Apparatus, system, and method for providing fabric-elastomer composites as pneumatic actuators

Title: Apparatus, system, and method for providing fabric-elastomer composites as pneumatic actuators

Soft pneumatic actuators based on composites consisting of elastomers with embedded sheet or fiber structures (e.g., paper or fabric) that are flexible but not extensible are described. On pneumatic inflation, these actuators move anisotropically, based on the motions accessible by their composite structures. They are inexpensive, simple to fabricate, light in weight, and easy to actuate. This class of structure is versatile: the same principles of design lead to actuators that respond to pressurization with a wide range of motions (bending, extension, contraction, twisting, and others). Paper, when used to introduce anisotropy into elastomers, can be readily folded into three-dimensional structures following the principles of origami; these folded structures increase the stiffness and anisotropy of the elastomeric actuators, while keeping them light in weight.

Inventors:: Martinez, Ramses V.; Whitesides, George M.

Issue Date:: 2017-10-25

OSTI Identifier:: 1404934

Assignee:: President and Fellows of Harvard College CHO

Patent Number(s):: 9,797,415

Application Number:: 14/467,758

Contract Number:: FG02-00ER45852

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2014 Aug 25

Research Org:: President and Fellows of Harvard College, Cambridge, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Org:: USDOE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 42 ENGINEERING

Full Text
View Full Text

Other works cited in this record:

Ornamental Table with Illuminated Receptacle
patent, June 1659

Wass, Yvonne; Wass, Ernest
US Patent Document 2,891,139
URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F2891139

Rotary motion valve and actuator
patent, August 1976

Sigmon, James
US Patent Document 3,977,648
URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F3977648

Inflatable ram
patent, July 1982

Edwards, Thomas
US Patent Document 4,337,921
URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F4337921

Bendable actuator
patent, January 1992

Sato, Teruyoshi; Negishi, Koichi
US Patent Document 5,083,498
URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F5083498

Bellows actuator
patent, January 1993

Immega, Guy
US Patent Document 5,181,452
URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F5181452

Multiple chambered lift bag
patent, April 1996

Wright, Hancel; Metcalfe, Harry
US Patent Document 5,506,012
URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F5506012

Flexible hose apparatus
patent-application, August 2004

Harris, Richard K.
US Patent Application 10/370207; 20040161347
URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040161347%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040161347&RS=DN/20040161347

Actuator, Driving Device, Hand Device, and Conveyance Device
patent-application, July 2009

Kudawara, Tatuwo; Shimizu, Mikio; Ichikawa, Yasunori
US Patent Application \t12/162577; 20090173223
URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220090173223%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20090173223&RS=DN/20090173223

Similar records in DOepatents and OSTI.GOV collections:

Method and Apparatus Providing Deception and/or Altered Operation in an Information System Operating System

Patent Cohen, Fred ; Rogers, Deanna T. ; Neagoe, Vicentiu

A method and/or system and/or apparatus providing deception and/or execution alteration in an information system. In specific embodiments, deceptions and/or protections are provided by intercepting and/or modifying operation of one or more system calls of an operating system.
Full Text Available October 2008
Apparatus and method for fusion of compute and switching functions of exascale system into a single component by using configurable network-on-chip fabric with distributed dual mode input-output ports and programmable network interfaces

Patent Khare, Surhud ; Somasekhar, Dinesh ; More, Ankit ; Dunning, David S. ; Borkar, Nitin Y. ; Borkar, Shekhar Y.

Described is an apparatus which comprises: a Network-On-Chip fabric using crossbar switches, having distributed ingress and egress ports; and a dual-mode network interface coupled to at least one crossbar switch, the dual-mode network interface is to include: a dual-mode circuitry; a controller operable to: configure the dual-mode circuitry to transmit and receive differential signals via the egress and ingress ports, respectively, and configure the dual-mode circuitry to transmit and receive signal-ended signals via the egress and ingress ports, respectively.
Full Text Available June 2018
Apparatus, system and method for providing cryptographic key information with physically unclonable function circuitry

Patent Areno, Matthew

Techniques and mechanisms for providing a value from physically unclonable function (PUF) circuitry for a cryptographic operation of a security module. In an embodiment, a cryptographic engine receives a value from PUF circuitry and based on the value, outputs a result of a cryptographic operation to a bus of the security module. The bus couples the cryptographic engine to control logic or interface logic of the security module. In another embodiment, the value is provided to the cryptographic engine from the PUF circuitry via a signal line which is distinct from the bus, where any exchange of the value bymore »« less
Full Text Available December 2015
Energetic composites and method of providing chemical energy

Patent Danen, Wayne C. ; Martin, Joe A.

A method for providing chemical energy and energetic compositions of matter consisting of thin layers of substances which will exothermically react with one another. The layers of reactive substances are separated by thin layers of a buffer material which prevents the reactions from taking place until the desired time. The reactions are triggered by an external agent, such as mechanical stress or an electric spark. The compositions are known as metastable interstitial composites (MICs). This class of compositions includes materials which have not previously been capable of use as energetic materials. The speed and products of the reactions can bemore » varied to suit the application.« less
Full Text Available January 1997
Method and apparatus for providing negative ions of actinide-metal hexafluorides

Patent Compton, Robert N. ; Reinhardt, Paul W. ; Garrett, William R.

This invention relates to a novel method and a novel generator, or source, for providing gaseous negative ions of selected metal hexafluorides. The method is summarized as follows: in an evacuated zone, reacting gaseous fluorine with an actinide-metal body selected from the group consisting of uranium, plutonium, neptunium, and americium to convert at least part of the metal to the hexafluoride state, thus producing gaseous negatively charged metal-hexafluoride ions in the evacuated zone, and applying an electric field to the zone to remove the ions therefrom. The ion source comprises a chamber defining a reaction zone; means for evacuating themore »« less
Full Text Available January 1978