Micro-hydraulic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9502995-B2
Application number	US-201314096409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2013
Priority date	Dec 4, 2012
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A micro-hydraulic device includes an enclosure. The enclosure includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface distal to the first surface. The enclosure further includes a chamber defined between the first surface and the second surface. The chamber is defined by a wall substantially from the first surface to the second surface. The enclosure includes a first flexible membrane sealingly connected to the first surface and disposed over the chamber; and a second flexible membrane sealingly connected to the second surface disposed over the chamber distal to the first flexible membrane. The device further includes an internal fluid retained within the enclosure and a rigid electrode fixed within the chamber having an aperture therein. A flexible electrode is disposed on the second flexible membrane opposite the rigid electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A micro-hydraulic device, comprising:
an enclosure having:
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface distal to the first surface;
a chamber defined between the first surface and the second surface defined by a wall substantially from the first surface to the second surface;
a first flexible membrane sealingly connected to the first surface and disposed over the chamber; and
a second flexible membrane sealingly connected to the second surface disposed over the chamber distal to the first flexible membrane;

an internal fluid retained within the enclosure;
a rigid electrode fixed within the chamber, the rigid electrode defining at least one aperture; and
a flexible electrode disposed on the second flexible membrane opposite the rigid electrode.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible electrode is disposed on an outside surface of the second flexible membrane, wherein the outside surface is opposite an inside surface of the second flexible membrane in contact with the internal fluid.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein a cross-section taken through the chamber parallel to the first surface has a constant area for all locations between the first surface and the second surface.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the wall is a tapered wall and the chamber has a diverging cross-sectional area from the first surface to the second surface.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one aperture includes a central aperture and a plurality of peripheral apertures.

6. The device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a boss disposed on any of the first flexible membrane or the second flexible membrane, wherein the boss is stiffer than the respective first flexible membrane or second flexible membrane.

7. The device as defined in claim 6 wherein:
the boss is disposed on an external surface of the respective first flexible membrane or second flexible membrane opposite the chamber;
the external surface is opposite an internal surface of the respective first flexible membrane or second flexible membrane; and
the internal surface is in contact with the internal fluid.

8. The device as defined in claim 6 wherein the boss is disposed on an internal surface of the respective first flexible membrane or second flexible membrane opposite the chamber, wherein the internal surface is in contact with the internal fluid.

9. The device as defined in claim 6 , further comprising an appendage connected to the boss to apply an input force to the boss wherein the input force is in response to a physical stimulation applied on the appendage.

10. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the appendage is disposed within the enclosure.

11. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the appendage is disposed outside the enclosure.

12. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the appendage is to receive tactile force input.

13. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the appendage is to receive a drag force from interaction with a moving environmental fluid in contact with the appendage.

14. The device as defined in claim 13 wherein the appendage has a sail shape, a mushroom shape, a chevron-shape, a T-shape, an X-shape, a square shape, a rectangle shape, or a cylinder shape.

15. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the appendage is captivated by the device.

16. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the appendage is captivated by a captivating structure attached to the substrate.

17. The device as defined in claim 16 wherein the appendage has a flange to cooperate with a recess defined in the captivating structure attached to the substrate.

18. An array of micro-hydraulic devices, comprising:
a plurality of the devices as defined in claim 9 having a common substrate arranged in an array; and
a network of electrical conductors disposed on the common substrate to address the rigid electrodes and the flexible electrodes wherein the appendages are arranged in an array.

19. The array of micro-hydraulic devices as defined in claim 18 wherein at least one appendage is mechanically connected to at least one other appendage.

20. The array of micro-hydraulic devices as defined in claim 18 wherein at least one device in the plurality of the devices is different from an other device in the plurality of the devices.

21. The device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a first pocket defined on the first surface having a first recessed surface recessed from the first surface, and a second pocket defined on the second surface having a second recessed surface recessed from the second surface wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are in fluid communication with the chamber.

22. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the internal fluid is substantially incompressible.

23. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the device is operably an actuator or a sensor.

24. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the internal fluid is electro-chemically active.

Assignees

• Univ Michigan Regents

Inventors

• Najafi Khalil
• Sadeghi Mahdi
• Peterson Rebecca L

Classifications

• H02N11/00 Primary

  Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means (by hydrostatic pressure F03B17/04; {by mechanical means F03G7/10;} by dynamo-electric means, {including arrangements of permanent magnets interacting with other permanent magnets,} H02K53/00) · CPC title

• B81B3/0021

  Transducers for transforming electrical into mechanical energy or vice versa (dynamo-electric machines H02K99/00; electrostatic machines H02N1/00; piezoelectric devices H10N30/00) · CPC title