US Patent 8211320 - Transferring carbon nanotubes to a flexible substrate

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8211320.html

Carbon nanotubes are most commonly grown on silicon substrates using a CVD method but in some applications it is desirable to pattern the nanotubes on a flexible polymer substrate (e.g. flexible displays, photovoltaics, wide area sensors). This patent from Foxconn teaches one method of transferring carbon nanotubes from a rigid silicon substrate to a flexible substrate. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for making a carbon nanotube device, comprising:

providing a rigid substrate with a plurality of carbon nanotube arrays grown thereon, the carbon nanotube arrays arranged in a predetermined pattern;

providing a flexible substrate with a plurality of recesses defined therein;

applying a curable adhesive in each recess; attaching the rigid substrate to the flexible substrate with the plurality of carbon nanotube arrays in contact with the curable adhesives;

curing the curable adhesives to fix the carbon nanotube arrays in the recesses; and

removing the rigid substrate, thereby obtaining the carbon nanotube device.

US Patents 8208661 and 8208675 - Headphones and loadspeaker with CNT thermoacoustic material

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8208661.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8208675.html

In the last few years Foxconn has been obtaining several basic patents for applications of carbon nanotubes as acoustic transducers. These latest patents focus on headphones and loudspeakers incorporating these carbon nanotube transducers.

Claim 1 of US 8208661:

1. An apparatus comprising:

a headphone, the headphone comprising:

at least one housing; and

at least one sound wave generator disposed in the at least one housing, the at least one sound wave generator comprising at least one carbon nanotube structure, the at least one carbon nanotube structure is capable of producing sound by a thermoacoustic effect;

wherein the at least one carbon nanotube structure is capable of producing sound in response to an electrical signal, the electrical signal is capable of causing the at least one carbon nanotube structure to increase in temperature;

the carbon nanotube structure is in contact with a medium and is capable of transmitting heat to the medium.

Claim 1 of US 8208675:

1. A loudspeaker, the loudspeaker comprising:

an enclosure; and

at least one sound wave generator disposed in the enclosure,

wherein the at least one sound wave generator comprising at least one carbon nanotube structure, the carbon nanotube structure is capable of converting electrical signals into heat and transferring the heat to a medium in contact with the at least one carbon nanotube structure to cause a thermoacoustic effect.                             

US Patent 8207549 - LED package with CNT electrodes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8207549.html

LED packaging includes metal electrodes which reduce the light emission efficiency. This patent from Foxconn teaches instead using carbon nanotube material to overcome this problem. Claim 1 reads:

1. A light emitting diode package, comprising:

a housing; and

a light emitting unit received in the housing, the light emitting unit comprising:

a first carbon nanotube layer;

at least two spaced light emitting chips formed on the first carbon nanotube layer; and

a second carbon nanotube layer covering the at least two spaced light emitting chips;

wherein the light emitting unit further comprises a light reflective layer formed on an outer surface of the first carbon nanotube layer.

US Patent 8053760 - CNT thin film transistor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8053760.html

There have been numerous patents issued over the past ten years for thin film transistors using carbon nanotube material. This latest version is from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) and teaches a CNT thin film transistor with improved carrier mobility. Claim 1 reads:

1. A thin film transistor comprising:

a source electrode;

a drain electrode spaced from the source electrode;

a semiconductor layer comprising a carbon nanotube structure, the carbon nanotube structure comprises of carbon nanotubes; and

a gate electrode insulated from the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the semiconducting layer by an insulating layer, wherein the carbon nanotube structure is connected to both the source electrode and the drain electrode, an angle exist between each carbon nanotube of the carbon nanotube structure and a surface of the semiconductor layer, and the angle ranges from about 0 degrees to about 15 degrees.

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 8019097 - CNT thermoacoustic device

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8019097.html


Electroacoustic transducers such as loudspeakers typically require magnetic elements which can add to the weight of the transducer. This patent from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) teaches how thermoacoustic effects produced by carbon nanotubes may be used as a replacement leading to reduced size and weight of loudspeakers and other electroacoustic devices. Claim 21 reads:

21. A sound producing device, the sound producing device comprising:

at least one carbon nanotube wire structure in contact with a medium;

wherein the at least one carbon nanotube wire structure produces sound waves by a thermoacoustic effect.

US Patent 7993750 - CNT/gallium thermal interface

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This patent from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) teaches a thermal interface material based on gallium and carbon nanotubes which provides high heat conduction with a more compatible coefficient of thermal expansion than conventional metal thermal interfaces. Claim 1 reads:

1. A thermal interface material, comprising:

a continuous array of carbon nanotubes comprising carbon nanotubes and interspaces defined between the carbon nanotubes; and

a low melting point metallic material is located in the interspaces;

wherein the low melting point metallic material is gallium.

