An electrically conductive yarn (200, 300) comprising a first yarn (262, 362) and a second yarn (264, 364), the first yarn (262, 362) comprises or consists out of a plurality of stainless steel fibers, the second yarn (264, 364) comprises organic fibers wherein the first yarn (362) and the second yarn (364) are twisted or cabled together or the second yarn (264) is wrapped around the first yarn (262) such that the first yarn (262) is provided as a core yarn and such that the first yarn (262) provides part of the surface of the electrically conductive yarn (200).

A system for the treatment of microorganisms includes: a textile web having optical fibers in warp and/or weft woven with binding threads in warp and/or weft, each of the optical fibers having invasive alterations along the fiber and allowing the emission of light propagating in the fiber at these alterations; a light source arranged opposite one or both free ends of the optical fibers. The textile web includes metallic warp and/or weft threads woven with the binding threads, the metallic threads being based on a metal having a negative effect on the growth of microorganisms. The light source generates a light beam having at least one wavelength in the visible or ultraviolet spectrum.

Apparatuses and associated methods of manufacturing are described that provide for cut-resistant yarn structures. An example cut-resistant yarn structure includes a first cut-resistant core filament a second cut-resistant core filament. The yarn structure further includes a first covering yarn that is wound over the first cut-resistant core filament and the second cut-resistant core filament. The first covering yarn includes a core-spun yarn in which staple fibers are spun over a third cut-resistant core filament. The yarn structure also includes one or more covering layers wound over the first covering yarn that may serve as the exterior layer for the cut-resistant yarn structure. In some instances, the first and second cut-resistant core filaments include a core-spun yarn in which staple fibers are spun over the first cut-resistant core filament and/or the second cut-resistant core filament.

The present invention is directed to eyectrochromic, supercapacitor yarns and the related fabrics. An electrochromic yarn formed by two interwind threads has been invented. The yarn is electrically isolated by a transparent, uncolored polymer. Each thread is the superposition of three concentric layers. The most internal one, the core, has the function of support and/or conductive layer, the second one is the eiectrochromic layer containing conductive nanoparticies, the third layer is a polymer dielectric blend. The yarns described above allows to generate electrochromic fabrics in which the colour can be varied by the application of small electric voltages fed by a battery with variable power supply controlled by a microprocessor connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth technology. A specific application on the smartphone allows to change the voltage supply to the fabrics, in order to get the desired chromatic change.

Stents are disclosed herein. In some embodiments stents within the scope of this disclosure may comprise a first flared end and second flared end. In some embodiments, a profile of each of the first flared end and the second flared end may circumscribe a portion of separate elliptical arcs. In some embodiments, the stents are formed from braided or woven wires having a constant pitch along a middle region and continuously varying pitches along the first flared end and the second flared end. Methods of manufacturing stents are disclosed herein. Methods of using stents are also disclosed herein.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a metallic reinforcing cord (10) for tyres for vehicle wheels. The process comprises providing at least one elongated element (15) comprising at least one metallic wire (11) twisted together with at least one textile yarn (20) and removing said at least one textile yarn (20) from said at least one elongated element (15) to form the aforementioned metallic reinforcing cord (10). Such a metallic reinforcing cord (10) has a helical geometry, consisting only of said at least one metallic wire (11) that extends along a helical path. The invention also relates to an apparatus (1) for manufacturing the aforementioned metallic reinforcing cord (10).

It is disclosed a textile fabric comprising a first set of electrically conductive and externally isolated yarns (22) separated by isolating textile yarns (24); a second set of non-isolated conductive yarns (23); a plurality of textile yarns interlacing the first and the second set of yarns (22, 23), wherein part of the interlacing textile yarns are non-isolated conductive yarns (23) in order to form an electrical grounding grid with the non-isolated conductive yarns (23) of the second set of yarns and part of the interlacing textile yarns are isolating textile yarns (24).

An illustrative stent may comprise an elongated tubular member having a longitudinal axis, the elongated tubular member comprising at least one knitted filament forming a plurality of twisted knit stitches with intermediate rung portions extending circumferentially between radially adjacent twisted knit stitches. Each twisted knit stitch may be interconnected with a longitudinally adjacent twisted knit stitch forming a series of linked stitches. The elongated tubular member may be configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein in the collapsed configuration the series of linked stitches form longitudinal columns and in the expanded configuration the series of linked stitches extend helically around the elongated tubular member.

A composite fiber composed of at least a metal sintered body and a ceramic sintered body. In the composite fiber, the metal sintered body and the ceramic sintered body are adjacent to each other. The composite fiber having the metal sintered body and the ceramic sintered body can have a tensile strength of 5 kgf/mm.sup.2 or more.

A composite fiber having a core sheath-structure that includes a core portion having an electrically conductive material, and a sheath portion having a ceramic component covering the core portion. The composite fiber is constructed such that, when the core portion is connected to a ground, the sheath portion exhibits one of a positive surface potential or a negative surface potential over an entire surface of the sheath portion.