Patent Application
20180326454
The present application generally relates to haptic devices and more generally relates to self-healing actuation systems to provide haptics in portable electronic devices.
In order to provide more elegant electronic devices, there is a need to move away from conventional, thick product designs. To deliver haptics in these thinner electronic devices, there is a need to utilize thin, flexible actuation systems. Such activation systems, however, are vulnerable to physical damage (such as punctures, cuts, scratches, etc.) which can cause them to stop working properly and often require replacement. Moreover, these activation systems often degrade or electrically break down over time causing the activation systems to fail, again requiring replacement.
Various examples are described for devices, systems, and methods for self-healing actuation for haptic systems in portable electronic devices.
One example disclosed self-healing actuator comprises: a first layer comprising a first electrode; a second layer comprising a second electrode; a third layer arranged between and coupled to the first layer and the second layer, the third layer comprising an actuating material; and a self-healing material bonded to at least one of the first layer, the second layer or the third layer.
In some examples, the actuating material comprises an electroactive polymer. The self-healing material can have a first self-healing material bonded to the third layer to heal physical damage in the electroactive polymer. The self-healing material may have a second self-healing material bonded to the first electrode to heal physical damage in the first electrode. In examples, the self-healing material is bonded to the first electrode to heal physical damage in the first electrode.
In examples, the self-healing material comprises a first self-healing material bonded to the first electrode and the second electrode to heal physical damage in the first electrode and in the second electrode, and a second self-healing material bonded to the electroactive polymer to heal physical damage in the electroactive polymer.
In examples, the first layer further comprises a third electrode and the second layer further comprises a fourth electrode. In examples, the first electrode comprises a first conductive interdigitated electrode pattern and the third electrode comprises a third conductive interdigitated electrode pattern. In examples, the second electrode comprises a second conductive interdigitated electrode pattern and the fourth electrode comprises a fourth conductive interdigitated electrode pattern. In examples, the third layer comprises a plurality of aligned piezoelectric macro-fibers with an epoxy therebetween. In some examples, the epoxy itself can have the self-healing material and, in other examples, the epoxy may be separate from the self-healing material.
In some examples, the self-healing material mirrors and/or is bonded to the plurality of aligned piezoelectric macro-fibers. In examples, the self-healing material mirrors and/or is bonded to the first conductive interdigitated electrode pattern of the first electrode. In examples, the self-healing material mirrors and/or is bonded to the third conductive interdigitated electrode pattern.
In examples, a first self-healing layer has a self-healing material embedded in an epoxy. The self-healing material may mirror the first conductive interdigitated electrode pattern and the third conductive interdigitated electrode pattern. The first self-healing layer can be bonded to the first layer with the first self-healing material aligned with the first conductive interdigitated electrode pattern and the second conductive interdigitated electrode pattern. A second self-healing layer having a second self-healing material may be embedded in an epoxy. The second self-healing material can mirror the plurality of aligned piezoelectric macro-fibers. The second self-healing layer may be bonded to the third layer with the second self-healing material aligned with the plurality of aligned piezoelectric macro-fibers. In examples, a third self-healing layer has a third self-healing material embedded in an epoxy. The third self-healing material may mirror the second conductive interdigitated electrode pattern and the fourth conductive interdigitated electrode pattern. The third self-healing layer can be bonded to the second layer with the third self-healing material aligned with the second conductive interdigitated electrode pattern and the fourth conductive interdigitated electrode pattern.
In some examples, the self-healing material covers at least part of the first electrode and at least part of the second electrode. The self-healing material can surround the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer. The self-healing material may be bonded to the third layer.
In examples, the self-healing material can be encapsulated within in one or more capsules. In some examples, components of the self-healing material can be encapsulated in capsules that are released when the capsules are punctured. These components may contact one another when the capsules are punctured and, when the components are in contact with one another, can self-heal damage (such as a cut, puncture, etc.) when a stimulus, such as heat, is applied. In some examples, a self-healing actuator comprises a plurality of capsules. At least one of the capsules may have a first monomer and at least one of the capsules may have a second monomer different than the first monomer. The second monomer may react with the first monomer when in contact with the first monomer and a heat stimulus is applied. A first capsule can encapsulate the first monomer and a second capsule can encapsulate the second monomer such that the first monomer and the second monomer do not contact each other until the first capsule and the second capsule are punctured. In addition, the first capsule and the second capsule can be positioned such that the first monomer contacts the second monomer when the first capsule and the second capsule are punctured. In such examples, when the first capsule and the second capsule are punctured, the first monomer and the second monomer contact each other. Once the first monomer and the second monomer are in contact with each other, then a stimulus (such as a heat stimulus) can be applied to self-heal damage to the actuator. In some examples, if a stimulus (such as a heat stimulus) is applied before the first capsule and the second capsule have been punctured, then self-healing does not occur because the first monomer and the second monomer are not in contact with each other at that time.
The self-healing material may be a Diels-Alder polymer. The self-healing material may autonomously heal in response to being punctured. The self-healing material may heal physical damage responsive to being heated. For example, the self-healing material may heal physical damage to a layer, an electrode, an electroactive polymer, macro-fibers, or a combination thereof responsive to a stimulus, such as being heated. The self-healing material may heal physical damage responsive to being exposed to light. For example, the self-healing material may heal physical damage to a layer, an electrode, an electroactive polymer, macro-fibers, or a combination thereof responsive to being exposed to light.
These illustrative examples are mentioned not to limit or define the scope of this disclosure, but rather to provide examples to aid understanding thereof. Illustrative examples are discussed in the Detailed Description, which provides further description. Advantages offered by various examples may be further understood by examining this specification.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more certain examples and, together with the description of the example, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the certain examples.
Examples are described herein in the context of devices, systems, and methods for self-healing actuation. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Reference will now be made in detail to implementations of examples as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or like items.
In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the examples described herein are shown and described. It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another.
Illustrative Example of Self-Healing Actuation Device
Referring now to
Self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) are bonded to the back 105b of the thin, flexible touchscreen display 105. The self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) can be self-healing electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators, self-healing macro-fiber composite (MFC) actuators, or a combination thereof. The smartphone 100 provides haptic effects to the user of the smartphone 100 via one or more of the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145).
Over time, as the user of the smartphone 100 uses the smartphone 100 and the display 105 flexes in various directions, one or more of the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) can be physically damaged (e.g., cut, scratched, punctured, etc.), degrade, and/or electrically breakdown. When this occurs, traditional actuators do not function properly or completely fail; however, the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) in the smartphone 100 can heal themselves so that they continue to function properly. In some examples, if display 105 is damaged (e.g., cut, scratched, punctured, etc.), one or more self-healing materials in display 105 and/or one or more self-healing materials bonded to display 105 can heal damage to the display 105.
For example, one or more of the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) can be at least partially covered with a self-healing material to help repair an electrode in the self-healing actuator that has been damaged. In some examples, if the self-healing material is physically damaged, the self-healing material re-bonds to itself to provide protection to the electrode in the self-healing actuator. In some examples, if the electrode is physically damaged, the self-healing material in the self-healing actuator can fill in the physically damaged portions to the electrode and can bond with the electrode to heal the damage.
In some examples, one or more of the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) require an external stimulus to activate the self-healing process. Such self-healing actuators are referred to herein as non-autonomous self-healing actuators. For example, one or more of the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) may self-heal when the smartphone 100 is exposed to sufficient heat. Such temperatures exceed typical ambient temperatures (e.g., greater than approximately 50 degrees Celsius) and should be high enough to cause a material transition. For example, for a plastic there is a glass transition temperature (Tg) where an amorphous phase changes from a glassy phase to a rubbery phase and, in this example, the material temperature would need to be at or above Tg. In examples, the smartphone 100 may be placed in an oven and/or put in a protective bag and placed in a dryer to activate the self-healing process thereby allowing one or more of the actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) to non-autonomously heal itself.
In other examples, one or more of the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) do not require an external stimulus to activate the self-healing process. Such self-healing actuators are referred to herein as autonomous self-healing actuators. For example, capsules in one or more of the self-healing actuators (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145) may contain one or more self-healing materials. In this example, when capsules containing the self-healing material(s) are punctured, the self-healing material(s) are released. In this example, the self-healing material(s) can bond together to protect an electrode in the self-healing actuator. In some examples, the self-healing material(s) can bond to an electrode to fill in and repair physical damage to the electrode in the self-healing actuator.
Referring now to
Still referring to
In some examples, self-healing materials 205, 215, 225, and/or 235 are selected and configured to heal physical damage in the self-healing material itself. In some examples, self-healing materials 205 and/or 215 are selected and configured to heal physical damage in and/or electrical breakdown of electrode 210. Self-healing materials 215 and/or 225 can be selected and configured to heal physical damage in and/or electrical breakdown of electroactive polymer 220. In some examples, self-healing materials 225 and/or 235 are selected and configured to heal physical damage in and/or electrical breakdown of electrode 230. In some examples, self-healing materials 205, 215, 225, and/or 235 are electrically conductive. Such electrically conductive materials may include one or more of carbon-nanotubes, silver, copper, gold, graphite, or another suitable electrically conductive material. In other examples, one or more of self-healing materials 205, 215, 225, and/or 235 may not be electrically conductive.
Electrodes 210 and/or 230 can be made of any suitable electrically conductive material including, but not limited to, carbon-nanotubes, silver, copper, gold, graphite, another electrically conductive material, or a combination thereof. Electroactive polymer 220 can be any suitable electroactive polymer including, but not limited to, a dielectric elastomer (DEA), a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a PVDF detivative such as co-polymer PVDF or terpolymer PVDF, polyacetylene, an ionic polymer-metal composite, another electroactive polymer, or a combination thereof. The size of a self-healing actuator can vary depending on its application. Typically, a self-healing actuator has a width of at least 2 cm, a width of at least 2 cm, and a thickness of at least 0.5 mm.
