Artificial muscle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9662197-B2
Application number	US-201514817386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Jan 15, 2015
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

Provided herein is an artificial muscle capable of being miniaturized, realizing precision movement, and performing selective relaxation/contraction deformation according to the power output necessary in the muscle, the muscle including a first operation unit that includes electro-active polymer where relaxation-deformation occurs based on electric energy being applied; a heating unit that generates heat energy based on the electric being applied; a second operation unit that has a yarn structure and where contraction-deformation occurs based on the heat energy generated in the heating unit; and a control unit that applies electric energy to the first operation unit and the heating unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An artificial muscle comprising:
an operation unit configured to include an electro-active polymer which generates relaxation-deformation based on applied electric energy;
a deformation restoration unit configured to restore the operation unit with the relaxation-deformed electro-active polymer; and
a control unit configured to apply the electric energy to the operation unit,
wherein the operation unit comprises:
an electro-active polymer layer that includes the electro-active polymer;
upper and lower electrode layers disposed on upper and lower parts of the electro-active polymer layer, respectively, the upper and lower electrode layers receiving the electric energy; and
upper and lower insulation layers disposed on an upper part of the upper electrode layer and on a lower part of the lower electrode layer, respectively, the upper and lower insulation layers insulating the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer, respectively.

2. The artificial muscle of claim 1 ,
wherein the electro-active polymer layer comprises at least one thin film type electro-active polymer layer.

3. The artificial muscle of claim 1 ,
wherein the operation unit has a shape of a tube.

4. The artificial muscle of claim 3 ,
wherein the deformation restoration unit is disposed inside the operation unit, and includes a spring.

5. The artificial muscle of claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit comprises:
a sensing unit configured to sense an amount of deformation of the operation unit; and
a power adjustment unit configured to adjust the electric energy based on the sensed amount of deformation of the sensing unit.

6. An artificial muscle comprising:
a heating unit configured to generate heat energy based on applied electric energy;
an operation unit configured to have a yarn structure where contraction-deformation occurs based on the heat energy generated in the heating unit; and
a control unit configured to apply the electric energy to the heating unit.

7. The artificial muscle of claim 6 ,
wherein the heating unit comprises a spring.

8. The artificial muscle of claim 7 ,
wherein the operation unit is disposed inside the heating unit.

9. The artificial muscle of claim 7 ,
wherein the spring has a hollow shape that allows a cooling fluid to flow.

10. The artificial muscle of claim 6 ,
wherein the control unit comprises:
a sensing unit configured to sense an amount of deformation of the operation unit; and
a power adjustment unit configured to adjust the electric energy based on the sensed amount of deformation of the sensing unit.

11. An artificial muscle comprising:
a first operation unit configured to include an electro-active polymer which generates relaxation-deformation based on applied electric energy;
a heating unit configured to generate heat energy based on applied electric energy;
a second operation unit configured to have a yarn structure where contraction-deformation occurs based on the heat energy generated in the heating unit; and
a control unit configured to apply the electric energy to the first operation unit and the heating unit.

12. The artificial muscle of claim 11 ,
wherein the first operation unit comprises:
an electro-active polymer layer configured to include the electro-active polymer;
an upper and lower electrode layer disposed on an upper part and a lower part of the electro-active polymer layer, respectively, the upper and lower electrode layer receive the electric energy; and
an upper and lower insulation layer disposed on an upper part of the upper electrode layer and a lower part of the lower electrode layer, respectively, the upper and lower insulation layer insulate the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer, respectively.

13. The artificial muscle of claim 12 ,
wherein the electro-active polymer layer comprises at least one thin film type electro-active polymer layer.

14. The artificial muscle of claim 11 ,
wherein the first operation unit has a shape of a tube.

15. The artificial muscle of claim 14 ,
wherein the heating unit is disposed inside the first operation unit, and comprises a spring.

16. The artificial muscle of claim 15 ,
wherein the second operation unit is disposed inside the heating unit.

17. The artificial muscle of claim 15 ,
wherein the spring has a hollow shape that allows a cooling fluid to flow.

18. The artificial muscle of claim 15 ,
wherein the spring comprises a hollow cylindrical shape.

19. The artificial muscle of claim 11 ,
wherein the control unit comprises:
a first control unit configured to sense an amount of deformation of the first operation unit, and adjust the electric energy being applied to the first operation unit based on the sensed amount of deformation of the first operation unit; and
a second control unit configured to sense an amount of deformation of the second operation unit, and adjust the electric energy being applied to the heating unit based on the sensed amount of deformation of the second operation unit.

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst
• Electronics And Telecommunications Reserach Inst

Inventors

• Yun Sung Ryul
• Kyung Ki Uk
• Nam Sae Kwang
• Park Bong Je
• Park Sun Tak

Classifications

• A61F2/08 Primary

  Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments · CPC title

• A61F2230/0069

  cylindrical · CPC title

• B25J9/1075

  with muscles or tendons · CPC title

• A61F2002/0894

  Muscles · CPC title

• A61F2250/0002

  for data transfer · CPC title