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:
Jul. 05, 2011
Filed:
Mar. 25, 2010
Jonathan R. Heim, Pacifica, CA (US);
Ronald E. Pelrine, Louisville, CO (US);
Roy David Kornbluh, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Joseph S. Eckerle, Redwood City, CA (US);
Marcus Rosenthal, Pacifica, CA (US);
Richard P. Heydt, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Jonathan R. Heim, Pacifica, CA (US);
Ronald E. Pelrine, Louisville, CO (US);
Roy David Kornbluh, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Joseph S. Eckerle, Redwood City, CA (US);
Marcus Rosenthal, Pacifica, CA (US);
Richard P. Heydt, Palo Alto, CA (US);
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Abstract
The invention describes devices for controlling fluid flow, such as valves. The devices may include one or more electroactive polymer transducers with an electroactive polymer that deflects in response to an application of an electric field. The electroactive polymer may be in contact with a fluid where the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.