RU2577923C2 - Method for producing mechanical energy by electroactive polymer - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: robotics.

SUBSTANCE: invention can be used in robotics, biomechanical prostheses and various types of drives. Method of producing mechanical energy by means of electroactive polymers is the use of polymers in the form of fibers (1), which under the influence of electricity are beginning to curl into a spiral. After switching off the electrical voltage polymer fibers are straightened. Fibers (1) combined in bundles and located in protective flexible sheath (3).

EFFECT: invention aims to increase the degree of strain of the electroactive polymer, extension of their application, simplifying the process, reducing the weight and dimensions of the apparatus used in the method.

1 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to the field of obtaining mechanical energy and can be used as a power element in robotics, biomechanical prostheses and various drives.

A known method of producing mechanical energy using polymer fibers, coiled into a spiral when they are heated.

The disadvantage of this method is the need for heating the fibers during the compression cycle and cooling during the relaxation cycle, which leads to a large expenditure of energy and complicates the method. In addition, the processes of heating and cooling are inertial, which negatively affects the speed of the method.

The closest in technical essence to the claimed invention is a method for producing mechanical energy using electroactive polymers capable of deforming under the influence of electricity, changing their geometric dimensions.

Several types of electroactive polymers (EAPs) are known:

- Ionic EAP

- Polymer gels (IGL)

- Polymer-metal ionic composites (IPMC)

- Conductive polymers (CP)

- Electronic EAP

- Piezoelectric polymers (PP)

- Electrostrictive polymers (EP)

- Dielectric Elastomers (DE)

- Liquid Crystal Elastomers (LCE)

- Carbon Nanotube Aerogels (CNT)

(see European Scientific Network for Artificial Muscles (ESNAM) http://www.esnam.eu; Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) NASA; Dr. Yoseph Bar-Cohen http://eap.jpl.nasa.gov).

Known to the applicant the above method of obtaining mechanical energy using electroactive polymers capable of deforming under the influence of electricity, based on the direct use of changes in their geometric dimensions.

A disadvantage of the known method of producing mechanical energy using electroactive polymers capable of deforming under the influence of electricity is the relatively small change in their geometric dimensions, which is clearly insufficient to solve most technical problems, which limits their scope.

The technical result of the claimed invention is an increase in the degree of deformation of electroactive polymers, expanding the scope of their application, simplifying the method, reducing the weight and dimensions of the device used in the method.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that in the known method of obtaining mechanical energy using electroactive polymers, which consists in their deformation under the influence of electricity, according to the invention, electroactive polymers are used in the form of fibers, which, under the influence of electricity, begin to curl up, after disconnecting electricity, the polymer fibers straighten in this case, the polymer fibers are bundled and are in a protective elastic shell, and the same electrodes are polymeric Black structures are connected and taken out of it.

Distinctive features of the proposed method are new conditions for obtaining mechanical energy using electroactive polymers, namely the implementation of these fibers. When implementing the proposed method, it was revealed that the effect of electricity on electroactive polymers in the form of fibers contributes to their deformation, bending, and as a result of folding into a spiral. When power is cut off, the polymer fibers straighten. The specified set of actions increases the degree of deformation of the polymer, simplifies the method of obtaining mechanical energy, provides convenience and its availability. It allows to expand the scope of application of electroactive polymers (in robotics, biomechanical prostheses, in various kinds of drives, etc.), reduce the weight and dimensions of devices with their use, simplifies their production and operation.

In addition, the difference of the proposed method is the combination of polymer fibers in bundles and placement in a protective elastic sheath (for example, silicone), while the same electrodes of polymer fibers are connected and taken out of it. This improves the performance of the device that implements the inventive method.

The analysis of the prior art by the applicant, including a search by patent and scientific and technical sources of information, and the identification of sources containing information about analogues of the claimed invention, allowed to establish that the applicant did not find a source characterized by features identical to all the essential features of the claimed invention. The definition from the list of identified analogues of the prototype, as the closest in the totality of the features of the analogue, made it possible to establish a set of significant distinguishing features in relation to the technical result perceived by the applicant in the claimed method set forth in the claims.

The proposed method is illustrated by drawings, where in FIG. 1 schematically shows a device of an ionic electroactive polymer, FIG. 2 - operation of a device made of an ionic electroactive polymer; FIG. 3 - operation of the device from an electroactive polymer, in FIG. 4 - a bundle of fibers of an electroactive polymer in a protective sheath; FIG. 5 - a device of a dielectric elastomer, FIG. 6 - operation of the device from a dielectric elastomer.

To implement the proposed method, a device is used made of a polymer, for example, electroactive ion, from which fibers 1 are made, and their cross section is many times smaller than their length L1 (see Fig. 3.). Electrodes 2 are applied to the surface of the fibers 1 from opposite sides (Fig. 1). Polymer fibers 1 are bundled and placed in a protective elastic dielectric sheath 3 (Fig. 4). The same electrodes of polymer fibers are connected and removed beyond the elastic shell 3 (not shown in Fig.).

The proposed method is as follows. To obtain mechanical energy, a constant electric voltage 4 is applied to the electrodes 2. In this case, the side of the polymer fiber at the negative electrode begins to lengthen when, as the opposite side at the positive electrode, it contracts, which leads to bending of individual sections of the polymer fiber (Fig. 2). Due to the fact that the cross section of fiber 1 is many times smaller than its length L1, it begins to curl into a spiral (Fig. 3). In this case, the distance L2 between the ends of the fiber is significantly reduced. After turning off the voltage, the polymer fiber 1 is straightened, and the distance between its ends is restored. Alternating the acts of folding and straightening of a polymer fiber, mechanical energy is obtained.

In the case of using dielectric elastomers (see Fig. 5), the proposed method is as follows. From the dielectric elastomer, fibers 1 are made in the form of a “sandwich” separated by an electrode 2. Electrodes 2a, 2b are applied to the surface of the fibers 1 from opposite sides. To obtain mechanical energy, a constant electric high voltage of the same sign is applied to the electrodes 2, 2a, and of the opposite sign to the electrodes 2, 2c. In this case, the electrodes 2, 2a begin to repel, the elastomer stretches, and the side of the polymer fiber between the electrodes 2, 2a begins to contract, when, on the opposite side, the electrodes 2, 2c begin to attract, the elastomer shrinks, and the side of the fiber between the electrodes 2, 2b lengthens, which leads to the bending of individual sections of the polymer fiber (Fig. 6). This, as in the example with the ionic electroactive polymer, leads to the fact that the fiber begins to curl into a spiral (Fig. 3).

Claims (1)

A method of obtaining mechanical energy using electroactive polymers, which consists in their deformation under the influence of electricity, characterized in that the electroactive polymers are used in the form of fibers, which, after exposure to electricity, begin to spiral, after disconnecting the voltage, the polymer fibers are straightened, while the polymer fibers are combined in bundles and are in a protective elastic shell, and the same electrodes of polymer structures are connected and taken out of it.

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