JP2015104196A - Polymer actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a polymer actuator worked when a voltage is applied.SOLUTION: A force generating part 6 has a laminate 18 formed by laminating electrodes on both surfaces of a gel layer 14, and a driving surface is retracted by contraction of a thickness of the laminate 18 caused by voltage application. A force generating part 8 has a sealed liquid chamber 20 having a driving surface of the force generating part 6 as part of a wall surface. The liquid chamber 20 is filled with an operating fluid 22. At part of a wall surface of the liquid chamber 20, a diaphragm 24 of a force take-out part 10 is provided. When the laminate 18 is contracted, the diaphragm 24 is displaced and a force is applied to a driving load according to a pressure of the operating fluid 22.

Description

  The present invention relates to a polymer actuator.

  The property of expanding and contracting when a voltage is applied to a dielectric polymer (dielectric polymer) is known, and research and development of an actuator (polymer actuator) using the property is being conducted. Polymer actuators are characterized in that the driving force is generated from resin and light in weight, and the generated force per unit weight and volume is large, and are expected to be used in new fields.

  The polymer actuator shown in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2 includes a laminate in which an anode, a dielectric polymer, and a cathode are stacked, and a voltage is applied between the electrodes to deform the dielectric polymer, thereby shrinking the thickness of the laminate. Let Further, the thickness of the laminate is restored by the elasticity of the dielectric polymer by stopping the application of voltage or lowering the voltage.

  Patent Document 3 below introduces examples of dielectric polymers that can be used in polymer actuators.

JP 2012-125087 A JP2012-130201A JP 2005-323482 A

  A conventional polymer actuator using a laminate that contracts when a voltage is applied and expands when a voltage is not applied works to the outside by the elastic force of the dielectric polymer when the voltage application is stopped. Therefore, the force generated by the actuator is governed solely by the elasticity of the dielectric polymer.

  In this regard, if the configuration is such that work is performed when a voltage is applied, the degree of freedom in controlling the magnitude of the force and the like is increased. However, when work is applied to the outside when the laminate contracts due to voltage application, tensile stress acts on the laminate, for example, the electrode and the dielectric polymer are separated, or cracks are formed in the dielectric polymer. Or the like, and the function as an actuator is likely to deteriorate. In particular, in a configuration in which a plurality of laminated structures each composed of an anode, a dielectric polymer, and a cathode are laminated in order to obtain a large displacement, the probability that a portion that is weak against stress increases as the number of laminated layers increases.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and is a polymer actuator suitable for performing work on the outside when shrinking the thickness of a laminate in which an anode, a dielectric polymer, and a cathode are stacked. The purpose is to provide.

  The polymer actuator according to the present invention includes a laminate in which electrodes are stacked on both sides of a dielectric polymer material layer, and the electrode having flexibility is arranged on one surface which serves as a driving surface of the laminate. A force generating unit that retracts the driving surface by contraction of the thickness of the laminate by applying a voltage; a force transmitting unit that includes a sealed liquid chamber filled with a working fluid with the driving surface as a part of a wall surface; The movable portion that forms part of the wall surface is displaced in accordance with contraction of the body, and has a force acting portion that applies force to the driving load.

  In another polymer actuator according to the present invention, the laminate has only one dielectric polymer material layer, and the area of the laminate is larger than a parallel projection image in an arbitrary direction. It has a three-dimensional shape.

  Still further, the polymer actuator according to another aspect of the present invention is fixed in the sealed liquid chamber and allows the working fluid to pass therethrough, and when the laminated body is not contracted, one surface of the laminated body serving as the driving surface is provided. A laminated body pressing member for pressing is provided.

  Another polymer actuator according to another aspect of the present invention is a film that separates and protects the force generation unit from the hydraulic fluid, and covers one surface of the laminate that serves as the driving surface and follows the surface. And having a separation membrane that deforms.

