Patents by Inventor Shaoli Fang
Shaoli Fang 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: 11773516Abstract: A smart (intelligent) textile that can control its porosity, shape, texture, loft, stiffness, or color by temperature change or moisture absorption by using polymer fiber torsional and tensile actuators. This temperature change can be due to a change in ambient temperature or by an external stimulus, such as electrothermal heating.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Özer Göktepe, Fatma Göktepe, Na Li, Shaoli Fang, Ray H. Baughman, Marcio Dias Lima, Carter S. Haines
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Patent number: 11703257Abstract: Cooling by a twist-untwist process, by a stretch-release process for twisted, coiled, or supercoiled yarns or fibers, and methods and systems thereof. High mechanocaloric cooling results from release of inserted twist or from stretch release for twisted, coiled, or supercoiled fibers, including natural rubber fibers, NiTi wires, and polyethylene fishing line. Twist utilization can increase cooling and cooling efficiencies. A cooler using twist insertion and release can be shorter and smaller in volume than a cooler that requires a large elastomeric elongation. The cooler system can be utilized in mechanochromic textiles and remotely readable tensile and torsional sensors.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Zunfeng Liu, Run Wang, Jiuke Mu, Zhong Wang, Shaoli Fang, Marcio Dias Lima, Ali E. Aliev, Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20230141697Abstract: Previous electrochemically-powered yarn muscles cannot be usefully operated between extreme negative and extreme positive potentials, since strokes during electron injection and during hole injection partially cancel because they are in the same direction. Unipolar-stroke carbon nanotube yarn muscles are described in which muscle strokes are additive between extreme negative and extreme positive potentials, and stroke increases with potential scan rate. These electrochemical artificial muscles include an electrically conducting twisted or coiled yarn and a material that dramatically shifts the potential of zero charge of the electrochemically actuated yarn.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2020Publication date: May 11, 2023Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Hetao Chu, Jinsong Leng, Ray H. Baughman, Xinghao Hu, Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Shaoli Fang, Zhong Wang, Mu Jiuke
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Patent number: 11629705Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize polymer fibers non-coiled or coiled yarns and can be either neat or comprising a guest. Devices comprising these artificial muscles are also described. In some embodiments, thermally-powered polymer fiber torsional actuator has a twisted, chain-oriented polymer fiber that has a first degree of twist at a first temperature and a second degree of twist at a second temperature in which the bias angles of the first degree and second degree of twist are substantially different.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: THE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marco D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20220260062Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twisted polymer fibers generate tensile actuation when powered thermally. In some embodiments, the thermally-powered polymer fiber tensile actuator can be incorporated into an article, such as a textile or garment.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2021Publication date: August 18, 2022Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marcio D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20220259774Abstract: Sheath-run artificial muscles (or SRAMs) are described in which the dimensional changes and/or modulus changes of a sheath on the surface of a twisted or coiled host yarn or fiber drives torsional and tensile actuation. The sheath-core artificial muscle includes a sheath on a coiled core yarn or fiber that has inserted twist, in which the sheath does not include a yarn, the coiled core yarn or fiber includes a core yarn or fiber, the sheath can change volume, modulus, or a combination thereof when actuated by an influence source to drive actuation, and the influence source is selected from a group consisting of absorption processes, desorption processes, changes in temperature, changes in external pressure, changes in a magnetic field, changes in an electric field, exposures to actinic radiation, electrochemical charge and discharge, chemical reactions, and combinations thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2020Publication date: August 18, 2022Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Ray H. Baughman, Jiuke Mu, Monica Jung De Andrade, Shaoli Fang, Na Li, Carter S. Haines
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Publication number: 20220003221Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize polymer fibers non-coiled or coiled yarns and can be either neat or comprising a guest. Devices comprising these artificial muscles are also described. In some embodiments, thermally-powered polymer fiber torsional actuator has a twisted, chain-oriented polymer fiber that has a first degree of twist at a first temperature and a second degree of twist at a second temperature in which the bias angles of the first degree and second degree of twist are substantially different.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marco D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Patent number: 11217366Abstract: Superelastic conductive fibers, and more particularly, sheath-core fibers for superelastic electronics, sensors, and muscles, and a process for fabricating of highly stretchable sheath-core conducting fibers by wrapping fiber-direction-oriented conductive nanofiber sheets on stretched rubber fiber cores.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2016Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Ray H. Baughman, Zunfeng Liu, Shaoli Fang, Francisco A. Moura, Nan Jiang, Dong Qian, Hongbing Lu, Xavier N. Lepro, Carter S. Haines
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Patent number: 11149720Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber twist-inserted polymer fibers generate tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the coiled polymer fibers actuator can be incorporated into an article, such as a textile, braid, clothing, smart packaging, or a mechanical system, and the coiled polymer fiber in the coiled polymer fiber actuator can have a stroke amplification factor of 5 or greater.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marcio D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Patent number: 11143169Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled yarns/polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the actuator system includes a twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, and at least one of (i) wire connections that enable electrical heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, (ii) a radiation source and radiation pathway that enables photothermal heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, and (iii) a delivery system for delivering chemicals whose reaction produces heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marcio D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Patent number: 11085422Abstract: Yarn energy harvesters containing conducing nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn harvesters) that electrochemically convert tensile or torsional mechanical energy into electrical energy. Stretched coiled yarns can generate 250 W/kg of peak electrical power when cycled up to 24 Hz, and can generate up to 41.2 J/kg of electrical energy per mechanical cycle. Unlike for other harvesters, torsional rotation produces both tensile and torsional energy harvesting and no bias voltage is required, even when electrochemically operating in salt water. Since homochiral and heterochiral coiled harvester yarns provide oppositely directed potential changes when stretched, both contribute to output power in a dual-electrode yarn.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang UniversityInventors: Ray H. Baughman, Shaoli Fang, Carter S. Haines, Na Li, Jiangtao Di, Seon Jeong Kim, Shi Hyeong Kim, Keon Jung Kim, Tae Jin Mun, Changsoon Choi
