THREE-DIMENSIONAL ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATED DEVICES

• US 20100164329A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Materialscience AG (Covestro AG)
• Original Assignee: Artificial Muscle, Inc. (Covestro AG)
• Inventors: HEIM, Jonathan R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,283,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/354
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 33/02 Wings; Actuating mechanisms therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0054 particularities of the flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/04 Pumps having electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/206 using only longitudinal or thickness displacement, e.g. d33 or d31 type devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF

Abstract

Devices employing electroactive polymer actuators are disclosed. Acrylic dielectric material based actuators are optionally provided in which architectures are presented that allow for improved power output as compared with other known acrylic dielectric material based transducers. Such technology may be applied in motor-driven applications, lightweight flight applications and lighting applications among others.

Claims

1. An electroactive polymer actuator comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm is free to actuate in at least two component directions upon application of voltage for output from the actuator, the actuator adapted to have an unstable equilibrium configuration when unpowered and undisturbed by a bias force.

2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator returns toward the unstable equilibrium position when powered.

3. The actuator of claim 1, further comprising a spring provided to bias the actuator into a form on one side of the equilibrium configuration.

4. A bistable electroactive polymer actuator comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm,

wherein the diaphragm is free to actuate in at least two component directions upon application of voltage for output from the actuator,

the actuator adapted to offer two stable equilibrium positions when unpowered.

5. The actuator of claim 4, comprising a saddle-shape member.

6. The actuator of claim 5, wherein orthogonal sine or cosine functions characterize the saddle-shape.

7. An electroactive polymer transducer comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm,

the transducer having a first saddle-shaped configuration and a second more flattened configuration.

8. The actuator of claim 7, wherein orthogonal sine or cosine functions characterize the saddle-shape.

9. The actuator of claim 7, further comprising a spring biasing the transducer toward the saddle shape.

10. An electroactive polymer transducer comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm,

the transducer having a first configuration and a second configuration different from the first configuration along three axes.

11. The actuator of claim 10, wherein the frame includes no hinge points.

12. The actuator of claim 10, wherein the frame is adapted to flex in a direction with a component substantially perpendicular to a face of the diaphragm.

13. The actuator of claim 10, further comprising a spring biasing the transducer toward a saddle shape.

14. An electroactive polymer actuator system comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm,

the transducer adapted to produce a flapping motion when actuated by cycling voltage application.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a pair of wings adjacent opposite sides of the actuator and armature members connecting the wings to the transducer to transmit the flapping motion of the actuator to yield a flapping motion of the wings.

16. An electroactive polymer actuator system comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm, such that in an unpowered state the frame of the diaphragm is preloaded to deform into a nonequilibrium shape;

the actuator adapted to produce a cyclic motion by cycling voltage application thereto where application of the voltage causes the frame of the diaphragm to move towards an equilibrium shape.

17. The actuator system of claim 16, where the application of voltage is sufficient to cause the frame of the diaphragm to move past an equilibrium shape to a second non-equilibrium shape.

18. The actuator system of claim 16, where the frame contains weights.

19. The actuator system of claim 16, where the electroactive polymer comprises silicone, acrylic, or polyurethane elastomers.

20. The actuator system of claim 16, where there are at least two diaphragms that are mechanically coupled to increase the output force or displacement.