  Still another polymer actuator according to another aspect of the present invention has a case for storing the force generation unit and the force transmission unit, and is on the opposite side of the dielectric polymer material layer from the drive surface of the electrode. The arranged back electrode has a plurality of through holes into which the dielectric polymer material layer is drawn by applying the voltage, and the through holes communicate with the outside of the case.

  Furthermore, the polymer actuator according to the present invention has a laminate in which the first and second electrode layers are arranged with a gel layer made of a dielectric polymer interposed therebetween, and the gel layer is applied to the first electrode layer by voltage application. A force generating part that draws and contracts the thickness of the laminate to generate a driving force; and a force transmitting part that includes a sealed liquid chamber filled with a pressure transmitting liquid with the second electrode layer as a part of a wall surface. .

  In the polymer actuator, the force transmitting portion is a liquid chamber adjacent to the laminated body, and a movable portion of a force acting portion that applies a force to a driving load is a part of the wall surface of the liquid chamber. It can be set as the structure which has a laminated body external liquid chamber.

  In addition, the polymer actuator may include a laminated body fluid chamber that is provided between the gel layer and the second electrode layer and is filled with a conductive liquid as the pressure transmission liquid.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a polymer actuator suitable for performing work on the outside when shrinking the thickness of a laminate in which an anode, a dielectric polymer, and a cathode are stacked.

It is a typical sectional view in the voltage non-application state of the polymer actuator concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a typical sectional view in the voltage application state of the polymer actuator concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is typical sectional drawing of the polymer actuator which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a typical fragmentary sectional view in the voltage non-application state of the polymer actuator which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a typical fragmentary sectional view in the voltage application state of the polymer actuator concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is typical sectional drawing of the polymer actuator which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG.1 and FIG.2 is typical sectional drawing of the polymer actuator 2 which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views along the driving direction of the polymer actuator 2, and the vertical direction in FIG. 1 is the driving direction. FIG. 1 shows a voltage non-application state, and FIG. 2 shows a voltage application state.

  The polymer actuator 2 includes a force generating unit 6, a force transmitting unit 8, and a force extracting unit (force acting unit) 10. In the present embodiment, these parts are integrated by a case 4. The force generator 6 has a laminate in which electrodes are stacked on both sides of a dielectric polymer material layer, and the drive surface is retracted by contraction of the thickness of the laminate due to voltage application. Specifically, the force generator 6 has a laminate 18 composed of a cathode 12, a gel layer 14, and an anode 16. The force transmission unit 8 transmits the force generated by the force generation unit 6 to the force extraction unit 10 through the liquid. Specifically, the force transmission unit 8 includes a liquid chamber 20 and a hydraulic fluid 22. The force extraction unit 10 extracts the force transmitted from the force generation unit 6 by the force transmission unit 8 to the outside. In this embodiment, the force extraction unit 10 is configured by a diaphragm 24. Furthermore, the polymer actuator 2 has a separation membrane 26 and a laminate pressing member 28.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of each part of the polymer actuator 2 will be described in more detail.

  The case 4 includes a force generation unit 6 and a force transmission unit 8. A part of the space in the case 4 constitutes the liquid chamber 20 of the force transmission unit 8, and the case 4 is formed with an opening 30 connected to the liquid chamber 20, and the force extraction unit 10 is attached to the opening 30. Further, the case 4 is formed with a hole 34 that allows the through hole 32 provided in the anode 16 to communicate with the outside of the case 4. The case 4 has a rigidity that is not deformed by the operation of the polymer actuator 2.

  In the laminate 18, the gel layer 14 is a dielectric polymer layer (dielectric polymer material layer), and the cathode 12 is superimposed on one surface thereof, and the anode 16 is disposed on the other surface. The cathode 12 and the anode 16 are connected to a drive circuit (not shown) by wiring not shown, and the potential is set by the drive circuit. For example, no voltage is applied between the cathode 12 and the anode 16 (no voltage applied) State), or a state in which a positive voltage is applied to the anode 16 with respect to the cathode 12 (voltage application state).

  The laminated body 18 is configured so that the thickness contracts when a voltage is applied. Its basic principle and structure is based on conventional polymer actuators. In the laminated body 18 of this embodiment, the concave part which consists of the through-hole 32 is formed in the anode 16 as mentioned above, and the gel layer 14 is arrange | positioned so that it may not enter into the through-hole 32 fundamentally when a voltage is not applied. The gel layer 14 is made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as a main material and added with a plasticizer. When a voltage is applied, the gel layer 14 undergoes creep deformation so as to increase the contact area with the anode 16 and is thereby drawn into the recess. As a result, the amount of the gel layer 14 existing between the cathode 12 and the upper surface of the anode 16 is reduced, the cathode 12 in close contact with the gel layer 14 recedes toward the anode 16 side, and the laminate 18 is compressed and thinned. Incidentally, when the voltage is not applied, the gel layer 14 is restored to its original position due to its elasticity, and the laminate 18 returns to its original thickness.

  The laminate 18 is stored in the case 4 with the anode 16 fixed to the case 4, for example, and the cathode 12 facing the liquid chamber 20. That is, the surface on the cathode 12 side of the laminated body 18 forms a driving surface that advances and retreats according to the voltage applied to the laminated body 18.

  The cathode 12 is formed of, for example, a metal thin film or a metal mesh, and has flexibility to deform following the shape change of the gel layer 14. For example, a metal thin film can be formed on the separation film 26 by vapor deposition or the like, and the metal thin film can be used as the cathode 12.

  The surface of the cathode 12 on the gel layer 14 side is basically formed in a smooth plane. Thereby, when a tensile stress acts between the cathode 12 and the gel layer 14, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of a location where the stress is inadvertently concentrated, and it is easy to maintain a close contact state between the two. On the other hand, it is possible to increase the surface area by increasing the surface area of the cathode 12 by increasing the surface area of the cathode 12 while taking into consideration that the fluctuation of the tensile stress in the adhesion surface between the cathode 12 and the gel layer 14 does not increase. For example, the surface of the cathode 12 on the gel layer 14 side may have a shape that changes in one direction or two-dimensionally in a wave shape.

  The anode 16 is configured so as not to bend even when the gel layer 14 is moved by voltage application, whereby the deformation of the laminated body 18 is preferably converted into displacement of the driving surface. A large number of through holes 32 are arranged in the anode 16 over the entire region facing the gel layer 14. The through hole 32 is for drawing the gel layer 14 into the interior when a voltage is applied. If the concave portion into which the gel layer 14 is drawn in the anode 16 is a closed space, when the gel layer 14 is drawn into the concave portion, the air pressure in the space becomes high, and the pulling in of the gel layer 14 can be inhibited. Therefore, it is preferable that the recess provided in the anode 16 is a through hole 32 and communicates with the outside of the case 4 through the hole 34.

  In addition, the laminated body 18 can also be made into the structure which forms a convex part in the anode 16 side of the gel layer 14, without forming a recessed part in the anode 16 shown by Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2012-161221. In this case, the hole 34 of the case 4 is unnecessary, and the anode 16 may be directed to the liquid chamber 20 and the cathode 12 may be fixed to the case 4.

  The liquid chamber 20 is a hermetically sealed space, part of the wall surface of which is a driving surface of the force generating unit 6, and the force extracting unit 10 is provided in the opening 30. The liquid chamber 20 is filled with a working liquid 22. As the hydraulic fluid 22, a liquid that is incompressible and does not erode the case 4, the drive surface, and the force extraction unit 10 that are the inner wall surface of the liquid chamber 20 is used.

  The separation membrane 26 is a membrane that separates and protects the force generator 6 from the hydraulic fluid 22. The separation membrane 26 covers the surface of the cathode 12 serving as the driving surface of the force generation unit 6, and is displaced and deformed following the surface, and prevents the hydraulic fluid 22 from infiltrating the force generation unit 6. Therefore, the separation membrane 26 is made of a material having flexibility and resistance to the hydraulic fluid 22. In addition, in the structure shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, the separation membrane 26 has a portion in contact with the gel layer 14, and therefore preferably has resistance to the gel layer 14 and a plasticizer included therein.

  For example, the end of the separation membrane 26 is bonded and welded to the case 4 to prevent the hydraulic fluid 22 from entering the force generating unit 6 side.

  A liquid that does not adversely affect the operation of the polymer actuator 2 even if the hydraulic fluid 22 enters the force generating unit 6, for example, has an insulating property, does not cause a short circuit between the cathode 12 and the anode 16, and is a gel layer. The separation membrane 26 can be omitted if it is a liquid that does not cause the deterioration of 14.

  The laminated body pressing member 28 is a member that is fixed in the liquid chamber 20 and allows the hydraulic fluid 22 to pass therethrough and that holds down the surface of the cathode 12 serving as a driving surface when the laminated body 18 is not contracted. For example, the laminated body pressing member 28 can be mesh-shaped or porous.

  As will be described later, the polymer actuator 2 extracts the displacement of the driving surface of the force generator 6 as the displacement of the movable portion of the force extractor 10 via the hydraulic fluid 22. The displacement of the movable part can cause the displacement of the driving surface of the force generating part 6. Specifically, when the movable part of the force extracting unit 10 receives an external force and is displaced outward in a voltage non-applied state, for example, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid 22 is reduced and the driving surface is pulled. As a result, the cathode 12 may be peeled off from the gel layer 14 or a crack may be generated in the gel layer 14, resulting in a defect in the laminate 18 and the performance of the polymer actuator 2 may be degraded. In this respect, by providing the laminated body pressing member 28, the driving surface (the surface of the separation film 26 or the cathode 12) is held by the laminated body pressing member 28 even when the movable portion of the force extraction unit 10 is pulled when no voltage is applied. Displacement is prevented and the above-mentioned disadvantages are prevented.

  In addition, since the cathode 12 has flexibility, the cathode 12 and the gel layer 14 may be swayed and waved by the flow of the working liquid 22 in the liquid chamber 20 and the vibration of the case 4. If the cathode 12 or the like is in a swaying state when no voltage is applied, the rising of the driving force when a voltage is applied can be delayed. In this respect, by providing the laminated body pressing member 28 to stabilize the driving surface when no voltage is applied, the inconvenience can be prevented and the response speed of the driving force with respect to the voltage application can be ensured.

  The force take-out unit 10 has a diaphragm 24 as a movable part forming a part of the wall surface of the liquid chamber 20, and the diaphragm 24 is displaced according to the pressure of the working fluid 22 when the laminate 18 is contracted to exert a force on the driving load. . The force take-out unit 10 is not limited to the diaphragm 24, and for example, a well-known structure that converts a pressure change into a displacement such as a bellows or a piston can be used.

  Next, the operation of the polymer actuator 2 will be described. The polymer actuator 2 can work against the driving load when the laminate 18 is contracted. The operation will be described below. In this operation, for example, when the voltage non-application state shown in FIG. 1 is changed to the voltage application state shown in FIG. 2, the polymer actuator 2 works to the outside. By applying a voltage to the laminate 18, the laminate 18 is compressed and deformed, and the drive surface (the surface of the separation membrane 26 or the cathode 12) is retracted. Then, the diaphragm 24 is displaced and the volume of the liquid chamber 20 is kept constant so as to offset the increase in the volume of the liquid chamber 20 due to the backward movement of the drive surface on the same principle as the hydraulic drive. Work can be performed by the displacement of the diaphragm 24. Note that by changing the area of the portion of the force take-out unit 10 that is displaced, the assignment of the force to be taken out by the force take-out unit 10 and the amount of displacement can be changed.

  In this operation, an equal pressure acts on the inner wall surface of the liquid chamber 20 according to the Pascal principle. In other words, the polymer actuator 2 includes the force transmission unit 8 using the hydraulic fluid 22, so that the force acting on the drive surface when working can be made uniform. In particular, when the drive surface is retracted, the drive surface is pulled by receiving a negative pressure from the hydraulic fluid 22, but the negative pressure becomes uniform in the drive surface. That is, since there is no variation in the magnitude of the negative pressure in the driving surface, the cathode 12 is unlikely to peel off from the gel layer 14 or cracks in the gel layer 14 are less likely to occur.

  The laminated body 18 has a structure having a plurality of gel layers 14, for example, one unit composed of a cathode 12, a gel layer 14, and an anode 16 such as a cathode 12, a gel layer 14, an anode 16, a gel layer 14, a cathode 12. It can also be set as the structure in which these laminated structures are repeatedly included. However, the effect of equalizing the pressure by the above-described hydraulic fluid 22 is preferably obtained as the layer is closer to the hydraulic fluid 22, and the effect can be weakened away from the hydraulic fluid 22. Therefore, from the viewpoint of suppressing the occurrence of defects in the laminated body 18, the number of gel layers 14 included in the laminated body 18 is preferably small. In particular, the laminated body 18 has a gel layer 14 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is preferable that only one layer is included.

  The polymer actuator 2 can perform an operation to work when a voltage is applied due to the above-described configuration, which makes it easy to control the magnitude and speed of the generated force with the voltage.

  The polymer actuator 2 can also perform an operation to work on the driving load when the laminate 18 contracted by voltage application is restored to the non-contracted state when no voltage is applied.

  Moreover, the mechanism which starts the said safety device in response to a power failure can be comprised using the polymer actuator 2 for a safety device, for example. Specifically, during normal times when power is supplied, the voltage is applied to the polymer actuator 2 using the power source to maintain the laminate 18 in a contracted state, and the laminate 18 returns to a non-contracted state during a power failure. The switch of the safety device is activated by the displacement of the movable part such as the diaphragm 24 of the force extraction unit 10 at the time. Although this operation can be performed using a conventional polymer actuator, the polymer actuator 2 of the present embodiment requires an urging force to maintain the state where the switch of the safety device is normally set. It is also suitable when

  Specifically, the switch has a mechanical configuration that requires an urging force to maintain a state where the safety device does not start (here, the switch is turned off) by an elastic body such as a spring, for example. If there is no biasing force, the switch is turned on by itself and the safety device is activated. The polymer actuator 2 can be used to apply a biasing force to the switch. The polymer actuator 2 works with respect to the spring of the switch when energized to turn the switch off. In the energized state, the work is held as potential energy in a spring or the like, and the polymer actuator 2 maintains the switch in the off state.

  On the other hand, when a power failure occurs, the polymer actuator 2 does not generate a biasing force on the switch. At this time, the switch is turned on and the safety device is turned on not only by the laminate 18 being restored to the non-contracted state due to the elasticity of the gel layer 14 but also the force of restoring the spring of the switch to a low potential energy state. Starts.

  In this operation, the laminated body 18 of the polymer actuator 2 is kept in the contracted state against the restoring force of the switch during the period in which the switch is kept in the OFF state. 8 is less likely to cause defects in the laminated body 18, and on the other hand, since there is a restoring force of the switch at the time of a power failure, the safety device can be quickly operated compared to the case where only the elastic restoring force of the gel layer 14 of the laminated body 18 is used. It is activated.

[Second Embodiment]
In the polymer actuator 2B according to the second embodiment, the same components as those of the polymer actuator 2 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the polymer actuator 2B according to the present embodiment. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the driving direction of the polymer actuator 2B, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the vertical direction in FIG. 3 is the driving direction.

  The laminated body 18B of the polymer actuator 2B is configured to have only one gel layer 14 like the laminated body 18 of the polymer actuator 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but the area of the laminated body 18B is a laminated body. This is basically different in that it has a three-dimensional shape that is larger than an image obtained by parallel projecting 18B in an arbitrary direction. For example, the stacked body 18B may have a shape in which folds, irregularities, or undulations are formed as a three-dimensional shape in which the area of the stacked body 18 is larger than a parallel projection image in an arbitrary direction. Incidentally, in the polymer actuator 2 of FIGS. 1 and 2, the parallel projection image (corresponding to a planar shape) of the stacked body 18B in the driving direction is the maximum, but the area of the stacked body 18B is larger than that.

  Plural pleats or the like can be provided in the laminated body 18B, and the cross section thereof has, for example, a zigzag shape in which a portion bent in a mountain shape and a portion bent in a valley shape appear alternately. The area of the stacked body 18B can be increased according to the number of pleats and the height difference. How to form a plurality of pleats in the plane of the laminated body 18B is basically free, but in a simple example, the pleats may be formed so as to extend in parallel along one direction or concentrically. Or form.

  The separation membrane 26B is formed along the surface of the cathode 12 of the stacked body 18B. That is, the separation membrane 26B also has an uneven shape. Further, the laminated body pressing member 28B has a shape capable of uniformly pressing the driving surface having irregularities. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the laminated body pressing member 28B has a shape that bends along the surface of the laminated body 18B. Further, when the width of the valley of the stacked body 18B is narrow, the stacked body pressing member 28B may have a shape having a comb-like cross section.

  4 and 5 are partial cross-sectional views of the polymer actuator 2B shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 shows a voltage non-application state, and FIG. 5 shows a voltage application state. Similar to the first embodiment, in a voltage non-application state, the drive surface of the stacked body 18B contacts the stacked body pressing member 28B. When the voltage is applied, the gel layer 14 is drawn into the through hole 32 of the anode 16, whereby the laminate 18 is compressed and deformed, and the drive surface is retracted.

  The laminated body 18B having only one set of the laminated structure composed of the cathode 12, the gel layer 14, and the anode 16 is less likely to cause defects in the laminated body 18B as described above. The retraction amount of becomes smaller. Here, the volume change of the liquid chamber 20 due to the retreat of the drive surface increases in proportion to the area of the stacked body 18B. Therefore, in the polymer actuator 2B of the present embodiment, the laminated body 18B has a shape with an enlarged area as described above, so that the workload can be increased even with a single laminated structure, and the laminated body 18B is bent. Thus, since the area is enlarged, the expansion of the planar shape of the polymer actuator 2 is suppressed. That is, it is possible to realize a polymer actuator 2 that is compact and has a large work amount.

  The hydraulic fluid 22 uses a viscous fluid that can quickly flow through the valley of the cathode 12.

  The shape in which the area of the stacked body 18B is expanded is not limited to the three-dimensional shape in which one continuous surface is folded as described above. For example, the stacked body 18B may be divided into a plurality of surfaces.

[Third Embodiment]
In the polymer actuator 2C according to the third embodiment, the same components as those of the polymer actuator 2 according to the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the polymer actuator 2C according to the present embodiment. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the driving direction of the polymer actuator 2C as in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the vertical direction in FIG. 6 is the driving direction.

  The polymer actuator 2C includes a second force transmission unit 50 in the laminated body 18C separately from the force transmission unit 8 (hereinafter referred to as a first force transmission unit). The second force transmission unit 50 includes a liquid chamber 52 provided between the cathode 12 and the gel layer 14 and a conductive liquid sealed therein as a pressure transmission liquid. The liquid chamber 20 constituting the first force transmission unit 8 is adjacent to the stacked body 18 </ b> C, and has a movable portion (diaphragm 24) of the force extraction unit 10 as a part of the wall surface of the liquid chamber 20. While the liquid chamber 20 is a liquid chamber outside the laminate, the liquid chamber 52 of the second force transmission unit 50 is a liquid chamber in the laminate provided between the gel layer 14 and the cathode 12.

  The conductive liquid sealed in the liquid chamber 52 functions as a cathode that applies a voltage to the gel layer 14 together with the cathode 12. That is, the cathode in the laminated body 18C of the polymer actuator 2C includes the cathode 12 made of a solid and the liquid cathode layer 54 that is a conductive liquid. In the present embodiment, the cathode 12 can be configured to have a rigidity that does not bend due to a force generated during operation.

  Similar to the first force transmission unit 8, the second force transmission unit 50 applies an equal pressure to the inner wall surface of the liquid chamber 52 based on the Pascal principle. That is, the polymer actuator 2C includes the second force transmission unit 50, so that when the gel layer 14 is attracted to the anode 16 to contract the thickness of the stacked body 18C and a driving force is generated, the gel layer 14 and the cathode 12 The applied force becomes uniform. Therefore, by providing the second force transmission unit 50 together with the first force transmission unit 8, it is more preferable to generate defects in the stacked body 18 such as separation between the cathode 12 and the gel layer 14 and a crack in the gel layer 14. Can be prevented.

  The first force transmission unit 8 has the effect of suppressing the occurrence of defects in the stacked body 18 and can change the ratio of the area of the displaced portion of the force extracting unit 10 to the area of the stacked body 18. By changing the ratio, it is possible to change the allocation between the force to be extracted by the force extraction unit 10 and the displacement amount as described above. Here, when a separate configuration for converting the allocation of the force to be extracted and the displacement amount is provided in the polymer actuator 2C, or when the conversion is performed outside the polymer actuator 2C, the first force transmission unit 8 is used. Even if only the second force transmission unit 50 is omitted, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects in the stacked body 18.

  2,2B, 2C Polymer actuator, 4 case, 6 force generator, 8 force transmitter, 10 force takeout, 12 cathode, 14 gel layer, 16 anode, 18 laminate, 20, 52 liquid chamber, 22 hydraulic fluid , 24 Diaphragm, 26, 26B Separation membrane, 28, 28B Laminate pressing member, 30 opening, 32 through hole, 34 hole, 50 second force transmission unit, 54 liquid cathode layer.

Claims (8)

A thickness of the laminate by applying a voltage, having a laminate in which electrodes are stacked on both sides of a dielectric polymer material layer, and arranging the electrode having flexibility on one surface as a driving surface of the laminate. A force generator that retracts the drive surface by contraction of
A force transmission part comprising a sealed liquid chamber in which the driving surface is a part of a wall surface and filled with a working fluid;
In response to the contraction of the laminated body, a movable portion that forms a part of the wall surface is displaced, and a force acting portion that applies a force to a driving load;
A polymer actuator characterized by comprising: The polymer actuator according to claim 1, wherein
The laminated body has only one dielectric polymer material layer and has a three-dimensional shape in which the area of the laminated body is larger than a parallel projection image in an arbitrary direction. Actuator. The polymer actuator according to claim 1 or 2,
A polymer having a laminate pressing member that is fixed in the sealed liquid chamber and allows the working fluid to pass therethrough and that presses one surface of the laminate as the driving surface when the laminate is not contracted. Actuator. In the polymer actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A membrane that separates and protects the force generating portion from the working fluid, and has a separation membrane that covers one surface of the laminate as the driving surface and deforms following the surface. Polymer actuator. In the polymer actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A case for storing the force generation unit and the force transmission unit;
The back electrode disposed on the opposite side of the drive surface relative to the dielectric polymer material layer of the electrode has a plurality of through holes that draw the dielectric polymer material layer by applying the voltage, A polymer actuator, wherein the through hole communicates with the outside of the case. It has a laminate in which a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer are arranged with a gel layer made of a dielectric polymer interposed therebetween, and the gel layer is drawn to the first electrode layer by applying a voltage to shrink the thickness of the laminate. A force generator that generates a driving force;
A force transmission part comprising a sealed liquid chamber in which the second electrode layer is a part of a wall surface and filled with a pressure transmission liquid;
A polymer actuator characterized by comprising: The polymer actuator according to claim 6, wherein
As the force transmission unit, a liquid chamber adjacent to the stacked body, the movable portion of the force acting unit that exerts a force on a driving load being a part of the wall surface of the liquid chamber is provided as a liquid chamber outside the stacked body. A polymer actuator characterized by. The polymer actuator according to claim 6 or 7,
A polymer actuator, comprising: a laminated body fluid chamber provided between the gel layer and the second electrode layer as the force transmission unit and filled with a conductive liquid as the pressure transmission liquid.

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