Patents by Inventor Marcus A. Rosenthal
Marcus A. Rosenthal 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).
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Publication number: 20100024180Abstract: The present invention provides electroactive polymers, transducers and devices that maintain pre-strain in one or more portions of an electroactive polymer. Electroactive polymers described herein may include a pre-strained portion and a stiffened portion configured to maintain pre-strain in the pre-strained portion. One fabrication technique applies pre-strain to a partially cured electroactive polymer. The partially cured polymer is then further cured to stiffen and maintain the pre-strain. In another fabrication technique, a support layer is coupled to the polymer that maintains pre-strain in a portion of an electroactive polymer. Another embodiment of the invention cures a polymer precursor to maintain pre-strain in an electroactive polymer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2007Publication date: February 4, 2010Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONALInventors: Qibing Pei, Ronald E. Pelrine, Marcus Rosenthal
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Publication number: 20090200501Abstract: The 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 the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2009Publication date: August 13, 2009Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONALInventors: Jonathan R. Heim, Ronald E. Pelrine, Roy David Kornbluh, Joseph S. Eckerle, Marcus Rosenthal, Richard P. Heydt
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Publication number: 20090184606Abstract: The invention describes electroactive polymer devices in both rolled and unrolled configurations. The invention also describes employment of these devices in a wide array of applications and methods for their fabrication. An electroactive polymer device converts between electrical and mechanical energy; and, in one embodiment includes a rolled electroactive polymer and one or more electrodes to provide the mechanical/electrical energy conversion. In one embodiment, the electroactive polymer has a non-uniform surface on which an electrode having a non-uniform shape is disposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2009Publication date: July 23, 2009Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONALInventors: Marcus A. Rosenthal, Qibing Pei, Neville A. Bonwit
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Patent number: 7537197Abstract: The 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 the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: SRI InternationalInventors: Jonathan R. Heim, Ronald E. Pelrine, Roy David Kornbluh, Joseph S. Eckerle, Marcus Rosenthal, Richard P. Heydt
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Publication number: 20080308974Abstract: The present invention provides electroactive polymers, transducers and devices that maintain pre-strain in one or more portions of an electroactive polymer. Electroactive polymers described herein may include a pre-strained portion and a stiffened portion configured to maintain pre-strain in the pre-strained portion. One fabrication technique applies pre-strain to a partially cured electroactive polymer. The partially cured polymer is then further cured to stiffen and maintain the pre-strain. In another fabrication technique, a support layer is coupled to the polymer that maintains pre-strain in a portion of an electroactive polymer. Another embodiment of the invention cures a polymer precursor to maintain pre-strain in an electroactive polymer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2008Publication date: December 18, 2008Applicant: SRI InternationalInventors: Qibing Pei, Ronald E. Pelrine, Marcus Rosenthal
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Patent number: 7436099Abstract: The present invention provides electroactive polymers, transducers and devices that maintain pre-strain in one or more portions of an electroactive polymer. Electroactive polymers described herein may include a pre-strained portion and a stiffened portion configured to maintain pre-strain in the pre-strained portion. One fabrication technique applies pre-strain to a partially cured electroactive polymer. The partially cured polymer is then further cured to stiffen and maintain the pre-strain. In another fabrication technique, a support layer is coupled to the polymer that maintains pre-strain in a portion of an electroactive polymer. Another embodiment of the invention cures a polymer precursor to maintain pre-strain in an electroactive polymer.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2004Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: SRI InternationalInventors: Qibing Pei, Ronald E. Pelrine, Marcus Rosenthal
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Publication number: 20080245985Abstract: The 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 the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2007Publication date: October 9, 2008Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONALInventors: Jonathan R. Heim, Ronald E. Pelrine, Roy David Kornbluh, Joseph S. Eckerle, Marcus Rosenthal, Richard P. Heydt
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Publication number: 20080022517Abstract: The invention describes rolled electroactive polymer devices. The invention also describes employment of these devices in a wide array of applications and methods for their fabrication. A rolled electroactive polymer device converts between electrical and mechanical energy; and includes a rolled electroactive polymer and at least two electrodes to provide the mechanical/electrical energy conversion. Prestrain is typically applied to the polymer. In one embodiment, a rolled electroactive polymer device employs a mechanism, such as a spring, that provides a force to prestrain the polymer. Since prestrain improves mechanical/electrical energy conversion for many electroactive polymers, the mechanism thus improves performance of the rolled electroactive polymer device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2007Publication date: January 31, 2008Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONALInventors: Marcus Rosenthal, Qibing Pei, Neville Bonwit
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Patent number: 7320457Abstract: The 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 the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2003Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: SRI InternationalInventors: Jonathon R. Heim, Ronald E. Pelrine, Roy David Kornbluh, Joseph S. Eckerle, Marcus Rosenthal, Richard P. Heydt
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Publication number: 20070170822Abstract: The present invention provides electroactive polymers, transducers and devices that maintain pre-strain in one or more portions of an electroactive polymer. Electroactive polymers described herein may include a pre-strained portion and a stiffened portion configured to maintain pre-strain in the pre-strained portion. One fabrication technique applies pre-strain to a partially cured electroactive polymer. The partially cured polymer is then further cured to stiffen and maintain the pre-strain. In another fabrication technique, a support layer is coupled to the polymer that maintains pre-strain in a portion of an electroactive polymer. Another embodiment of the invention cures a polymer precursor to maintain pre-strain in an electroactive polymer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2004Publication date: July 26, 2007Applicant: SRI International, A California CorporationInventors: Qibing Pei, Ronald Pelrine, Marcus Rosenthal
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Patent number: 7233097Abstract: The invention describes rolled electroactive polymer devices. The invention also describes employment of these devices in a wide array of applications and methods for their fabrication. A rolled electroactive polymer device converts between electrical and mechanical energy; and includes a rolled electroactive polymer and at least two electrodes to provide the mechanical/electrical energy conversion. Prestrain is typically applied to the polymer. In one embodiment, a rolled electroactive polymer device employs a mechanism, such as a spring, that provides a force to prestrain the polymer. Since prestrain improves mechanical/electrical energy conversion for many electroactive polymers, the mechanism thus improves performance of the rolled electroactive polymer device.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2004Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignee: SRI InternationalInventors: Marcus A. Rosenthal, Qibing Pei, Neville A. Bonwit
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Publication number: 20040217671Abstract: The invention describes rolled electroactive polymer devices. The invention also describes employment of these devices in a wide array of applications and methods for their fabrication. A rolled electroactive polymer device converts between electrical and mechanical energy; and includes a rolled electroactive polymer and at least two electrodes to provide the mechanical/electrical energy conversion. Prestrain is typically applied to the polymer. In one embodiment, a rolled electroactive polymer device employs a mechanism, such as a spring, that provides a force to prestrain the polymer. Since prestrain improves mechanical/electrical energy conversion for many electroactive polymers, the mechanism thus improves performance of the rolled electroactive polymer device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2004Publication date: November 4, 2004Applicant: SRI International, a California CorporationInventors: Marcus A. Rosenthal, Qibing Pei, Neville A. Bonwit
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Publication number: 20030214199Abstract: The 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 the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2003Publication date: November 20, 2003Applicant: SRI International, a California CorporationInventors: Jonathan R. Heim, Ronald E. Pelrine, Roy David Kornbluh, Joseph S. Eckerle, Marcus Rosenthal, Richard P. Heydt