U.S. patent application number 15/802580 was filed with the patent office on 2018-11-15 for loop-band devices configured for motion.
The applicant listed for this patent is Baoxiang Shan. Invention is credited to Baoxiang Shan.
Application Number | 20180331635 15/802580 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64098143 |
Filed Date | 2018-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180331635 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shan; Baoxiang |
November 15, 2018 |
Loop-Band Devices Configured for Motion
Abstract
A method of providing motion using a loop-band device is
disclosed. An outer, restraining loop constrains an inner, buckling
loop to form a buckled mode having one or more buckles. An
activation force generated in one of buckles provides a stress,
resulting in a change of configuration of the buckling loop that
produces movement of the restraining loop. Depending on the
composition of the buckling loop, the stress is generated via heat,
light, an electric current or voltage, a magnetic field, or a
combination thereof. The restraining loop is a suitably thin,
relatively inextensible but flexible material. The buckling loop is
a suitably thin, relatively flexible, reactive material that
develops stress when subject to suitable activation forces.
Suitable reactive materials include electroactive polymers,
electrostrictive materials, magnetostrictive materials and
materials having a high coefficient of linear, thermal expansion.
The motion is linear or rotary, depending on device
configuration.
Inventors: |
Shan; Baoxiang; (Hoboken,
NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Shan; Baoxiang |
Hoboken |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
64098143 |
Appl. No.: |
15/802580 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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62506199 |
May 15, 2017 |
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62506828 |
May 16, 2017 |
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62507300 |
May 17, 2017 |
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62509102 |
May 20, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02N 2/10 20130101; E05B
17/2084 20130101; B23Q 1/28 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H02N 2/10 20060101
H02N002/10; E05B 17/20 20060101 E05B017/20; B23Q 1/28 20060101
B23Q001/28 |
Claims
1. A method of effecting motion using a loop-band device,
comprising: providing a restraining loop, said restraining loop
being a continuous ribbon of a uniform thickness and a uniform
width and having no end point, and, wherein, said width is greater
than said thickness, and, wherein, said restraining loop is of
homogenous composition; providing a buckling loop, constrained
within said restraining loop to form a buckled mode with one or
more buckles, said buckling loop being a continuous ribbon of a
uniform thickness and a uniform width and having no end point, and,
wherein, said width is greater than said thickness; and generating
an activation force within said buckling loop, thereby effecting a
change of shape of said buckled mode and a movement of said
restraining loop.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein, said activation force is
generated at an inflection point of a first of one of said
buckles.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein, said restraining loop comprises
a material selected from one of a fabric reinforced silicone, a
fabric reinforced polyurethane, a Titanium alloy, a stainless steel
alloy, a copper alloy or an aluminum alloy, or a combination
thereof.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein, said restraining loop comprises
a fabric reinforced silicone.
5. (canceled)
6. The method of claim 1, wherein, said bucking loop is a bilayer
buckling loop and comprises a substrate layer and an active
material layer.
7-8: (canceled)
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a carrying
platform supported within said buckling loop; and providing a
source of heat, located on said carrying platform so as to provide
heat to said inflection point, thereby generating said activation
force and moving said loop-band device parallel to said carrying
platform in a first lateral direction.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said buckling loop is fixed to
said restraining loop at a point of fixation outside of said
buckles, thereby directing said movement of said restraining loop
to be about an arc of motion centered on said point of
fixation.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein, said restraining loop further
comprises one or more engagement elements; and said buckling loop
further comprises one or more locating elements.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said buckling loop is fixed to
said restraining loop at a point of fixation outside of said
buckles, and wherein said buckling loop is constrained within said
restraining loop to form a buckled mode with two of said
buckles.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating said activation
force at a first inflection point of said first buckle effects a
movement of said restraining loop in a first rotational direction
about said point of fixation; and providing a second activation
force at a second inflection point of a second buckle effects a
movement of said restraining loop in a second rotational direction
about said point of fixation.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing one or
more force generating elements attached to, or a part of, said
buckling loop; and activating one of said force generating
elements, thereby generating said activation force and effecting
said movement of said restraining loop.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said activated force generating
element is located at an inflection point of one of said
buckles.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein, said force generating element
is a piezoelectric element.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing an inner,
circular, rigid support structure; and wherein said restraining
loop is an outer, circular, rigid support structure having a same
axis of rotation as said inner, circular, rigid support structure,
such that application of said activation force at said first
inflection point results in rotatory motion of said outer,
circular, rigid support structure relative to said inner, circular,
rigid support structure about said axis of rotation.
