Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7703742?dq=6016038
Timestamp: 2015-10-09 00:02:15
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Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7703742 - Electroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flow - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThe 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...http://www.google.com/patents/US7703742?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7703742 - Electroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flowAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7703742 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/424,486Publication dateApr 27, 2010Filing dateApr 15, 2009Priority dateJul 20, 1999Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS7537197, US7971850, US20080245985, US20090200501, US20100176322Publication number12424486, 424486, US 7703742 B2, US 7703742B2, US-B2-7703742, US7703742 B2, US7703742B2InventorsJonathan R. Heim, Ronald E. Pelrine, Roy David Kornbluh, Joseph S. Eckerle, Marcus A. Rosenthal, Richard P. HeydtOriginal AssigneeSri InternationalExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (99), Non-Patent Citations (140), Referenced by (4), Classifications (20), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetElectroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flow
US 7703742 B2Abstract
an electroactive polymer transducer comprising at least one compliant electrode and an electroactive polymer in electrical communication with the at least one compliant electrode and having an elastic modulus below about 100 MPa, wherein a portion of the electroactive polymer is arranged to deflect from a first position to a second position in response to a change in electric field applied to the at least one compliant electrode; and
at least one device surface in contact with a fluid and operatively coupled to the electroactive polymer transducer, wherein the deflection of the portion of the electroactive polymer causes a change in a characteristic of the fluid that is transmitted to the fluid via the one surface.
8. The fluid flow device of claim 5, wherein the rolled transducer includes a plurality of layers. Description
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/829,920, filed Jul. 29, 2007 and entitled, “Electroactive Polymer Devices for Controlling Fluid Flow,” which is in turn a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/383,005, filed Mar. 5, 2003, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,457 on Jan. 22, 2008 entitled “Electroactive Polymer Devices for Controlling Fluid Flow”; the 10/383,005 application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/362,560, filed on Mar. 5, 2002; and the 10/383,005 application is also a continuation-in-part and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/792,431, filed Feb. 23, 2001, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,628,040 on Sep. 30, 2003, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119(e) from a) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/184,217 filed Feb. 23, 2000, and b) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/190,713, filed Mar. 17, 2000; and the 10/383,005 application is a continuation-in-part and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/154,449, filed May 21, 2002, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,317 on May 10, 2005, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/293,003, filed on May 22, 2001; and the 10/383,005 application is a continuation-in-part and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/053,511, filed Jan. 16, 2002, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,086 on Apr. 19, 2005, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119(e) from a) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/293,005 filed May 22, 2001, and b) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/327,846, filed Oct. 5, 2001; and the 10/383,005 application is also a continuation-in-part and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/619,847, filed Jul. 20, 2000, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,624 on Feb. 27, 2007, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119(e) from a) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/144,556 filed Jul. 20, 1999, b) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/153,329 filed Sep. 10, 1999, c) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/161,325 filed Oct. 25, 1999, d) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/181,404 filed Feb. 9, 2000, e) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/187,809 filed Mar. 8, 2000, f) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/192,237 filed Mar. 27, 2000, g) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/184,217 filed Feb. 23, 2000; and the 10/383,005 application is a continuation-in-part and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/007,705 filed on Dec. 6, 2001, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,462 on Oct. 26, 2004, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/293,004 filed May 22, 2001, and which is also a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/828,496, filed on Apr. 4, 2004, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,859 on Jul. 1, 2003, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/194,817 filed Apr. 5, 2000; and the 10/383,005 application is a continuation-in-part and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/066,407, filed on Jan. 31, 2002 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,594 on May 30, 2006; each of the patent applications listed above is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
Fluid systems are ubiquitous. The automotive industry, the plumbing industry, chemical processing industry and the aerospace industry are a few examples where fluid systems are of critical importance. In fluid systems, it is often desirable to control properties of a fluid flow in the fluid system to improve a performance or efficiency of the fluid system or to control the fluid in the fluid system in manner that allows the f