Dual channel shape-changing fiber
AssigneesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Georgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsYuyang Song, Mingzhe Li, Shinnosuke Shimokawa, Hang Qi
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Abstract
Shape-changing fibers, methods and other embodiments described herein relate to a dual channel shape-changing fiber. In one embodiment, a shape-changing fiber includes a longitudinal body of a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) material. A shape property of the LCE material reversibly changes responsive to an activation input. The shape-changing fiber also includes 1) a first channel formed longitudinally within the longitudinal body and 2) a second channel formed longitudinally within the longitudinal body. The first channel and the second channel are parallel to one another.
Claims20
A shape-changing fiber, comprising:
- a longitudinal body of a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) material, a shape property of the LCE material reversibly changes responsive to an activation input;
- a first channel formed longitudinally within the longitudinal body;
- and
- a second channel formed longitudinally within the longitudinal body, the first channel and the second channel are parallel to one another.
A shape-changing fiber, comprising:
- a longitudinal body of a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) material, a shape property of the LCE material reversibly changes responsive to an activation input;
- a first channel formed longitudinally within the longitudinal body;
- a second channel formed longitudinally within the longitudinal body, the first channel and the second channel are parallel to one another;
- and
- shape memory material (SMM) within the first channel, a shape property of the SMM reversibly changes responsive to the activation input, to a different degree than the shape property of the LCE material.
A method of forming a shape-changing fiber, comprising:
- simultaneously:
- drawing a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) material through an outer aperture of a multi-aperture nozzle to form a longitudinal body, a shape property of the LCE material reversibly changes responsive to an activation input;
- and
- passing a sacrificial fluid through a first inner aperture and a second inner aperture of the multi-aperture nozzle to form inner channels within the longitudinal body, the outer aperture is coaxial to and surrounds the first inner aperture and the second inner aperture;
- curing the LCE material;
- and
- removing the sacrificial fluid from a first channel and a second channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.