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US 8,283,839 B2Granted
Three-dimensional electroactive polymer actuated devices
AssigneeBayer MaterialScience AG
InventorJonathan R. Heim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Devices employing electroactive polymer actuators are disclosed. Acrylic dielectric material based actuators are optionally provided in which architectures are presented that allow for improved power output as compared with other known acrylic dielectric material based transducers. Such technology may be applied in motor-driven applications, lightweight flight applications and lighting applications among others.
Claims7
An electroactive polymer actuator comprising:
- an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm is free to actuate in at least two component directions upon application of voltage for output from the actuator, the actuator having a stable equilibrium configuration when unpowered and undisturbed by a bias force.
An electroactive polymer actuator system comprising:
- an open frame and electroactive polymer material stretched within the frame to form a diaphragm, such that in an unpowered state the frame of the diaphragm is preloaded to deform into a nonequilibrium shape;
- the actuator adapted to produce a cyclic motion by cycling voltage application thereto where application of the voltage causes the frame of the diaphragm to move towards an equilibrium shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.