In examples, a layer is indirectly coupled to another layer. For example, in
Referring now to
In
In
Self-healing material 335a is also bonded to self-healing material 345a. Self-healing material 345a is bonded to film layer 350. Film layer 350 has an electrically non-conductive material 350c with electrically conductive interdigitated electrodes 350a and 350b therebetween. In
In
In
Still referring to
In some examples, self-healing materials 305a, 305b, 315a, 315b, 325a, 335a, 345a, 345b, 355a, and/or 355b are selected and configured to heal physical damage in the self-healing material itself. In some examples, self-healing materials 305a, 305b, 315a, and/or 315b are selected and configured to heal physical damage in and/or electrical breakdown of electrodes 310a and/or 310b. In some examples, self-healing materials 345a, 345b, 355a, and/or 355b are selected and configured to heal physical damage in and/or electrical breakdown of electrodes 350a and/or 350. In some examples, self-healing materials 325a and/or 335a are selected and configured to heal physical damage in and/or electrical breakdown of macro-fibers 330a. In some examples, self-healing materials 305a, 305b, 315a, 315b, 325a, 335a, 345a, 345b, 355a, and/or 355b are electrically conductive. In other examples, one or more of self-healing materials 305a, 305b, 315a, 315b, 325a, 335a, 345a, 345b, 355a, and/or 355b may not be electrically conductive.
In examples, electrically conductive interdigitated electrodes 310a, 310b, 350a, and/or 350b are made of any suitable electrically conductive material including, but not limited to, carbon-nanotubes, silver, copper, gold, graphite, another electrically conductive material, or a combination thereof In examples, electrically non-conductive materials 310c and/or 350c are made of any suitable electrically nonconductive material including, but not limited to, polyimide. The polyimide may be, Kapton, for example. One or more of the aligned piezoelectric macro-fibers 330a are made of any suitable fiber including, but not limited to, an unelectroded piezoelectric material such as PZT-5 piezoelectric ceramic. Any suitable bonding material can be used for bonding. For example, DP-460 epoxy, urethane, acrylic, another suitable bonding material, or a combination thereof may be used in various examples. In one impediment, epoxy 305c, 315c, 325c, 330b, 335b, 345c, and/or 355c is DP-460 epoxy.
In examples, a layer is indirectly coupled to another layer. For example, in
Referring now to
In block 420, a second self-healing material is bonded between the first electrode and an electroactive polymer (if a self-healing EAP actuator) or macro-fibers (if a self-healing MFC actuator). For example, self-healing material 225 can be bonded between a first side 230a of electrode 230 and a bottom side 220b of electroactive polymer 220 as shown in
In block 430, a third self-healing material is bonded between the electroactive polymer (if a self-healing EAP actuator) or macro-fibers (if a self-healing MFC actuator and a second electrode. For example, self-healing material 215 can be bonded to a first side 220a of electroactive polymer and a bottom side 210 of electrode 210 as shown in
In block 440, a fourth self-healing material is bonded to the second electrode. For example, self-healing material 205 can be bonded to the first side 210a of electrode 210 as shown in
One or more of the self-healing materials discussed herein with respect to
In some examples, a self-healing material has multiple components that are encapsulated in different capsules. These components may contact each other when the capsules are punctured and can then be used to repair a base material. In some examples, a stimulus (such as heat) may be required for the multiple components to repair a base material after the capsules have been punctured. For example, referring to
In this example, as shown in
The self-healing electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators and self-healing macro-fiber composite (MFC) actuators discussed herein have numerous useful applications. For example, one or more self-healing EAP actuators and/or MFC actuators can be bonded to a flexible display in a portable electronic device to provide haptics. In examples, the mechanical properties of the actuator(s) can be almost completely recovered because of the self-healing material(s) the actuators. In various examples, the portable electronic device is a smartphone, a tablet, or a phablet. In another example, a flexible, wearable strap has one or more EAP actuators and/or MFC actuators bonded to the wearable strap to provide haptics.
Referring now to
Examples of artificial, stretchable skins or stretchable fabrics suitable for use as item 605 in
The foregoing description of some examples has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications and adaptations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
Reference herein to an example or implementation means that a particular feature, structure, operation, or other characteristic described in connection with the example may be included in at least one implementation of the disclosure. The disclosure is not restricted to the particular examples or implementations described as such. The appearance of the phrases “in one example,” “in an example,” “in one implementation,” or “in an implementation,” or variations of the same in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same example or implementation. Any particular feature, structure, operation, or other characteristic described in this specification in relation to one example or implementation may be combined with other features, structures, operations, or other characteristics described in respect of any other example or implementation.
