Patents by Inventor Edwin P. Chan

Edwin P. Chan 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: 8906283
    Abstract: Biomimetic stimuli-responsive surfaces and articles of manufacture, together with methods of fabrication and related methods of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Douglas P. Holmes, Edwin P. Chan, Charles J. Rand, Kyriaki Kalaitzidou
  • Patent number: 8906284
    Abstract: A wrinkled adhesive surface is prepared by swelling a laterally confined elastomer layer with a polymerizable monomer composition. Swelling the elastomer layer spontaneously produces a wrinkled surface, and the wrinkles are then stabilized by polymerizing the polymerizable monomer composition. The stabilized wrinkled surfaces prepare by the method can exhibit substantially enhanced adhesion relative to smooth surfaces of the same material. The stabilized wrinkled surfaces can also exhibit adhesion that is repeatable through many cycles of contact with and separation from another surface. The adhesive characteristics of the stabilized wrinkled surfaces can be tailored by manipulating the size of the wrinkles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Edwin P. Chan, Ryan C. Hayward
  • Patent number: 7978416
    Abstract: A method for generating spontaneously aligned surface wrinkles utilizes control of local moduli-mismatch and osmotic pressure. The method includes modifying the surface of an elastomeric layer to form a superlayer that is stiffer and/or less absorbent than the elastomeric layer. The elastomeric layer is then swollen with a polymerizable monomer, which causes buckling of the superlayer. The monomer is then polymerized, dimensionally stabilizing the surface buckling. The buckled surfaces generated by the method are useful in a wide variety of end-use applications, including microlenses, microlens arrays, compound microlenses, diffraction gratings, photonic crystals, smart adhesives, mechanical strain sensors, microfluidic devices, and cell culture surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Edwin P. Chan
  • Publication number: 20110063732
    Abstract: A method for generating spontaneously aligned surface wrinkles utilizes control of local moduli-mismatch and osmotic pressure. The method includes modifying the surface of an elastomeric layer to form a superlayer that is stiffer and/or less absorbent than the elastomeric layer. The elastomeric layer is then swollen with a polymerizable monomer, which causes buckling of the superlayer. The monomer is then polymerized, dimensionally stabilizing the surface buckling. The buckled surfaces generated by the method are useful in a wide variety of end-use applications, including microlenses, microlens arrays, compound microlenses, diffraction gratings, photonic crystals, smart adhesives, mechanical strain sensors, microfluidic devices, and cell culture surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Edwin P. Chan
  • Publication number: 20110062635
    Abstract: Biomimetic stimuli-responsive surfaces and articles of manufacture, together with methods of fabrication and related methods of use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Douglas P. Holmes, Edwin P. Chan, Charles Rand, Kyriaki Kalaitzidou
  • Patent number: 7858156
    Abstract: A method for generating spontaneously aligned surface wrinkles utilizes control of local moduli-mismatch and osmotic pressure. The method includes modifying the surface of an elastomeric layer to form a superlayer that is stiffer and/or less absorbent than the elastomeric layer. The elastomeric layer is then swollen with a polymerizable monomer, which causes buckling of the superlayer. The monomer is then polymerized, dimensionally stabilizing the surface buckling. The budded surfaces generated by the method are useful in a wide variety of end-use applications, including microlenses, microlens arrays, compound microlenses, diffraction gratings, photonic crystals, smart adhesives, mechanical strain sensors, microfluidic devices, and cell culture surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Edwin P. Chan
  • Publication number: 20090297776
    Abstract: A wrinkled adhesive surface is prepared by swelling a laterally confined elastomer layer with a polymerizable monomer composition. Swelling the elastomer layer spontaneously produces a wrinkled surface, and the wrinkles are then stabilized by polymerizing the polymerizable monomer composition. The stabilized wrinkled surfaces prepare by the method can exhibit substantially enhanced adhesion relative to smooth surfaces of the same material. The stabilized wrinkled surfaces can also exhibit adhesion that is repeatable through many cycles of contact with and separation from another surface. The adhesive characteristics of the stabilized wrinkled surfaces can be tailored by manipulating the size of the wrinkles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Edwin P. Chan, Ryan C. Hayward
  • Publication number: 20080125510
    Abstract: A method for generating spontaneously aligned surface wrinkles utilizes control of local moduli-mismatch and osmotic pressure. The method includes modifying the surface of an elastomeric layer to form a superlayer that is stiffer and/or less absorbent than the elastomeric layer. The elastomeric layer is then swollen with a polymerizable monomer, which causes buckling of the superlayer. The monomer is then polymerized, dimensionally stabilizing the surface buckling. The budded surfaces generated by the method are useful in a wide variety of end-use applications, including microlenses, microlens arrays, compound microlenses, diffraction gratings, photonic crystals, smart adhesives, mechanical strain sensors, microfluidic devices, and cell culture surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Edwin P. Chan