JP5233068B2 - Actuator, brake device, fluid control device, lens position adjusting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an actuator composed of a polymer actuator, and further relates to a brake device, a fluid control device, and a lens position adjusting device using the actuator.

  In the fields of medical equipment, industrial robots, micromachines, etc., there is a demand for actuators that are small, light, and flexible, and in order to respond to this, the actuator's operating principle is electrostatic attraction, piezoelectric, ultrasonic, Shape memory alloy type, polymer expansion and contraction type, etc. have been proposed.

  Among these, polymer actuators using ion conductive polymers as a polymer stretchable type have been studied as new actuators because of their light weight and high generated force. This polymer actuator is composed of an ion conductive polymer film (ion exchange resin film) and a metal electrode bonded to the surface in an insulated state, and the ion conductive polymer film is contained in a water-containing state between the metal electrodes. By applying a voltage, the ion conductive polymer film is bent or deformed.

  However, the operation is basically curved, and its application is limited as it is. Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a method in which a bending operation is converted into an expansion / contraction operation by a combination of actuator elements.

JP 2004-314219 A

  However, Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the strength and generated force as an actuator are small and the use is limited.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems in the prior art, and provides an actuator that can be used for other purposes with a simple structure. A brake device, a fluid control device, and a lens position adjusting device using the actuator are provided. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention provided in order to solve the above-mentioned problems is an ionic conductive polymer body impregnated with a cation material, having a bellows shape in which a plurality of hollow truncated cones are joined together, and the ion conductive high An actuator comprising an electrode film provided on each of an inner surface and an outer surface of a molecular body , wherein the actuator is extended or contracted when a voltage is applied between the electrode films ( Claim 1).

  Here, it is preferable that the entire polymer actuator element is wrapped with a stretchable film.

The present invention provided to solve the above-mentioned problems comprises the actuator according to claim 1 and an optical lens provided at an opening end of the actuator, and the arrangement of the optical lens as the actuator expands or contracts. The lens position adjusting device is characterized in that the position is adjusted ( Claim 2 ).

As an effect of the present invention, according to the invention of claim 1, although the deformation amount of each polymer actuator element is small, by connecting them, an actuator having a large generated force and a large deformation amount can be obtained.
According to the invention of claim 2 , since the actuator itself of claim 1 has a certain degree of strength, it is possible to adjust the position by pushing up or pulling the optical lens alone.

The actuator according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a configuration of an actuator according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator 100 has a configuration in which a lead wire 4 is connected to the front and back surfaces of a polymer actuator element 10 having a shape in which the longitudinal direction of a strip is wound in a spring shape. Here, as will be described later, the polymer actuator element 10 has a configuration in which the electrode films 2 are formed on both principal surfaces of the ion conductive polymer film 1 impregnated with a cation substance. One of the electrode films 2 is disposed on the outer surface (outer surface) as the mainspring shape, and the other is disposed on the inner surface (inner surface).

The polymer actuator element 10 referred to here may be a conventionally known one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2961125, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-206162, or the like. Should be used.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the basic configuration of the polymer actuator element used in the present invention.
The polymer actuator element 10 includes an ion conductive polymer film (ion conductive polymer film) 1 impregnated with a cationic substance, and electrode films 2 provided on both surfaces of the ion conductive polymer film 1, A lead wire 4 electrically connected to each of the electrode films 2, and the ion conductive polymer film 1 is bent or deformed by applying a voltage between the electrode films 2 from a pair of lead wires 4. Is.

  The ion conductive polymer film 1 is made of an ion exchange resin having a skeleton made of a fluororesin, a hydrocarbon, or the like, and has a shape having two main surfaces. For example, a strip shape, a disk shape, a columnar shape, a cylindrical shape and the like can be mentioned. The ion exchange resin may be any one of an anion exchange resin, a cation exchange resin, and a both ion exchange resin, and among these, a cation exchange resin is preferable.

  Examples of the cation exchange resin include those in which functional groups such as sulfonic acid groups and carboxyl groups are introduced into polyethylene, polystyrene, fluororesin, and the like. In particular, functional groups such as sulfonic acid groups and carboxyl groups are introduced into fluororesins. Preferred cation exchange resins are preferred.

  The electrode film 2 is made of carbon powder and an ion conductive resin, and the carbon powders are bonded to each other through the ion conductive resin. The carbon powder is a fine powder of carbon black having electrical conductivity, and the larger the specific surface area, the larger the surface area in contact with the ion conductive polymer film 1 as the electrode film 2 and the larger deformation amount can be obtained. For example, ketjen black is preferable. Further, the ion conductive resin may be the same as the material constituting the ion conductive polymer film 1.

