Artificial muscles comprising an electrode pair and artificial muscle assemblies including same

An artificial muscle assembly comprising:

• a plurality of artificial muscles, each artificial muscle comprising:
• a housing comprising an electrode region, an expandable fluid region, a first film layer, a second film layer partially sealed to the first film layer to define a sealed portion of the housing, and an unsealed portion surrounded by the sealed portion, the electrode region and the expandable fluid region of the housing disposed in the unsealed portion;
• an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing, the electrode pair comprising a first electrode fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each comprises a pair of tab portions and a bridge portion, wherein the bridge portion interconnects the pair of tab portions;
• and
• a dielectric fluid housed within the housing;
• wherein the plurality of artificial muscles is arranged in a stack such that the expandable fluid region of each artificial muscle is coaxially aligned with one another;
• and
• wherein the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region.

A method for actuating an artificial muscle assembly, the method comprising:

• generating a voltage using a power supply electrically coupled to an electrode pair of an artificial muscle, the artificial muscle comprising a housing including an electrode region, an expandable fluid region, a first film layer, a second film layer partially sealed to the first film layer to define a sealed portion of the housing, and an unsealed portion surrounded by the sealed portion, the electrode region and the expandable fluid region of the housing disposed in the unsealed portion, wherein:
• the electrode pair is positioned in the electrode region of the housing;
• the electrode pair comprises a first electrode fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to opposing second surface of the housing, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each comprises a pair of tab portions and a bridge portion, wherein the bridge portion interconnects the pair of tab portions;
• and
• a dielectric fluid is housed within the housing, and
• applying the voltage to the electrode pair of the artificial muscle, thereby actuating the electrode pair from a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that the dielectric fluid is directed into the expandable fluid region of the housing and expands the expandable fluid region.