Elastomer actuator and a method of making an actuator
AssigneeDanfoss A/S
InventorsMohamed Benslimand, Peter Gravesen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tubular elastomer actuator with a shape in a cross-sectional view which shape exposes at most one single axis of symmetry of a specific length, e.g. an oval shape. The actuator could be made from a sheet made from a plurality of plate shaped elements which are laminated together and rolled. Each plate shaped element may have a corrugation that gives the element an anisotropic structure, and contains an electrode on only one surface. The actuator displacement is the result of shrinkage displacement of the plate shaped elements upon the application of electrical field across their thickness.
Claims15
An actuator comprising a tubular portion extending in a longitudinal direction, the tubular portion comprising a body of an elastomeric material arranged between two electrodes, wherein any line of symmetry extending between two opposite points on a periphery in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a length which is different from any other such line of symmetry.
A method of making a rolled elastomer actuator, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming a sheet from layers of elements, each comprising a body of an elastomer material and an electrode in contact with a surface of the body,
- rolling up the sheet to form a hollow tubular portion with a shape wherein any line of symmetry extending between two opposite points on a periphery in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a length which is different from any other such line of symmetry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.