The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 19, 2019
Filed:
Nov. 16, 2017
Board of Regents, the University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US);
Na Li, Richardson, TX (US);
Carter S. Haines, Murphy, TX (US);
Marcio D. Lima, Richardson, TX (US);
Monica Jung DeAndrade, Richardson, TX (US);
Shaoli Fang, Richardson, TX (US);
Jiyoung Oh, Richardson, TX (US);
Mikhail E. Kozlov, Dallas, TX (US);
Dongseok Suh, Plano, TX (US);
Ray H. Baughman, Dallas, TX (US);
THE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled yarns/polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the torsional fiber actuator includes a first polymer fiber (exhibiting a first polymer fiber diameter) and a torsional return spring in communication with the first polymer fiber. The first polymer fiber is configured to include a first plurality of twists in a first direction to produce a twisted polymer fiber. The first polymer fiber is further configured to include a plurality of coils in the twisted polymer fiber in a second direction each coil having a mean coil diameter. In some embodiments, the torsional nanofiber actuator includes a first carbon nanofiber yarn (having a yarn diameter) and a torsional return spring in communication with the first carbon nanofiber yarn. The first carbon nanofiber yarn includes a plurality of twists in a first direction to produce a twisted carbon nanofiber yarn. The first carbon nanofiber yarn further includes a plurality of coils in the twisted carbon nanofiber yarn, with each coil having a mean coil diameter greater than the yarn diameter.