High-performance electroactive polymer transducers
View Patent ↗Electroactive polymer constructions that convert electrical energy to mechanical energy and vice versa are disclosed. The subject transducers (actuators, generators, sensors or combinations thereof) share the requirement of a frame or fixture element used in preloading elastomeric film electrodes and dielectric polymer in a desired configuration. The structures are either integrally biased in a push-pull arrangement or preloaded/biased by another element.
1. A device comprising:
an open frame; and
electroactive elastomer material secured within the frame and a region central to the elastomer material which form a diaphragm;
wherein the central region is less flexible than the elastomer material and wherein the elastomer material is stretched to a concave or convex shape and wherein the central region comprises a substantially rigid cap coupled to the frame by a spring.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a selected from a leaf spring and a coil spring.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein-the spring biases the electroactive elastomer material out of plane into the concave or convex shape.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm forms a frustum structure.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the central region is imperforate.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the central region has an interior open section.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein device is adapted to operate as a sensor.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein device is adapted to operate as an actuator.
9. The device of claim 1 , comprising at least two diaphragms wherein each of the at least two elastomeric material sections are stretched into frustum shapes.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein one diaphragm biases another diaphragm.
11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the frustum sections face opposite one another.
12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the frustum sections face towards one another.
13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the central regions are ganged together.
14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises a plurality of independently addressed sections.
15. An assembly comprising a plurality of stacked diaphragms according to claim 1 .
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the stacked diaphragms are connected in series.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the stacked diaphragms are connected in parallel.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein a portion of the stacked diaphragms faces in one direction and another portion of the stacked diaphragms faces in an opposite direction.
19. The device of claim 1 , where upon application of a voltage across the electroactive elastomer alters the concave or convex shape.