18. A loop-band motion device, comprising: a restraining loop, said
restraining loop, said restraining loop being a contiguous ribbon
of a uniform thickness and a uniform width and having no end, and,
wherein, said width is greater than said thickness, and, wherein,
said restraining loop is of homogenous composition; a buckling
loop, constrained within said restraining loop to form a buckled
mode with one or more buckles, said buckling loop being a
contiguous ribbon of a uniform thickness and a uniform width and
having no end, and, wherein, said width is greater said thickness;
and, an activation force generated within said buckling loop,
thereby effecting a change of shape of said buckled mode, and a
movement of said restraining loop.
19. The loop-band motion device of claim 18, wherein, said
activation force is generated at an inflection point of a first of
said buckles
20. The loop-band motion device of claim 18, wherein, said bucking
loop is a bilayer buckling loop and comprises a substrate layer and
an active material layer.
21. (canceled)
22. The loop-band motion device of claim 18, wherein said buckling
loop is fixed to said restraining loop at a point of fixation
outside of said buckles, thereby directing said movement of said
restraining loop to be about an arc of motion centered on said
point of fixation.
23. The loop-band motion device of claim 18, wherein, said
restraining loop further comprises one or more engagement elements;
and said buckling loop further comprises one or more locating
elements.
24. The loop-band motion device of claim 18, further comprising: an
inner, circular, rigid support structure; and wherein said
restraining loop is an outer, circular, rigid support structure
having a same axis of rotation as said inner, circular, rigid
support structure, such that application of said activation force
at said first inflection point results in rotatory motion of said
outer, circular, rigid support structure relative to said inner,
circular, rigid support structure about said axis of rotation.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 62/506,199
entitled "Looped Multistable System" filed on May 15, 2017 by
Baoxiang Shan; to U.S. Ser. No. 62/506,828 entitled "Flexible
Actuator and Sensor" filed on May 16, 2017 by Baoxiang Shan; to
U.S. Ser. No. 62/507,300 entitled "Flexible Movement System" filed
on May 17, 2017 by Baoxiang Shan; and to U.S. Ser. No. 62/509,102
entitled "Travelling Wave Pumps" filed on May 20, 2017 by Baoxiang
Shan, the contents of all of which are hereby fully incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to loop-band devices configured for
producing motion, and more particularly to loop-band devices
configured to convert thermal, piezo-electric, electro-restrictive
and magneto-restrictive stresses into mechanical motion, and
vice-versa.
(2) Description of the Related Art
[0003] The technical problems of converting thermal,
piezo-electric, electro-restrictive and magneto-restrictive
stresses into mechanical motion, and vice-versa, are inherent in
the technical fields of motion generation and energy
harvesting.
[0004] The relevant prior art includes:
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,331 issued to Sciacca, et al. on May 21,
2002 entitled "Bistable actuator" that describes a bistable
actuator for residual-current devices, including a lamina having at
least one face, a first end, and a second end, and configured to
actuate from a first stable position to a second stable position;
at least one layer of piezoelectric material provided on the at
least one face of the lamina at the first end of the lamina, and
configured to stimulate the lamina to shift from the first stable
position to the second stable position in response to an electrical
activation signal; and a support element including an interlock
coupling, and configured to support the first end and the second
end of the lamina, wherein the interlock coupling is configured to
interlock the first end of the lamina to the support element, and
the second end of the lamina is rigidly coupled to the support
element in order to keep the lamina in the first stable
position.
