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US 8,138,868 B2Granted
Method and structure for magnetically-directed, self-assembly of three-dimensional structures
AssigneeUniversity of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorDavid Patrick Arnold
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetically directed, self-assembled structure has a first body. The first body includes a single magnet or plurality of magnets disposed thereon to form a spatially variable magnetic field in a first predetermined pattern. A second body has a single magnet or plurality of magnets disposed thereon to form a spatially variable magnetic field in a second predetermined pattern. The second predetermined pattern is complementary to the first pattern. The first body is attracted to the second body with an attractive force greater than a mixture force such that the first body and second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together.
Claims80
A structure adapted for magnetically-directed, self-assembly, comprising:
- a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- and
- a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, wherein the mixing force is higher than any magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body other than that provided by full alignment of the first body and the second body.
A structure adapted for magnetically-directed, self-assembly, comprising:
- a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force;
- and
- a third body, the third body exhibiting a third magnetic field having a third predetermined pattern, wherein the first body further exhibits a fourth magnetic field having a fourth predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the third body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the third body due to the fourth and third magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the third body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force.
1 more element
A structure adapted for magnetically-directed, self-assembly, comprising:
- a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force;
- and
- at least one additional body, the at least one additional body exhibiting a corresponding at least one additional magnetic field having a corresponding at least one additional predetermined pattern, wherein the first body further exhibits a corresponding at least one additional magnetic field having a corresponding at least one additional predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and each of the at least one additional body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the at least one additional body due to the corresponding at least one magnetic field of the first body and the corresponding at least one additional magnetic field of the at least one additional body when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the at least one additional body due to the corresponding at least one magnetic field of the first body and the corresponding at least one additional magnetic field of the at least one additional body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force.
1 more element
A structure adapted for magnetically-directed, self-assembly, comprising:
- a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first bow and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, wherein the first body comprises first circuitry thereon and the second body comprises second circuitry thereon, the second circuitry being operatively oriented to the first circuitry when the first body and second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together.
A structure adapted for magnetically-directed, self-assembly, comprising:
- a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, wherein the mixing force is higher than any magnetic attraction force between the second body and another second body.
A method for magnetically-directed, self-assembling parts, comprising:
- providing a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- and
- providing a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, and
- mixing the first body with the second body with the mixing force, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force, wherein the mixing force is higher than any magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body other than that provided by full alignment of the first body and the second body.
1 more element
A method for magnetically-directed, self-assembling parts, comprising:
- providing a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- providing a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, and
- mixing the first body with the second body with the mixing force, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force;
- and
- providing a third body, the third body exhibiting a third magnetic field having a third predetermined pattern, wherein the first body further exhibits a fourth magnetic field having a fourth predetermined pattern, and
- mixing the third body with the first body with the mixing force, wherein the first body and the third body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the third body due to the fourth and third magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the third body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force.
3 more elements
A method for magnetically-directed, self-assembling parts, comprising:
- providing a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- and
- providing a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, and
- mixing the first body with the second body with the mixing force, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force;
- and
- providing at least one additional body, the at least one additional body exhibiting a corresponding at least one additional magnetic field having a corresponding at least one additional predetermined pattern, wherein the first body further exhibits a corresponding at least one additional magnetic field having a corresponding at least one predetermined pattern, and
- mixing the at least one additional body and the first body with the mixing force, wherein the first body and each of the at least one additional body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the at least one additional body due to the corresponding at least one magnetic field of the first body and the corresponding at least one additional magnetic field of the at least one additional body when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the at least one additional body due to the corresponding at least one magnetic field of the first body and the corresponding at least one additional magnetic field of the at least one additional body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force.
4 more elements
A method for magnetically-directed, self-assembling parts, comprising:
- providing a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- and
- providing a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, and
- mixing the first body with the second body with the mixing force, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force, wherein the first body comprises first circuitry thereon and the second body comprises second circuitry thereon, the second circuitry being operatively oriented to the first circuitry when the first body and second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together.
1 more element
A method for magnetically-directed, self-assembling parts, comprising:
- providing a first body, the first body exhibiting a first magnetic field having a first predetermined pattern;
- and
- providing a second body, the second body exhibiting a second magnetic field having a second predetermined pattern, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body due to the first and second magnetic fields when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome a mixing force, and
- mixing the first body with the second body with the mixing force, wherein the first body and the second body are fully aligned to each other and bonded together by a magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body when the magnetic attraction force between the first body and the second body is sufficient to overcome the mixing force, wherein the mixing force is higher than any magnetic attraction force between the second body and another second body.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.