Methods and apparatus for shape control

• US 10,337,536 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Niiyama, Ryuma, Yao, Lining, Ou, Jifei, Follmer, Sean, Ishii, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiehe, Nathaniel E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Drake, Richard C
• Application Number:
  US15/686,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20180010621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 60327, 60430, 92 90
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/103 using inflatable bodies that contract when fluid pressure is applied, e.g. pneumatic artificial muscles or McKibben-type actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1307 Bag or tubular film [e.g., pouch, flexible food casing, envelope, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1334 Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]

Abstract

In exemplary implementations of this invention, a shape controller controls the shape of a bladder as the bladder inflates. The shape controller includes a first set of regions and a second set of regions. The second set of regions is more flexible than the first set of regions. The shape controller is embedded within, or adjacent to, a wall of the bladder. When the bladder is inflated, the overall shape of the bladder bends in areas adjacent to the more flexible regions of the shape controller. For example, the shape controller may comprise paper and the more flexible regions may comprise creases in the paper. Or, for example, the more flexible regions may comprise notches or indentations. In some implementations of this invention, a multi-state shape display changes shape as it inflates, with additional bumps forming as pressure in the display increases.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

(a) an inflatable bladder;

(b) one or more pumps; and

(c) one or more valves;

wherein

(i) the inflatable bladder includes a wall and a cavity, and is configured to contain fluid in the cavity,

(ii) the wall comprises a set of three or more layers, including a first layer, a second layer and a third layer,

(iii) the first layer is stiffer than the second and third layers,

(iv) there is a first set of one or more holes in the first layer,

(v) the one or more pumps and the bladder are configured to control pressure of the fluid in the cavity, including to cause the pressure to increase and thereby to cause the bladder to undergo expansion,

(vi) the apparatus is configured in such a way that, while the bladder undergoes expansion

(A) an exterior surface of the wall changes shape to form a first protuberance, and

(B) the first protuberance in the exterior surface then changes shape by forming a first set of one or more additional protuberances, such that each additional protuberance, respectively, in the first set of additional protuberances forms where a hole in the first set of holes is located,

(vii) the second layer is stiffer than the third layer,

(viii) there is a second set of holes in the second layer, and

(ix) the apparatus is configured in such a way that, during the expansion of the bladder

(A) the first set of additional protuberances change shape by forming a second set of one or more additional protuberances, and

(B) each additional protuberance, respectively, in the second set of additional protuberances forms where a hole in the second set of holes is located.

2. A method comprising increasing pressure of fluid in a cavity of an inflatable bladder, and thereby causing the bladder to undergo expansion, in such a way that, during the expansion (i) an exterior surface of a wall of the bladder changes shape to form a first protuberance, and (ii) the first protuberance in the exterior surface then changes shape by forming a first set of one or more additional protuberances;

wherein;

(a) during the expansion, the first set of one or more additional protuberances change shape by forming a second set of one or more additional protuberances;

(b) the wall comprises multiple layers, including a first layer, a second layer and one or more other layers, the first layer being stiffer than the second layer, and the second layer being stiffer than the one or more other layers;

(c) there are a first set of holes in the first layer;

(d) the first set of additional protuberances occur at the first set of holes;

(g) there are a second set of holes in the second layer; and

(f) the second set of additional protuberances occur at the second set of holes.