Electrochemical actuators
First Claim
1. An actuator device, comprising:
- an electrochemical cell including a negative electrode and a positive electrode, wherein at least a portion of the negative electrode is formed with a material formulated to at least one of intercalate, de-intercalate, alloy with, oxidize, reduce, or plate with a first portion of the positive electrode to an extent different than a second portion of the positive electrode upon charging or discharging of the electrochemical cell such that a differential strain is imparted between the first portion and the second portion of the positive electrode, the electrodes being mechanically coupled such that the differential strain produces a displacement of at least a portion of the electrochemical cell,at least a portion of at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode having a non-planar configuration prior to charging or discharging along an axis thereof to define a fold axis, the displacement of the at least a portion of the electrochemical cell being preferentially enhanced about the fold axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for providing electrochemical actuation are described herein. In one embodiment, an actuator device includes an electrochemical cell including a negative electrode and a positive electrode At least a portion of the negative electrode is formed with a material formulated to at least one of intercalate, de-intercalate, alloy with, oxidize, reduce, or plate with a first portion of the positive electrode to an extent different than with a second portion of the positive electrode such that a differential strain is imparted between the first portion and the second portion of the positive electrode and such that at least a portion of the electrochemical cell is displaced. The electrochemical cell includes a portion that is pre-bent along an axis of the electrochemical cell to define a fold axis and the displacement of the at least a portion of the electrochemical cell is maximized along the fold axis.
153 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An actuator device, comprising:
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an electrochemical cell including a negative electrode and a positive electrode, wherein at least a portion of the negative electrode is formed with a material formulated to at least one of intercalate, de-intercalate, alloy with, oxidize, reduce, or plate with a first portion of the positive electrode to an extent different than a second portion of the positive electrode upon charging or discharging of the electrochemical cell such that a differential strain is imparted between the first portion and the second portion of the positive electrode, the electrodes being mechanically coupled such that the differential strain produces a displacement of at least a portion of the electrochemical cell, at least a portion of at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode having a non-planar configuration prior to charging or discharging along an axis thereof to define a fold axis, the displacement of the at least a portion of the electrochemical cell being preferentially enhanced about the fold axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 23)
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8. An actuator device constructed and arranged to be displaced from a first orientation to a second orientation, comprising:
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an electrochemical cell including a negative electrode and a positive electrode, wherein at least one of the negative electrode and the positive electrode is an actuator, the actuator having a non-planar configuration prior to charging or discharging of the electrochemical cell, wherein, upon charge and/or discharge of the electrochemical cell, differential strain produces a displacement about a fold axis from the first orientation to the second orientation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An actuator device, comprising:
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an electrochemical actuator including a negative electrode and a positive electrode, wherein at least a portion of the negative electrode is formed with a material formulated to at least one of intercalate, de-intercalate, alloy with, oxidize, reduce, or plate with the positive electrode such that a differential strain is imparted to the positive electrode upon charging or discharging of the electrochemical actuator, the negative electrode and the positive electrode being mechanically coupled such that the differential strain produces a displacement of at least a portion of the electrochemical actuator from a first orientation to a second orientation, the positive electrode including a first portion, a second portion and a medial portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion, the second portion being angularly offset from the first portion about the medial portion such that the second portion has a non-zero first displacement in the first orientation with respect to the first portion, and the actuator having a second displacement in the second orientation, the second displacement being greater than the first displacement. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification