Attachment pad with thermal reversible adhesive and methods of making and using the same
AssigneeGM Global Technology Oeprations, Inc.
InventorsTao Xie, Xingcheng Xiao, Ruomiao Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment provides an attachment pad including a multilayer thermo-reversible adhesive including a shape memory polymer layer and a dry adhesive layer underlying the shape memory polymer layer, the multilayer thermo-reversible adhesive having a curved surface when the shape memory polymer layer is below its glass transition temperature and unaffected by a load; and a means for evenly applying a load and/or detaching force on the perimeter of the multilayer thermo-reversible adhesive including a spring.
Claims18
A product comprising:
- an attachment pad comprising:
- a multilayer thermo-reversible adhesive comprising a shape memory polymer layer and a dry adhesive layer underlying the shape memory polymer layer, the multilayer thermo-reversible adhesive having a curved surface when the shape memory polymer layer is below the glass transition temperature thereof and unaffected by a load;
- and
- a means for evenly applying a load on the perimeter of the multilayer thermo-reversible adhesive comprising a spring.
A mechanical design of a device that does not constrain the shape recovery of a multilayer thermo-reversible adhesive, upon which its adhesion reversibility relying is based.
A method of moving an object comprising:
- providing a robot having a robot arm comprising an attachment pad comprising a thermo-reversible dry adhesive thereon, and a means for applying a load to the thermo-reversible dry adhesive comprising a spring, heating the dry adhesive and pressing the adhesive against the intended part to make contact and cooling down the adhesive so that a strong adhesive bond is formed having a pull-off force greater than 10 N/cm2, controlling the robot arm to carry the part to a target location, and releasing the part comprising heating the dry adhesive again and using a force not greater than 0.5 N/cm2 to detach the robot arm from the part.
A method comprising:
- providing a climbing device including at least one movable arm or leg and an attachment pad attached thereto comprising a thermo-reversible dry adhesive comprising a shape memory polymer layer, and a dry adhesive layer over the shape memory polymer layer, a means for heating and cooling the thermo-reversible dry adhesive, and a means for applying pressure to the thermo-reversible dry adhesive comprising a spring;
- heating the thermo-reversible dry adhesive so that the shape memory polymer is at a temperature above its glass transition temperature, and placing the attachment pad on a wall and applying pressure to the thermo-reversible dry adhesive through the spring, and cooling the thermo-reversible dry adhesive so that the attachment pad is attached to the wall;
- and
- detaching the pad from the wall comprising heating the thermo-reversible dry adhesive layer and applying a relatively small pull-off or peel-off force to remove the pad from the wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.