# US 10,122,302 B2 · Flexible and soft smart driving device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,302 B2 - Document ID: US10122302B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/112,280 - Filed: 2014-05-14 - Published: 2016-11-10 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-01-28 - Assignees: Zhejiang University - Applicants: Zhejiang University - Inventors: Tiefeng Li; Zhanan Zou; Chi Li; Guoyong Mao; Xuxu Yang; Zhipeng Zhai; Shaoxing Qu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122302B2 ## CPC - H02N 11/00: Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means (by hydrostatic pressure F03B17/04; {by mechanical means F03G7/10;} by dynamo-electric means, {including arrangements of permanent magnets interacting with other permanent magnets,} H02K53/00) - H01H 9/54: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere - H02N 2/021: {using intermittent driving, e.g. step motors, piezoleg motors} - H10N 30/204: {using bending displacement, e.g. unimorph, bimorph or multimorph cantilever or membrane benders} - H10N 30/802: {Circuitry or processes for operating piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for, e.g. drive circuits} - H10N 30/857: Macromolecular compositions - H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A flexible and soft smart driving device comprises a flexible frame, a driving mechanism and a creeping structure. The driving mechanism uses an intrinsic strain of an intelligent soft material to generate a driving force. A creeping structure is used to implement autonomous activities of the flexible and soft smart driving device. The driving mechanism and the creeping structure are attached to the flexible frame. The driving mechanism generates the driving force by contraction and relaxation of a driving membrane. The flexible and soft smart driving device is made from flexible materials and has advantages of good creeping speed, flexible control, small noise and high human body compatibility. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flexible and soft smart driving device comprising: a flexible frame; a driving mechanism; and a movement structure comprising a creeping structure, wherein: the driving mechanism generates a driving force using an intrinsic strain of an intelligent soft material, the movement structure implements autonomous activities of the flexible and soft smart driving device, the driving mechanism and the movement structure are attached to the flexible frame, and the flexible and soft smart driving device utilizes friction between self-deformation of the flexible frame and a contact surface to move the flexible and soft smart driving device on the contact surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flexible and soft smart driving device of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism comprises a driving membrane and an external compliant electrode, the external compliant electrode is coated on both sides of the driving membrane, the driving force of the flexible and soft smart driving device is generated by contaction and relaxation of the driving membrane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The flexible and soft smart driving device of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism comprises a driving membrane array, interior compliant electrodes, interior wires, an external compliant electrode, the driving membrane array is formed by two pieces of driving membrane bound together, the interior compliant electrodes are packaged in an inner part of the two pieces of driving membrane, one end of the interior wires is contacted with the interior compliant electrodes respectively, the other end of the interior wires is led out to connect to one pole of external power source, the external compliant electrode is coated on an outer surface of the driving membrane array and is connected to another pole of external power source, the driving force of the flexible and soft smart driving device is generated by contaction and relaxation of driving membrane or driving membrane array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The flexible and soft smart driving device of claim 3, wherein the driving membrane is a pre-stretched flexible insulated membrane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flexible and soft smart driving device of claim 1, wherein the movement structure is a unidirectional frictional mechanism, one end of the unidirectional frictional mechanism is inserted into an inner part of a flexible frame, the other end of the unidirectional frictional mechanism functions as a movement foot or creeping foot of the flexible and soft smart driving device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The flexible and soft smart driving device of claim 5, wherein the unidirectional frictional mechanism is a direction-changeable structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The flexible and soft smart driving device of any item of claim 6, wherein the flexible and soft smart driving device further comprises a protecting structure, the protecting structure is used to protect the driving mechanism, and the protecting structure is attached to the flexible frame. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The flexible and soft smart driving device of claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is two pieces of pre-stretched protecting membrane, a protecting membrane is a flexible insulated membrane, the two pieces of pre-stretched protecting membrane are respectively attached to both sides of a driving membrane or a driving membrane array. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The flexible and soft smart driving device of claim 8, wherein the two pieces of driving membrane and two pieces of protecting membrane are bonded together and are attached to the flexible frame to make a flexible frame bend toward a direction or a direction of a principal plane.