Patents by Inventor Dave K. Biegelsen

Dave K. Biegelsen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6490960
    Abstract: A PC board actuator that emulates a muscle fiber includes a first pressure source, a second pressure source lower than the first source, at least one expansion chamber alternately communicating with the first and second pressure sources, first and second valves mounted with the PC board that opens and closes the chamber with respect to the first and second pressure sources, and an actuator member interacting with the expansion chamber to apply a force to the object. The actuator is preferably formed using planar batch technology and the valves preferably comprise electrically controllable flap valves mounted on the PC board. Alternatively, the actuator includes antagonistically arranged expansion chambers that operatively apply reciprocating forces to the object. In other embodiments, the actuator includes plural expansion chambers arranged in series or in parallel in order to increase the overall extent of attainable displacement or to amplify the force generated by the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Warren B. Jackson, Dave K. Biegelsen, Lars Swartz, Patrick Cheung