US Patent 7990024 - Piezoelectric nanogenerator

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This patent from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) teaches a way to use piezoelectric nanorods to form a nanogenerator which may be useful as a transducer for wearable electronics which transform the users movements into electrical energy. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanogenerator, comprising:

a first frame;

a second frame engaging the first frame;

a first conductor located on the first frame and facing the second frame;

a second conductor located under the second frame and facing the first frame;

an array of nano-rods located on the first conductor and extending from a first surface of the first conductor toward the second frame, the nano-rod array comprised of a piezoelectric material; and

an array of electrodes located under the second conductor and extending from a second surface of the second conductor toward the first frame, the electrodes aligned with the nano-rods, a hardness of the electrodes being greater than that of the nano-rods.

US Patent 7926554 - Heat dissipation system using nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7926554.html

Both Intel and Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) are focusing much of their nanomaterials research on developing new systems for cooling semiconductor devices. This latest patent from Hon Hai Precision teaches one variation including boron nitride nanoparticles disposed in a cooling fluid. Claim 1 reads:

1. A liquid-cooled heat dissipation system comprising:

a heat absorber;

a heat dissipating member;

two connecting pipes connecting the heat absorber and the heat dissipating member to form a circuit; and

a working fluid filled in the heat absorber, the heat dissipating member, and the connecting pipes and being capable of circulating in the circuit;

the working fluid comprising a base fluid, and a plurality of nanoparticles and a protective agent dispersed in the base fluid, a percentage by weight of the nanoparticles in the working fluid being in a range from 0.1% to 3%.

US Patent 7924514 - CNT bundle microactuator

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7924514.html

This patent is from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) and teaches a form of microactuator intended for use in cameras and cellphones which uses carbon nanotubes to form the arms of the microactuator. Claim 1 reads:

1. A moveable assembly comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of resilient suspension arms each comprised of one or more carbon nanotube bundles; and

a moveable member;

the frame being disposed around the moveable member; and

each of the resilient suspension arms comprising a first end connected to the frame, and a second end connected to the moveable member, the resilient suspension arms being centro-symmetrically arranged relative to the moveable member such that the moveable member is capable of stably moving along a predetermined direction when driven by an external force.

US Patent 7859104 - CNT thermal interface with transition structure

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7859104.html

In order to continue the transistor scaling rates predicted by Moore's Law there is an increased interest in fabricating 3D circuit architectures by stacking multiple semiconductor layers. Due to the increased density of these designs more efficient cooling solutions will need to be developed to deal with the increased heat generation. This patent from Hon Hai Precision teaches one such solution using the high thermal transport properties of carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A thermal interface material comprising:

a carbon nanotube array comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes, spaces being defined between adjacent carbon nanotubes;

a transition structure covering an entire peripheral surface of each of the carbon nanotubes; and

a matrix occupying the spaces and encompassing the carbon nanotubes with each transition structure disposed between the matrix and a corresponding one of the carbon nanotubes;

wherein each of the carbon nanotubes has a length substantially equal to a thickness of the matrix, and each transition structure has a length substantially equal to the thickness of the matrix.

US Patent 7812450 - Electrode with coated nanostructures

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7812450.html

It is useful to increase the surface areas of electrodes used in batteries and capacitors in order to enhance the energy storage density. There have been a variety of patents discussing the use of nanostructures to achieve such enhanced surface area and this latest patent from Hon Hai Precision uses nanoimprinting to form nanostructured surfaces which are further coated with nanomaterials. Claim 1 reads:

1. An electrode comprising:

a conducting substrate integratedly formed with a plurality of nano-sized structures on a major surface thereof; and

a coating directly formed on both the nano-sized structures and portions of the major surface between the nano-sized structures, the coating being comprised of carbon nanotubes and nano-sized particles;

wherein the nano-sized structures are configured for increasing specific surface area of the electrode.

US Patent 7707962 - CNT spray nozzles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7707962.html

This patent from Hon Hai Precision teaches a spray nozzle assembly for forming carbon nanotube films having a high level of thickness uniformity. Claim 1 reads:

1. An apparatus for forming a carbon nanotube film, the apparatus comprising:

a retaining member,

an array of spray nozzles, and

a supply tube configured for supplying a carbon-nanotube-containing solution therethrough,

the spray nozzles being retained on the retaining member, the spray nozzles being in communication with the supply tube, the retaining member comprising a slit defined therein, the retaining member further comprising a through hole defined therein along a longitudinal direction thereof, each of the spray nozzles including a fixing portion received in the through hole, each spray nozzle being retainably engaged in the slit, a plurality of feed tubes, each of the spray nozzles being in communication with the supply tube through the corresponding feed tube.

US Patent 7704480 - Manufacture of CNT yarn

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7704480.html

This patent is based on a collaboration between Tsinghua University and Hon Hai Precision and teaches methods for making longer strands of composite carbon nanotube fibers. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for making a carbon nanotube yarn, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a carbon nanotube array that is able to have one or more carbon nanotube yarn strings drawn therefrom;

(2) drawing out at least one planar carbon nanotube yarn string from the carbon nanotube array;

(3) applying organic solvent to the at least one carbon nanotube yarn string;

(4) removing the organic solvent such that the at least one planar carbon nanotube yarn string shrinks into a single non-planar strand of carbon nanotube yarn due to the surface tension of the organic solvent.

US Patent 7641885 - Manufacture of CNT film

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7641885.html

This patent is from Hon Hai Precision and discloses a method for making an improved tensile strength carbon nanotube film using mechanical compression. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for making a carbon nanotube film, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming an array of carbon nanotubes on a substrate; and

(b) pressing the array of carbon nanotubes using a compressing apparatus, thereby forming the carbon nanotube film,

wherein in step (b), the compressing apparatus comprises of a roller-shaped pressure head.

US Patent 7630040 - LCD with CNT orientation films

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7630040.html

Liquid crystal displays typically require alignment layers to orient the electro-optic molecules used to generate the pixels of the display. This patent from Hon Hai Precision teaches a way to use carbon nanotube films for such alignment which may provide simplification in manufacturing. Claim 1 reads:

1. A liquid crystal display, comprising:

a first base plate having an inner surface;

a second base plate having an inner surface and being opposite to the first base plate;

a liquid crystal layer located between the first base plate and the second base plate and being adjacent to the inner surfaces; and

two alignment films respectively positioned on the inner surfaces of the first base plate and the second base plate, wherein each alignment film is a film of oriented carbon nanotubes that are not perpendicular to the surface of the respective base plate.

US Patent 7597869 - Length enhancement during CNT growth

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7597869.html

In order to take advantage of the mechanical, optical, and electrical properties of carbon nanotubes it is useful to have longer nanotubes which can be woven into fibers. This patent from Hon Hai Precision Industry provides a solution to increase the lengths of carbon nanotubes produced by CVD methods. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction chamber defining a reacting region therein;

providing a substrate having a catalyst layer formed thereon;

disposing the substrate in the reaction chamber;

introducing a carbon-containing reactive gas into the reaction chamber so as to grow carbon nanotubes using a chemical vapor deposition method; and

moving the substrate along a direction opposite to a growth direction of the carbon nanotubes whilst growing the carbon nanotubes, wherein tips of the carbon nanotubes remain in the reacting region while the substrate is moving.

US Patent 7585484 - Control of CNT tip manufacture

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7585484.html

Alteration of the tip shape and structure of carbon nanotubes can be useful to control the chemical functionalization of the tips or to enhance field emission properties. This patent from Tsinghua University and Hon Hai Precision teaches a CVD flow control method used to regulate such tip alteration. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for synthesizing carbon nanotubes with desired tip structures, comprising the steps of:

introducing a carbon source gas flowing over a catalyst received in a reaction chamber;

continuously reducing an inner pressure in the reaction chamber with a predetermined pressure-reduction speed; and

forming carbon nanotubes with desired tip structures on the catalyst, the tip structures being related to the pressure-reduction speed.

US Patent 7569425 - Manufacture of aligned CNT thermal interface film

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569425.html

The excellent thermal transport properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted the interest of companies such as Intel looking for solutions in the growing problem of heat accumulation in microprocessors. In order to maximize the efficiency of CNT thermal transport this patent from Hon Hai Precision Industry teaches a way to produce nanotube films of very good alignment. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for manufacturing a thermal interface material, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming an array of carbon nanotubes on a substrate;

(b) applying a liquid macromolecular material to the carbon nanotubes;

(c) solidifying the liquid macromolecular material; and

(d) cutting the solidified macromolecular material in a direction perpendicular to the long axes of the carbon nanotubes, to thereby obtain the thermal interface material with the carbon nanotubes secured therein.

US Patent 7563411 - CNT array manufacturing with multiple gas flow inlets

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7563411.html

This patent from Hon Hai Precision teaches a device to facilitate the measurement of growth rates of carbon nanotube arrays by using a secondary gas inlet to provide a disturbance gas to quickly stop growth. Claim 1 reads:

1. A device for manufacturing a carbon nanotube array, the device comprising:

a reaction chamber having a first gas inlet, a second gas inlet, and a gas outlet;

a supporting component located in the reaction chamber; and

a gas introducing tube connecting the second gas inlet with the supporting component.