Method and apparatus for accumulating cross-aligned fiber in an electrospinning device

An apparatus for accumulating cross-aligned fibers in an electrospinning device, comprising:

• a multiple segment collector including at least a first segment, a second segment, and an intermediate segment, said intermediate segment positioned between said first segment and said second segment to collectively present an elongated cylindrical structure;
• at least one electrically chargeable edge conductor circumferentially resident on said first segment, said at least one edge conductor electrically isolated from said intermediate segment;
• at least one electrically chargeable edge conductor circumferentially resident on said second segment, said at least one edge conductor electrically isolated from said intermediate segment;
• a first connection point on said first segment and a second connection point on said second segment, said first connection point and said second connection point usable for mounting said elongated cylindrical structure on a drive unit, said elongated cylindrical structure adapted to be rotated around a longitudinal axis by said drive unit,
• wherein said elongated cylindrical structure is adapted to attract electrospun fibers circumferentially on to its surface, when at least said intermediate segment is grounded.

An apparatus for accumulating cross-aligned fibers in an electrospinning device, comprising:

• a multiple segment collector including at least a first segment, a second segment, and an intermediate segment, said intermediate segment positioned between said first segment and said second segment to collectively present an elongated cylindrical structure;
• at least one electrically chargeable edge conductor circumferentially resident on said first segment, said at least one edge conductor electrically isolated from said intermediate segment;
• at least one electrically chargeable edge conductor circumferentially resident on said second segment, said at least one edge conductor electrically isolated from said intermediate segment;
• a first connection point on said first segment and a second connection point on said second segment, said first connection point and said second connection point usable for mounting said elongated cylindrical structure on a drive unit, said elongated cylindrical structure adapted to be rotated around a longitudinal axis by said drive unit,
• wherein said elongated cylindrical structure is adapted to hold electrospun fibers substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis at least when said electrically chargeable edge conductors are excited with an electrical charge of opposite polarity relative to a charge induced on an emitted fiber, and
• wherein said elongated cylindrical structure is adapted to attract electrospun fiber on to its surface, when at least said intermediate segment is electrically grounded.

An apparatus for accumulating cross-aligned fibers in an electrospinning device, comprising:

• a multiple segment collector including at least a first segment, a second segment, and an intermediate segment, said intermediate segment positioned between said first segment and said second segment to collectively present an elongated cylindrical structure;
• at least one electrically chargeable edge conductor circumferentially resident on said first segment, said at least one edge conductor electrically isolated from said intermediate segment;
• at least one electrically chargeable edge conductor circumferentially resident on said second segment, said at least one edge conductor electrically isolated from said intermediate segment;
• a first connection point on said first segment and a second connection point on said second segment, said first connection point and said second connection point usable for mounting said elongated cylindrical structure on a drive unit, said elongated cylindrical structure adapted to be rotated around a longitudinal axis by said drive unit,
• wherein said elongated cylindrical structure is adapted to hold electrospun fibers substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis at least when said electrically chargeable edge conductors are excited with an electrical charge of opposite polarity relative to a charge induced on an emitted fiber, said fibers spanning the separation distance between said edge conductors, and
• wherein said elongated cylindrical structure is adapted to attract electrospun fiber on to its surface circumferentially, when at least said intermediate segment is electrically grounded and said electrically chargeable edge conductors are absent a charge or electrically grounded.