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US 12,435,903 B2Granted
Electroactive polymer valve
AssigneeTexas Tech University System
InventorsShakil Ahmad Shimul, Wei Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluidic valve system comprises a housing, a shell mounted to the housing, a vent for allowing fluid to enter the housing in a high pressure zone, at least one Dielectric Elastomer Actuator (DEA) flap forming a seal with the shell, wherein applying a voltage to the DEA flap causes the DEA flap to open the seal with the shell so that fluid can exit through a low pressure zone created between the shell and the DEA flap, and a power supply for supplying the voltage to the DEA flap.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a housing;
- at least one shell mounted to the housing, the at least one shell comprising a flap mold;
- and
- at least one Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap, the at least one Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap being bound on at least two sides in the housing, and a corner of the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap being unbound to the housing, wherein the corner of the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap is configured to form a seal with the flap mold of the at least one shell, wherein applying a voltage to the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap causes the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap to open the seal with the at least one shell.
1 more element
A smart window system comprising:
- a housing configured to fit in an opening for a window;
- at least one shell mounted to the housing, the at least one shell comprising a flap mold;
- a vent;
- a manifold formed in the at least one shell in fluidic connection with the vent, wherein fluid can flow into the manifold through the vent;
- at least one Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap forming a seal with the at least one shell;
- a power supply supplying a voltage to the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap;
- and
- a control system comprising at least one sensor and a microcontroller, wherein the control system is configured to control the voltage provided to the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap, wherein turning the power supply on causes the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap to open the seal with the at least one shell and turning the power supply off causes the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap to close and seal with the at least one shell.
5 more elements
A fluidic valve system comprising:
- a housing;
- a shell mounted to the housing, the at least one shell comprising a flap mold;
- a vent for allowing fluid to enter the housing in a high pressure zone;
- and
- at least one Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap forming a seal with the flap mold of the shell, wherein applying a voltage to the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap causes the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap to open the seal with the shell so that fluid can exit through a low pressure zone created between the shell and the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.