The electrode film 2 is formed by applying a paint containing an ion conductive resin component and carbon powder to the ion conductive polymer film 1. Alternatively, the electrode film 2 is formed by pressure-bonding a conductive film made of carbon powder and an ion conductive resin to the ion conductive polymer film 1.
In any method, the electrode film 2 can be easily formed in a short time.

  At least the ion conductive polymer membrane 1 is impregnated with a cationic substance, and the cationic substance is preferably any one of water and metal ions, water and organic ions, and ionic liquid. Here, examples of the metal ion include sodium ion, potassium ion, lithium ion, and magnesium ion. Examples of organic ions include alkyl ammonium ions. These ions exist as hydrates in the ion conductive polymer film 1. When the ion conductive polymer film 1 contains water and metal ions, or water and organic ions and is in a water-containing state, the polymer actuator element 10 is sealed so that the water does not volatilize. Preferably it is.

  The ionic liquid is a solvent composed only of non-flammable and nonvolatile ions, which is also called a room temperature molten salt. For example, an imidazolium ring compound, a pyridinium ring compound, or an aliphatic compound may be used. it can. When the ion conductive polymer film 1 is impregnated with an ionic liquid, the polymer actuator element 10 can be used even at high temperature or in vacuum without worrying about volatilization.

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the polymer actuator element.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the basic configuration of another polymer actuator used in the present invention.
The polymer actuator element 20 includes a metal conductive film 3 made of gold or platinum on each of the pair of electrode films 2 of the polymer actuator element 10 described above, and the lead wire 4 is electrically connected to the metal conductive film 3. It has a connected configuration. Here, the cation substance impregnated in the ion conductive polymer film 1, the electrode film 2, and the ion conductive polymer film 1 is the same as that shown in FIG.

  Here, the metal conductive film 3 is formed by forming a gold or platinum thin film on each of the pair of electrode films 2 by a conventionally known film forming method such as a wet plating method, a vapor deposition method, or a sputtering method. is there. The thickness of the metal conductive film 3 is not particularly limited, but is preferably such a thickness that a continuous film is formed so that the potential from the lead wire 4 is evenly applied to the electrode film 2.

FIG. 4 shows the operation principle of these polymer actuator elements 10 and 20. Here, the ion conductive polymer film 1 will be described as being impregnated with sodium ions.
4A, a positive potential is applied from the power source E to the electrode film 2 of the polymer actuator 10 on the left side of the drawing through the lead wire 4, and a negative potential is applied to the electrode film 2 on the right side of the drawing. Due to this potential difference, sodium ion hydrate is attracted to the electrode film 2 on the side to which a negative potential is applied (right side in the figure) in the ion conductive polymer film 1 of the polymer actuator element 10 (20). It moves, concentrates in the vicinity of the electrode film 2, and this region expands in volume. On the other hand, the sodium hydrate concentration in the vicinity of the electrode film 2 on the side to which a positive potential is applied (left side in the figure) decreases, and this region contracts in volume. As a result, a volume difference is generated between the two electrode film 2 vicinity regions of the ion conductive polymer film 1, and the ion conductive polymer film 1 is curved to the left in the figure.

  In FIG. 4B, no voltage is applied from the power source E, and there is no potential difference between the two electrode films 2, so that there is no volume difference between the two electrode film 2 neighboring regions of the ion conductive polymer film 1. The ion conductive polymer film 1 is straight without being bent.

  In FIG. 2C, a negative potential is applied from the power source E to the electrode film 2 of the polymer actuator element 10 (20) on the left side through the lead wire 4, and a positive potential is applied to the electrode film 2 on the right side in the figure. The voltage application method is the reverse of that shown in FIG. Due to this potential difference, in the ion conductive polymer film 1 of the polymer actuator element 10 (20), the region near the electrode film 2 on the side to which the negative potential is applied (left side in the figure) becomes volume-expanded. The region in the vicinity of the electrode film 2 on the side to which the positive potential is applied (right side in the figure) comes to shrink in volume. As a result, the ion conductive polymer film 1 is bent to the right side in the drawing.

Based on the operating principle of the polymer actuator element 10 (20), the actuator 100 of the present invention operates as follows.
FIG. 5 shows the operation of the actuator 100 of the present invention. Here, description will be made assuming that sodium ions are impregnated in the ion conductive polymer film 1 of the polymer actuator element 10 (20) to be used.

  In FIG. 5A, a positive potential is applied to the electrode film 2 on the inner peripheral surface of the mainspring shape of the actuator 100 through the lead wire 4 from the power source E, and a negative potential is applied to the electrode film 2 on the outer peripheral surface. ing. Due to this potential difference (about 0.5 to 2.0 V), sodium ion hydrate is attracted to the electrode film 2 on the side (outer peripheral side) to which a negative potential is applied in the ion conductive polymer film 1. It moves, concentrates in the vicinity of the electrode film 2, and this region expands in volume. On the other hand, the sodium hydrate concentration in the vicinity of the electrode film 2 on the side to which the positive potential is applied (inner peripheral side) decreases, and this region contracts in volume. As a result, a volume difference is generated between the two electrode film 2 adjacent regions of the ion conductive polymer film 1, and the ion conductive polymer film 1 is deformed as if a spiral spring is wound, and the actuator The outer circumference of 100 is reduced.

  In FIG. 5B, no voltage is applied from the power source E, and there is no potential difference between the two electrode films 2, so that there is no volume difference between the two electrode film 2 neighboring regions of the ion conductive polymer film 1. The ion conductive polymer film 1 is in a state as originally formed without being bent.

  In FIG. 5C, a negative potential is applied to the electrode film 2 on the inner peripheral surface of the mainspring shape of the actuator 100 through the lead wire 4 from the power source E, and a positive potential is applied to the electrode film 2 on the outer peripheral surface. The voltage application method is the reverse of that shown in FIG. Due to this potential difference, in the ion conductive polymer film 1, the region near the electrode film 2 on the side (inner peripheral side) to which a negative potential is applied expands in volume, and the side to which a positive potential is applied. The area near the electrode film 2 on the (outer peripheral side) comes to shrink in volume. As a result, the ion conductive polymer film 1 is deformed so that the spring screw is loosened, and the outer periphery of the actuator 100 is enlarged.

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the first embodiment of the actuator of the present invention.
The actuator 200 has a configuration in which the entire polymer actuator element 10 shown in FIG. 1 is wrapped with a stretchable film 11 and the lead wire 4 is drawn to the outside of the film 11. Here, the polymer actuator element 10 and the lead wire 4 are the same as those shown in FIG.

  The film 11 may be a bag-like material made of a stretchable soft material such as polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or silicone rubber, and is used to wrap the polymer actuator element 10 so as to be sealed. That's fine.

  In the actuator 200, the film 11 expands and contracts with the deformation of the ion conductive polymer film 1 by the voltage application method as shown in FIG. 5, so that the outer periphery of the thick disk is enlarged or reduced in appearance. It comes to be.

The actuator 100 described above can be manufactured by the following procedure.
(S11) An ion conductive polymer film 1 is prepared.
(S12) In a solution in which an ion conductive resin is dissolved in an organic solvent, a carbon powder having a predetermined specific surface area is mixed and dispersed so as to obtain a solid content weight ratio of the target carbon powder and the ion conductive resin. Get.
(S13) The ion conductive polymer film 1 is dipped in the paint of step S12, and the coating film is dried in the air. The process (dipping coating-drying) is repeated to form the electrode film 2 having a desired thickness.
(S14) The ion conductive polymer film 1 is impregnated with a cationic substance. Specifically, by immersing an ion conductive polymer film 1 on which an electrode film 2 is formed in a chloride solution or hydroxide solution containing either metal ions or organic ions, or an ionic liquid, The ion conductive polymer film 1 and the electrode film 2 are impregnated with metal ions, organic ions, and ionic liquid.
(S15) After step S14, the end of the laminated film is cut off and cut into a strip shape. Next, the strip is wound so that the longitudinal direction of the strip is a spring shape, and in this state, the strip is heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the ion conductive polymer film 1 and then cooled. Thereby, the ion conductive polymer film 1 is held in a spring shape.
(S16) The lead wire 4 is connected to each of the pair of electrode films 2 to complete the actuator 100. In addition, if necessary, the entire polymer actuator element 10 is wrapped with a film 11 and sealed to form an actuator 200.

  Here, the method of forming the spring film after forming the electrode film 2 on the ion conductive polymer film 1 is shown, but in addition to this, the ion conductive polymer film 1 is formed into a spring shape and then plated or the like. The electrode film 2 may be formed.

FIG. 7 shows an example in which the actuator 100 of the present invention is applied to a brake device.
The brake device of the present invention includes a hollow cylindrical rotating body 101 that is mechanically connected to a rotating rotating shaft 102 and rotates and stops together with the rotating shaft 102, and one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the strip is fixed to a fixed shaft 103. And an actuator 100 provided in a cylinder of the rotating body 101. The actuator 200 may be used in place of the actuator 100.

  Here, in this apparatus, no voltage is applied to the actuator 100 from the lead wire 4 during operation, and the state shown in FIG. 5B, that is, the actuator 100 remains as it is molded, and its outer peripheral surface rotates. It does not contact the inner peripheral surface of the body 101.

  When the brake is applied, a voltage is applied to the actuator 100 from the lead wire 4 to deform the state shown in FIG. 5C, that is, the outer periphery of the actuator 100 expands. The rotation of the rotating body 101 can be braked by contact with the inner peripheral surface of the rotating member 101 and friction between them.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which the actuator 200 of the present invention is applied to a fluid control apparatus.
The fluid control apparatus according to the present invention has a configuration in which an actuator 200 is provided in a fluid passage 201 through which a fluid 202 flows and a part of the actuator 200 is fixed to the inner wall of the fluid passage 201.

Here, the flow rate of the fluid 202 in the fluid passage 201 can be adjusted by enlarging or reducing the outer periphery of the disk of the actuator 200.
That is, when a voltage is applied to the actuator 200 from the lead wire 4 to deform the state shown in FIG. 5A, that is, the outer periphery of the actuator 200 is reduced (FIG. 8A), the space in the fluid passage 201 is wide. Thus, more fluid 202 can flow.

  On the other hand, when a voltage is applied to the actuator 200 from the lead wire 4 and the actuator 200 is deformed such that the outer periphery of the actuator 200 is reduced (FIG. 8B), the space in the fluid passage 201 is narrow. Thus, the flow rate of the fluid 202 can be reduced.

Next, a second embodiment of the actuator according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 9 shows an overall view of the actuator of the present invention, and FIG. 10 shows an enlarged schematic view of a part of the actuator of the present invention.
The actuator 300 of the present invention has an accordion shape in which a plurality of hollow truncated cones are joined together, an ion conductive polymer body 31 impregnated with a cationic substance, an inner surface of the ion conductive polymer body 31, The electrode film 32 is provided on each outer surface. FIG. 10 shows an ion conductive polymer 31 for one hollow truncated cone and an electrode film 32, which will be referred to as a polymer actuator element 30 here.

  Here, the ion conductive polymer 31 is the same as the ion conductive polymer film 1 shown in FIG. The electrode film 32 and the cationic substance are also the same as the cationic substance contained in the electrode film 2 and the ion conductive polymer film 1 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 11 shows the operation principle of the polymer actuator element 30. Here, description will be made assuming that sodium ions are impregnated in the ion conductive polymer 31 of the polymer actuator element 30.

  In FIG. 11A, a positive potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the inner peripheral surface of the polymer actuator element 30 and a negative potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the outer peripheral surface through the lead wire 4 from the power source E. Due to this potential difference (about 0.5 to 2.0 V), sodium ion hydrate is attracted to the electrode film 32 on the side (outer peripheral surface) to which a negative potential is applied in the ion conductive polymer 31. It moves and concentrates in the vicinity of the electrode film 32, and this region expands in volume. On the other hand, the sodium hydrate concentration in the vicinity of the electrode film 32 on the side to which the positive potential is applied (inner peripheral surface) decreases, and this region shrinks in volume. As a result, a volume difference is generated between the regions near the two electrode films 32 of the ion conductive polymer 31, and the ion conductive polymer 31 has a smaller opening diameter of the truncated cone. Deforms and the height of the truncated cone increases.

  In FIG. 11B, no voltage is applied from the power source E, and there is no potential difference between the two electrode films 32. Therefore, there is no volume difference between the regions near the two electrode films 32 of the ion conductive polymer 31. The ion conductive polymer 31 is in a state as originally formed without being deformed.

  In FIG. 11C, a negative potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the inner peripheral surface of the polymer actuator element 30 and a positive potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the outer peripheral surface through the lead wire 4 from the power source E. The application method is the reverse of that shown in FIG. Due to this potential difference, in the ion conductive polymer 31, the region near the electrode film 32 on the side (inner peripheral surface) to which a negative potential is applied becomes volume-expanded, and the side to which a positive potential is applied. The area in the vicinity of the electrode film 32 on the (outer peripheral surface) comes to shrink in volume. As a result, the ion conductive polymer 31 is deformed so that the diameter of the opening of the truncated cone is increased, and the height of the truncated cone is lowered.

Based on the operating principle of the polymer actuator element 30, the actuator 300 of the present invention operates as follows.
FIG. 12 shows the operation of the actuator 300 of the present invention. Here, the ion conductive polymer 31 is described as being impregnated with sodium ions.

