Hollow Body Device for Local Photon-Induced Material Modification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods fail to simultaneously transport materials and initiate local photon-induced modifications, such as polymerization, with precise control over wavelength and energy, limiting positional accuracy and mechanical properties, especially in micro- and nano-scale applications.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a hollow body with an integrated injector-photon source unit and light guides that allow for local transport and photon-induced modification of materials, enabling specific texture, structure, or morphology changes at the target location, using photon sources that emit light of controlled wavelengths and intensities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If material transport and photon-induced modification are performed sequentially using conventional methods, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the material injection function and photon source function into a single integrated injector-photon source unit. The hollow body serves as both the material transport channel and the photon delivery pathway, with the photon source positioned to emit light through the hollow body's opening. This merging eliminates the need for separate injection and irradiation systems, thereby improving manufacturing precision while managing device complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow body performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a material transport conduit, a photon transmission medium via integrated optical fibers, and a positioning structure for precise delivery to the target location. This multi-functionality allows a single component to replace multiple separate devices, improving both precision and operational efficiency.
2Productivity
If material transport and photon-induced modification are performed simultaneously with integrated device, then manufacturing precision and productivity are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of injection and photon delivery functions into a single unit enables simultaneous operation, improving productivity. The hollow body's dual role as material and light pathway allows coordinated delivery without requiring complex multi-device synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow body acts as an intermediary structure that facilitates both material and photon transmission to the same target location. This intermediary design simplifies the coordination between injection and irradiation processes, managing device complexity while enabling simultaneous operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional injection methods are used without integrated photon source, then device complexity is reduced, but local modification capability and manufacturing precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the photon source with the injection system, the patent achieves precise co-location of material delivery and photon irradiation at the target site. This integration ensures that modification occurs exactly where material is deposited, improving local modification precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The photon source is positioned to provide localized irradiation through the hollow body's opening, ensuring that photon-induced modification occurs only at the specific target location where material is delivered. This local quality approach enhances precision by concentrating both material and energy delivery to the same focal point.
4Loss of time
If separate injection and irradiation systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and time efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of injection and irradiation into a single unit eliminates the need for sequential operation of separate systems. Material delivery and photon irradiation occur simultaneously through the same hollow body, significantly reducing process time and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow body enables continuous simultaneous delivery of both material and photons to the target location without interruption or sequential switching. This continuity of useful action eliminates idle time between injection and irradiation steps, reducing overall process time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise, simultaneous transport and local modification of materials at the target site, overcoming previous limitations in micro- and nano-scale applications by integrating photon-induced processes for polymerization and other modifications.
Implementation Method 1
the hollow body has at least one optical fiber (2) which is arranged at or connected to at least one photon source and is designed such that an input light entering the light guide from a photon source exits only at the opening of the lower section of the hollow body
Implementation Method 2
initiating a local modification of the material at the target location itself, such as polymerization
Implementation Method 3
photochemical and/or thermal activation (e.g. polymerization) or modification of material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~3b
Figure 4a~5b
AI summary
The invention relates to a device comprising a hollow body designed for receiving material and/or for transporting material to or from a destination where a photon-induced modification of the material takes place locally, with an upper section of the hollow body and a lower section of the hollow body with an opening from which the material to be transported can enter and/or exit, wherein the opening opens at the destination where the photon-induced modification of the material takes place locally, and wherein the hollow body has at least one optical fiber which is arranged on and/or connected to at least one photon source and which is designed such that an input light which enters the optical fiber from a photon source exits only at the opening of the lower section of the hollow body.The invention further relates to an arrangement, which can also be called an array, for receiving material and/or for transporting material to or from a destination where a photon-induced modification of the material takes place locally, comprising more than one of the previously described hollow bodies according to the invention, each of which is connected to a photon source, and wherein the respective photon sources of the hollow bodies can emit light of the same or different wavelengths, intensities or power.The invention also relates to a method for receiving material and/or transporting material to or from a destination where a photon-induced modification of the material takes place locally, comprising the following method steps: a) introducing the material to be photon-inducedly modified into the interior of the hollow body of the device or arrangement according to the invention; b) transporting the material to the opening of the hollow body or arrangement; c) connecting a photon source to the optical fiber(s) of the hollow body or arrangement; and/or d) switching on the photon source and locally irradiating the photon energy from the photon source via the optical fiber(s) onto the material at the opening of the hollow body for targeted photon-induced modification of the material at the opening of the hollow body.