Patents by Inventor Frank Vossen

Frank Vossen 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).

  • Electroactive polymer actuator including elements with different elastic moduli
    Patent number: 9368709
    Abstract: An actuator comprises an electroactive polymer layer (402) and a stretchable electrode structure (403) disposed at a first side of the electroactive polymer layer and further a counter electrode layer (401) disposed on a second side of the electroactive polymer layer, wherein the ratio YC/YEAP of the elastic modulus YC of the counter electrode layer and the elastic modulus YEAP of the electroactive polymer layer is at least 10. When compressed transversally by the electrodes, the electroactive polymer will expand tangentially and the actuator will relax into a shape wherein the interior of the electroded region is substantially recessed parallel to the plane of the device, while a substantial portion of the area increase is absorbed by out-of-plane bends arising at the electrode boundary (duck mode). The invention can be embodied as optically reflective or refractive devices with variable geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Brokken, Hendrik De Koning, Wendy Mirelle Martam, Floris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets, Juergen Vogt, Frank Vossen
  • ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATOR
    Publication number: 20130175898
    Abstract: An actuator comprises an electroactive polymer layer (402) and a stretchable electrode structure (403) disposed at a first side of the electroactive polymer layer and further a counter electrode layer (401) disposed on a second side of the electroactive polymer layer, wherein the ratio Yc/YEAP of the elastic modulus YC of the counter electrode layer and the elastic modulus YEAP of the electroactive polymer layer is at least 10. When compressed transversally by the electrodes, the electroactive polymer will expand tangentially and the actuator will relax into a shape wherein the interior of the electroded region is substantially recessed parallel to the plane of the device, while a substantial portion of the area increase is absorbed by out-of-plane bends arising at the electrode boundary (duck mode). The invention can be embodied as optically reflective or refractive devices with variable geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Brokken, Hendrik De Koning, Wendy Mirelle Martam, Floris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets, Juergen Vogt, Frank Vossen