US5440193A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for structural, actuation and sensing in a desired direction
Assignee: University of Maryland, Baltimore
•
Filing: 1993-04-07
•
Granted: 1995-08-08
•
Expires: 2013-04-07
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus, system and method for actuating or sensing strains in a substrate which includes at least one actuator/sensor element which has transverse and longitudinal axes. The actuator/sensor element is attached to the substrate in such a manner that the stiffness of the actuator/sensor element differs in the transverse and longitudinal axes. In this manner, it is possible to sense or actuate strains in the substrate in a desired direction, regardless of the passive stiffness properties of the substrate, actuator element or sensor element. An isotropic actuator/sensor element attached to a substrate in this manner can then operate in an anisotropic way. In a preferred embodiment, the actuator/sensor element is bonded to the substrate at an area of attachment occupying only the central third of the actuator/sensor element in its longitudinal axes. The actuator/sensor element may be a piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, thermally actuated lamina (including bi-metallic) or shape memory alloy element.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald M. Barrett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 13:34
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B7/00; G01B7/16; B; B64; B64C; B64C27/00; B64C27/001; G01L; G01L1/00; G01L1/12; G01L1/125; G01L1/16; G01P; G01P15/00; G01P15/02; G01P15/08; G01P15/09; G01P15/0922; H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/01; H10N30/07; H10N30/072; H10N30/073; H10N30/20; H10N30/204; H10N30/208; H10N35/00; B64C27/54; B64C27/72; B64C2027/7205; B64C2027/7261; B64C2027/7266; B64C2027/7277; B64C2027/7283; B64C2027/7288; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T50/00; Y02T50/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
An actuator system, comprising: a substrate having a bonding area flanked by opposed non-bonding areas; at least one isotropic actuator element having transverse and longitudinal axes, and having a width and length wherein the length is longer than the width, said at least one actuator element having a bonding area flanked by opposed non-bonding areas; a bonding agent attaching said bonding area of said actuator element directly to said bonding area of said substrate with the non-bonding areas of said actuating element facing opposed non-bonding areas of said substrate, whereby the stiffness of the actuator element differs in the transverse and longitudinal axes of said actuator element; and means for actuating said actuator element to thereby impart a torosional deflection in said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
An actuator system, comprising: a substrate having a bonding area flanked by opposed non-bonding areas; at least one isotropic actuator element having transverse and longitudinal axes, and having a width and length wherein the length is longer than the width, said at least one actuator element having a bonding area flanked by opposed non-bonding areas; a bonding agent attaching said bonding area of said actuator element directly to said bonding area of said substrate with the non-bonding areas of said actuating element facing opposed non-bonding areas of said substrate, whereby the stiffness of the actuator element differs in the transverse and longitudinal axes of said actuator element; and means for actuating said actuator element to thereby impart a torosional deflection in said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said bonding area occupies only a central third of said actuator element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said bonding agent extends along said longitudinal axis a selected length which is at least twice as long as a length of the bonding area of the actuator element along said transverse axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said actuator element has an aspect ratio greater than 10 to 1 and a thickness of the bonding agent is approximately equal to a thickness of the actuator element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said actuator element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, shape memory alloy and thermally actuated lamina elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 1, comprising: a plurality of isotropic actuator elements each having a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of actuator elements are aligned parallel to one another, at an angle of 0° to 90° to a selected orthogonal axis of said substrate and separated by at least 5 mil. from each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 7, further comprising: a feedback loop for controlling said plurality of actuator elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein the bonding area of the actuator element ranges from a central 1/5 to 3/4 of the width of the actuator element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein the bonding area of the actuator element defines an inverse elliptical pattern on the actuator element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a method of actuating strains in a substrate having a bonding area flanked by opposed non-bonding areas, the improvement comprising the steps of: providing at least one isotropic actuator element having transverse and longitudinal axes, and having a width and length wherein the length is longer than the width, said actuator element having a bonding area extending along said longitudinal axis and flanked by opposed non-bonding areas extending along said longitudinal axis; attaching said bonding area of said actuator element directly to said bonding area of the substrate by a bonding agent with the opposed non-bonding areas of the actuator element facing the non-bonding areas of the substrate, whereby a stiffness of the actuator element differs in the transverse and longitudinal axes of said actuator element; and actuating said at least one actuator element to thereby impart a torosional deflection in said substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a method of actuating strains in a substrate having a bonding area flanked by opposed non-bonding areas, the improvement comprising the steps of: providing at least one isotropic actuator element having transverse and longitudinal axes, and having a width and length wherein the length is longer than the width, said actuator element having a bonding area extending along said longitudinal axis and flanked by opposed non-bonding areas extending along said longitudinal axis; attaching said bonding area of said actuator element directly to said bonding area of the substrate by a bonding agent with the opposed non-bonding areas of the actuator element facing the non-bonding areas of the substrate, whereby a stiffness of the actuator element differs in the transverse and longitudinal axes of said actuator element; and actuating said at least one actuator element to thereby impart a torosional deflection in said substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of attaching said actuator element to said substrate comprises: attaching said actuator element to said substrate over only a central third of said actuator element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of attaching said actuator element to said substrate comprises: attaching said actuator element to said substrate at a selected length along said longitudinal axis which is at least twice as long as a length the actuator element is attached to the substrate along said transverse direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein an aspect ratio of said actuator element is greater than 10 to 1 and a thickness of the bonding material is approximately equal to a thickness of the actuator element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said actuator element is selected from the group consisting of piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, shape memory alloy and thermally actuated lamina elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of attaching said actuator element to said substrate comprises: attaching a plurality of isotropic actuator elements to said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method according to claim 16, wherein said step of attaching said plurality of actuator elements to said substrate comprises: attaching said plurality of actuator elements in parallel to one another, at an angle of 0° to 90° to a selected orthogonal axis of said substrate and separated by at least 5 mil. from each other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of: controlling said plurality of actuator elements by a feedback loop.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of attaching said actuator element to said substrate comprises: applying the bonding agent to the bonding area of the actuator element from a central 1/5 to 3/4 of the width of the actuator element.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of attaching said actuator element to said substrate comprises: applying the bonding agent to the bonding area of the actuator element in an inverse elliptical pattern.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2735025A
Cited
US2558563A
Cited
US2782397A
Cited
US2920480A
Cited
US3136154A
Cited
US3184962A
Cited
US3462746A
Cited
GB1149636A
Cited
US3401377A
Cited
US3786679A
Cited
US3863250A
Cited
US4725020A
Cited
US4793189A
Cited
US4857791A
Cited
US4868447A
Cited
WO1991012953A1
Cited
US5331241A
Cited
US5359494A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-08-07 | 1999-02-06 | 1999-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-08-07 | 2003-02-06 | 2003-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-08-07 | 2007-02-06 | 2007-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |