Electro-polymer motor

• US 8,350,447 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Jungnickel, Uwe, Heil, Benedikt
• Primary Examiner(s): Budd, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/544,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20100043157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 310/328, 310/800
• US Class Current: 310/323.02
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0006 with a controlling brush technique device, e.g. stroke movement measuring device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0008 with means for controlling duration, e.g. time of brushing
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/221 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3418 Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3463 Translation along the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 with combined movements of the brush body
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/10 producing rotary motion, e.g. rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/206 using only longitudinal or thickness displacement, e.g. d33 or d31 type devices

Abstract

An electro-polymer motor comprising a fixed member and a first actuator having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end is presented. The first actuator comprises a polymer positioned between two electrodes. The electrodes are in communication with a power supply. The motor also comprises a driven member comprising a first leg and a second leg such that the first leg and the second leg are separated by an axis. The driven member is fixedly connected to the second end of the first actuator. The motor also comprises a compressible member having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end fixedly connected to the second leg of the driven member. The compressible member is spaced apart from the first actuator. The first actuator elongates after the power supply applies a voltage across the electrodes to move the driven member.

Claims

1. An electro-polymer motor, the motor comprising:

a fixed member;

a first actuator having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end, the first actuator comprising a polymer positioned between two electrodes, wherein the electrodes are in communication with a power supply;

a driven member comprising a body having cylindrical shape with a cylindrical shaped aperture disposed therethrough, wherein the driven member is fixedly connected to the second end of the first actuator; and

wherein the body is disposed longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the motor and the aperture is coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis; and

a compressible member having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end fixedly connected to the body of the driven member, the compressible member spaced apart from the first actuator;

wherein the first actuator changes length after the power supply applies a voltage across the electrodes to move the driven member.

2. An electro-polymer motor, the motor comprising:

a fixed member;

a first actuator having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end, the first actuator comprising a polymer positioned between two electrodes, wherein the electrodes are in communication with a power supply;

a driven member comprising a first leg and a second leg both extending from a central body such that the first leg and the second leg are separated by an axis, wherein the driven member is fixedly connected to the second end of the first actuator;

wherein the body has a cylindrical shape with a cylindrical shaped aperture disposed therethrough; and

wherein the body is disposed longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the motor and the aperture is coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis; and

a compressible member having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end fixedly connected to the second leg of the driven member, the compressible member spaced apart from the first actuator;

wherein the first actuator elongates after the power supply applies a voltage across the electrodes to move the driven member.

3. The motor of claim 2, wherein the elongation of the first actuator oscillates the driven member about the axis.

4. The motor of claim 2, wherein the driven member further comprises a shaft bearing along and about the axis and positioned between the first and second legs.

5. The motor of claim 2, wherein the polymer is electrically activated by applying an electrostatic field between the electrodes.

6. The motor of claim 2, wherein the polymer elastically deforms in response to the voltage applied to the electrodes.

7. The motor of claim 2, wherein the polymer elastically deforms in response to the voltage applied to the electrodes in one direction.

8. The motor of claim 2, wherein the polymer and the electrodes both elastically deform in response to the voltage applied to the electrodes.

9. The motor of claim 2, wherein the polymer comprises more than one polymer layer, wherein the more than one polymer layers are laminated together.

10. The motor of claim 2, wherein the first actuator is pre-strained by about 0.1% to about 40%.

11. The motor of claim 2, wherein the first actuator is pre-strained by about 2% to about 20%.

12. The motor of claim 2, wherein the first actuator is pre-strained by about 10% to about 15%.

13. The motor of claim 2, wherein the compressible member comprises a pre-strained spring.

14. The motor of claim 13, wherein the spring compresses as the first actuator elongates resulting in the driven member oscillating about the axis.

15. The motor of claim 2, wherein the compressible member comprises a second actuator comprising a pre-strained polymer positioned between two electrodes, wherein the electrodes are in communication with the power supply.

16. The motor of claim 15, wherein the power supply alternates power to the first and second actuators resulting in the driven member oscillating around the axis.

17. The motor of claim 15, wherein the power supply supplies substantially concurrent power to the first and second actuators resulting in the driven member moving radially to the axis.

18. The motor of claim 15, further comprises

a third actuator substantially parallel and proximate to the first actuator;

and

a fourth actuator substantially parallel and proximate to the second actuator.

19. The motor of claim 18, further comprises

a fifth actuator substantially parallel and proximate to the first actuator and the third actuator;

and

a sixth actuator substantially parallel and proximate to the second actuator and the fourth actuator.

20. The motor of claim 2, wherein the driven member has an angle of oscillation of about 2 to about 40 degrees about the axis.

21. The motor of claim 2, wherein the power supply supplies pulsed voltage to the electrodes.

22. The motor of claim 2, wherein the power supply supplies a substantially sinusoidal drive voltage pattern to the electrodes.

23. The motor of claim 2, further comprises

a controller to control the amount of voltage the power supply applies to the electrodes and the frequency of a pulse pattern.