Morphable surface
AssigneesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKoray Benli, Yuyang Song, Umesh N. Gandhi, Shinnosuke Shimokawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system can include a base and an outer layer defining an outer surface. An actuator can be positioned between the base and outer layer. The actuator can include a body that is inflatable and has a bellows configuration. The actuator is movable between an activated configuration and non-activated configuration by selective inflation or deflation of the body. The actuator being operatively positioned to cause the outer surface to morph when in an activated configuration.
Claims17
An actuator comprising:
- a body having a bellows configuration and being inflatable,
- the body being made of an active material with a transition temperature,
- when a temperature of the body is below the transition temperature, the body being rigid, and
- when the temperature of the body is above the transition temperature, the body being flexible, whereby the actuator is movable between activated and non-activated configurations by selectively inflating or deflating the body;
- and
- a heating element operatively positioned in contact with at least a portion of the body, whereby, when activated, the heating element causes the temperature of the body to increase, the heating element being embedded within the body.
An actuator comprising:
- a body having a bellows configuration and being inflatable,
- the body being made of an active material with a transition temperature,
- when a temperature of the body is below the transition temperature, the body being rigid, and
- when the temperature of the body is above the transition temperature, the body being flexible, whereby the actuator is movable between activated and non-activated configurations by selectively inflating or deflating the body;
- and
- a heating element operatively positioned in contact with at least a portion of the body, whereby, when activated, the heating element causes the temperature of the body to increase, the heating element being located along one or more edges of the body.
A system comprising:
- a base;
- an outer layer defining an outer surface;
- an actuator positioned between the base and the outer layer, the actuator including a body being inflatable and having a bellows configuration, the actuator being movable between an activated configuration and non-activated configuration by selective inflation or deflation of the body, the actuator being operatively positioned to cause the outer surface to morph when in an activated configuration;
- and
- a processor configurated to cause the body to be inflated by supplying a fluid to an interior of the body and to cause the body to be deflated by drawing out a fluid from the interior of the body.
A system comprising:
- a base;
- an outer layer defining an outer surface;
- and
- an actuator positioned between the base and the outer layer, the actuator including a body being inflatable and having a bellows configuration, the actuator being movable between an activated configuration and non-activated configuration by selective inflation or deflation of the body, the actuator being operatively positioned to cause the outer surface to morph when in an activated configuration, the actuator being a plurality of actuators, the plurality of actuators being independent actuatable.
A method, a structure including an outer layer defining an outer surface, the structure including an actuator positioned between a base and outer layer, the actuator including a body being inflatable and having a bellows configuration, the body being made of an active material with a transition temperature, the actuator being movable between a non-activated configuration and one or more activated configurations, the method comprising:
- causing the outer surface to morph by inflating the body, whereby a dimension of the body increases;
- and
- prior to inflating the body, heating at least a portion of the body to a target level above the transition temperature, whereby a desired level of actuation is achieved when the body is inflated.
A method, a structure including an outer layer defining an outer surface, the structure including an actuator positioned between a base and outer layer, the actuator including a body being inflatable and having a bellows configuration, the body being made of an active material with a transition temperature, the actuator being movable between a non-activated configuration and one or more activated configurations, the method comprising:
- causing the outer surface to morph by inflating the body, whereby a dimension of the body increases;
- prior to inflating the body, heating at least a portion of the body above the transition temperature;
- and
- when the body is inflated, causing a temperature of the at least the portion of the body to decrease below the transition temperature, whereby the body becomes rigid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.