Abstract: Electroactive polymer transducers are disclosed. They are biased in a manner that provides for increased force and/or stroke output, thereby offering improved work potential and power output capacity. The biasing may offer additional or alternate functional advantage in terms of matching transducer performance with a given application such as a normally-closed valve. The improved biasing (including increased output biasing) may utilize negative spring rate biasing and/or a combination of negative or zero-rate biasing with positive rate biasing to achieve the desired ends.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 12, 2009
Date of Patent:
March 29, 2011
Assignee:
Bayer MaterialScience AG
Inventors:
Jonathan R. Heim, Ilya Polyakov, Alizreza Zarrabi, Otto Hui
Abstract: A method for making an energy-absorbing foam having a density that is less than about 7 pcf that exhibits excellent strength properties and that is particularly suitable for automobile bumper applications. The invention is also directed to the energy-absorbing foam made with the method.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 12, 2000
Date of Patent:
July 1, 2003
Assignee:
Bayer Corporation
Inventors:
Neil H. Nodelman, David D. Steppan, Alan D. Bushmire, William E. Slack