Printed logic gate
AssigneeBritish Telecommunications plc
InventorRobert Ghanea-Hercock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An additively manufactured apparatus having a gas filled sealed cavity containing at least two additively manufactured cathodes and an additively manufactured anode spaced from the cathodes such that a continuous electric discharge of the gas stimulated between at least one of the cathodes and the anode provides a Boolean function output at the anode corresponding to electrical input signals at two of the cathodes.
Claims20
An apparatus manufactured using an additive manufacturing process and having a gas filled sealed cavity containing at least two cathodes and an anode spaced from the cathodes such that a continuous electric discharge of the gas stimulated between at least one of the cathodes and the anode provides a Boolean function output at the anode corresponding to electrical input signals at two of the cathodes, wherein the cathodes and the anode are additively manufactured with the apparatus.
A method of manufacturing an article with integral logic gate electronic component comprising:
- using an additive manufacturing process to:
- a) form an electrically non-conductive substrate;
- b) form an electrically non-conductive perforated layer having a cavity;
- c) form electrically conductive anode and cathode elements spaced in the cavity including at least two cathodes;
- d) deposit an electrically conductive connection to each of the elements sufficient to imparting an electrical potential difference between the elements;
- e) form an electrically non-conductive sealing layer atop the perforated layer so as to retain and seal the cavity in the perforated layer,
- wherein the cavity contains gas and wherein the electrical potential difference is sufficient to stimulate a continuous electric discharge of the gas between at least one of the cathodes and the anode to provide a Boolean function output at the anode corresponding to electrical input signals at two of the cathodes.
An additive manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an article with integral active electronic component, the apparatus comprising:
- a computer system;
- a first additive manufacturing component adapted to form electrically non-conductive three dimensional structures;
- a second additive manufacturing component adapted to form electrically conductive three dimensional structures;
- wherein the first and second additive manufacturing components are operable under control of the computer system, the computer system being adapted to control the components to:
- a) form an electrically non-conductive substrate;
- b) form an electrically non-conductive perforated layer having a cavity;
- c) form electrically conductive anode and cathode elements spaced in the cavity including at least two cathodes;
- d) deposit a conductive electrical connection to each of the elements sufficient to imparting an electrical potential difference between the elements;
- e) form an electrically non-conductive sealing layer atop the perforated layer so as to retain and seal the cavity in the perforated layer,
- wherein the cavity contains gas and wherein the electrical potential difference is sufficient to stimulate a continuous electric discharge of the gas between at least one of the cathodes and the anode to provide a Boolean function output at the anode corresponding to electrical input signals at two of the cathodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.