Artificial muscle actuators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10935009-B2
Application number	US-201716467830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2017
Priority date	Dec 8, 2016
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

An actuator device that includes a conducting material and at least one fuse incorporated into the conducting material is disclosed. The at least one fuse may stop current flow for temperatures above a specific temperature. The actuator device may also include a series of electronics that determine whether the actuating device has blown the at least one fuse.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator device, comprising:
an artificial muscle fiber;
a conducting wire disposed on and wound around an outer surface of the artificial muscle fiber; and
at least one fuse incorporated into the conducting wire and provided on the outer surface of the artificial muscle fiber.

2. The actuator device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fuse stops current flow for a temperature above a specific temperature.

3. The actuator device of claim 2 , wherein the specific temperature is less than a glass transition temperature of the artificial muscle fiber of the actuator device.

4. The actuator device of claim 2 , wherein, after the temperature has exceeded the specific temperature, the at least one fuse resumes current flow when the temperature drops below the specific temperature.

5. The actuator device of claim 4 , wherein, after the temperature has exceeded the specific temperature, the at least one fuse re-hardens when the temperature drops below the specific temperature.

6. The actuator device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor that determines whether the actuator device has blown the at least one fuse.

7. The actuator device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fuse comprises a material that melts at a specific temperature.

Assignees

• Lintec America Inc

Inventors

• Lima Marcio Dias
• Yang Yang
• Plata Luis
• Guerrero Marilu
• Le Franklin
• Allen Randy

Classifications

• F03G7/067

  Safety arrangements · CPC title

• F03G7/06146

  Torque tubes or torsion bars · CPC title

• F03G7/0612 Primary

  using polymers · CPC title

• F03G7/062

  characterised by the activation arrangement · CPC title

• F03G7/0614

  using shape memory elements · CPC title