High Strain Peano hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) transducers

An electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:

• a first deformable shell that defines a first enclosed internal cavity;
• a liquid dielectric contained within the first enclosed internal cavity;
• a first electrode disposed over a first side of the first enclosed internal cavity;
• a second electrode disposed over a second side of the first enclosed internal cavity;
• an active region that defines a zipping front in a first dimension along which electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes draw the first and second electrodes toward each other to displace the liquid dielectric along the zipping front within the first enclosed internal cavity upon application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes;
• and
• a strain axis in a second dimension along which the first deformable shell deforms upon the application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes, wherein the first dimension of the zipping front is orthogonal to the second dimension of the strain axis;
• a second deformable shell that defines a second enclosed internal cavity disposed adjacent to the first deformable shell that defines the first enclosed internal cavity;
• a third electrode disposed over the first side of the first enclosed internal cavity and on an opposite side of the first enclosed internal cavity as the first electrode;
• and
• a fourth electrode disposed over the second side of the first enclosed internal cavity and on an opposite side of the first enclosed internal cavity as the second electrode;
• wherein the first electrode is disposed over a first side of the second enclosed internal cavity and the second electrode is disposed over a second side of the second enclosed internal cavity, and wherein the first and second electrode may be activated independently of the third and fourth electrode.

An electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:

• a first deformable shell that defines a first enclosed internal cavity;
• a liquid dielectric contained within the first enclosed internal cavity;
• a first electrode disposed over a first side of the first enclosed internal cavity;
• a second electrode disposed over a second side of the first enclosed internal cavity;
• an active region that defines a zipping front in a first dimension along which electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes draw the first and second electrodes toward each other to displace the liquid dielectric along the zipping front within the first enclosed internal cavity upon application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes;
• and
• a strain axis in a second dimension along which the first deformable shell deforms upon the application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes, wherein the first dimension of the zipping front is orthogonal to the second dimension of the strain axis;
• and
• a second deformable shell that defines a second enclosed internal cavity disposed adjacent to the first deformable shell that defines the first enclosed internal cavity,
• wherein the first electrode is disposed over a first side of the second enclosed internal cavity and the second electrode is disposed over a second side of the second enclosed internal cavity, and
• wherein the first deformable shell is operative to be folded at least once about a folding axis parallel to the strain axis.

An electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:

• a deformable shell that defines an enclosed internal cavity;
• a liquid dielectric contained within the enclosed internal cavity;
• a first electrode disposed over a first side of the enclosed internal cavity;
• a second electrode disposed over a second side of the enclosed internal cavity;
• an active region that defines a zipping front in a first dimension along which electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes draw the first and second electrodes toward each other to displace the liquid dielectric along the zipping front within the enclosed internal cavity upon application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes;
• and
• a strain axis in a second dimension along which the deformable shell deforms upon the application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes,
• wherein the first dimension of the zipping front is orthogonal to the second dimension of the strain axis, and
• wherein a terminal end portion of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a non-linear edge configuration.

An electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:

• a deformable shell that defines an enclosed internal cavity;
• a liquid dielectric contained within the enclosed internal cavity;
• a first electrode disposed over a first side of the enclosed internal cavity;
• a second electrode disposed over a second side of the enclosed internal cavity;
• an active region that defines a zipping front in a first dimension along which electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes draw the first and second electrodes toward each other to displace the liquid dielectric along the zipping front within the enclosed internal cavity upon application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes;
• and
• a strain axis in a second dimension along which the deformable shell deforms upon the application of a voltage to the first and second electrodes,
• wherein the first dimension of the zipping front is orthogonal to the second dimension of the strain axis, and
• wherein the deformable shell is operative to be folded at least once about a folding axis parallel to the strain axis.