US Patent 8207431 - Transmission electron microscope grid formed from nanotube film

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8207431.html

There is increasing interest in using microgrids in transmission electron microscopy to support powder samples and observe high resolution images but metal mesh grids include undesirable metal oxide impurities. This patent from Beijing FUNATE Innovation Technology teaches using carbon nanotube material instead to avoid impurities in the microgrid. Claim 1 reads:

1. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) micro-grid comprising:

a pure carbon grid having a plurality of holes defined therein;

at least one carbon nanotube film covering the holes; and

wherein the pure carbon grid is a sheet of carbon nanotube structure.

US Patents 8050430 and 8050431 - CNT sound generator

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8050430.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8050431.html


These are the latest in a series of patents from Beijing FUNATE Innovation Technology and Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) based on newly discovered applications of carbon nanotubes in sound generation based on a thermoacoustic effect. Claim 1 (of US Patent 8050431) reads:

1. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic signal device; and

a sound wave generator, the sound wave generator comprises a carbon nanotube structure, the carbon nanotube structure comprises one or more carbon nanotube films, each carbon nanotube film comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes entangled with each other;

wherein the electromagnetic signal device is configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal to the carbon nanotube structure, the carbon nanotube structure is configured to convert the electromagnetic signal into heat and transfer the heat to a medium in contact with the sound wave generator, causing a thermoacoustic effect.

US Patent 7750240 - CNT coaxial cable

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7750240.html

This is the latest in a series of patents from Hon Hai Precision which discloses a way to form coaxial cables using carbon nanotube materials potentially leading to stronger and more lightweight electrical cables in the 21st century. Claim 1 reads:

1. A coaxial cable comprising:

a core comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes having at least one conductive coating disposed about the carbon nanotubes, the carbon nanotubes being orderly arranged;

an insulating layer about the core;

a shielding layer about the insulating layer; and a sheathing layer about the shielding layer.

US Patent 7586249 - CNT Yarn field emitter

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7586249.html

Researchers working with Hon Hai Precision have developed carbon nanotube yarn from nanotube segments connected via molecular forces. This patent includes some basic claims to using this nanotube yarn for electron emission. Claim 1 reads:

1. A field emission device, comprising:

a base; and

at least one carbon nanotube yarn attached to the base, the at least one carbon nanotube yarn comprising a plurality of carbon nanotube segments, the carbon nanotube segments being joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force.