ACTUATOR
First Claim
1. An actuator comprising:
- a first actuator unit including one or more first actuator fibers;
a second actuator unit including one or more second actuator fibers;
a base; and
a displacement member,wherein each of the one or more first actuator fibers and the one or more second actuator fibers has a structure in which a high polymer fiber bundle is wound spirally,wherein the high polymer fiber bundle includes one or more twisted high polymer fibers,wherein each of the one or more first actuator fibers and the one or more second actuator fibers stretches or contracts when temperature of the high polymer fiber bundle that each of the one or more first actuator fibers and the one or more second actuator fibers includes is changed,wherein the first actuator unit stretches or contracts by using the one or more first actuator fibers, and the second actuator unit stretches or contracts by using the one or more second actuator fibers,wherein a spring rate of each of the one or more second actuator fibers is higher than a spring rate of each of the one or more first actuator fibers,wherein a maximum displacement amount of the second actuator unit is smaller than a maximum displacement amount of the first actuator unit,wherein the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit are located between the base and the displacement member,wherein temperature of the one or more first actuator fibers is controlled and temperature of the one or more second actuator fibers is not controlled in a casewhere a displacement amount of the displacement member relative to the base is smaller than a first displacement amount, andwherein the temperature of the one or more first actuator fibers is controlled and the temperature of the one or more second actuator fibers are controlled in a case where the displacement amount of the displacement member relative to the base is equal to or larger than the first displacement amount and equal to or smaller than a maximum displacement amount of the displacement member relative to the base.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An actuator includes a first actuator unit including first actuator fibers and a second actuator unit including second actuator fibers located between plate members. The first and second actuator fibers stretch or contract when temperature changes. A spring rate of the second actuator fibers is higher than that of the first actuator fibers. A maximum displacement amount of the second actuator unit is smaller than that of the first actuator unit. The temperature of the first actuator fibers is controlled in a case where a displacement amount of one plate member relative to the other plate member is smaller than a first displacement amount, and the temperature of the first actuator fibers and the temperature of the second actuator fibers are controlled in a case where the displacement amount is equal to or larger than the first displacement amount and equal to or smaller than a maximum displacement amount.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An actuator comprising:
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a first actuator unit including one or more first actuator fibers; a second actuator unit including one or more second actuator fibers; a base; and a displacement member, wherein each of the one or more first actuator fibers and the one or more second actuator fibers has a structure in which a high polymer fiber bundle is wound spirally, wherein the high polymer fiber bundle includes one or more twisted high polymer fibers, wherein each of the one or more first actuator fibers and the one or more second actuator fibers stretches or contracts when temperature of the high polymer fiber bundle that each of the one or more first actuator fibers and the one or more second actuator fibers includes is changed, wherein the first actuator unit stretches or contracts by using the one or more first actuator fibers, and the second actuator unit stretches or contracts by using the one or more second actuator fibers, wherein a spring rate of each of the one or more second actuator fibers is higher than a spring rate of each of the one or more first actuator fibers, wherein a maximum displacement amount of the second actuator unit is smaller than a maximum displacement amount of the first actuator unit, wherein the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit are located between the base and the displacement member, wherein temperature of the one or more first actuator fibers is controlled and temperature of the one or more second actuator fibers is not controlled in a case where a displacement amount of the displacement member relative to the base is smaller than a first displacement amount, and wherein the temperature of the one or more first actuator fibers is controlled and the temperature of the one or more second actuator fibers are controlled in a case where the displacement amount of the displacement member relative to the base is equal to or larger than the first displacement amount and equal to or smaller than a maximum displacement amount of the displacement member relative to the base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification