Vacuum-Coupled Electrode Insulators for High-Dielectric Artificial Muscles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current artificial muscle technologies face limitations due to the reliance on heat sealing, which is challenging for high dielectric constant polymers like PVDF, and introduces series capacitance complexity, limiting their performance in robotic applications.

Innovation Solution

The method involves vacuum coupling electrode insulators directly to electrodes, allowing the use of high dielectric constant polymers without heat sealing, and forming artificial muscles with a housing that includes an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, where a dielectric fluid is housed and actuated by an electrode pair to expand the fluid region.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If heat sealing is used to attach electrode insulators to electrodes, then manufacturing is simplified, but high dielectric constant polymers cannot be used due to their inability to heat seal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidmaterial selection flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the thermal bonding mechanism (heat sealing) with a mechanical bonding mechanism (vacuum coupling). By applying vacuum pressure, the electrode insulator is pressed directly onto the electrode surface, creating a secure mechanical attachment that does not require thermal properties of the material. This allows high dielectric constant polymers like PVDF to be used without the limitation of heat sealing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If heat sealing is used to attach electrode insulators, then assembly is simplified, but series capacitance complexity is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidseries capacitance complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the need for separate adhesive layers or heat sealing interfaces by using direct vacuum coupling. This creates a more direct electrical and mechanical path between components, reducing the introduction of series capacitance that would occur with adhesive layers or complex heat sealing interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Power

If high dielectric constant polymers are used as electrode insulators, then actuation force and efficiency are increased, but heat sealing becomes difficult or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactuation powerVSAvoidheat sealing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the use of high dielectric constant polymers by replacing heat sealing with vacuum coupling. The vacuum pressure mechanically bonds the polymer to the electrode without requiring thermal processing, thereby preserving the electrical performance benefits of high dielectric constant materials while avoiding their thermal processing limitations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the bonding parameter from thermal (heat sealing temperature) to mechanical (vacuum pressure). This parameter change allows materials that are incompatible with thermal bonding to be successfully attached, enabling the use of high dielectric constant polymers that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to manufacture with traditional heat sealing methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach enhances the performance of artificial muscles by enabling the use of high dielectric constant polymers, increasing actuation force and efficiency while avoiding the limitations of heat sealing, resulting in improved robotic applications with increased actuation power and reduced material complexity.

Implementation Method 1

removing air from the vacuum bag thereby vacuum coupling the electrode to the electrode insulator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum coupling: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region, expanding the expandable fluid region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDielectric actuation: Dielectric

Data Source

PatentUS11253996B1Artificial muscles having vacuum coupled electrode insulators and methods of manufacturing the same

Publication Date: 2022.02.22 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A method of manufacturing an electrode assembly includes positioning a layer stack comprising an electrode positioned between an electrode insulator and a support polymer in a vacuum bag, removing air from the vacuum bag thereby vacuum coupling the electrode to the electrode insulator, and removing the layer stack from the vacuum bag, where upon removal of the layer stack from the vacuum bag, the electrode remains vacuum coupled to the electrode insulator and the electrode insulator is in direct contact with the electrode, thereby forming an electrode assembly.