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US 11,686,073 B2Granted
Electrically activated polymer based locking system for earth moving equipment and method
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorDouglas C. Serrurier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power locking device has a body including a blind bore with an electroactive polymer disposed in the blind bore, and a sliding lock member that is disposed in the blind bore and that contacts the electroactive polymer. A current source is in electrical communication with the electroactive polymer.
Claims9
A power locking device comprising:
- a body defining a longitudinal axis, a first axial end disposed along the longitudinal axis, a second axial end disposed along the longitudinal axis, and a blind bore extending from the first axial end including a bottom surface disposed proximate the second axial end;
- an electroactive polymer disposed in the blind bore;
- a sliding lock member disposed in the blind bore and contacting the electroactive polymer;
- and
- a current source in electrical communication with the electroactive polymer,
- wherein the sliding lock member includes a forward locking portion, a rear head portion including a forward activation surface, and a stem connecting the forward locking portion to the rear head portion, and the electroactive polymer contacts the body of the power locking device and the forward activation surface of the rear head portion.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.