Configurable adhesive device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12004904-B2
Application number	US-202017599653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2020
Priority date	Apr 8, 2019
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A device (100) and method for adhering by suction to a target surface (200). The device has a substrate (20) with a contact surface (20a) for contacting the device (100) to the target surface (200). A plurality of pocket (10) are formed by respective pocket surfaces (10a) concavely extending into the contact surface (20a). The pockets (10) have an open side (10b) facing and being closed off by the target surface (200). A flexible membrane (15) forms at least part of the pocket surface (10a). An actuator (40) is configured to actuate the flexible membrane (15). A one-way valve (30) through the pocket surface (10a) is configured to direct a contents of the pocket (10) via the one-way valve (30) to an environment (300).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for adhering by suction to a target surface, the device comprising:
a substrate having a contact surface configured for contacting the device to the target surface;
a plurality of pockets distributed across the contact surface, wherein each one of the plurality of pockets is formed by a pocket surface extending to the contact surface and has an open side that, in use, faces and is closed off by the target surface, and wherein each pocket of the plurality of pockets comprises:
a flexible membrane forming at least part of the pocket surface; and
a one-way valve formed through the pocket surface, wherein the one-way valve is:
disposed between the pocket and an environment, and
configured to direct, in use, contents of the pocket via an opening in the one-way valve to the environment; and

an actuator integrated with at least one pocket of the plurality of pockets,
wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket, and
wherein actuating the actuator to actuate the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket causes contents of the at least one pocket to be discharged via the one-way valve of the at least one pocket, thereby providing a suction relation between the contact surface of the device and the target surface.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the one-way valve is formed through the flexible membrane.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the one-way valve comprises a flap configured to:
open a passage out of the pocket when air flows in a first direction out of the pocket as a result of the flexible membrane being actuated; and
close, the passage that is currently open, when air flows into the pocket through the one-way valve.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the flexible membrane and the flap forming the one-way valve are made of a same material.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is disposed on the flexible membrane.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises a polymer based piezoelectric layer adhered to the flexible membrane, and wherein the flexible membrane that includes the piezoelectric layer is more flexible than the substrate.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to vibrate at a resonance frequency of the flexible membrane.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is formed as a flexible sheet.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of the pocket is less than ten millimeters cubed.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is formed as a sheet with a matrix of more than a hundred pockets, each pocket having a volume of less than one cubic millimeter.

11. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more active components disposed between the pockets and configured to transmit or receive acoustical signals into the target surface for inspecting a target volume below the target surface.

12. An ultrasound device comprising:
a substrate having a contact surface configured for contacting the device to a target surface;
a plurality of pockets distributed across the contact surface, wherein each one of the plurality of pockets is formed by a pocket surface extending to the contact surface and has an open side that, in use, faces and is closed off by the target surface, and wherein each pocket of the plurality of pockets comprises:
a flexible membrane forming at least part of the pocket surface; and
a one-way valve formed through the pocket surface, wherein the one-way valve is:
disposed between the pocket and an environment, and
configured to direct, in use, contents of the pocket via an opening in the one-way valve to the environment; and

an actuator integrated with at least one pocket of the plurality of pockets,
wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket,
wherein actuating the actuator to actuate the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket causes contents of the at least one pocket to be discharged via the one-way valve of the at least one pocket, thereby providing a suction relation between the contact surface of the device and the target surface,
wherein the ultrasound device comprises one or more active components disposed between pockets of the plurality of pockets, and
wherein the one or more active components are configured to transmit or receive acoustical signals into the target surface for inspecting a target volume below the target surface.

13. A method for adhering a device to a target surface, wherein the device comprises:
a substrate having a contact surface;
a plurality of pockets distributed across the contact surface, wherein each one of the plurality of pockets is formed by a pocket surface extending to the contact surface and has an open side, that, in use, faces and is closed off by the target surface, and wherein each pocket of the plurality of pockets comprises:
a flexible membrane forming at least part of the pocket surface; and
a one-way valve formed through the pocket surface, wherein the one-way valve is:
disposed between the pocket and an environment, and
configured to direct, in use, contents of the pocket via an opening in the one-way valve to the environment; and

an actuator integrated with at least one pocket of the plurality of pockets,
wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket,
wherein actuating the actuator to actuate the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket causes contents of the at least one pocket to be discharged via the one-way valve of the at least one pocket, thereby providing a suction relation between the contact surface of the device and the target surface; and
wherein the method comprises:
contacting the contact surface of the substrate with the target surface, wherein the target surface closes the open sides of the pockets; and
actuating, by the actuator, the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket to cause contents of the at least one pocket to be discharged via the one-way valve of the at least one pocket to the environment through the pocket surface of the at least one pocket, thereby providing a suction relation between the contact surface of the device and the target surface.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the device is detached after adhering by deactivating the actuator and allowing air to leak back into the plurality of pockets from the environment.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the one-way valves are formed through the respective flexible membrane.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the one-way valves each comprises a respective flap configured to:
open a respective passage out of a respective pocket of the pockets when air flows in a first direction out of the respective pocket as a result of the respective flexible membrane being actuated; and
close, the passage that is currently open, when air flows into the respective pocket through the respective one-way valve in an opposite direction.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the flexible membranes and the flaps forming the one-way valves are made of a same material.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the actuator is disposed on the flexible membrane of the at least one pocket.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the actuator comprises a polymer based piezoelectric layer adhered to the flexible membrane of the at lea

Assignees

• TNO

Inventors

• Van Neer Paul Louis Maria Joseph
• Volker Arno Willem Frederik
• Akkerman Hylke Broer
• Gelinck Gerwin Hermanus
• Van Mol Antonius Maria Bernardus
• Berkhoff Arthur Perry

Classifications

• H10N30/2047

  Membrane type · CPC title

• F16B47/00 Primary

  Suction cups for attaching purposes; Equivalent means using adhesives {(devices using adhesives, suction or magnetism for hanging or supporting pictures or the like A47G1/17; vacuum work holders B25B11/005; anchoring of ships using suction B63B21/27; suction cups for handling glass B65G49/061; load-engaging elements for cranes using suction means B66C1/02)} · CPC title

• A61B5/252

  by suction · CPC title

• A61B8/4209 Primary

  by using holders, e.g. positioning frames · CPC title