Multifunctional Assemblies

• US 20160302264A1
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metis Design Corporation
• Original Assignee: Metis Design Corporation
• Inventors: Thomas, Gregory A., Borgen, Michael, Kessler, Seth S., Dunn, Christopher T., Wardle, Brian L.
• Granted Patent: US 11,438,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/04 mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 13/00 Resistors not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/33 Thin- or thick-film capacitors thin- or thick-film circuits H01L27/00; capacitors without a potential-jump or surface barrier specially adapted for integrated circuits, details thereof, multistep manufacturing processes therefor H01L28/40
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/011 Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/02 Heaters specially designed for de-icing or protection against icing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/04 Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/145 Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/20 Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater H05B3/62, H05B3/68, H05B3/78, H05B3/84 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/265 the insulating base being an inorganic material, e.g. ceramic H05B3/262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/267 the insulating base being an organic material, e.g. plastic H05B3/262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/101 for local heating of metal pieces

Abstract

A multifunctional assembly having a resistive element a conductive element in electrical communication with the resistive element, the conductive element defining at least one of a plurality of multifunctional zones of the resistive element, wherein the conductive element is configured to direct a flow of electricity across at least one of the plurality of multifunctional zones of the resistive element in a preselected manner.

Claims

1. A multifunctional assembly comprising a layered structure including:

a first resistive layer,

a first conductive layer adjacent the first resistive layer,

a first pair of insulating layers including a first insulating layer disposed across the first resistive layer and a second insulating layer disposed across the first conductive layer on a side opposing the first resistive layer; and

a first plurality of electrical breakout points,

wherein the first conductive layer is configured to distribute an electrical current across the resistive layer.

2. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first resistive layer is characterized by a resistivity in the range of 1-1000 ohm/sq.

3. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first resistive layer is characterized by a resistivity in the range of 5-500 ohm/sq.

4. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first resistive layer includes a carbon nanotube (CNT) network.

5. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer is configured to direct a flow of electricity across the first resistive layer in a preselected manner.

6. The multifunctional assembly of claim 5, wherein the first conductive layer is configured to direct a flow of electricity across the first resistive layer in a uniform manner.

7. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first resistive layer includes a plurality of multifunctional zones defined by the first conductive layer.

8. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer exhibits a conductivity of at least one hundred times (100×

) the conductivity of the first resistive layer.

9. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer exhibits a conductivity of at least one thousand times (1000×

) the conductivity of the first resistive layer.

10. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first resistive layer and first conductive layer are chemically compatible.

11. The multifunctional assembly of claim 10, wherein chemical compatibility is determined based on proximity in the galvanic order.

12. The multifunctional assembly of claim 10, wherein the first conductive layer is formed from a material which is plated or otherwise treated to be chemically compatible with the resistive layer.

13. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the layered structure further includes a first contact layer defining the first plurality of breakout points with respect to the first conductive layer.

14. The multifunctional assembly of claim 13 wherein the first contact layer is at least ten times (10×

) the thickness of the first conductive layer.

15. The multifunctional assembly of claim 13 wherein the first contact layer is at least one hundred times (100×

) the thickness of the first conductive layer.

16. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein conductive elements of the first plurality of breakout points are chemically compatible with the first restive layer.

17. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second conductive layer, isolated from the first conductive layer and first resistive layer and adapted for at least one of (i) lightning strike protection, (ii) heat shielding, (iii) power storage or conduction, or (iv) use as a conformal antennae.

18. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the layered structure further comprises a second resistive layer and a second conductive layer adjacent the second resistive layer.

19. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the layered structure further comprises a second conductive layer adjacent the first resistive layer on an opposite side from the first conductive layer.

20. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of electrical breakout points couple the first conductive layer to an environment exterior to the first and second insulating layers.

21. The multifunctional assembly of claim 20, wherein the first plurality of electrical breakout points include contactless coupling elements.

22. The multifunctional assembly of claim 21 wherein the contactless coupling elements include inductive charging or receiving elements.

23. The multifunctional assembly of claim 22 wherein the inductive charging or receiving elements include RFID LCR (inductance, capacitance, resistance) circuitry configured for detection of a change in the physical property or characteristic of the object based on the change in electrical conductivity or resistance.

24. The multifunctional assembly of claim 22, wherein the breakout points include inductive charging or receiving elements for enabling contactless driving of electrical energy through the resistive layer of the multifunctional assembly thereby enabling contactless generation of heat.

25. The multifunctional assembly of claim 1, wherein the multifunctional assembly is used to form a tool adapted for use in used in a curing or other heat treatment process to generate heat in a controllable and configurable manner so as to enable curing or otherwise heat treating an object using the tool.

26. A method for manufacturing an object incorporating a multifunctional assembly having a layered structure including a first resistive layer, a first conductive layer adjacent the first resistive layer and a first pair of insulating layers including a first insulating layer disposed across the first resistive layer and a second insulating layer disposed across the first conductive layer on a side opposing the first resistive layer, the method comprising:

flowing electrical current through the resistive layer so as to generate heat; and

using the generated heat to treat or cure an integral component of the object.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the multifunctional assembly further includes breakout points which include inductive charging or receiving elements for enabling contactless driving of electrical energy through the resistive layer of the multifunctional assembly thereby enabling contactless generation of heat.

28. An assembled object comprising a multifunctional assembly having a layered structure including:

a first resistive layer,

a first conductive layer adjacent the first resistive layer, and

a first pair of insulating layers including a first insulating layer disposed across the first resistive layer and a second insulating layer disposed across the first conductive layer on a side opposing the first resistive layer,

wherein the assembled object is formed by flowing electrical current through the resistive layer so as to generate heat and using the generated heat to treat or cure an integral component of the assembled object.

