Non-uniform thickness electroactive device
US7015624B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 26, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N30/857
- WIPO fieldMacromolecular chemistry, polymers
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An electroactive device comprises at least two layers of material, wherein at least one layer is an electroactive material and wherein at least one layer is of non-uniform thickness. The device can be produced in various sizes, ranging from large structural actuators to microscale or nanoscale devices. The applied voltage to the device in combination with the non-uniform thickness of at least one of the layers (electroactive and/or non-electroactive) controls the contour of the actuated device. The effective electric field is a mathematical function of the local layer thickness. Therefore, the local strain and the local bending/torsion curvature are also a mathematical function of the local thickness. Hence the thinnest portion of the actuator offers the largest bending and/or torsion response. Tailoring of the layer thicknesses can enable complex motions to be achieved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.