Actuator structure and method

US9972768B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Novasentis, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Mark Levatich · Brooktondale, US
• Christophe Ramstein · San Francisco, US
• Matthew Douglas Rogge · Atlanta, US
• Richard W. Ducharme · Winston-Salem, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 15, 2014
• Grant date: May 15, 2018
• Expiry date: May 15, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N30/50

Abstract

An electromechanical polymer (EMP) transducer may include (a) one or more EMP layers each having a first operating characteristic; and (b) one or more EMP layers each having a second operating characteristic different from the first operating characteristic. The EMP transducer may include at least two EMP layers that are activated independently, and one or more EMP layers being configured to be a sensing layer. The sensing layer may sensitive to one or both of the operating characteristics (e.g., temperature, strain, pressure and their respective rates of change). Other operating characteristic may include resin type, modulus, film thicknesses, degrees of deformations, operating temperature ranges, a stretching ratio of the EMP layers, metallization patterns of electrodes, arrangements of active and inactive EMP layers, arrangements of irradiated EMP layers, arrangements of EMP layers acting as sensors, and arrangements of inactive layers of various degrees of stiffness.