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:
Aug. 05, 2025
Filed:
Aug. 31, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Pawandeep Singh Matharu, Dallas, TX (US);
Yonas Tadesse, Garland, TX (US);
Yuyang Song, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Umesh Gandhi, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Plano, TX (US);
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US);
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
Technology disclosed herein provides a cannula TCP actuator comprising an annealed microtube assembly including a polymer microtube having inserted therein a resistive heating wire such that the resistive heating wire extends through the length of the polymer microtube, wherein the microtube assembly is arranged in a twisted and coiled tube. The cannula TCP actuator is fabricated by inserting a resistive heating wire into the polymer microtube, forming a microtube assembly by applying a longitudinal force to a first end of the polymer microtube in a direction parallel to a center axis of the polymer microtube and in an opposite direction relative to a second end of the polymer microtube, and applying a rotational force to the second end of the polymer microtube during application of the longitudinal force to cause the polymer microtube to twist and coil about the center axis, and annealing the microtube assembly.