Jamming device with jamming sheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11979098-B2
Application number	US-201917252815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2018
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

At least some embodiments of the present disclosure direct to an electrostatic sheet jamming apparatus comprising a first sheet comprising a first conductive layer, the first sheet comprising a set of first features, a first dielectric layer, and a second sheet comprising a second conductive layer and disposed proximate to the first dielectric layer, the second sheet comprising a set of second features. The first dielectric layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The first sheet and the second sheet are non-extensible and flexible. The first sheet and the second sheet are movable relative to each other in a first state. The first sheet and the second sheet are jammed with each other in a second state when a voltage is applied between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrostatic sheet jamming apparatus comprising:
a first sheet comprising a first conductive layer, the first sheet comprising a set of first features protruded from a first general plane of the first sheet,
a first dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the first conductive layer, and
a second sheet comprising a second conductive layer and disposed proximate to the first dielectric layer, the second sheet comprising a set of second features protruded from a second general plane of the second sheet,
wherein the first dielectric layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer,
wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are non-extensible and flexible,
wherein at least some of the set of first features are configured to mate with at least some of the set of second features,
wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are movable relative each other in a first state,
and wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are jammed with each other in a second state when a voltage that is below a breakdown voltage of air is applied between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set of first features has a first height representing an average height of the set of first features from the first general plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first height is equal to or less than 10 millimeters.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first height is equal to or less than 1 millimeters.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the set of second features has a second height representing an average height of the set of second features from the second general plane.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second height is equal to or less than 10 millimeters.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second height is equal to or less than 1 millimeters.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the set of first features is a prism, a pyramid, a rectangular protrusion, an ellipsoidal protrusion, a sawtooth, or a sinusoid.

9. An electrostatic sheet jamming apparatus comprising:
a first set of sheets, each sheet comprising a first conductive layer,
a second set of sheets, each sheet comprising a second conductive layer,
a first connector electrically conductively connected to first conductive layers of at least part of the first set of sheets,
a second connector electrically conductively connected to second conductive layers of at least part of the second set of sheets, and
a set of dielectric layers,
wherein the first set of sheets are connected on two edges,
wherein the second set of sheets are connected on two edges,
wherein the first set of sheets and the second set of sheets are interdigitated,
wherein each of the adjacent pair of the first set of sheets and the second set of sheets has one of the set of dielectric layers disposed in between,
wherein the first set of sheets and the second set of sheets are movable relative to each other in a first state,
and wherein the first set of sheets and the second set of sheets are jammed with each other in a second state when a voltage is applied between the first connector and the second connector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first set of sheets and the second set of sheets are interdigitated with an angle greater than 0 degree.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first set of sheets are connected on two opposing edges.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first set of sheets are rotatable relative to the second set of sheets in the first state.

13. An electrostatic sheet jamming apparatus comprising:
a first sheet comprising a first conductive layer,
a first dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the first conductive layer,
a second sheet comprising a second conductive layer and disposed proximate to the first dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer,
wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are made of non-extensible materials and flexible,
wherein the first sheet comprises a set of first slit features such that the first sheet is extensible on a first axis,
wherein the second sheet comprises a set of second slit features such that the second sheet is extensible on a second axis,
wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are slidable relative to each other in a first state,
and wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are locked against each other in a second state when a voltage is applied between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the set of first slit features is an elongated opening, a triangle opening, and an oval opening.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second sheets are extensible in one axis.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Corrigan Thomas R
• Rowe David J
• Tilstra Andrew H
• Mandanas Michael Patrick M

Classifications

• H02N13/00 Primary

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