ELECTROTHERMAL ACTUATORS
First Claim
1. An electrothermal actuator comprising:
- at least two operating portions electrically connected with each other to define at least one conductive path; and
at least two electrodes spaced from each other and configured to introduce a current to the at least one conductive path;
wherein each of the at least two operating portions comprises a flexible polymer layer and a carbon nanotube paper stacked with each other, the carbon nanotube paper is at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer layer;
a thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer is in a range from about 1;
7 to about 1;
10, a density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to 0.5 g/cm3, a thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to ten times that of the flexible polymer layer;
a conductivity of the carbon nanotube paper of each of the at least two operating portions along a current direction of the at least two operating portions is in a range from about 1000 S/m to about 6000 S/m.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrothermal actuator includes at least two operating portions and at least two electrodes. The at least two operating portions are electrically connected with each other to define at least one conductive path. Each of the at least two operating portions comprises a flexible polymer layer and a carbon nanotube paper. A thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer ranges from 1:7 to 1:10. A density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to 0.5 g/cm3. A thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to ten times that of the flexible polymer layer. A conductivity of the carbon nanotube paper along a current direction of the at least two operating portions is in a range from about 1000 S/m to about 6000 S/m.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An electrothermal actuator comprising:
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at least two operating portions electrically connected with each other to define at least one conductive path; and at least two electrodes spaced from each other and configured to introduce a current to the at least one conductive path; wherein each of the at least two operating portions comprises a flexible polymer layer and a carbon nanotube paper stacked with each other, the carbon nanotube paper is at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer layer;
a thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer is in a range from about 1;
7 to about 1;
10, a density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to 0.5 g/cm3, a thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to ten times that of the flexible polymer layer;
a conductivity of the carbon nanotube paper of each of the at least two operating portions along a current direction of the at least two operating portions is in a range from about 1000 S/m to about 6000 S/m. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An electrothermal actuator comprising:
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a long strip operating portion folding along a first direction and a second direction to form a conductive path, and the long strip operating portion comprising; a flexible polymer layer; and a carbon nanotube paper stacked on and at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer layer, and two electrodes respectively located on two ends of the long strip operating portion and configured to introduce a current to the conductive path; wherein a thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer is in a range from about 1;
7 to about 1;
10, a density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to 0.5 g/cm3, a thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to ten times that of the flexible polymer layer;
a conductivity of the long strip operating portion along the first direction and the second direction are both in a range from about 1000 S/m to about 6000 S/m. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification