SELF PUMPING AND SENSING HOSE UTILIZING ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER STRIPS

One or more electroactive polymer (EAP) strips are circumferentially or lengthwise embedded or mounted around the fluid passage member. The EAP strips are configured to function as a pump when a prescribed electrical charge is applied and removed from the EAP strips, which causes the EAP strips to e...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors KINGSFORD KENJI A, DUNN JASON T, CALVO MARIO A, BRENNER ANDREW
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.01.2015
Subjects
BLASTING
HEATING
LIGHTING
MEASURING
MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER,MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUIDLEVEL
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
METERING BY VOLUME
PHYSICS
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS
PUMPS
PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
TESTING
WEAPONS
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Summary:One or more electroactive polymer (EAP) strips are circumferentially or lengthwise embedded or mounted around the fluid passage member. The EAP strips are configured to function as a pump when a prescribed electrical charge is applied and removed from the EAP strips, which causes the EAP strips to expand and constrict accordingly. A series of these strips may be mounted along a portion of the fluid passage member and electrically actuated in a prescribed manner to exert a squeezing force around the fluid passage member, which functions to pump fluid through the fluid passage member. The EAP strips also change electrical characteristics (e.g., capacitance, resistance) independent of the applied actuation as they are stretched, so they may be used to measure fluid pressure and/or fluid flow rate.
Bibliography:Application Number: US201214346826