Electromagnetic soft actuators
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsAmir Jafari, Nafiseh Ebrahimi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, an electromagnetic soft actuator includes a first soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil, a second soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil, and a soft inner shaft on which the first and second soft outer members are mounted, the first and second soft outer members being linearly displaceable along a length of the soft inner shaft, the soft inner shaft comprising a permanent magnet, wherein the first and second outer members linearly move under an electromagnetic force relative to the soft inner shaft and each other when an electric current is applied to the soft internal electrically conductive coils.
Claims20
An electromagnetic soft actuator comprising:
- a first soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil;
- a second soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil;
- a soft inner shaft on which the first and second soft outer members are mounted, the first and second soft outer members being linearly displaceable along a length of the soft inner shaft, the soft inner shaft comprising a permanent magnet;
- and
- a spring linkage surrounding the soft inner shaft that connects the first and second soft outer members, the spring linkage being capable of linearly compressing and expanding:
- wherein the first and second outer members linearly move under an electromagnetic force relative to the soft inner shaft and each other when an electric current is applied to the soft internal electrically conductive coils.
An exofiber comprising:
- multiple electromagnetic soft actuators arranged in series and in parallel, each electromagnetic soft actuator including:
- a first soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil,
- a second soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil,
- a soft inner shaft on which the first and second soft outer members are mounted, the first and second soft outer members being linearly displaceable along a length of the soft inner shaft, the soft inner shaft comprising a permanent magnet, wherein the first and second outer members linearly move under an electromagnetic force relative to the soft inner shaft and each other when an electric current is applied to the soft internal electrically conductive coils;
- and
- a spring linkage surrounding the soft inner shaft that connects the first and second soft outer members, the spring linkage being capable of linearly compressing and expanding.
An assistive device comprising:
- an exofiber comprising multiple electromagnetic soft actuators arranged in series and in parallel, each electromagnetic soft actuator including:
- a first soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil,
- a second soft outer member comprising a soft internal electrically conductive coil,
- a soft inner shaft on which the first and second soft outer members are mounted, the first and second soft outer members being linearly displaceable along a length of the soft inner shaft, the soft inner shaft comprising a permanent magnet, wherein the first and second outer members linearly move under an electromagnetic force relative to the soft inner shaft and each other when an electric current is applied to the soft internal electrically conductive coils;
- and
- a spring linkage surrounding the soft inner shaft that connects the first and second soft outer members, the spring linkage being capable of linearly compressing and expanding.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.