Soft robotic actuators

US9464642B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• President and Fellows of Harvard College · US

Inventors

• Filip Ilievski · Santa Clara, US
• Xin Chen · Evanston, US
• Aaron D. Mazzeo · Green Brook, US
• George M. Whitesides · Newton, US
• Robert F. Shepherd · Windom, US
• Ramses V. Martinez · West Lafayette, US
• Won Jae Choi · Cambridge, US
• Sen Wai Kwok · Watertown, US
• Stephen A. Morin · Lincoln, US
• Adam Stokes · Hillsboro, US
• Zhihong Nie · Cambridge, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 21, 2011
• Grant date: Oct 11, 2016
• Expiry date: Jul 11, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F15B7/06
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A soft robotic device includes a flexible body having a width, a length and a thickness, wherein the thickness is at least 1 mm, the flexible body having at least one channel disposed within the flexible body, the channel defined by upper, lower and side walls, wherein at least one wall is strain limiting; and a pressurizing inlet in fluid communication with the at least one channel, the at least one channel positioned and arranged such that the wall opposite the strain limiting wall preferentially expands when the soft robotic device is pressurized through the inlet.