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:
Oct. 27, 2020
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2019
Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Yuriko Kaneko, Nara, JP;
Maki Hiraoka, Nara, JP;
Naoki Hayashi, Kyoto, JP;
Kenji Tagashira, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An actuator device comprises an actuator wire, a net-shaped heating element which covers a side surface of the actuator wire and comprises heating wires, and a controller for supplying electric power to the net-shaped heating element to heat the net-shaped heating element. The actuator wire is contracted by application of heat and restored by release of the heat. The side surface of the actuator wire is formed of a polymer. One end of the net-shaped heating element is connected to an end of the actuator wire. Another end of the net-shaped heating element is connected to another end of the actuator wire. Each of the heating wires comprises an insulative first elastic yarn and a metal wire. The metal wire are helically wound onto the first elastic yarn. When the net-shaped heating element is not heated, the net-shaped heating element is in contact with the side surface of the actuator wire. When the net-shaped heating element is heated, the net-shaped heating element moves outward from the side surface of the actuator wire due to contraction of the actuator wire.