388results about How to "High stiffness" patented technology

A solid nanocomposite particle composition for lithium metal or lithium ion battery electrode applications. The composition comprises: (A) an electrode active material in a form of fine particles, rods, wires, fibers, or tubes with a dimension smaller than 1 μm; (B) nano graphene platelets (NGPs); and (C) a protective matrix material reinforced by the NGPs; wherein the graphene platelets and the electrode active material are dispersed in the matrix material and the NGPs occupy a weight fraction wg of 1% to 90% of the total nanocomposite weight, the electrode active material occupies a weight fraction wa of 1% to 90% of the total nanocomposite weight, and the matrix material occupies a weight fraction wm of at least 2% of the total nanocomposite weight with wg+wa+wm=1. For a lithium ion battery anode application, the matrix material is preferably amorphous carbon, polymeric carbon, or meso-phase carbon. Such a solid nanocomposite composition provides a high anode capacity and good cycling stability. For a cathode application, the resulting lithium metal or lithium ion battery exhibits an exceptionally high cycle life.

A process for producing solid nanocomposite particles for lithium metal or lithium ion battery electrode applications is provided. In one preferred embodiment, the process comprises: (A) Preparing an electrode active material in a form of fine particles, rods, wires, fibers, or tubes with a dimension smaller than 1 μm; (B) Preparing separated or isolated nano graphene platelets with a thickness less than 50 nm; (C) Dispersing the nano graphene platelets and the electrode active material in a precursor fluid medium to form a suspension wherein the fluid medium contains a precursor matrix material dispersed or dissolved therein; and (D) Converting the suspension to the solid nanocomposite particles, wherein the precursor matrix material is converted into a protective matrix material reinforced by the nano graphene platelets and the electrode active material is substantially dispersed in the protective matrix material. For a lithium ion battery anode application, the matrix material is preferably amorphous carbon, polymeric carbon, or meso-phase carbon. Such solid nanocomposite particles provide a high anode capacity and good cycling stability. For a cathode application, the resulting lithium metal or lithium ion battery exhibits an exceptionally high cycle life.

In a method for manufacturing floor panels that have at least a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate, the top layer including a thermoplastic layer that is translucent or transparent, the method may involve providing the top layer, including the thermoplastic layer, on the substrate. The method may also involve heating at least the thermoplastic layer, and structuring the thermoplastic layer using a mechanical press element.

A mechanical-shock-mount assembly enables attachment of a mechanical-shock-sensitive electronic device to a support structure. Two identical shock-mount structures are attached and located on opposite sides of an electronic device. Each shock-mount structure has a pair of generally planar spring-like cantilever beams that have their free ends for attachment to the support structure. Damping material is located on the surfaces of the cantilever beams between the beams and clamping surfaces. At least one clamping surface is a plate that compresses the damping material between itself and the beam and / or compresses the damping material between the beam and a surface of the support structure when it is attached to the support structure. This shock-mount structure acts as a highly-damped nonlinear spring system that provides mechanical-shock resistance for the device in a direction perpendicular to the cantilevered beams and high stiffness in a direction in the plane of the beams. If desired, the shock-mounts can be first assembled to the support structure before attaching the device. The support structure can optionally have additional features for attaching other components of the device host.

This invention provides a nano-scaled graphene platelet (NGP) having a thickness no greater than 100 nm and a length-to-width ratio no less than 3 (preferably greater than 10). The NGP with a high length-to-width ratio can be prepared by using a method comprising (a) intercalating a carbon fiber or graphite fiber with an intercalate to form an intercalated fiber; (b) exfoliating the intercalated fiber to obtain an exfoliated fiber comprising graphene sheets or flakes; and (c) separating the graphene sheets or flakes to obtain nano-scaled graphene platelets. The invention also provides a nanocomposite material comprising an NGP with a high length-to-width ratio. Such a nanocomposite can become electrically conductive with a small weight fraction of NGPs. Conductive composites are particularly useful for shielding of sensitive electronic equipment against electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequency interference (RFI), and for electrostatic charge dissipation.

