Three-dimensional electroactive polymer actuated devices

• US 7,626,319 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Materialscience AG (Covestro AG)
• Original Assignee: Artificial Muscle, Inc. (Covestro AG)
• Inventors: Heim, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Benson; Walter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gordon; Bryan P
• Application Number:
  US11/361,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 310/800, 310/311, 310/324
• US Class Current: 310/311
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 33/02 Wings; Actuating mechanisms therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0054 particularities of the flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/04 Pumps having electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/206 using only longitudinal or thickness displacement, e.g. d33 or d31 type devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF

Abstract

Devices employing electroactive polymer actuators are disclosed. Acrylic dielectric material based actuators are optionally provided in which architectures are presented that allow for improved power output as compared with other known acrylic dielectric material based transducers. Such technology may be applied in motor-driven applications, lightweight flight applications and lighting applications among others.

Claims

1. An electroactive polymer actuator comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm, wherein a first stable equilibrium configuration the electroactive polymer material deforms the open frame causing the diaphragm to form a non-planar shape,

wherein the diaphragm is adapted to actuate in at least two substantially opposite directions upon application of voltage, such that a second stable equilibrium position is directionally opposite to the first stable equilibrium configuration, and

wherein the actuator is adapted to have a stroke range between the first and second stable equilibrium configurations, wherein the actuator is in a less stable configuration when in between the first and second stable equilibrium configurations.

2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the frame is configured to bias the diaphragm toward a stable equilibrium configuration.

3. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the non-planar shape comprises a saddle-shape.

4. The actuator of claim 3, wherein orthogonal sine or cosine functions characterize the saddle-shape.

5. A bi-stable electroactive polymer transducer comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm such that when in a stable equilibrium configuration the electroactive polymer material deforms the oven frame to cause the diaphragm to form a non-planar shape,

wherein the transducer is moveable from the non-planar shape to a less stable and more flattened configuration upon the application of a voltage.

6. The bi-stable transducer of claim 5, wherein orthogonal sine or cosine functions characterize the saddle-shaped configuration.

7. The bi-stable transducer of claim 5, wherein die transducer is biased by the frame toward the saddle-shaped configuration.

8. An electroactive polymer actuator system comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm, such that in an unpowered state the diaphragm is deformed into a non-planar shape,

the actuator adapted to produce a flapping motion by cycling voltage application thereto where application of the voltage causes the diaphragm in to move towards a planar shape.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a pair of wings adjacent opposite sides of the actuator and armature members connecting the wings to the actuator to transmit the flapping motion of the actuator to yield a flapping motion of the wings.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the actuator is biased by a spring mechanism.

11. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator is adapted to have an unstable equilibrium point between the first and second stable equilibrium configurations, wherein the actuator, when powered, has a stroke range between the first or second stable equilibrium configuration and a less stable configuration on at least one side of the unstable equilibrium point.

12. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator, when powered, controllably moves from the first or second stable equilibrium configuration to a less stable configuration.

13. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator, when powered, controllably moves from the first stable equilibrium configuration to the second stable equilibrium configuration.

14. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is biased by a single biasing means.

15. The actuator of claim 14, wherein the single biasing member comprises the frame.

16. The actuator of claim 15, wherein the frame'"'"'s mass or weight is tuned to achieve the desired performance of the actuator.

17. An electroactive polymer transducer comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm, such that in an unpowered state the diaphragm is deformed into a non-planar shape,

wherein upon the application of voltage the diaphragm is adapted to controllably buckle from a first configuration to a second configuration.

18. The transducer of claim 17, wherein the frame includes no hinge points.

19. The transducer of claim 17, wherein the frame is adapted to flex in a direction substantially perpendicular to a face of the diaphragm.

20. The transducer of claim 17, wherein the first configuration is a saddle-shaped configuration.

21. An electroactive polymer actuator system comprising:

an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm,

the actuator adapted to produce a flapping motion by cycling voltage application thereto,

a pair of wings adjacent opposite sides of the actuator and armature members connecting the wings to the actuator to transmit the flapping motion of the actuator to yield a flapping motion of the wings.