29. The object of claim 28, wherein the multifunctional assembly further includes breakout points which include inductive charging or receiving elements for enabling contactless driving of electrical energy through the resistive layer of the multifunctional assembly thereby enabling contactless generation of heat.

47. The system of claim 28, wherein the detection system detects a state change of a substance on a surface of the portion of the object based on changes in surface conductivity or resistance.

30. A system comprising:

an object formed incorporating a multifunctional assembly having a layered structure including;

a first resistive layer,

a first conductive layer adjacent the first resistive layer, and

a first pair of insulating layers including a first insulating layer disposed across the first resistive layer and a second insulating layer disposed across the first conductive layer on a side opposing the first resistive layer; and

a control system operationally coupled to the resistive layer via the conductive layer and configurable or programmable to drive the resistive layer with electrical energy to maintain or change a temperature of the object.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the control system drives the resistive layer with electrical energy to generate heat to increase or maintain a temperature of a surface of the object at or above a selected temperature.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the control system increases the temperature of the portion of the object to melt a frozen fluid in the system or prevent a fluid in the system from freezing.

33. The system of claim 30, further comprising a sensor for providing temperature feedback for at least one of the portion of the object or its surroundings.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the control system adjusts the electrical energy based on the temperature feedback.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the multifunctional assembly further includes breakout points which include inductive charging or receiving elements for enabling contactless driving of electrical energy through the resistive layer of the multifunctional assembly thereby enabling contactless generation of heat.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the object formed incorporating the multifunctional assembly is a tool adapted for use in used in a curing or other heat treatment process to generate heat in a controllable and configurable manner so as to enable curing or otherwise heat treating a different object using the tool.

37. A system comprising:

an object formed incorporating a multifunctional assembly having a layered structure including;

a first resistive layer,

a first conductive layer adjacent the first resistive layer, and

a first pair of insulating layers including a first insulating layer disposed across the first resistive layer and a second insulating layer disposed across the first conductive layer on a side opposing the first resistive layer; and

a control system operationally couplable to the resistive layer via the conductive layer and configurable or programmable to detect a change in a physical property or characteristic of the object.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein detection of the change in the physical property or characteristic of the object includes detecting a change in electrical conductivity or resistance across the resistive layer.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein detection of the change in the physical property or characteristic of the object further includes detecting a structural change based on the change in electrical conductivity or resistance.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the physical property or characteristic is related to the structural health of the object, and wherein the change in electrical conductivity or resistance is on account of damage to the object.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the physical property or characteristic is related to a shape of the object, and wherein the change in electrical conductivity or resistance is on account of a change in the shape of the object.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the physical property or characteristic is related to propagation of an acoustic wave across the object, and wherein a piezoresistive response is measured in response to the acoustic wave.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the detection system detects an impact to the object based on propagation of an acoustic wave across the object.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein the physical property or characteristic includes spatial data relating to the change in a physical property or characteristic of the object.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the spatial data relates to one or more of location, size, shape or distribution of the physical property of characteristic.

46. The system of claim 37,

wherein the shape of the object is configurable, and

wherein the detection system provides feedback on the shape of the object.

48. A multifunctional assembly comprising:

a resistive element; and

a conductive element in electrical communication with the resistive element, the conductive element defining at least one of a plurality of multifunctional zones of the resistive element,

wherein the conductive element is configured to direct a flow of electricity across at least one of the plurality of multifunctional zones of the resistive element in a preselected manner.

49. The multifunctional assembly of claim 48, wherein each of the multifunctional zones is configured for at least one of heat generation, self-curing, de-icing, lightning strike protection, heat shielding, power storage, power conduction, or use as a conformal antennae.

50. The multifunctional assembly of claim 48, wherein the resistive element includes a carbon nanotube (CNT) network.

51. The multifunctional assembly of claim 48 wherein the resistive element is a single continuous resistive element having a plurality of multifunctional zones.

52. The multifunctional assembly of claim 48, wherein the resistive element further comprises a plurality of resistive elements, each of the plurality of resistive elements having one or more multifunctional zones.

53. The multifunctional assembly of claim 52, wherein one or more of the plurality of resistive elements is electrically isolated from other resistive elements of the plurality of resistive elements.

54. The multifunctional assembly of claim 52, wherein one or more of the plurality of resistive elements is in electrical communication with at least one other of the plurality of resistive elements.

55. The multifunctional assembly of claim 48, further comprising an insulating element disposed across the resistive element, the multifunctional zones including a heat generation zone configured for heat generation, wherein generating heat in the heat generation zone changes a state of the insulating element.

56. A carbon nanotube assembly comprising:

a plurality of layers in a stacked relationship, the plurality of layers defining a first portion configured to perform a first operation of the assembly and defining a second portion configured to perform a second operation of the assembly different from the first operation.

57. The carbon nanotube assembly of claim 56 wherein the first operation is one or more of defining a structure, structural health monitoring, heating, curing, self-curing, de-icing, event notification feedback, structural integrity feedback, usage feedback, shape feedback, configuration feedback, load capabilities, added stiffness, flexibility, acoustic wave detection, guided wave detection, providing antennae, electrical conduction, providing a heat shield, or thermal conduction and the second operation is one other of defining a structure, structural health monitoring, heating, curing, self-curing, de-icing, event notification feedback, structural integrity feedback, usage feedback, shape feedback, configuration feedback, load capabilities, added stiffness, flexibility, acoustic wave detection, guided wave detection, providing antennae, electrical conduction, providing a heat shield, or thermal conduction.

58. The carbon nanotube assembly of claim 56, the plurality of layers further comprising a selectively sensitive layer being sensitive to radiation emitted by an external radiation source, wherein the first operation is heat generation via exposure of the selectively sensitive layer to the radiation emitted by the external radiation source.