Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators
US5250167A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 22, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 5, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 22, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2002/704
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators or synthetic muscles capable of undergoing substantial expansion and contraction when subjected to changing pH environments, temperature, or solvent. The actuators employ compliant containers for the gels and their solvents. The gels employed may be cylindrical electromechanical gel fibers such as polyacrylamide fibers or a mixture of poly vinyl alcohol-polyacrylic acid arranged in a parallel aggregate and contained in an electrolytic solvent bath such as salt water. The invention includes smart, electrically activated devices exploiting this phenomenon. These devices are capable of being manipulated via active computer control as large displacement actuators for use in adaptive structure such as robots.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.