Patent US5268611A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5268611A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Anisotropic transducer
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
•
Filing: 1992-03-16
•
Granted: 1993-12-07
•
Expires: 2012-03-16
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to an actuator which changes its length without changing its width or breadth dimensions. Four shear electrodeformable bodies 4 are placed symmetrically on two faces of a central electrode 6. Each body also has a connecting electrode 8, attached to the electrodeformable body, thus forming a tetramorph which is the basic building block of the actuator. Each connecting electrode allows the tetramorphs to be attached to each other in layers and stacks to the desired dimensions of the actuator. Two of the electrodeformable bodies in the top half of the tetramorph are polarized to shear in one direction and the two electrodeformable bodies in the bottom half are polarized to shear in the opposite direction. If the shear in the electrodeformable bodies is up and down the tetramorph acts as a lifter. If the shear in the electrodeformable bodies is sideways the tetramorph is a tangenter or axier.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon W. Culp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:14
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/20; H10N30/208
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
321 words
An actuator comprising, a central electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, each face having a top portion and a bottom portion, a first shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the top portion of the first face of the central electrode, a first connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the first shear electrodeformable body, a second shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the top portion of the second face of the central electrode, a second connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the second shear electrodeformable body, a third shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the bottom portion of the first face of the central electrode, a third connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the third shear electrodeformable body, a fourth shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the bottom portion of the second face of the central electrode, a fourth connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the fourth shear electrodeformable body, wherein the broad surfaces of the shear electrodeformable bodies do not change size when the shear electrodeformable bodies are activated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
321 words
An actuator comprising, a central electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, each face having a top portion and a bottom portion, a first shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the top portion of the first face of the central electrode, a first connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the first shear electrodeformable body, a second shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the top portion of the second face of the central electrode, a second connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the second shear electrodeformable body, a third shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the bottom portion of the first face of the central electrode, a third connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the third shear electrodeformable body, a fourth shear electrodeformable body having a first broad surface and an opposite second broad surface, wherein the first broad surface is attached to the bottom portion of the second face of the central electrode, a fourth connecting electrode with a first face and an opposite second face, wherein the first face of the connecting electrode is attached to the second broad surface of the fourth shear electrodeformable body, wherein the broad surfaces of the shear electrodeformable bodies do not change size when the shear electrodeformable bodies are activated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
An actuator as in claim 1 wherein the first and second shear electrodeformable bodies are polarized to shear in one direction and the third and fourth shear electrodeformable bodies are polarized to shear in the opposite direction when the actuator is activated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An actuator as in claim 2 wherein the shear electrodeformable bodies shear left and right with respect to the top and bottom of the central electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
An actuator as in claim 2 wherein the shear electrodeformable bodies shear up and down with respect to the top and bottom of the central electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
An actuator as in claim 3 wherein a plurality of actuators are attached by a common connecting electrode having a first face attached to a shear electrodeformable body of a first actuator and a second opposing face attached to a shear electrodeformable body of an adjacent actuator to form an actuator layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
An actuator as in claim 5 wherein the first connecting electrode of one actuator is connected on one face to the second shear electrodeformable body of the adjacent actuator and the third connecting electrode of one actuator is connected on one face to the fourth electrodeformable body of the adjacent actuator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
An actuator as in claim 3 wherein the connecting electrodes have a top portion and a bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion of the first connecting electrode is attached to the first electroshearable body of one actuator and the top portion is attached to the third electroshearable body of an adjacent actuator and wherein the bottom portion of the second connecting electrode is attached to the second electroshearable body of one actuator and the top portion is attached to forth electroshearable body of an adjacent actuator thus forming an actuator stack.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
An actuator as in claim 4 wherein a plurality of actuators are attached by a common connecting electrode having a first face attached to the shear electrodeformable body of a first actuator and a second opposing face attached to the shear electrodeformable body of an adjacent actuator to form an actuator layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
An actuator as in claim 8 wherein the first connecting electrode of one actuator is connected on one face to the second shear electrodeformable body of the adjacent actuator and the third connecting electrode of one actuator is connected on one face to the fourth electrodeformable body of the adjacent actuator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
An actuator as in claim 4 wherein the connecting electrodes have a top portion and a bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion of the first connecting electrode is attached to the first electroshearable body of one actuator and the top portion is attached to third electroshearable body of an adjacent actuator and wherein the bottom portion of the second connecting electrode is attached to the second electroshearable body of one actuator and the top portion is attached to forth electroshearable body of an adjacent actuator thus forming an actuator stack.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
92 words
An actuator of claim 9 wherein the connecting electrodes have a top portion and a bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion of the first connecting electrode is attached to the first electroshearable body of one actuator and the top portion is attached to the third electroshearable body of an adjacent actuator and wherein the bottom portion of the second connecting electrode is attached to the second electroshearable body of one actuator and the top portion is attached to the fourth electroshearable body of an adjacent actuator thus forming an actuator stack.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
An anisotropic transducer comprising a central electrode having a first face and an opposite second face, each face having a top portion and a bottom portion, four electrodeformable bodies symmetrically attached to the central electrode, having two bodies on each face, each electrodeformable body having a connecting electrode attached, wherein the connecting electrodes are attached to electrodeformable bodies of adjacent anisotropic transducers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
An anisotropic transducer comprising a central electrode having a first face and an opposite second face, each face having a top portion and a bottom portion, four electrodeformable bodies symmetrically attached to the central electrode, having two bodies on each face, each electrodeformable body having a connecting electrode attached, wherein the connecting electrodes are attached to electrodeformable bodies of adjacent anisotropic transducers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
77 words
An anisotropic transducer comprising a central electrode having a first face and an opposite second face, each face having a top portion and a bottom portion, four electrodeformable bodies symmetrically attached to the central electrode, having two bodies on each face, each electrodeformable body having a connecting electrode attached, each electrodeformable body shears in a plane parallel to the central electrode faces when activated, wherein the connecting electrodes are attached to electrodeformable bodies of adjacent anisotropic transducers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
An anisotropic transducer comprising a central electrode having a first face and an opposite second face, each face having a top portion and a bottom portion, four electrodeformable bodies symmetrically attached to the central electrode, having two bodies on each face, each electrodeformable body having a connecting electrode attached, each electrodeformable body shears in a plane parallel to the central electrode faces when activated, wherein the connecting electrodes are attached to electrodeformable bodies of adjacent anisotropic transducers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3381149A
Cited
US3117189A
Cited
US3258617A
Cited
US3462746A
Cited
US3489931A
Cited
US4140936A
Cited
US4431935A
Cited
JPS60148389A
Cited
US4775815A
Cited
US4812698A
Cited
US4928030A
Cited
US5043621A
Cited
US5095725A
Cited
US5027028A
Cited
US5170089A
Cited
US5017820A
Cited
US5068566A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-12-06 | 1997-06-07 | 1997-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-12-06 | 2001-06-07 | 2001-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-12-06 | 2005-06-07 | 2005-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |