoot one or more particles at a second power for displacing one or more particles in the target.

12. The nanotube particle device of claim 1 , wherein the particle shooter comprises two lasers, a first laser configured to shoot a particle at a first power for positioning the nanotube, and a second laser configured to shoot one or more particles at a second power to displace one or more particles in the target.

13. A nanotube particle device comprising:
a nanotube having a first end and a second end;
particle shooter, wherein the particle shooter is coupled to the first end of the nanotube and wherein the particle shooter is configured to shoot a particle from the nanotube to a target located beyond the second end of the nanotube;
a positioning mechanism, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to position the nanotube in relation to the target; and
a detection sensor, wherein the detection sensor is configured to receive and transmit energy or movement, emanating from an interaction between the particle and the target, to the positioning mechanism to determine the relative position of the nanotube device to the target,
wherein the particle shooter comprises a first laser configured to shoot a particle at a first power for positioning the nanotube, and a second laser configured to shoot one or more particles at a second power to displace one or more particles in the target.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Howe Wayne R
• Hunt Jeffrey H
• Li Angela W
• Coad Dennis L

Classifications

• B28B1/001 Primary

  Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00) · CPC title

• B82B1/001 Primary

  Devices without movable or flexible elements · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title