# US 11,028,835 B2 · Artificial muscle actuators

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- Number: US 11,028,835 B2
- Document ID: US11028835B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/466,532
- Filed: 2017-12-07
- Published: 2019-09-12
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-08
- Assignees: Lintec of America, Inc.
- Applicants: Lintec of America, Inc.
- Inventors: Marcio Dias Lima; Yang Yang; Luis Plata; Marilu Guerrero; Franklin Le; Randy Allen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028835B2

## CPC

- F03G 7/0612: {using polymers}
- F03G 7/06146: {Torque tubes or torsion bars}
- F03G 7/062: {characterised by the activation arrangement}
- F03G 7/067: {Safety arrangements}
- F16K 31/44: Mechanical actuating means
- H01H 85/04: Fuses, i.e. expendable parts of the protective device, e.g. cartridges
- H02N 11/006: {Motors}
- H10N 30/857: Macromolecular compositions
- A61F 2002/5066: {Muscles}
- F03G 7/06114: {using the thermal expansion or contraction of solid materials}
- F03G 7/0614: {using shape memory elements}
- H01B 1/18: the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
- F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00)
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- 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)
- H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})

## Abstract

A hinge-type actuator device in accordance with the present disclosure may include a first and second paddle, a first and second artificial muscle actuator segment, and a plurality of contacts, where the first and second artificial muscle actuator segments are actuated via the contacts, actuation of the first artificial muscle actuator segment causes the first and second paddle to open the hinge-type actuator, and actuation of the second artificial muscle actuator segment causes the first and second paddle to close the hinge-type actuator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A linear displacement device comprising:
a first artificial muscle actuator and a second artificial muscle actuator; and
a body that is restricted to move linearly, the body having a first surface and a second surface that opposes the first surface;
wherein the first artificial muscle actuator and the second artificial muscle actuator are configured to cause the body to move linearly,
the first artificial muscle actuator expanding when actuated, thereby causing the body to move in a linear direction away from a base,
the second artificial muscle actuator contracting when actuated, thereby causing the body to move in the linear direction towards the base,
wherein a first end of each of the first artificial muscle actuator and the second artificial muscle actuator is attached to a same surface of the base, and a second end of each of the first artificial muscle actuator and the second artificial muscle actuator is attached to the second surface of the body, and
wherein both the first artificial muscle actuator and the second artificial muscle actuator extend between the same surface of the base and the second surface of the body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The linear displacement device of claim 1, further comprising:
a latch provided facing the first surface of the body and holding the linear displacement device in a first position, wherein the linear displacement device is configured to move towards a second position when an external force is applied to at least one of the first artificial muscle actuator and the second artificial muscle actuator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The linear displacement device of claim 1, wherein:
the first muscle actuator is a heterochiral artificial muscle actuator, and
the second muscle actuator is a homochiral artificial muscle actuator.