Patents by Inventor Steven B Fairchild

Steven B Fairchild 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).

  • Patent number: 11913146
    Abstract: An electrode comprising a conductive textile structure having an inner surface that is connected to one of an electrical power supply and an electrical ground; the conductive textile structure having an outer surface, the outer surface comprising a carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber fabric fixed thereon, the CNT fiber fabric having continuous CNT fiber on the outer surface, wherein the CNT fiber fabric comprises at least one of a CNT fiber, and is at least one of knitted, woven, sewn, and embroidered. The continuous CNT fiber may be a yarn, ribbon, or thread. The CNT fiber fabric includes at least one face having a looped or interlaced structure made from the continuous CNT fiber. The CNT fiber yarn, ribbon, or thread is knitted, woven, sewn, and/or embroidered so that at least one surface comprises a textile made with CNT fiber yarns, ribbons, or threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Steven B. Fairchild, John J. Boeckl, Genevieve Dion, Chelsea Amanatides
  • Patent number: 11318561
    Abstract: A method for reducing outgassing from a metal surface comprises applying energy from an energy source to the metal surface sufficient to melt the metal surface; and allowing the metal surface to re-solidify, wherein the re-solidified metal surface comprises larger grains and fewer grain boundaries, reducing outgassing sites for a trapped gas. Applying energy from an energy source is performed in a raster scan pattern. Adjacent passes in the raster scan pattern overlap sufficiently to melt the entire metal surface. The energy source is a laser, such as a CW Yb fiber laser. A spot size and applied energy of the laser energy source applied to the metal surface is sufficient to melt the entire metal surface (appropriate for the absorption and reflection characteristics of the treated material). The application of energy from an energy source releases at least some of a gas trapped in the metal. The trapped gas is atomic hydrogen. The metal surface comprises an electrode of a high power system device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Steven B Fairchild, Daniel P Gortat, William O'Neill, Martin R Sparkes
  • Patent number: 10714293
    Abstract: A carbon nanotube fiber carpet structure includes a backing material; and a plurality looped carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber conductors fixed to the backing material extending outward from the backing material in an array. The CNT fiber conductor may include at least one of a CNT thread, a CNT fiber, a CNT film, and a CNT ribbon, and the CNT fiber conductor may include a first end and a second end, the first end fixed to the backing material, and the second end fixed to the backing material a predetermined distance from the first end in order to form a loop of the CNT fiber conductor extending away from a backing material surface. The CNT fiber conductor may be woven into the backing material to form a plurality of loops of the CNT fiber conductor extending away from a backing surface material, and the backing material may be a conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventor: Steven B Fairchild
  • Patent number: 8766522
    Abstract: Improved field emission cathodes comprise a fiber of highly aligned and densely packed single-wall carbon nanotubes, double-wall carbon nanotubes, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, grapheme nanoribbons, carbon nanofibers, and/or carbon planar nanostructures. The fiber cathodes provide superior current carrying capacity without degradation or adverse effects under high field strength testing. The fibers also can be configured as multi-fiber field emission cathodes, and the use of low work function coatings and different tip configurations further improves their performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Steven B Fairchild, Benji Maruyama