# US 2014/0191615 A1 · Surfaces that ease relative displacement in eap generators

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- Number: US 2014/0191615 A1
- Document ID: US20140191615A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/126,263
- Filed: 2012-04-19
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-16
- Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH
- Inventors: Istvan Denes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191615A1

## CPC

- H02N 1/08: with conductive charge carrier, i.e. capacitor machines
- H02N 2/18: producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01)
- H10N 30/30: with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
- H10N 30/88: Mounts; Supports; Enclosures; Casings
- H02N 1/00: Electrostatic generators or motors using a solid moving electrostatic charge carrier
- H02N 1/002: {Electrostatic motors}
- H02N 1/004: {in which a body is moved along a path due to interaction with an electric field travelling along the path}
- H02N 1/04: Friction generators
- H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An EAP generator is described, including at least one EAP stack that is disposed between two force-transferring surfaces disposed parallel to one another, having at least one layer, facilitating relative displacement between the end of the EAP stack and the force-transferring surface facing toward that end, in particular a deformable or friction-reducing intermediate layer. A corresponding method for generating electrical energy from elongation energy on a capacitive basis by charge displacement is also described.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-10. (canceled)

### Claim 11

An EAP generator, comprising:
at least one EAP stack disposed between two force-transferring surfaces disposed parallel to one another; and
at least one layer that facilitates relative displacement between one end of the at least one EAP stack and one of the force-transferring surfaces that faces toward the one end, the at least one layer being disposed between the one end of the at least one EAP stack and the force-transferring surface that faces toward the one end.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 11, wherein the layer that facilitates relative displacement is a friction-reducing layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 12, wherein the friction-reducing layer is made of a solid.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 12, wherein the friction-reducing layer has a structured surface in the form of chambers that are in communication with the surface of the friction-reducing layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 13, further comprising:
a liquid lubricant on the surface of the friction-reducing layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 11, wherein an intermediate layer is the layer facilitating relative displacement, the intermediate layer being highly deformable.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 16, wherein the intermediate layer is made of a homogeneous material whose intrinsic properties enable deformability.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 16, wherein the intermediate layer is made of a foamed material.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 11, wherein the EAP generator has a layer facilitating relative displacement only at one end of the at least one EAP stack.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 11, wherein the EAP generator has a layer facilitating relative displacement at each of two ends of the at least one EAP stack.

### Claim 21 (depends on 11)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 11, wherein the layer facilitating relative motion is disposed on a surface of the end of an EAP stack.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The EAP generator as recited in claim 11, wherein the layer facilitating relative movement is disposed on the force-transmitting surface at least one of directly below an EAP stack and directly above an EAP stack.

### Claim 23

A method for generating electrical energy from elongation energy on a capacitive basis by charge displacement, comprising:
providing an EAP generator including at least one EAP stack that is disposed between two force-transferring surfaces disposed parallel to one another, the EAP generator having at least one layer facilitating relative displacement between one end of the at least one EAP stack and one of the force-transferring surfaces that faces toward the one end, the at least one layer being disposed between the one end of the at least one EAP stack and the force-transferring surface that faces toward the one end;
elongating a layer of electroactive polymer of the EAP stack as a result of an externally applied force;
impinging the layer of electroactive polymer in a state of maximum elongation with electric charges below the breakdown field strength;
relaxing by the electroactive polymer; and
picking off a charge upon complete relaxation of the electroactive polymer layer.