Electroactive polymer animated devices
First Claim
1. An animated device comprising:
- a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the feature or coupled to the feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electro active polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes; and
wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa and the polymer is pre-strained by a factor in the range of about 1.5 times to 50 times its original area.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to animated devices that include one or more electroactive polymer transducers. When actuated by electrical energy, an electroactive polymer produces mechanical deflection in one or more directions. This deflection may be used to produce motion of a feature included in an animated device. Electroactive polymer transducers offer customizable shapes and deflections. Combining different ways to configure and constrain a polymer, different ways to arrange active areas on a single polymer, different animated device designs, and different polymer orientations, permits a broad range of animated devices that use an electroactive polymer transducer to produce motion. These animated devices find use in a wide range of animated device applications.
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Citations
80 Claims
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1. An animated device comprising:
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a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the feature or coupled to the feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electro active polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes; and
wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa and the polymer is pre-strained by a factor in the range of about 1.5 times to 50 times its original area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An animated face comprising:
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a facial feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the facial feature or coupled to the facial feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the facial feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electroactive polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes; and
wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An animated toy comprising:
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a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the feature or coupled to the feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electroactive polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes; and
wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa and the polymer is pre-strained by a factor in the range of about 1.5 times to 50 times its original area. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An animated skin comprising:
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a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the skin or coupled to the skin and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electroactive polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes; and
wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An animated device comprising:
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a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the feature or coupled to the feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electroactive polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes, wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa;
a sensor configured to detect a parameter included in the device or detect a parameter from the environment around the device. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. An animated device comprising:
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a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the feature or coupled to the feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electroactive polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes, wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa;
a sound generator configured to produce sound. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. An animated device capable of surface based locomotion, the animated device comprising:
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a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the feature or coupled to the feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electroactive polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes, wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa; and
wherein the device is configured such that motion between the first position and the second position for the feature provides at least a portion of the surface based locomotion. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. An animated device having likeness of a human, the animated device comprising:
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a feature capable of motion between a first position and a second position;
a transducer either included in the feature or coupled to the feature and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion between the first position and the second position for the feature, the transducer comprising an active area, which includes at least two electrodes coupled to a portion of an electroactive polymer, the portion capable of deflection in response to a change in electric field provided by at least two electrodes, wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 Mpa; and
wherein the feature has a human likeness. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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Specification