Soft-bodied actuator with pinched configuration
First Claim
1. An actuator comprising:
- a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid;
a first conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the central bladder; and
a second conductor operatively connected to a second portion of the central bladder opposite the first portion, the first conductor and the second conductor being operatively connected to receive electrical energy from a power source,the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in at least a region located between the first and second conductors when in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in at least the region located between the first and second conductors when in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A soft-bodied actuator can be configured to be in a pinched or contracted configuration when power is not supplied to the actuator. Thus, a supply of electrical energy is not needed to maintain the actuator in the pinched or contracted configuration. The actuator can include a central bladder. The central bladder can include a flexible casing that defines a central fluid chamber. The central fluid chamber can include a dielectric fluid. A first conductor and a second conductor can be operatively connected to opposite portions of the central bladder. The actuator can be configured such that, in the activated mode, the first and second conductors receive electrical energy from a power source such that they are like charged, causing the first and second conductors to repel each other. The central fluid chamber can include a particulate material to help maintain the central bladder in the pinched configuration.
56 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An actuator comprising:
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a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; a first conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the central bladder; and a second conductor operatively connected to a second portion of the central bladder opposite the first portion, the first conductor and the second conductor being operatively connected to receive electrical energy from a power source, the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in at least a region located between the first and second conductors when in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in at least the region located between the first and second conductors when in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors.
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2. An actuator comprising:
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a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; a first conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the central bladder; a second conductor operatively connected to a second portion of the central bladder opposite the first portion, the first conductor and the second conductor being operatively connected to receive electrical energy from a power source; a first outer bladder, the first outer bladder including a flexible casing and defining a first outer fluid chamber, the first outer fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; and a third conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the first outer bladder, the first conductor being operatively connected to a second portion of the first outer bladder, the second portion being opposite the first portion, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. An actuator comprising:
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a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; a first conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the central bladder; and a second conductor operatively connected to a second portion of the central bladder opposite the first portion, the first conductor and the second conductor being operatively connected to receive electrical energy from a power source, the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors, and the central fluid chamber including a particulate material, whereby the particulate material facilitates the central bladder being in the pinched configuration in the non-activated mode. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A system comprising:
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an actuator including; a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; and a first conductor and a second conductor operatively positioned on opposite portions of central bladder; a power source operatively connected to supply electrical energy to the first conductor and the second conductor; and one or more processors operatively connected to selectively control a supply of electrical energy from the power source to the actuator, the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in at least a region located between the first and second conductors when in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy from the power source is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in at least the region located between the first and second conductors when in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A system comprising:
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an actuator including; a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; and a first conductor and a second conductor operatively positioned on opposite portions of central bladder; a power source operatively connected to supply electrical energy to the first conductor and the second conductor; and one or more processors operatively connected to selectively control a supply of electrical energy from the power source to the actuator, the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy from the power source is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors the power source supplying electrical energy to the first and second conductors such that the first and second conductors have like charges, whereby the first and second conductors repel each other in the activated mode.
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11. A system comprising:
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an actuator including; a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; and a first conductor and a second conductor operatively positioned on opposite portions of central bladder; a power source operatively connected to supply electrical energy to the first conductor and the second conductor; one or more processors operatively connected to selectively control a supply of electrical energy from the power source to the actuator, the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy from the power source is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors; and one or more sensors operatively connected to the one or more processors, whereby the supply of electrical energy from the power source to the actuator is controllable based on sensor data acquired by the one or more sensors.
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12. A system comprising:
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an actuator including; a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; and a first conductor and a second conductor operatively positioned on opposite portions of central bladder; a first outer bladder, wherein the first outer bladder includes a flexible casing and defines a first outer fluid chamber, wherein the first outer fluid chamber includes a dielectric fluid; and a third conductor, wherein the third conductor and the first conductor are operatively positioned on opposite portions of first outer bladder, a power source operatively connected to supply electrical energy to the first conductor and the second conductor; and one or more processors operatively connected to selectively control a supply of electrical energy from the power source to the actuator, the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a pinched configuration in a non-activated mode in which electrical energy from the power source is not supplied to the first and second conductors, and the actuator being configured such that the central bladder is in a non-pinched configuration in an activated mode in which electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors, the power source supplying electrical energy to the third conductor such that the first conductor and the third conductor have opposite charges, whereby the first conductor and the third conductor attract each other in the activated mode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An actuator comprising:
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a central bladder, the central bladder including a flexible casing and defining a central fluid chamber, the central fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; a first conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the central bladder; a second conductor operatively connected to a second portion of the central bladder opposite the first portion, the first and second conductors being separated by the central bladder, the first conductor and the second conductor being operatively connected to receive electrical energy from a power source; a first outer bladder, the first outer bladder including a flexible casing and defining a first outer fluid chamber, the first outer fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; a third conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the first outer bladder, the first conductor being operatively connected to a second portion of the first outer bladder opposite the first portion, the first conductor and the third conductor being separated by the first outer bladder; a second outer bladder, the second outer bladder including a flexible casing and defining a second outer fluid chamber, the second outer fluid chamber including a dielectric fluid; and a fourth conductor operatively connected to a first portion of the second outer bladder, the second conductor being operatively connected to a second portion of the second outer bladder opposite the first portion, the second conductor and the fourth conductor being separated by the second outer bladder, the first outer bladder and the second outer bladder being located on opposite portions of the central bladder. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification