Patents by Inventor Benjamin A. Kowalski
Benjamin A. Kowalski has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11926686Abstract: Shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers. The shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers being synthesized by filling an alignment cell with liquid crystal monomers. The liquid crystal monomers align to a surface of the alignment cell and then are polymerized with a dithiol chain transfer agent. The alignment cell is configured to impose a director orientation on a portion of the shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer. For some embodiments, liquid crystal elastomer laminates are prepared by arranging a plurality of liquid crystal elastomers such that a director orientation of each liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality is in registered alignment with an adjacent liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality. The arrangement is secured and the plurality of liquid crystal elastomers cured.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Nicholas P Godman, Timothy J White, Hilmar Koerner, Benjamin A Kowalski, Anesia D Auguste, Tyler C Guin
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Publication number: 20220153896Abstract: Shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers. The shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers being synthesized by filling an alignment cell with liquid crystal monomers. The liquid crystal monomers align to a surface of the alignment cell and then are polymerized with a dithiol chain transfer agent. The alignment cell is configured to impose a director orientation on a portion of the shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer. For some embodiments, liquid crystal elastomer laminates are prepared by arranging a plurality of liquid crystal elastomers such that a director orientation of each liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality is in registered alignment with an adjacent liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality. The arrangement is secured and the plurality of liquid crystal elastomers cured.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: Government of the United States as Represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Nicholas P. Godman, Timothy J. White, Hilmar Koerner, Benjamin A. Kowalski, Anesia D. Auguste, Tyler C. Guin
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Patent number: 11214642Abstract: Shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers. The shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers being synthesized by filling an alignment cell with liquid crystal monomers. The liquid crystal monomers align to a surface of the alignment cell and then are polymerized with a dithiol chain transfer agent. The alignment cell is configured to impose a director orientation on a portion of the shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer. For some embodiments, liquid crystal elastomer laminates are prepared by arranging a plurality of liquid crystal elastomers such that a director orientation of each liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality is in registered alignment with an adjacent liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality. The arrangement is secured and the plurality of liquid crystal elastomers cured.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Nicholas P Godman, Timothy J White, Hilmar Koerner, Benjamin A Kowalski, Anesia D Auguste, Tyler C Guin
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Patent number: 10626329Abstract: A method of making a shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer. The method includes preparing an alignment cell having a surface programmed with a plurality of domains. A cavity of the alignment cell is filled with a monomer solution. The monomers of the monomer solution are configured to align to the surface of the alignment cell. The aligned monomers are polymerized by Michael Addition. The polymerized monomers are then cross-linked to form a cross-linked liquid crystal elastomer. The cross-linking traps monomer alignment into a plurality of voxels with each voxel having a director orientation.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Timothy J. White, Taylor H. Ware, Michael E. McConney, Vincent P. Tondiglia, Benjamin A. Kowalski
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Publication number: 20200115483Abstract: Shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers. The shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers being synthesized by filling an alignment cell with liquid crystal monomers. The liquid crystal monomers align to a surface of the alignment cell and then are polymerized with a dithiol chain transfer agent. The alignment cell is configured to impose a director orientation on a portion of the shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer. For some embodiments, liquid crystal elastomer laminates are prepared by arranging a plurality of liquid crystal elastomers such that a director orientation of each liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality is in registered alignment with an adjacent liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality. The arrangement is secured and the plurality of liquid crystal elastomers cured.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicant: Government of the United States as Represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Nicholas P Godman, Timothy J White, Hilmar Koerner, Benjamin A Kowalski, Anesia D Auguste, Tyler C Guin
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Publication number: 20160313607Abstract: A method of making a shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer. The method includes preparing an alignment cell having a surface programmed with a plurality of domains. A cavity of the alignment cell is filled with a monomer solution. The monomers of the monomer solution are configured to align to the surface of the alignment cell. The aligned monomers are polymerized by Michael Addition. The polymerized monomers are then cross-linked to form a cross-linked liquid crystal elastomer. The cross-linking traps monomer alignment into a plurality of voxels with each voxel having a director orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Applicant: Government of the United States as Represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Timothy J. White, Taylor H. Ware, Michael E. McConney, Vincent P. Tondiglia, Benjamin A. Kowalski