Nanofiber yarn spinning system
AssigneeLintec of America, Inc.
InventorsBaeKyun Kim, Julia Bykova, Luis Plata, Yang Yang, Márcio D. Lima
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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.
Claims11
A nanofiber spinning system comprising:
- a yarn winding device for receiving a false twisted nanofiber yarn;
- a first guide for providing a tension to an untwisted nanofiber yarn;
- and
- a first yarn spinner between the yarn winding device and the first guide, the first yarn spinner comprising a first moving surface for a first contact with an exterior surface of the untwisted nanofiber yarn,
- wherein the first guide is selected from a hoop, a hook, or a post;
- the first contact is configured to provide a friction to a first portion of the untwisted nanofiber yarn;
- the first moving surface is configured to cause the first portion of the untwisted nanofiber yarn to twist;
- and
- the first yarn spinner comprises:
- a frame with an enclosed circular opening;
- a circular bearing mounted to the circular opening, the circular bearing having an outer diameter proximate to the circular opening and an inner diameter opposite the outer diameter;
- and
- a first rotational twist ring having an outer surface mounted to the inner diameter of the circular bearing, an exposed inner surface, and a radius of the first rotational twist ring surface curvature less than 1 centimeter,
- wherein the inner surface of the first rotational twist ring is configured to be the first moving surface for the first contact with the exterior surface of the untwisted nanofiber yarn, and an inner diameter of the first rotational twist ring is 100 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.