Clutch system with phase changing materials
AssigneeThe Johns Hopkins University
InventorsAlexander Cohen, Farshid Alambeigi, Mehran Armand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clutch system is provided. The clutch system includes an outer unit having a surface defining an aperture in the outer unit; an inner unit disposed in the aperture, wherein a shape of the inner unit matches a shape of the aperture; a low melting point material disposed in the aperture between the inner unit and the surface of the outer unit; a heating element; a temperature sensor; and a processor in electronic communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor. The processor is configured to control the heating element thereby changing the low melting point material between a soft state and a rigid state.
Claims9
An actuator comprising:
- a plurality of the clutch systems that are linked together using joints;
- wherein each of the plurality of clutch systems includes:
- an outer unit having a surface defining an aperture in the outer unit;
- an inner unit disposed in the aperture and concentric with the outer unit, wherein a shape of the inner unit matches a shape of the aperture;
- a low melting point material disposed in the aperture between the inner unit and the surface of the outer unit;
- a heating element;
- a temperature sensor;
- and
- a processor in electronic communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor, wherein the processor is configured to control the heating element thereby changing the low melting point material between a soft state and a rigid state;
- and
- wherein the actuator further includes:
- a first cable connected to each of the plurality of the clutch systems;
- a first cable mechanism configured to apply tension to the first cable;
- a second cable connected to each of the plurality of the clutch systems;
- and
- a second cable mechanism configured to apply tension to the second cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.