当前申请(专利权)人：
IP2IPO INNOVATIONS LIMITED
原始申请(专利权)人：
IP2IPO INNOVATIONS LIMITED
当前申请(专利权)人地址：
Top Floor, The Walbrook Building, 25 Walbrook, London, EC4N 8AF, United Kingdom
摘要：
A preform 300 for drawing fibres therefrom formed of at least a first material and having anon-uniform structure in the longitudinal direction and a method of forming the same. The preform may comprise at least one of multiple different materials 306, 307, one or more hollow portions 308, varying width or cross section. The hollow portions may be enclosed by the preform or extend to at least one surface; they my further comprise a helical channel. The fibre drawn from the preform may comprise at least one steerable portion by virtue of its materials providing flexibility. One of the materials may comprise a magnetic material. At leas tone of the materials may comprise a stiffness tuneable material, ferromagnetic polymer, polycarbonate, poly (methyl methacrylate) PMMA, polyetherimide, cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), poly(styrene-block-butadiene-block-styrene)(SEBS), cyclic olefin copolymer elastomer (COC-E) and polysulfone. The materials may comprise one of a conducting a material and a polymer loaded with conducting material. The preform may be a 3D printed form. A fibre drawn from the preform is further claimed.
权利要求：
Claims
1. A preform for drawing fibres therefrom, the preform formed of at least a first material
and having a non-uniform structure in the longitudinal direction.
2. The preform of claim 2 comprising a second material different to the first material
and wherein the arrangement of the first material and the second material provides
for the non-uniform structure of the preform in the longitudinal direction.
3. The preform of either of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the preform comprises one or
more hollow portions arranged in the preform such that the preform is non-uniform
in the longitudinal direction.
4, The preform of claim 3 wherein one or more of the hollow portions either:
are enclosed by the preform; or
at least partially extend to at least one surface of the preform.
5. The preform of claim 4 wherein one or more of the hollow portions comprises a
through-hole extending from a first surface of the preform to a second surface of
the preform.
6. The preform of claim 4 wherein one or more of the hollow portions comprises a
helical channel.
7. The preform of claim 2 wherein the second material is helically arranged within the
first material.
8. The preform of any preceding claim configured such that a fibre drawn from the
preform comprises at least one steerable portion.
9. The preform of any preceding claim wherein the radial width of the preform varies
along the longitudinal direction.
10. The preform of any of claims 2 — 9 wherein one of the first and second materials
comprise a magnetic material.
11. The preform of any of claims 2 — 10 wherein the second material comprises a
material having a greater flexibility than the first material.
12. The preform of any of claims 2 — 11 wherein the preform further comprises a third
material different to the first or second materials, the arrangement of the first,
second and third materials such that the preform comprises a non-uniform structure
along the longitudinal direction.
13. The preform of any of claims 2 — 12 wherein at least one of the first, second or third
materials comprises one of: a stiffness tuneable material, ferromagnetic polymer,
polycarbonate; poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA); polyetherimide; cyclic olefin
copolymer (COC); poly(styrene-block-butadiene-block-styrene) (SEBS); cyclic
olefin copolymer elastomer (COC-E) and polysulfone.
14. the preform of any of claims 2 — 12 wherein at least one of the first, second or third
materials comprise one of a conducting material and a polymer loaded with
conducting material.
15. The preform of any preceding claim wherein the structure of the preform comprises
a plurality of repeating unit cells along its longitudinal length.
16. The preform of claim 15 wherein each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells is non-
uniform along its longitudinal direction.
17. The preform of any preceding claim wherein the preform is a 3D printed preform.
18. Afibre drawn from a preform of any preceding claims.
19. A method of printing a preform for drawing fibres therefrom, the method comprising
the steps of:
forming a preform from at least a first material, the preform having a non-
uniform structure in the longitudinal direction.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the method further comprises forming the preform
from a second material such that the arrangement of the first and second materials
provides for the non-uniform structure of the preform in the longitudinal direction.
21. The method of either claim 19 or claim 20 wherein the preform is formed such that
one or more hollow portions are formed into the preform, wherein the one or more
hollow portions provide for the non-uniform structure of the preform in the
longitudinal direction.
22. The method any of claims 19 - 21 wherein the step of forming the preform
comprises:
providing a printing surface; and
printing the preform on the printing surface by depositing the at least first
material such that the preform comprises a non-uniform structure in the
longitudinal direction.