Nanofiber yarn dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524862-B2
Application number	US-202017085397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2020
Priority date	Jan 5, 2017
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A dispenser is described for dispensing nanofiber yarns that includes a housing that defines an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber. A spool, around which is wound a length of nanofiber yarn, is disposed within the chamber defined by the housing. The nanofiber yarn is threaded from the chamber through the outlet and can be dispensed in a controlled way that reduces the likelihood of developing knots within the nanofiber yarn, and which facilitates convenient application of the yarn onto an underlying surface. In some cases, the dispenser can be used to concurrently dispense an adhesive or other polymer along with the nanofiber yarn.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a nanofiber yarn dispenser;
a translator assembly connected to the nanofiber yarn dispenser and configured to translate the nanofiber yarn dispenser, the translator assembly comprising:
a coarse adjustment translator configured to translate the nanofiber yarn dispenser from 0.5 cm to 1 meter; and
a fine adjustment translator configured to translate the nanofiber yarn dispenser from 100 microns to 5 millimeters,
wherein the fine adjustment translator is connected to a flexible dispensing tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a film source spool and a film update spool.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fine adjustment translator comprises a piezoelectric actuator or an electromagnetic actuator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fine adjustment translator is configured for movement frequencies on the order of kilohertz.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a non-contact cutting system.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the non-contact cutting system includes at least one electrode connected to a power source.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the non-contact cutting system is one of an electrical arc system, a Corona discharge system or a laser system.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a film to which the nanofiber yarn dispenser is configured to apply a nanofiber yarn.

9. The apparatus claim 8 , wherein the nanofiber yarn is applied to the film as a plurality of parallel nanofiber yarn segments separated from each other corresponding 100 μm spaces.

Assignees

• Lintec America Inc

Inventors

• Lima Márcio D
• Ovalle-Robles Raquel

Classifications

• C01B32/158

  Carbon nanotubes · CPC title

• B65H51/16 Primary

  Devices for entraining material by flow of liquids or gases, e.g. air-blast devices (blowing slag wool in molten state C03B37/06) · CPC title

• D02G3/443

  Heat-resistant, fireproof or flame-retardant yarns or threads (fire- or flame-proof filaments D01F1/07; woven fabrics using heat-resistant or fireproof threads D03D15/513) · CPC title

• B65H49/20

  Package-supporting devices · CPC title

• D02G3/406

  where the polymeric solution is removable at a later stage, e.g. by washing · CPC title