Multinozzle deposition system for direct write applications

US9643358B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois · US

Inventors

• Jennifer A. Lewis · Cambridge, US
• Christopher J. Hansen · Sunnyvale, US
• Steven Kranz · Moore, US
• John J. Vericella · Oakland, US
• Willie Wu · Hillsboro, US
• David B. Kolesky · Cambridge, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 29, 2012
• Grant date: May 9, 2017
• Expiry date: Aug 2, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B81B2201/058
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A multinozzle deposition system for direct write applications comprises a body including a first network of microchannels embedded therein, where the first network of microchannels extends from a parent microchannel through a series of furcations to a plurality of branching microchannels. The series consists of k generations with furcation number m where the kth generation includes mk branching microchannels. A first end of the body includes a single inlet to the parent microchannel and a second end of the body includes mk outlets from the branching microchannels, where k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and m is an integer greater than or equal to 2. The body comprises a material having a sufficient rigidity to sustain a pressure in the microchannels of about 690 kPa or greater without distortion.