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US 7,911,115 B2Granted
Monolithic electroactive polymers
AssigneeSRI International
InventorsRonald E. Pelrine, Roy D. Kornbluh, Qibing Pei, Joseph S. Eckerle
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AssigneeSRI International
InventorsRonald E. Pelrine, Roy D. Kornbluh, Qibing Pei, Joseph S. Eckerle
Estimating the term…
The present invention relates to polymers, transducers and devices that convert between electrical and mechanical energy. When a voltage is applied to electrodes contacting an electroactive polymer, the polymer deflects. This deflection may be used to do mechanical work. Similarly, when the electroactive polymer deflects, an electric field is produced in the polymer. This electric field may be used to produce electrical energy. An active area is a portion of a polymer having sufficient electrostatic force to enable deflection of the portion and/or sufficient deflection to enable a change in electrostatic force. The present invention relates to transducers and devices including multiple active areas. The invention also relates to methods for actuating one or more active areas.
A transducer for converting between electrical energy and mechanical energy, the transducer comprising:
A method for using an electroactive polymer comprising a first active area and a second active area, the first active area having at least two first active area electrodes and a first portion of the electroactive polymer, the second active area having at least two second active area electrodes and a second portion of the electroactive polymer, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.