Hollow polymer micro-truss structures containing pressurized fluids
AssigneeHRL Laboratories, LLC
InventorsChristopher S. Roper, William B. Carter, Alan J. Jacobsen, Kevin J. Maloney, Robert E. Doty, Tobias A. Schaedler, Adam E. Sorensen, Andrew P. Nowak
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Abstract
An ordered, 3-dimensional, micro-scale, open-cellular truss structure including interconnected hollow polymer tubes. The hollow micro-truss structure separates two fluid volumes which can be independently pressurized or depressurized to control flow, or materials properties, or both. Applications for this invention include deployable structures, inflatable structures, flow control, and vented padding.
Claims14
A three-dimensional hollow micro-truss, comprising:
- at least three sets of interconnected hollow tubes extending along at least three different directions;
- the at least three sets of interconnected hollow tubes having walls;
- the tubes intersecting each other at a plurality of hollow nodes to form a structure;
- the hollow tubes and the hollow nodes having interior surfaces collectively enclosing a first fluid region;
- the hollow tubes and the hollow nodes having exterior surfaces defining a second fluid region;
- wherein:
- the first fluid region is not in fluid communication with the second fluid region,
- the micro-truss is configured to inflate elastically from a reversibly collapsed state in response to a difference between a first pressure in the first fluid region and a second pressure in the second fluid region, and
- the length of the hollow tubes is at least 40 microns and at most 25 millimeters.
A three-dimensional hollow micro-truss, comprising:
- at least three sets of interconnected hollow tubes extending along at least three different directions;
- the at least three sets of interconnected hollow tubes having walls;
- the tubes intersecting each other at a plurality of hollow nodes to form a structure;
- the hollow tubes and the hollow nodes having interior surfaces collectively enclosing a first fluid region;
- the hollow tubes and the hollow nodes having exterior surfaces defining a second fluid region;
- wherein:
- the first fluid region is not in fluid communication with the second fluid region,
- the micro-truss is configured to inflate elastically from a reversibly collapsed state in response to a difference between a first pressure in the first fluid region and a second pressure in the second fluid region, and
- the inner diameter of the hollow tubes is at least 10 microns and at most 2 millimeters.
A three-dimensional hollow micro-truss, comprising:
- at least three sets of interconnected hollow tubes extending along at least three different directions;
- the at least three sets of interconnected hollow tubes having walls;
- the tubes intersecting each other at a plurality of hollow nodes to form a structure;
- the hollow tubes and the hollow nodes having interior surfaces collectively enclosing a first fluid region;
- the hollow tubes and the hollow nodes having exterior surfaces defining a second fluid region;
- wherein:
- the first fluid region is not in fluid communication with the second fluid region,
- the micro-truss is configured to inflate elastically from a reversibly collapsed state in response to a difference between a first pressure in the first fluid region and a second pressure in the second fluid region, and
- the wall thickness of the hollow tubes is at least 10 nanometers and at most 0.5 millimeters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.