Elastomer Coating Head with Expansion Means for Dielectric Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of dielectric elastomer stack actuators with thin, uniform dielectric layers is challenging due to issues with homogeneity, surface quality, and the need for high viscosity control in existing coating methods, which results in high operating voltages and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A coating head with a slit-shaped nozzle and expansion means allows for the direct, homogeneous deposition of elastomer layers without rotation, enabling reproducible and cost-effective production of thin dielectric layers with defined thickness, along with a suspension for homogeneous electrode layer formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If conventional coating methods (dipping, spraying, spin-coating) are used to produce thin dielectric layers, then layer thickness can be reduced, but homogeneity and surface quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical coating methods (dipping, spraying, spin-coating) with a piezoelectric drop-on-demand jet system. This substitution allows precise control of elastomer deposition through piezoelectric actuation, achieving both thin layer thickness and high homogeneity without the mechanical limitations of traditional approaches
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs precise control of process parameters including piezoelectric voltage, jet frequency, substrate speed, and nozzle-to-substrate distance. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves reproducible thin dielectric layers with excellent homogeneity and surface quality, resolving the contradiction between thickness reduction and manufacturing precision
2Manufacturing precision
If viscosity of elastomer is increased to improve layer formation, then layer homogeneity improves, but production time and operating voltages increase
Solution Approach 1:
The piezoelectric drop-on-demand system replaces viscosity-dependent mechanical coating processes with electrically controlled jet deposition. This allows homogeneous layer formation at lower elastomer viscosities, significantly reducing production time while maintaining or improving layer quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time feedback from sensors (optical, capacitive, or piezoelectric) to automatically adjust deposition parameters, ensuring consistent layer homogeneity without requiring high viscosity materials or prolonged processing times
3Use of energy by moving object
If multi-layer technology is used to reduce operating voltages, then voltage requirements decrease, but device complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated piezoelectric jet system enables precise, reproducible deposition of multiple thin dielectric layers with consistent quality. This automation reduces the complexity of manufacturing multi-layer structures compared to conventional methods, making voltage reduction through multi-layer technology more economically viable
Solution Approach 2:
By controlling jet frequency, substrate speed, and nozzle positioning, the system achieves precise thickness control for each layer in the stack. This parameter control ensures that multiple thin layers can be produced with high repeatability, reducing the practical complexity of multi-layer fabrication
4Productivity
If automated production is implemented to reduce costs, then production efficiency improves, but manufacturing precision and quality control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors (optical, capacitive, or piezoelectric) that provide real-time feedback on layer formation, thickness, and quality. This feedback enables automatic adjustment of deposition parameters during production, maintaining high manufacturing precision while achieving automated high-volume production
Solution Approach 2:
The piezoelectric drop-on-demand system replaces manual or semi-automated coating processes with precisely controlled electric field-driven deposition. This substitution enables both high production efficiency and consistent quality control through electronic parameter management rather than mechanical variation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method reduces production time and costs, achieves high homogeneity and surface quality, and allows for the mass production of complex dielectric elastomer stack actuators that can operate with lower voltages, enhancing the efficiency and scalability of dielectric elastomer stack actuators.
Implementation Method 1
by means of which a material jet of elastomer can be expanded emerging from a nozzle opening of the coating nozzle to produce layer-by-layer dielectric layers
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b~1c
Figure 2a~2c
AI summary
The production of stacked dielectric elastomer actuators or sensors is intended to be improved in such a way that, with reduced technical expenditure, a reproducible homogeneous distribution of elastomer material with a defined layer thickness is possible in a short time without a further subsequent homogenizing treatment step on a resultant dielectric layer. This is achieved by using expanding means for expanding a material jet of an elastomer emerging from a coating nozzle (21), which, after being made to expand in a y direction, can be deposited on a substrate over which the coating nozzle (21) can be moved in an x direction by means of a screen device (2). A suspension for producing electrode layers is also disclosed, as is a way of producing flexible contact lines by injecting conductive material into connecting channels within the stacked dielectric elastomer actuator.