  In FIG. 12A, a positive potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the inner peripheral surface of the actuator 300 and a negative potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the outer peripheral surface through the lead wire 4 from the power source E. In this case, the same phenomenon as that shown in FIG. 11A occurs, but since the truncated cones constituting the ion conductive polymer 31 are deformed, the entire length of the actuator 300 is large. It will be extended.

  In FIG. 12B, no voltage is applied from the power source E, and there is no potential difference between the two electrode films 2. In this case, as in the case shown in FIG. 11 (b), the ion conductive polymer body 1 is in a state as originally formed without being deformed.

  In FIG. 12C, a negative potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the inner peripheral surface of the actuator 300 and a positive potential is applied to the electrode film 32 on the outer peripheral surface from the power source E through the lead wire 4. In this case, the same phenomenon as that shown in FIG. 11C occurs, but since the truncated cones constituting the ion conductive polymer 31 are deformed, the overall length of the actuator 300 is large. It will be reduced.

  Here, it is possible to provide a lens position adjusting device that can adjust the arrangement position of the optical lens with the extension or contraction of the actuator 300 by using the actuator 300.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the optical lens 301 is fixedly provided at the opening end of the actuator 300, and the optical lens 301 is obtained by setting the actuator 300 in the respective states of FIGS. 12 (a), 12 (b), and 12 (c). It is possible to adjust the position (height in the figure).

The actuator 300 described above can be manufactured by the following procedure.
(S21) A plurality of disc-shaped ion conductive polymer membranes having a center formed in a circular shape are prepared.
(S22) Each ion conductive polymer film is deformed into a hollow truncated pyramid shape as shown in FIG. 10, heated in the state above the glass transition point of the ion conductive polymer film, and then cooled. Accordingly, the ion conductive polymer film is held as a hollow truncated cone shape.
(S23) The openings obtained in the plurality of steps S22 face each other with the same diameter of the truncated cone, and the end faces of the openings are joined with an adhesive. As a result, an ion conductive polymer body 31 having a bellows shape in which a plurality of hollow truncated cones are joined together is obtained.
(S24) A paint in which an ion conductive resin is dissolved in an organic solvent, and a carbon powder having a predetermined specific surface area is mixed and dispersed so as to obtain a solid weight ratio of the target carbon powder and the ion conductive resin. Get.
(S25) The ion conductive polymer 31 is dipped in the paint of step S24, and the coating film is dried in the air. The process (dipping coating-drying) is repeated, and the electrode film 32 having a desired thickness is formed on each of the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface. In addition, the electrode film 32 made of a conductive metal may be formed by a plating method.
(S26) A process of impregnating the ion conductive polymer 31 with a cationic substance is performed. Specifically, by immersing an ion conductive polymer 31 formed with an electrode film 32 in a chloride solution or hydroxide solution containing either metal ions or organic ions, or an ionic liquid, The ion conductive polymer 31 and the electrode film 32 are impregnated with metal ions, organic ions, and ionic liquid.
(S27) The lead wire 34 is connected to each of the pair of electrode films 32 to complete the actuator 300.

It is the schematic which shows the structure in 1st Embodiment of the actuator which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure (1) of the polymer actuator element used by this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure (2) of the polymer actuator element used by this invention. It is a figure explaining the principle of operation of a polymer actuator element (1). It is a figure explaining the principle of operation of actuator (1) of the present invention. It is the schematic which shows the modification in 1st Embodiment of the actuator which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the brake device which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the fluid control apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic which shows the structure in 2nd Embodiment of the actuator which concerns on this invention. It is an enlarged view which shows the structure in 2nd Embodiment of the actuator which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the principle of operation of a polymer actuator element (2). It is a figure explaining the operating principle of the actuator (2) of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ion conductive polymer film, 2, 32 ... Electrode film, 3 ... Metal conductive film, 4, 34 ... Lead wire 10, 20, 30 ... Polymer actuator element, 11 ... Film, 31 ... High ion conductivity Molecular body, 100, 200, 300 ... Actuator, 101 ... Rotating body, 102 ... Rotating shaft, 103 ... Fixed shaft, 201 ... Fluid passage, 202 ... Fluid, 301 ... Optical lens

Claims (2)

An ion conductive polymer body having a bellows shape in which a plurality of hollow truncated cones are joined and impregnated with a cationic substance, and electrode films provided on the inner surface and the outer surface of the ion conductive polymer body, respectively An actuator comprising:
An actuator in which a full length of the actuator extends or contracts when a voltage is applied between the electrode films. The actuator according to claim 1, and an optical lens provided at an opening end of the actuator,
A lens position adjusting device in which an arrangement position of the optical lens is adjusted in accordance with expansion or contraction of the actuator.

Images