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Publication number: 20210198817Abstract: A smart (intelligent) textile that can control its porosity, shape, texture, loft, stiffness, or color by temperature change or moisture absorption by using polymer fiber torsional and tensile actuators. This temperature change can be due to a change in ambient temperature or by an external stimulus, such as electrothermal heating.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2017Publication date: July 1, 2021Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Özer Göktepe, Fatma Göktepe, Na Li, Shaoli Fang, Ray H. Baughman, Marcio Dias Lima, Carter S. Haines
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Publication number: 20210116152Abstract: Cooling by a twist-untwist process, by a stretch-release process for twisted, coiled, or supercoiled yarns or fibers, and methods and systems thereof. High mechanocaloric cooling results from release of inserted twist or from stretch release for twisted, coiled, or supercoiled fibers, including natural rubber fibers, NiTi wires, and polyethylene fishing line. Twist utilization can increase cooling and cooling efficiencies. A cooler using twist insertion and release can be shorter and smaller in volume than a cooler that requires a large elastomeric elongation. The cooler system can be utilized in mechanochromic textiles and remotely readable tensile and torsional sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2020Publication date: April 22, 2021Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Zunfeng Liu, Run Wang, Jiuke Mu, Zhong Wang, Shaoli Fang, Marcio Dias Lima, Ali E. Aliev, Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Ray H. Baughman
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Patent number: 10837130Abstract: The described incandescent tension annealing processes involve thermally annealing twisted or coiled carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns at high-temperatures (1000° C. to 3000° C.) while these yarns are under tensile loads. These processes can be used for increasing yarn modulus and strength and for stabilizing both twisted and coiled CNT yarns with respect to unwanted irreversible untwist, thereby avoiding the need to tether torsional and tensile artificial muscles, and increasing the mechanical loads that can be moved by these muscles.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Jiangtao Di, Shaoli Fang, Carter S. Haines, Na Li, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20200208614Abstract: Yarn energy harvesters containing conducing nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn harvesters) that electrochemically convert tensile or torsional mechanical energy into electrical energy. Stretched coiled yarns can generate 250 W/kg of peak electrical power when cycled up to 24 Hz, and can generate up to 41.2 J/kg of electrical energy per mechanical cycle. Unlike for other harvesters, torsional rotation produces both tensile and torsional energy harvesting and no bias voltage is required, even when electrochemically operating in salt water. Since homochiral and heterochiral coiled harvester yarns provide oppositely directed potential changes when stretched, both contribute to output power in a dual-electrode yarn.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2018Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicants: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, HANYANG UNIVERSITYInventors: Ray H. Baughman, Shaoli Fang, Carter S. Haines, Na Li, Jiangtao Di, Seon Jeong Kim, Shi Hyeong Kim, Keon Jung Kim, Tae Jin Mun, Changsoon Choi
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Publication number: 20200191127Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled yarns/polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the actuator system includes a twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, and at least one of (i) wire connections that enable electrical heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, (ii) a radiation source and radiation pathway that enables photothermal heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, and (iii) a delivery system for delivering chemicals whose reaction produces heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marcio D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20200088175Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber twist-inserted polymer fibers generate tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the coiled polymer fibers actuator can be incorporated into an article, such as a textile, braid, clothing, smart packaging, or a mechanical system, and the coiled polymer fiber in the coiled polymer fiber actuator can have a stroke amplification factor of 5 or greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marcio D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Patent number: 10480491Abstract: Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled yarns/polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the torsional fiber actuator includes a first polymer fiber (exhibiting a first polymer fiber diameter) and a torsional return spring in communication with the first polymer fiber. The first polymer fiber is configured to include a first plurality of twists in a first direction to produce a twisted polymer fiber. The first polymer fiber is further configured to include a plurality of coils in the twisted polymer fiber in a second direction each coil having a mean coil diameter.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2017Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: THE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEMInventors: Na Li, Carter S. Haines, Marcio D. Lima, Monica Jung DeAndrade, Shaoli Fang, Jiyoung Oh, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dongseok Suh, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20190096540Abstract: Superelastic conductive fibers, and more particularly, sheath-core fibers for superelastic electronics, sensors, and muscles, and a process for fabricating of highly stretchable sheath-core conducting fibers by wrapping fiber-direction-oriented conductive nanofiber sheets on stretched rubber fiber cores.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2016Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Ray H. Baughman, Zunfeng Liu, Shaoli Fang, Francisco A. Moura, Nan Jiang, Dong Qian, Hongbing Lu, Xavier N. Lepro, Carter S. Haines
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Patent number: 10196271Abstract: A nanofiber yarn that includes a plurality of nanofibers twisted into a yarn along an alignment axis. The nanofibers of the plurality of nanofibers have a ratio of nanofiber length to nanofiber circumference of at least 50. The yarn has a helix angle measured relative to the alignment axis of from 5° to 30°. The yarn has tensile strength of at least 280 MPa. A nanofiber fabric that includes a first sheet of multiwalled nanotubes and a second sheet of multiwalled nanotubes on the first sheet of multiwalled nanotubes. The multiwalled nanotubes of the first sheet are aligned in a first direction. The multiwalled nanotubes of the second sheet are aligned in the first direction. The first sheet and the second sheet are aligned so that the multiwalled nanotubes of the first sheet and the second sheet are both aligned in the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2018Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: The Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Mei Zhang, Shaoli Fang, Ray H. Baughman, Anvar A. Zakhidov, Kenneth Ross Atkinson, Ali E. Aliev, Sergey Li, Chris Williams