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Novel metal hydride artificial muscles

a metal hydride and artificial muscle technology, applied in the field of artificial muscles, can solve the problem that no prior art discloses metal hydride artificial muscles

Inactive Publication Date: 2002-03-07
ENVIRONMENTAL ROBOTS
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Benefits of technology

[0018] A primary advantage of the present invention is that it provides biological-like smooth operation capability with long stroke capabilities of actuation along with large forces.
[0019] Another advantage of the present invention is that it is noiseless and vibrationless.
[0020] Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the functioning mechanism is the simultaneous hydrogen absorption / desorption and can lead to a buffering effect preventing sharp power surge or shock loads.
[0021] Another advantage of the present invention is that in selecting an appropriate hydride, the desired operating pressure can be easily obtained.
[0022] Another advantage of the present invention is that it can also provide a large actuation-displacement.

Problems solved by technology

However, none of the prior art discloses metal hydride artificial muscles.

Method used

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[0038] A new artificial muscle is disclosed that is biorobotic, noiseless, compact / light-weight, fast actuation, high-powered, biocompatible, and environmentally clean. The new metal hydride artificial muscles (MHAM's) are actuated by hydrogen gas as a working fluid and metal hydrides as hydrogen sponge and can be operated both electrically and thermally. These MHAM's have immediate applications for biomedical, space, micro-machines and other industries. Therefore, they can be used as micro-to-macro scale applications.

[0039] The large uptake / discharge capacity of hydrogen in metal hydrides, for example, the volume of hydrogen gas equal to approximately 1,000 times metal hydride, and their rapid kinetics provide MHAM's applications as being noiseless, having fast response, being compact / light-weight, and having high-power. Metal hydrides can absorb or store and desorb or release a large amount of hydrogen gas to obtain significantly high mechanical energy. A MHAM's application unit ...

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Abstract

New artificial muscles and actuators, that are operated by hydrogen gas as working fluid stored interstitially in metal hydrides as a hydrogen sponge. These artificial muscles and actuators are operated both electrically and thermally. The artificial muscles and actuators have fast response, are compact / light-weight, are noiseless, and produce high-power density. They can be used for biomedical, space, defense, micro-machines, and industrial applications.

Description

[0001] This application is based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 220,006 entitled "Novel Metal Hydride Artificial Muscles", filed on Jul. 21, 2000, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)[0003] The invention relates to artificial muscles and more particularly to artificial muscles actuated by a hydrogen gas as a working fluid and metal hydrides as a hydrogen sponge and can be operated both electrically and thermally.[0004] 2. Background Art[0005] Materials and devices that can mimic biological muscles and thus be considered as artificial muscles have been discussed in the pertinent literature. There are prior art artificial muscles using ionic polymers as disclosed in M. Shahinpoor, Y. Bar-Cohen, J. Simpson, and J. Smith, "Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites (IPMC's) As Biomimetic Sensors, Actuators and Artificial Muscles-A Review", Smart Materials & Structures Journal, Vol. 7, pp. R15-R30, (1998); M. Shah...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A61F2/08A61F2/50B25J9/00B25J9/10B64G6/00
CPCA61F2/08A61F2/50A61F2002/0894A61F2002/501A61F2002/5066B25J9/0006B25J9/1095B64G6/00
Inventor SHAHINPOOR, MOHSENKIM, KWANG J.
Owner ENVIRONMENTAL ROBOTS
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