Nanofiber sheet dispenser
AssigneeLintec of America, Inc.
InventorMarcio D. Lima
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims21
A nanofiber sheet dispenser comprising:
- a housing defining an interior and also defining an opening in the housing;
- a substrate and a nanofiber forest on the substrate, wherein the substrate and the nanofiber forest thereon are disposed within the interior of the housing;
- and
- at least one blade having an edged surface, the edged surface of the at least one blade defining a nanofiber sheet exit gap proximate to the opening in the housing.
A method comprising:
- disposing a nanofiber forest on a substrate within an interior of a housing, the housing defining a nanofiber sheet exit gap that includes an edged surface;
- drawing a nanofiber sheet from the nanofiber forest through the nanofiber sheet exit gap and in contact with the edged surface;
- and
- responsive to the drawing in contact with the edged surface, densifying the nanofiber sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.