Patents by Inventor Todd Blackledge

Todd Blackledge 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).

  • HUMIDITY RESPONSIVE MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING HUMIDITY RESPONSIVE MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20110297904
    Abstract: The invention relates to silk or other materials formed to have predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics, wherein the contraction/relaxation characteristics are initiated by exposure thereof to predetermined humidity characteristics in the adjacent atmosphere. The materials may comprise a single silk fiber, a bundle of fibers of a predetermined size or diameter, a meshwork of fibers forming a predetermined configuration such as one or more sheets, bundles or other bodies. In this manner, the material can be scaled across a size range of any desired magnitude to produce predetermined force and/or displacement characteristics in association therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
    Inventors: Ali Dhinojwala, Todd Blackledge, Ingi Agnarsson