[0006] US Patent Application 20130082427 published by Zavattieri et
al. on Apr. 4, 2013 entitled "Bi-Stable and Multi-Stable Devices"
that describes a bi-stable or multi-stable device having two or
more stable positions includes an elastically deformable member
having two or more stable positions of minimal potential energy,
the deformable member being movable, in response to an external
force generated to the deformable member, between stable positions
by moving through a position at which the deformable member has a
peak potential energy. The device also includes an energy storage
member, either separate from or part of the deformable member, that
absorbs energy from the external force generated to the deformable
member as the deformable member moves from a stable position toward
a position of peak potential energy, and releases energy as the
deformable member moves from a position of peak potential energy
toward a stable position, wherein the energy storage member
includes a super elastic shape memory alloy (SMA).
[0007] Various implementations are known in the art, but fail to
address all of the problems solved by the invention described
herein. Various embodiments of this invention are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail
herein below.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An inventive system and method of providing motion using a
loop-band device is disclosed.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the loop-band device may include
a restraining loop that may retain a buckling loop such that the
buckling loop assumes, or forms, a buckled mode having one or more
buckles. An activation force may then be generated within the
buckling loop. The activation force may, for instance, be any force
that results in a change of stress in the buckling loop. Depending
on the composition of the buckling loop that stress may be
generated via a means such as, but not limited to, heat, light, an
electric current or voltage, a magnetic field, or a combination
thereof. The result of the stress may be a change in the
configuration of the buckling loop such that there is a movement
of, or relative to, the restraining loop.
[0010] In a more preferred embodiment, activation force may be
applied at, or in, the vicinity of an inflection point of one or
more of the buckles, as this may result in a more effective
translation of activation force into loop-band device motion.
[0011] The restraining loop preferably is preferably a continuous
ribbon, having no end point, that may have a uniform thickness and
a uniform width. The width of the restraining loop is preferably
greater than its thickness, and, the restraining loop is preferably
of homogenous composition.
[0012] The restraining loop may, for instance, be made of a
relatively inextensible but flexible material such as, but not
limited to, a fabric reinforced silicone, a fabric reinforced
polyurethane, a Titanium alloy, a stainless steel alloy, a copper
alloy or an aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof.
[0013] The buckling loop is preferably a continuous ribbon, having
no end point, that may have a uniform thickness and a uniform
width. The width of the buckling loop is preferably greater than
the thickness of the buckling loop. While the buckling loop may be
of homogenous composition, some embodiments may have buckling loops
having a patterning of varying composition.
[0014] The buckling loop may, for instance, be made of a relatively
flexible material that may develop stresses when subject to
suitable activation forces. Such materials include, for instance,
electroactive polymers such as, but not limited to,
electrostrictive materials having a piezoelectric voltage constant
greater than 1.times.10.sup.-3 Vm/N, magnetostrictive materials
having a magnetostrictive coefficient greater than 50 microstrains,
or a combination thereof. Other suitable buckling loop materials
include, but are not limited to, metals, or metal alloys, having a
coefficient of linear, thermal expansion greater than
5.times.10.sup.-6 m/m/.degree. C.
[0015] Both the restraining and the buckling loops are preferably
of seamless construction, though allowances for the manufacturing
tolerances of joints may be made.
[0016] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the
bucking loop may be a bilayer buckling loop having a substrate
layer and an active material layer. The substrate layer and the
active material layer may, for instance, be joined together. The
substrate layer may be made of materials such as, or similar to,
those of which the restraining loop may be made. Similarly, the
active material layer may be made of materials such as, or similar
to, those of which the buckling loop may be made.
[0017] In another embodiment of the invention, the restraining loop
may include one or more engagement elements while the buckling loop
may include one or more complementary locating elements. Such an
arrangement may, for instance, allow the buckling loop to assume
more complex, higher eigenvalue modes that may have a greater
number of buckles. The complementary engagement and locating
elements may also, or instead, help transfer forces and/or motion
between the restraining and buckling loops.
[0018] Further embodiments may include fixation points that may tie
the restraining loop to the buckling loops at one or more points of
fixation. Such fixation points may, for instance, be effective in
allowing the loop-band device to be used to generate lateral
motions that may, for instance, be useful in applications such as,
but not limited to, robotic arm articulation.
[0019] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the buckling
loop may be provided with one or more discrete force generating
elements that may be individually activated, or activated in
groups. These force generating elements may be materials such as,
but not limited to, ceramic or polymer piezoelectric elements.
[0020] One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that while
the loop-band devices are described herein primarily in terms of
stresses being applied to the buckling loop to generate motion,
many of the embodiments described may also be used in a further, or
alternate, mode in which the loop-band device, or elements of it,
are subject to motion and that the resultant motion related
stresses applied to the loop-band device may generate electricity
as its buckling loop, or elements thereof, alter shape or assume
changed buckled modes. The loop-band devices of this invention may,
therefore, also be useful in applications such as, but not limited
to, energy harvesting from sources of motion such as, but not
limited to, wind or wave motion, or a combination thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a loop-band
device.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of a loop-band device
driven by a heat source.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a single buckle
loop-band device with a point of fixation.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of a two buckle
loop-band device with engagement and location elements.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of a two buckle
loop-band device with a point of fixation.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows a schematic, cross-section of a loop-band
device with a bilayer buckling loop.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows a schematic, isometric view of a loop-band
device with force generating elements.
[0028] FIG. 8 shows a schematic, cross-section of a loop-band
device configured for rotary motion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now
be described in more detail with reference to the drawings in which
identical elements in the various figures are, as far as possible,
identified with the same reference numerals. These embodiments are
provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is
not, however, intended to be limited thereto. Those of ordinary
skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present
specification and viewing the present drawings that various
modifications and variations may be made thereto without departing
from the spirit of the invention.
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a loop-band device
of one embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] The loop-band device 105 may include a restraining loop 110
and a buckling loop 115. The buckling look may be constrained
within the restraining loop in such a way that it assumes, or
forms, a buckled shape, or buckled mode, having one or more buckles
120. Each of the buckles 120 may have a first and a second
inflection point 135 and 136. By generating an activation force, a
stress may be introduced into the buckling loop 115 that may cause
it to change its shape, and in so doing result in a motion. The
motion of the buckling loop changing shape may, for instance,
result in a translation of the loop-band device 105 across a
surface on which it may be resting.
[0032] Generating the activation force at, or in a vicinity of, one
the points of inflection of one of the buckles may be the most
efficient method of translating an applied activation force into
motion of the loop-band device. However, there may be advantages to
applying the activating force, at other sites. The activating force
may, for instance, result in, or be a result of, a change in
amplitude of a buckle, a bending moment, or change in angle of part
of the buckling loop, or a change in curvature of a portion of the
buckling loop. Applying such an activating force in a vicinity of
where the buckling loop and the restraining loop begin to separate
to form a buckle may, for instance, be a location at which the
movement of the loop-band device may be most precisely
controlled.
[0033] The restraining loop is preferably a continuous ribbon that
has no end point and that may be of a uniform thickness and a
uniform width. The width of the restraining loop is preferably
greater than its thickness, and, the restraining loop is preferably
of homogenous composition. A typical restraining loop may have a
width that is at least 2.times. its thickness, though a width that
is 5.times. or even 10.times. or more greater than its thickness is
also known.
[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the loop-band device may include
a restraining loop that may retain a buckling loop such that the
buckling loop assumes, or forms, a buckled mode having one or more
buckles. An activation force may then be generated within the
buckling loop. The activation force may, for instance, be any force
that results in a change of stress in the buckling loop. Depending
on the composition of the buckling loop that stress may be
generated via a means such as, but not limited to, heat, light, an
electric current or voltage, a magnetic field, or a combination
thereof. The result of the stress may be a change in the
configuration of the buckling loop such that there is a movement
of, or relative to, the restraining loop. In a more preferred
embodiment, activation force may be applied at, or in, the vicinity
of an inflection point of one or more of the buckles, as this may
result in an effective translation of activation force into
loop-band device motion.
[0035] The buckling loop is preferably a continuous ribbon, having
no end point and which may have a uniform thickness and a uniform
width. The width of the buckling loop is preferably greater than
the thickness of the buckling loop. A typical buckling loop may
have a width that is at least 2.times. its thickness, though a
width that is 5.times. or even 10.times. or more greater than its
thickness is also known. While the buckling loop may be of
homogenous composition, some embodiments may have buckling loops
having patternings of varying composition. For instance, the
buckling loop may interpose strips, or bands, of activatable
elements between more inert elements.
[0036] Furthermore, the buckling layer may be of, or have portions
that are of, a multilayer construction that may, for instance,
include one or more interdigitated electrodes. Such interdigitated
electrodes may, for instance, increase the effective capacitance of
the structure, and so may increase the effective active area of the
device.
[0037] Both the restraining and the buckling loops are preferably
of seamless construction, though allowances for the manufacturing
tolerances of joints may be made.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of a loop-band device
driven by a heat source.
[0039] The loop-band device driven by a heat source 140 shown in
FIG. 2 may, for instance, include a buckling loop 115 made of a
suitably thin, relatively flexible, but springy material such as,
but not limited to, a suitably thin metal, or metal alloy, that may
have a suitably high coefficient of linear, thermal expansion.
Although, theoretically, any material having a positive coefficient
of linear expansion may be used, in a preferred embodiment of the
invention, materials used may have a linear coefficient of
expansion greater than 5.times.10.sup.-6 m/m/.degree. C. In a more
preferred embodiment, the materials may be required to have a
linear coefficient of expansion greater than 15.times.10.sup.-6
m/m/.degree. C. Suitable metals and metal alloys include, but are
not limited to Aluminum Bronze, Beryllium Copper, Manganese Bronze,
Nickel-Base Ally, S31000 Stainless Steel or some combination
thereof.
[0040] The loop-band device driven by a heat source 140 may also
include a restraining loop 110 and a carrying platform 145 that may
have support rollers 155. The carrying platform 145 may be situated
within the buckling loop 115 and be carrying a source of heat 150
located such that heat may be generated to, or in a vicinity of, a
first inflection point 135. The application of the heat to the
buckling loop 115 may cause local expansion, and therefore, stress,
in a vicinity of the first inflection point 135. This stress may
result in the buckling loop 115 deforming, and in doing so causing
the loop-band device to move in a first lateral direction 160 along
the substantially flat surface 165 on which the loop-band device
may be resting.
[0041] The source of heat 150 may be any suitable source of heat
such as, but not limited to, a flame, an electrical resistance
heater, a light bulb, an LED light source, or a focused light
source, or some combination thereof.
[0042] The restraining loop 110 may be made of any suitably thin,
relatively inextensible yet flexible material such as, but not
limited to, a fabric reinforced silicone, a fabric reinforced
polyurethane, a Titanium alloy, a stainless steel alloy, a copper
alloy or an aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof. Particularly
suitable materials may include Titanium alloys such as, but not
limited to, so called Beta titanium alloys, i.e., titanium alloyed
in varying amounts with one or more of molybdenum, vanadium,
niobium, tantalum, zirconium, manganese, iron, chromium, cobalt,
nickel, and copper. This type of alloy may have a strength/modulus
of elasticity ratios almost twice that of 18-8 austenitic stainless
steel, allowing for larger elastic deflections in springs, and a
reduced force per unit displacement. Suitable alloys may include,
but are not limited to, "BETA III" (Ti-11.5 Mo-6.5 Zr-4.6 Sn),
Transage 129 (Ti-2Al-11.5V-2Sn-11.3Zr) or Ti-6Al-4V, or some
combination thereof.
