Method of making a rolled elastomer actiuator

• US 7,895,728 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Danfoss A/S
• Original Assignee: Danfoss A/S
• Inventors: Benslimane, Mohamed Yahia, Gravesen, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Paul D
• Application Number:
  US11/890,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20070277356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 295/921, 295/95, 296/021, 298/41, 298/55, 298/58, 298/86, 310/311, 310/328, 310/366, 310/369
• US Class Current: 29/595
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/002 Electrostatic motors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/05 Manufacture of multilayered piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices, or parts thereof, e.g. by stacking piezoelectric bodies and electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/057 by stacking bulk piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies and electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/098 Forming organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/206 using only longitudinal or thickness displacement, e.g. d33 or d31 type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/506 of cylindrical shape with stacking in radial direction, e.g. coaxial or spiral type rolls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/43 Electric condenser making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 Indicating transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4908 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49146 with encapsulating, e.g., potting, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49171 with encapsulating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49176 with molding of electrically insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49226 Electret making

Abstract

A tubular elastomer actuator with a shape in a cross-sectional view which shape exposes at most one single axis of symmetry of a specific length, e.g., an oval shape. The actuator could be made from a sheet made from a plurality of plate shaped elements which are laminated together and rolled. Each plate shaped element may have a corrugation that gives the element an anisotropic structure, and contains an electrode on only one surface. The actuator displacement is the result of shrinkage displacement of the plate shaped elements upon the application of electrical field across their thickness.

Claims

1. A method of making a rolled elastomer actuator, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a sheet from layers of elements, each comprising a body of an elastomer material and an electrode in contact with a surface of the body; and

rolling up the sheet to form a hollow tubular portion with a shape wherein any line of symmetry extending between two opposite points on a periphery in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a length which is different from any other such line of symmetry;

wherein the tubular portion is filled with a liquid elastomer material which is subsequently hardened to form an elastomer core for the tubular portion.