Rolled electroactive polymers
First Claim
1. A device for converting between electrical and mechanical energy, the device comprising:
- a polymer roll transducer comprising a) an electroactive polymer including at least one active area and b) at least two electrodes in electrical communication with the active area wherein at least a portion of the electroactive polymer is wrapped upon itself to form a roll;
at least one support member coupled to the polymer roll transducer for providing at least one of a force that strains at least a portion of the polymer, a force for controlling bending in the polymer roll transducer, and combinations thereof; and
at least one mechanical linkage coupled to the polymer roll transducer for allowing a force or a moment generated in a first portion of the electroactive polymer to be communicated to a second portion of the electroactive polymer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention describes rolled electroactive polymer devices. The invention also describes employment of these devices in a wide array of applications and methods for their fabrication. A rolled electroactive polymer device converts between electrical and mechanical energy; and includes a rolled electroactive polymer and at least two electrodes to provide the mechanical/electrical energy conversion. Prestrain is typically applied to the polymer. In one embodiment, a rolled electroactive polymer device employs a mechanism, such as a spring, that provides a force to prestrain the polymer. Since prestrain improves mechanical/electrical energy conversion for many electroactive polymers, the mechanism thus improves performance of the rolled electroactive polymer device.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A device for converting between electrical and mechanical energy, the device comprising:
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a polymer roll transducer comprising a) an electroactive polymer including at least one active area and b) at least two electrodes in electrical communication with the active area wherein at least a portion of the electroactive polymer is wrapped upon itself to form a roll; at least one support member coupled to the polymer roll transducer for providing at least one of a force that strains at least a portion of the polymer, a force for controlling bending in the polymer roll transducer, and combinations thereof; and at least one mechanical linkage coupled to the polymer roll transducer for allowing a force or a moment generated in a first portion of the electroactive polymer to be communicated to a second portion of the electroactive polymer. - 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A device for converting between electrical and mechanical energy, the device comprising:
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a polymer roll transducer comprising a) an electroactive polymer including at least one active area wherein the active area is arranged to deform in response to an electric field and b) at least two electrodes in electrical communication with the active area wherein at least a portion of the electroactive polymer is wrapped upon itself to form a roll; at least one support member coupled to the polymer roll transducer for providing at least one of a force that strains at least a portion of the polymer, a force for controlling bending in the polymer roll transducer, and combinations thereof; and a plurality of mechanical linkages coupled to the support member and coupled to the polymer roll transducer for allowing a force or a moment generated in a first portion of the electroactive polymer to be communicated to a second portion of the electroactive polymer. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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Specification