[0043] One of ordinary skill in the art will, however, appreciate
that while FIG. 2 shows a loop-band device driven by a heat source
140, the buckling loop 115 may instead be made of a suitable
electroactive polymer, and the heating source may then be replaced
by a suitable electric current or voltage source, resulting in a
loop-band device driven by an electro-magnetic source.
[0044] The source of heat 150 shown in FIG. 2 may then, for
instance, be replaced by an electrical current or voltage supplied
by two separated conducting, contact rollers. Suitable materials
for such an electroactive buckling loop may, for instance, be any
electrostrictive materials having a piezoelectric voltage constant
greater than 1.times.10.sup.-3 V/mN/m.sup.2. Particularly suitable
polymers include polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and Iodine doped
polyacetylene
[0045] Similarly, the buckling loop may be replaced by one made of
a suitably magnetostrictive material, and the heat source by a
source of magnetic flux to produce a magnetically driven loop-band
device. A suitable magnetorestictive material may be one have a
magnetostrictive coefficient greater than 50 microstrains such as,
but not limited to, Terfenol-D, or Galfenol. Terfenol-D stands for
Ter for terbium, Fe for iron, NOL for Naval Ordnance Laboratory,
and D for dysprosium. It is a material that may exhibits about
2,000 microstrains in a field of 2 kOe (160 kA/m) at room
temperature. A suitable source of magnetic flux may be a magnet
such as, but not limited to, a suitably strong rare-earth permanent
magnet, or an electro-magnet or a combination thereof.
[0046] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a single buckle
loop-band device with a point of fixation.
[0047] The single buckle loop-band device with a point of fixation
180 shown in FIG. 3 may include a restraining loop 110 and a
buckling loop 115 held together at a point of fixation 170. The
buckling loop 115 is shown having a buckle with a first inflection
point 135. When an activating stress may be generated at the first
inflection point 135, the buckling loop may deform to take up the
shape shown as the buckling loop after motion 190. In assuming a
change in shape because of the stress induced at the first
inflection point 135, the entire loop-band device may be forced to
move in an arc of motion 175 that may be centered on the point of
fixation 170. The result of this motion may be the rotated
loop-band device as represented by the buckling loop after motion
190 and the restraining loop after motion 185.
[0048] When the loop-band device is in the rotated position, as
represented by the restraining loop after motion 185 and the
buckling loop after motion 190 shown in FIG. 3, a further
activating stress may be generated to the second inflection point
136. Application of this activating force, or stress, may result in
the loop-band device being returned to its original orientation by
rotation in an arc of motion 175 about the point of fixation
170.
[0049] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of a two buckle
loop-band device with engagement and location elements 220.
[0050] The restraining loop 110 may, for instance, have one or more
engagements element 205 that may correspond in positioning to one
or more locating elements 195 of the buckling loop 115. The
engagement element 205 may, for instance, be teeth, and the
locating element 195 may be holes or spaces into which the teeth
may engage. An advantage of having corresponding engagement and
locating elements may be to allow the buckling loop 115 to assume
and maintain buckling modes, or configurations, having two or more
buckles. Such buckling modes with multiple buckles may be termed to
be higher eigen-mode buckling configurations.
[0051] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of a two buckle
loop-band device 265 with a point of fixation.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 5, the loop-band device may initially have
a form shown by the restraining loop 110 and the buckling loop 115
that may be restrained to form a buckled mode with two buckles. The
restraining loop 110 and the buckling loop 115 may also be fixed
together at a point of fixation 170 that may lie outside the
buckled regions of the buckling loop.
[0053] An activation force may then be generated at a first
inflection point 225 of a first buckle that may cause the buckling
loop to change shape and in doing so cause the loop-band device to
move in a first rotational direction 230 that may be an arc
centered on the point of fixation. The result of the movement may
be represented by the restraining loop 235 after motion in a first
direction of rotation and the buckling loop 240 after motion in a
first direction of rotation.
