Electroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flow
First Claim
1. A device for controlling fluid flow, the device comprising:
- at least one transducer comprising an electroactive polymer having at least a first and second electroactive polymer portion comprising respectively a first and second active area, the first and second active areas, each having a first and a second electrode in electrical communication with the respective portion of the electroactive polymer, wherein at least the first electroactive polymer portion is arranged to deflect from a first position to a second position in response to a change in electric field; and
at least one surface in contact with a fluid and operatively coupled to the transducer, wherein the deflection of at least the first electroactive polymer portion causes a change in a characteristic of the fluid that is transmitted to the fluid via the one surface, wherein the electroactive polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention describes devices for controlling fluid flow, such as valves. The devices may include one or more electroactive polymer transducers with an electroactive polymer that deflects in response to an application of an electric field. The electroactive polymer may be in contact with a fluid where the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A device for controlling fluid flow, the device comprising:
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at least one transducer comprising an electroactive polymer having at least a first and second electroactive polymer portion comprising respectively a first and second active area, the first and second active areas, each having a first and a second electrode in electrical communication with the respective portion of the electroactive polymer, wherein at least the first electroactive polymer portion is arranged to deflect from a first position to a second position in response to a change in electric field; and at least one surface in contact with a fluid and operatively coupled to the transducer, wherein the deflection of at least the first electroactive polymer portion causes a change in a characteristic of the fluid that is transmitted to the fluid via the one surface, wherein the electroactive polymer has an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa. - 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)
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Specification