公开(公告)号：US11338432B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-24

申请号：US16810132

申请日：2020-03-05

Applicant: Lintec of America, Inc.

Inventor： Marcio Dias Lima ,  Calvin Truong ,  Essence Beasley

IPC: B25J9/10 ,  F03G7/06

Abstract: A muscle sleeve includes: a sleeve-formed fabric; a plurality of first actuating muscles disposed next to each other and in parallel with each other on a first side of the sleeve-formed fabric; a plurality of second actuating muscles disposed next to each other and in parallel with each other on a second side of the sleeve-formed fabric; a plurality of fasteners that secure ends of the first and second actuating muscles to the fabric; and a crimp secured to the fabric.

公开(公告)号：US11161743B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-02

申请号：US16390130

申请日：2019-04-22

Applicant: Lintec of America, Inc.

Inventor： Julia Bykova ,  Marcio D. Lima

IPC: C01B32/16 ,  B32B37/12 ,  B82Y30/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  B29K105/16

Abstract: Placement of nanofibers and yarns comprised of nanofibers onto a substrate are described. The nanofiber yarns are difficult to manipulate with precision given that the diameters can be as little as 5 microns or even less than one micron. As described herein, a placement system is described that can place nanofiber yarns on a substrate at pitches less than 100 μm, less than 50 μm, less than 10 μm, and in some embodiments as low as 2 μm. In part, this precise placement at small pitches is facilitated by the use of coarse and fine adjustment translators, and a guide connected to a compliant flange. The compliant flange and the guide facilitate consistency of location of a nanofiber yarn.

公开(公告)号：US20210189606A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-24

申请号：US17126510

申请日：2020-12-18

Applicant: LINTEC OF AMERICA, INC.

Inventor： BaeKyun KIM ,  Julia BYKOVA ,  Luis PLATA ,  Yang YANG ,  Márcio D. LIMA

IPC: D02G1/02 ,  D01H1/02

Abstract: Systems for fabricating nanofiber yarn at rates of at least 30 m/min (1.8 kilometers (km)/hour (hr)) using a “false twist” nanofiber yarn spinner and a false twist spinning technique are disclosed. In a false twist spinning technique, a twist is introduced to nanofibers in a strand by twisting the nanofibers at points between ends of the strand. This is in contrast to the “true twist” technique where one end of a strand is fixed and the opposing end of the strand is rotated to introduce the twist to intervening portions of yarn.

公开(公告)号：US20210163295A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-03

申请号：US17162355

申请日：2021-01-29

Applicant: LINTEC OF AMERICA, INC.

Inventor： Marcio D. Lima ,  Julia Bykova

IPC: C01B32/176 ,  D01D5/42 ,  D01F9/12 ,  D02G3/16 ,  C01B32/16

Abstract: Techniques are described for controlling widths of nanofiber sheets drawn from a nanofiber forest. Nanofiber sheet width can be controlled by dividing or sectioning the nanofiber sheet in its as-drawn state into sub-sheets as the sheet is being drawn. A width of a sub-sheet can be controlled or selected so as to contain regions of uniform nanofiber density within a sub-sheet (thereby improving nanofiber yarn consistency) or to isolate an inhomogeneity (whether a discontinuity is the sheet (e.g., a tear) or a variation in density) within a sub-sheet. Techniques for dividing a nanofiber sheet into sub-sheets includes mechanical, corona, and electrical arc techniques.

公开(公告)号：US10995195B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-04

申请号：US15916802

申请日：2018-03-09

Applicant: Lintec of America, Inc.

Inventor： Marcio D. Lima ,  Julia Bykova ,  Takahiro Ueda

IPC: C09J7/38 ,  C08K3/04 ,  B32B3/28 ,  B32B5/02 ,  B32B5/12 ,  B32B7/12 ,  B32B9/00 ,  B32B15/14 ,  C09J9/02 ,  C09J7/22 ,  C08J5/18 ,  C08J7/04 ,  C08J7/043 ,  C08J7/044 ,  B32B7/06 ,  C09J201/02 ,  B32B17/10 ,  B32B27/30 ,  C08J5/04 ,  C08L23/08 ,  C08L29/14 ,  C08K3/08 ,  C08K7/06 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  B32B9/04

Abstract: Examples described include composite nanofibers sheets that have been “infiltrated” with a polymer (i.e., the polymer has flowed past a surface of the nanofiber sheet and into at least some of spaces within the sheet defined by the nanofibers). An adhesive nanofiber tape is formed when the infiltrating polymer is an adhesive and the adhesive infiltrates the nanofiber sheet from a one major surface of the nanofiber sheet. In other described examples, some portions of nanofibers in the sheet have been conformally coated with at least one metal layer.