[0054] An activation force may instead have been generated a first
inflection point 260 of a second buckle. Such a force may cause the
buckling loop to change shape and in doing so cause the loop-band
device to move in a second rotational direction 245 that may be an
arc centered on the point of fixation. The result of the movement
may be represented by the restraining loop 250 after motion in a
second direction of rotation and the buckling loop 255 after motion
in a second direction of rotation.
[0055] FIG. 6 shows a schematic, cross-sectional view of a
loop-band device 305 with a bilayer buckling loop.
[0056] The bilayer buckling loop 285 may be made up of a substrate
layer 290 and an active material layer 295.
[0057] The bilayer buckling loop substrate layer may, for instance,
be made of a material such as, but not limited to, a fabric
reinforced silicone, a fabric reinforced polyurethane, a Titanium
alloy, a stainless steel alloy, a copper alloy or an aluminum
alloy, or a combination thereof.
[0058] The bilayer buckling loop active material layer may be made
of a material such as, but not limited to, an electroactive polymer
selected from electrostrictive materials having a piezoelectric
voltage constant greater than 1.times.10.sup.-3 Vm/N, a
magnetostrictive materials having a magnetostrictive coefficient
greater than 50 microstrains, or a combination thereof; or a metal,
or metal alloy, having a coefficient of linear, thermal expansion
greater than 5.times.10.sup.-6 m/m/.degree. C.
[0059] FIG. 7 shows a schematic, isometric view of a loop-band
device 280 with force generating elements.
[0060] The force generating elements 270 may be disposed on either
the inner or outer surface of the buckling loop 115. The force
generating elements 270 may themselves be flexible, or they may be
rigid, or semi-rigid tiles, thus allowing the use of, for instance,
ceramic piezo-electric elements as the force generating elements. A
change in shape of the buckling loop 115 may, therefore, be
effected by activating one or more of the force generating elements
275 located at, or in a vicinity of, an inflection point of the
buckling loop 115. This change in shape of the buckling loop 115
may then result in relative motion of the bucking loop with respect
to the restraining loop, and/or motion of the entire loop-band
device with respect to a support surface.
[0061] Suitable materials for the force generating elements 270
include electroactive polymers such as, but not limited to,
polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and iodine doped polyacetylene, or
some combination thereof. Ceramic electrostriction, known as
relaxor ferroelectrics, such as, but not limited to, lead magnesium
niobate (PMN), lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) and
lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT), have extraordinarily high
electrostrictive constants, and may, therefore, also be suitable as
force generating elements 270.
[0062] For loop-band device with force generating elements 280 that
may function by magnetostriction suitable materials include, but
are not limited to, Terfenol-D.TM., Galfenol.TM. Metglas.TM. or
some combination thereof.
[0063] As force generating elements 270 may be solids,
piezoelectric materials such as, but not limited to, quartz, Lead
zirconate titanate (PZT), and Barium titanate may be used as well
as polymers such as, but not limited to, Poly vinyl carbonate
(PVC), Nylon 11, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).
[0064] FIG. 8 shows a schematic, cross-section of a loop-band
device 310 configured for rotary motion.
[0065] In addition to the restraining loop and the buckling loop, a
loop-band device 310 configured for rotary motion may include a
inner, circular, rigid support structure 315 and the restraining
loop may be reconfigured to be an outer, circular, rigid support
structure 320 having the same axis of rotation 325 as the inner,
circular, rigid support structure.
[0066] In such a structure, application of an activation force 130
at, for instance, the first inflection point 135 of the buckling
loop may result in a rotatory motion of the outer, circular, rigid
support structure 320 relative to the inner, circular, rigid
support structure 315 about the axis of rotation 325.
[0067] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that
numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of
parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the
scope of the invention.
[0068] In particular, the embodiments of the invention have, in the
main part, been illustrated using the lowest eigenvalue mode of
buckling. One of ordinary skill in the art will, however,
appreciate that the inventive principles and concepts described
above may also apply to embodiments that incorporate the inventive
concepts but which may use higher eigenvalue modes of buckling.
* * * * *