Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

University of Manitoba

Michael Paul Rowe

Ryohei Tsuruta

Maduran Palaniswamy

Shardul S Panwar

Umesh N Gandhi

Danil V Prokhorov

Li Qin Zhou

Johan Alexander Van Lierop

Elizabeth Marie Skoropata

Ryan Daniel Desautels

Max P Herzog

Debasish Banerjee

Brian J Pinkelman

Paul A Gilmore

Michael Jones

Minjuan Zhang

Nikhilendra Singh

Torin C Peck

Christian Arthur Trager

Songtao Wu

Yufei Zhu

Charles R Rutledge

Madison B Emmett

Jillian M Jakubiec

Rana Mohtadi

Yuyang Song

Takuji Kita

Frederick W Mau, Ii

Erin J Rutledge

Yaroslav Stephan Wrocyznskyj

Daniel Jeffrey Herrera

Taehwa Lee

Xiaopeng Li

Daisuke Okamoto

Tomoharu Kataoka

Kenneth James McDonald

Ty B Ebling

Frederick Mau

Junnya Murai

Paul Jantzen

Sean Evan Sullivan

An artificial muscle chair device includes a plurality of artificial muscles embedded in a chair. Each artificial muscle includes a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region. A first electrode and a second electrode each disposed in the electrode region of the housing. The artificial muscle chair device further includes a dielectric fluid disposed within the housing. The first and second electrodes electrostatically attract, inflating the expandable fluid region with dielectric fluid and thereby applying selective pressure to an outer surface of the chair.

Artificial muscle light weight seat massager and haptic response chair

An artificial muscle system includes an artificial muscle and a power supply. The artificial muscle includes an electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode, an electrical insulator membrane fixed to the second electrode, a housing including an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, the electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing, and a dielectric fluid housed within the housing. The power supply includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The positive terminal is electrically coupled to the second electrode. The negative terminal is electrically coupled to the first electrode. 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.

Artificial muscles comprising a partially insulated electrode pair and methods for optimizing voltage polarity conditions in the artificial muscles

A storage compartment assembly including a storage compartment having at least one inside surface and defining an opening for receiving an object, one or more artificial muscles disposed within the storage compartment along the inside surface. Each artificial muscle includes a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing. The electrode pair includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The electrode pair is configured to actuate between a non-actuated position and an actuated position such that actuation from the non-actuated position to the actuated position directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region to expand the expandable fluid region into the storage compartment.

Storage compartment assemblies having artificial muscles and methods of operating storage compartment assemblies

Disclosed here are a method of marking a dark-colored surface with a dark-colored LiDAR-reflective material and a marking composition comprising the dark-colored LiDAR-reflective material and a marking carrier. Particularly, the dark-colored LiDAR-reflective material comprises has a reflectivity in the visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that is ≤10% and a reflectivity in the near-IR and LiDAR spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that is ≥10%.

Lidar reflective material and marking system

A chair can be configured for synchronized movement with visual content, such as a video game or movie, presented on a display. The chair can include a seat portion. A plurality of actuators can be operatively positioned to cause a movement of the seat portion. The actuators can include one or more shape memory material members. Each of the actuators being configured such that, when an activation input is provided to the one or more shape memory material members, the one or more shape memory material members change from a first configuration to a second configuration and cause the actuator to morph into an activated configuration. One or more processors operatively connected to selectively activate one or more of the actuators by causing the activation input to be provided to the one or more shape memory material members of at least one of the actuators.

Chair with shape memory material-based movement synchronized with visual content

A table structure includes a table top structured to be configurable to a retracted configuration and to a fully deployed configuration for use. At least one shape memory material (SMM) member is operably connected to the table top such that energization of the SMM member configures the table top to the fully deployed configuration and de-energization of the at least one SMM member enables configuration of the table top the retracted configuration. The table structure may be incorporated into a wall of a vehicle as an optional, retractable accessory.

Retractable table structure

An artificial muscle assembly includes initiating actuators and an artificial muscle. The artificial muscle includes a housing including an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region. The electrode pair includes a first electrode and a second electrode fixed to respective first and second surfaces of the housing. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a central opening defining the expandable fluid region. 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 a dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region. Each initiating actuator is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state applies a force against the electrode region of the artificial muscle.

Artificial muscle assemblies including a central artificial muscle and a plurality of initiating actuators

An actuator that includes a shell, a ring structure within the shell, a shape-memory material wire fixed at opposite points of the ring structure to extend in a first direction across a width of the ring structure, and a cooling fluid provided within the shell and in fluid communication with the shape-memory material wire. When the shape-memory material wire is heated, the shape-memory material wire contracts in the first direction to reduce the width of the ring structure and increases a height of the ring structure extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Shape-memory material actuators

An actuator can include one or more shape memory material members. When an activation input is provided to the one or more shape memory material members, the one or more shape memory material members contract, which causes the actuator to morph into an activated configuration. A height of the actuator increases in the activated configuration. The actuator can include a first outer body member and a second outer body member. The first outer body member can include a first portion and a second portion pivotably connected to each other. One or more processors can be operatively connected to selectively activate the one or more shape memory material members.

Shape memory material member-based actuator

An artificial muscle includes a housing including an electrode region, an expandable fluid region, a first film layer, and a second film layer. The first film layer and the second film layer each include an inner protective layer having a first elasticity, an outer protective layer having a second elasticity, and a reinforcing layer provided between the inner protective layer and the outer protective layer, the reinforcing layer having a third elasticity greater than the first elasticity of the inner protective layer and the second elasticity of the outer protective layer. The artificial muscle further includes an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing and between the first film layer and the second film layer, and a dielectric fluid housed within the housing.

Artificial muscle assemblies comprising a reinforced housing

A therapeutic motion device includes a support structure including a first support portion and a second support portion. The first support portion rotatably coupled to the second support portion and at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion is movable relative to the other of the first support potion and the second support portion. First and second actuation arms extend from the first and second support portions, respectively. An artificial muscle drive unit couples the first actuation arm to the second actuation arm, the artificial muscle drive unit including one or more artificial muscles expandable in a movement direction to provide a movement force to at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion.

Therapeutic motion devices including artificial muscle drive units

An actuator can include an outer body. At least a portion of the outer body can be configured to pivot. The actuator can include a contracting member, such as a shape memory material member. When an activation input is provided to the contracting member, the contracting member can contract. As a result, the actuator can be caused to morph into an activated configuration in which a dimension, such as the height, of the actuator increases.

Actuator with contracting member

An artificial muscle that includes a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region, the electrode pair having a first electrode fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing. The first and second electrodes each have two or more tab portions and two or more bridge portions. Each of the two or more bridge portions interconnects adjacent tab portions and at least one of the first and second electrodes includes a central opening positioned between the two or more tab portions and encircling the expandable fluid region. A dielectric fluid is housed within the housing and the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated to actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region.

Artificial muscles comprising an electrode pair and artificial muscle assemblies including same

A state of a shape memory material member in an actuator can be monitored and controlled to protect the shape memory material member. When activated, the actuator can be configured to morph into an activated configuration in which a dimension (e.g., the height) of the actuator increases. A sensor configured to acquire sensor data. A portion of the shape memory material member can operatively engaging the sensor. One or more processors can be operatively connected to monitor a state of the shape memory material member based on the sensor data.

Monitoring a state of a shape memory material member

A device for canceling acoustic noise generated includes, in one example, an inlet channel configured to be fluidly connected to an inlet port of a pump and an outlet channel configured to be fluidly connected to an outlet port of the pump. The device also includes an inlet resonator and an outlet resonator, both having open ends and closed ends. The open ends of the inlet and outlet resonators are fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet channels, respectively. When in operation, the inlet and outlet resonators can cancel noise generated by the operation of the pump.

Growing community of inventors

Pinckney, MI, United States of America

Michael Paul Rowe