Polyurethane elastomer actuator

• US 5,977,685 A
• Filed: 06/03/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nitta Corporation, Toshihiro Hirai
• Original Assignee: Nitta Corporation, Toshihiro Hirai
• Inventors: Hirai, Toshihiro, Kasazaki, Toshiaki, Kurita, Yasushi, Ueda, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, CATHY FONG FONG
• Application Number:
  US08/660,061
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 360/104, 428/411.1, 428/423.1, 428/423.3, 428/425.9, 428/913, 200/181, 310/339, 310/800, 310/330, 310/332, 310/311
• US Class Current: 310/311
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3203 Polyhydroxy compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4238 derived from dicarboxylic acids and dialcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7678 containing condensed aromatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/005 using a piezoelectric polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/08 signals being recorded or played back by vibration of a stylus in two orthogonal directions simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2042 Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/206 using only longitudinal or thickness displacement, e.g. d33 or d31 type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/857 Macromolecular compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF

Abstract

A polyurethane elastomer actuator comprising a polyurethane elastomer 1 capable of deforming due to the orientation by an electric field, wherein the shrinkage displacement occurring at the time of the application of an electric field is transformed into other displacement. This polyurethane elastomer actuator does not require electrolyte and high voltage. Since it is not accompanied by chemical reactions and heat generation, its durability hardly deteriorates. This actuator deforms largely during driving.

Claims

1. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator comprising:

a sheet of an elastomeric material;

said elastomeric material being of a type which is displaced when an electric field is applied thereto, and returns toward its original dimension when said electric field is removed;

first and second electrodes on opposed sides of said sheet;

at least one of said first and second electrodes having a property which converts displacement of said elastomeric material into one of a curvature of said sheet and an elongation of said sheet.

2. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 1, wherein said property includes a first thickness of said first electrode that is greater than a second thickness of said second electrode, whereby said first electrode restrains a lengthwise expansion of said actuator more than said second electrode, and thereby forces said sheet to curve toward said first electrode.

3. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic restitutive layer on at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode, said elastic restitutive layer being effective for restoring said sheet toward its original position when said electric field is removed.

4. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 1, wherein said property includes at least one transverse element affixed at least to said first electrode, said transverse element being effective to change an ability of said first electrode to be displaced in a longitudinal direction.

5. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 4, wherein said at least one transverse element includes at least one bar affixed to an outer surface of said first electrode.

6. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 4, wherein said at least one transverse element is between said first electrode and said actuator forming a transverse area between said first electrode and said sheet, said transverse area enabling greater lengthwise expansion on a side of said sheet occupied by said first electrode than a side of said sheet without said transverse element.

7. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 4, wherein said property includes at least a second transverse element affixed to said second electrode, said at least a second transverse element being effective to change an ability of said second electrode to be displaced in a longitudinal direction.

8. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 1, wherein said elastomer contains a dielectric polyol responsive to an electric field.

9. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 8, wherein said dielectric polyol has a substituent having dipolar moment.

10. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second sheet of elastomeric material;

said second sheet of elastomeric material being of a type which is displaced when an electric field is applied thereto and returns toward its original dimension when said electric field is removed;

third and fourth electrodes on opposed sides of said second sheet;

said third electrode being affixed to said first electrode, whereby a bimorph structure is created;

at least one of said third and fourth electrodes having a second property which converts displacement of said elastomeric material into one of a curvature and an elongation of said second sheet.

11. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 10, wherein application of said electric field only between said first and second electrodes changes said curvature of said bimorph structure in a first direction, and application of electricity only between said third and fourth electrodes changes said curvature of said bimorph structure in a second, opposite, direction.

12. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 10, wherein simultaneous application of said electricity between said first and second electrodes and said third and fourth electrodes elongates said bimorph structure.

13. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 10, wherein said elastomer contains a dielectric polyol responsive to an electric field.

14. A polyurethane elastomeric actuator according to claim 13, wherein said dielectric polyol has a substituent having dipolar moment.