Improved lithographic type microelectronic spring structures and methods are disclosed, for providing improved tip height over a substrate, an improved elastic range, increased strength and reliability, and increased spring rates. The improved structures are suitable for being formed from a single integrated layer (or series of layers) deposited over a molded sacrificial substrate, thus avoiding multiple stepped lithographic layers and reducing manufacturing costs. In particular, lithographic structures that are contoured in the z-direction are disclosed, for achieving the foregoing improvements. For example, structures having a U-shaped cross-section, a V-shaped cross-section, and / or one or more ribs running along a length of the spring are disclosed. The present invention additionally provides a lithographic type spring contact that is corrugated to increase its effective length and elastic range and to reduce its footprint over a substrate, and springs which are contoured in plan view. The present invention further provides combination (both series and parallel) electrical contacts tips for lithographic type microelectronic spring structures. The microelectronic spring structures according to the present invention are particularly useful for making very fine pitch arrays of electrical connectors for use with integrated circuits and other substrate-mounted electronic devices, because their performance characteristics are enhanced, while at the same time, they may be manufactured at greatly reduced costs compared to other lithographic type microelectronic spring structures.

A folded core structure is produced by embossing fold lines into a flat planar material web, initiating folds along the fold lines on the upper and lower surfaces of the material web, proceeding with the formation of the folds along the fold lines to deform the material web from its two-dimensional starting configuration to a three-dimensional folded configuration, and post-processing the folded material web to stabilize or fix the folded configuration thereof. A composite structural panel is produced by bonding a cover layer onto at least one surface of the folded core structure. An apparatus preferably includes embossing or creasing rolls to form the fold lines in the material web, air nozzles or folding rolls to initiate the folding process, bristle brush rolls to complete the folding process, and further folding rolls to enhance and fix the folded configuration, optionally in connection with heating, cooling, applying a coating onto, or impregnating a resin or binder into the material web.

In a method of amplifying optical input signals over a wide bandwidth, the optical input signals are applied to an optical waveguide made from a rare-earth-doped amorphous material (e.g., erbium-doped yttrium aluminum oxide material). The optical input signals include optical signals having wavelengths over a range of at least 80 nanometers, and, preferably, over a range of at least 160 nanometers. Pump light is applied to the optical waveguide to cause the waveguide to provide optical gain to the optical input signals. The optical gain causes the optical signals to be amplified within the waveguide to provide amplified optical signals over the extended 80-160-nanometer range, including, in particular, optical signals having wavelengths at one end of the range and optical signals having wavelengths at a second end or the range.

A honeycomb-shaped panel is formed from a plurality of generally sinusoidally shaped strips of molded fiberboard material each having spaced, oppositely directed flat peaks, the peaks of adjacent strips being secured together to form a plurality of hexagonally shaped cells extending perpendicular to the surfaces of the sheet. The strips may be cut from a single sheet of corrugated fiberboard sheet material and then secured together to form the honeycomb panel, or a plurality of such panels may be secured together face to face with their ribs aligned to form a stack, and selected cuts may be made through the secured, stacked panels to form a plurality of honeycomb panels of desired surface shape and height dimensions. The strips forming the cells are substantially rigid and resistant to collapse of the cells, and form a substantially rigid core when assembled between two flexible fiberboard skins, while the panel is bendable to adopt a desired panel curvature.

A telescoping steering column assembly has an inner jacket and an outer jacket telescopically engaged with a sleeve between the inner and outer jackets. The sleeve has internal and external ribs which run parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve, the internal ribs contacting an outer surface of the inner jacket, and the external ribs contacting an inner surface of the outer jacket. The internal and external ribs are radially offset to allow the wall of the sleeve to flex relative to the opposing surfaces of the jackets, resulting in smooth telescoping action of the assembly without lash. In addition, the system provides a constant collapsing force and provides guidance for a controlled collapse of either a telescoping or non-telescoping column assembly in a vehicle crash impact.