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AssigneeFriwo Silberkraft Gesellschaft fuer Batterietechnik mbH
InventorsHelmut Bauer, Foad Derisavi-Fard, Uwe Eckoldt, Ralf Gehrmann, Heribert Kickel
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An electrochemical actuator forms a sealed gas space inside of which there are a plurality of cells. Each cell has a solid electrode made from an electrochemically reversibly oxidizable material and a counter electrode. By applying a reversible direct current, an electrochemical reaction is initiated which results in a pressure increase or decrease in the gas space that can be used for generating movement. The manufacture of the actuator is simplified and manufacturing costs are lowered by providing a stackable spacer frame for each cell which is constructed of a material that is a relatively good heat conductor and an electric isolator. The rim of a metallic cell cup is attached to the spacer frame and a matrix soaked with an electrolyte is placed inside the cup. Each cell further has a solid electrode, a separator and a counter electrode which, together with the spacer frame, are assembled into a cell. When the cells are stacked, the counter electrode of each cell is placed against the cell cup of the adjoining cell.
An electrochemical actuator with a sealed gas space and a plurality of cells each including a solid body electrode made of an electrochemically reversibly oxidizable material and a counter electrode, wherein a reversible electrochemical reaction initiated by a D.C. current causes a pressure increase or a pressure decrease in the gas space which can be transformed into motion, characterized in that each cell is defined by a stackable, frame-shaped spacer constructed of a material which is an electric isolator and has good heat conducting characteristics, the spacer receiving a rim of a metal cell cup (13) holding a matrix (15) soaked with an electrolyte, a solid body electrode (16), a separator (17) and a counter electrode (18), and wherein in a stack the counter electrode (18) of each cell (7) engages the cell cup (13) of the adjacent cell (7).
An electrochemical actuator comprising means forming a sealed gas space and a plurality of cells each including a stackable spacer frame constructed of a material which is a relatively good heat conductor and an electric isolator, a metal cell cup connected with the frame, a matrix soaked with an electrolyte disposed in the cell cup, a solid electrode, a separator, and a counter electrode connected with the frame, the spacer frames being stacked one on top of the other so that the counter electrodes of the cell touch cell cups of respective adjoining cells, the solid electrodes being constructed of an electrochemically reversibly oxidizable material so that the application of D.C. potential results in an electrochemical reaction which increases or decreases a pressure in the gas space for generating motion therewith.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.