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US 11,993,873 B2Granted
Reversible textile transformation
AssigneesMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Ministry of Supply
InventorsSkylar J.E. Tibbits, Jared Smith Laucks, Schendy G. Kernizan, Lavender Rose Tessmer, Carmel Marie Dunlap, Gihan S. Amarasiriwardena
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Abstract
Knit textile structures are formed of a yarn made of composite fibers, which is an active material within the knit structure that transforms in response to a change in temperature. In combination with non-active fibers and performative knit structure, this contraction can enable changes in the fabric that are adaptive to changes in environmental conditions during wear.
Claims11
A knit fabric comprising:
- a first and second yarn knit together;
- wherein at least one of the first and second yarns comprises a plurality of fibers that are composites of first and second polymers arranged side-by-side in cross-section;
- wherein the first polymer comprises a black pigment;
- wherein the first and second polymers are polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), or polyamide (PA);
- and
- wherein the knit fabric curls from 34° to 297° upon exposure to infrared radiation that causes a temperature change from −5° C. to 30° C.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.