公开(公告)号：US10978965B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-13

申请号：US15957087

申请日：2018-04-19

Applicant: Lintec of America, Inc.

Inventor： Jaeah Lee

IPC: H02N1/04 ,  H02K35/00 ,  H02K7/116 ,  D02G3/44 ,  B82Y99/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  B82Y30/00

Abstract: A triboelectric generator include at least two yarns, one of which has been infiltrated with a material having a positive triboelectric affinity and one of which has been infiltrated with a material having a negative triboelectric affinity. The at least two yarns are threaded through holes within a disk so that both of the yarns are disposed on both sides of the disk and pass through the holes within the disk. The at least two yarns are helically wrapped (or “coiled”) together on both sides of the disk. During uncoiling, the moving contact between the two yarns, infiltrated with materials having opposite triboelectric affinities, causes an electrical charge to develop. The generated electrical charge can be conducted away for use as electricity.

公开(公告)号：US20210070581A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-11

申请号：US17085397

申请日：2020-10-30

Applicant: LINTEC OF AMERICA, INC.

Inventor： Márcio D. LIMA ,  Raquel OVALLE-ROBLES

IPC: B65H51/16 ,  D02G3/16 ,  D02G3/40 ,  H01B1/04 ,  D01F9/127 ,  C01B32/16 ,  D02G3/44 ,  B65H49/20 ,  C01B32/158

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.

公开(公告)号：US20200181811A1

公开(公告)日：2020-06-11

申请号：US16685085

申请日：2019-11-15

Applicant: Lintec of America, Inc.

Inventor： Jaeah Lee

IPC: D02G3/44 ,  D02G3/38 ,  D02G3/02

Abstract: A method of continuous production of thermochromic nanofiber yarns is described. The method includes applying a first thermochromic material to a nanofiber sheet, and then twisting that nanofiber sheet into a first thermochromic yarn. A second thermochromic material is optionally applied to the first thermochromic yarn to produce a second thermochromic yarn. Alternatively, a homogeneous mixture of the first and the second thermochromic materials is applied to a nanofiber sheet in a single layer to produce a thermochromic nanofiber yarn. The thermochromic yarn can be a single ply yarn or a multi-ply yarn depending on the color to be displayed.

公开(公告)号：US20190352182A1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-21

申请号：US16397036

申请日：2019-04-29

Applicant: Lintec of America, Inc.

Inventor： Marcio D. Lima

IPC: C01B32/16

Abstract: A nanofiber sheet dispenser that houses a nanofiber forest from which a nanofiber sheet can be drawn is described. Using the nanofiber sheet dispenser, a nanofiber forest disposed on a substrate can be moved, transported, and/or shipped with a reduced risk of damage relative to transporting a nanofiber sheet. Techniques are also described for configuring the nanofiber sheet dispenser so that a nanofiber sheet can be conveniently drawn from the forest and, in some cases, drawn so as to form a nanofiber yarn that is continuous with both the nanofiber sheet and the nanofiber forest, the latter of which is within the nanofiber sheet dispenser.

公开(公告)号：US20190282733A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-19

申请号：US16353608

申请日：2019-03-14

Applicant: Lintec Of America, Inc.

Inventor： Julia Bykova ,  Marcio D. Lima ,  Kanzan Inoue

IPC: A61L27/42 ,  A61L27/38 ,  D02G3/40 ,  A61L31/02 ,  D02G3/02 ,  D02G3/44 ,  B82Y5/00

Abstract: Nerve scaffolds are described that include a tubular outer housing fabricated from a biocompatible polymer, within which are disposed a plurality of carbon nanofiber yarns. The carbon nanofiber yarns, which can be separated by distances roughly corresponding to an average nerve fiber diameter, provide surfaces on which nerve fibers can regrow. Because the proximate carbon nanofiber yarns can support individual nerve fibers, a nerve can be regenerated with a reduced likelihood of undesirable outcomes, such as nerve pain or reduced nerve function.