Microfluidic-based artificial muscles and method of formation
AssigneesCalifornia Institute of Technology, The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsEmil P. Kartalov, Axel Scherer
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Abstract
Artificial muscles comprising a body of dielectric elastomer, wherein the body contains a pair of microfluidic networks are presented. Each microfluidic network includes a plurality of channels fluidically coupled via a manifold. The channels of the microfluidic networks are interdigitated and filled with conductive fluid such that each set of adjacent channels functions as the electrodes of an electroactive polymer (EAP) actuator. By using the manifolds as compliant wiring to energize the electrodes, artificial muscles in accordance with the present disclosure mitigate some or all of the reliability problems associated with prior-art artificial muscles.
Claims15
An artificial muscle comprising:
- a first body comprising a first material that is a dielectric elastomer;
- a first plurality of channels;
- a second plurality of channels, wherein the channels of the first plurality thereof and the channels of the second plurality thereof are interdigitated and spaced apart within the first body;
- a first manifold located within the first body, wherein the first manifold is fluidically coupled with each of the first plurality of channels;
- and
- a second manifold located within the first body, wherein the second manifold is fluidically coupled with each of the second plurality of channels;
- wherein each of the first manifold, the first plurality of channels, the second manifold, and the second plurality of channels is filled with a second material that is an electrically conductive fluid;
- and
- wherein the first and second plurality of channels are configured such that the application of a voltage differential between the second material in the first manifold and the second material in the second manifold generates a first attractive force between each set of adjacent first and second channels.
An artificial muscle comprising:
- a first microfluidic network comprising a first manifold and a first plurality of channels, the first microfluidic network being filled with a first material that is an electrically conductive fluid;
- a second microfluidic network comprising a second manifold and a second plurality of channels, the second microfluidic network being filled with a second material that is an electrically conductive fluid;
- a plurality of members comprising a third material that is a dielectric elastomer;
- wherein the first microfluidic network, the second microfluidic network, and the plurality of members are arranged such that (1) the channels of the first plurality thereof and the channels of the second plurality thereof are interdigitated and (2) each member of the plurality thereof is between a set of adjacent first and second channels;
- and
- wherein the first and second plurality of channels are configured such that the application of a voltage differential between the first material in the first microfluidic network and the second material in the second microfluidic network gives rise to a compressive force on each member of the plurality thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.