JP2010041792A - Polymer actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a basic structure of a polymer actuator that prevents the deterioration in a displacement amount and driving force, even if held and fixed using a simple fixture, and to provide an embodiment thereof. <P>SOLUTION: The polymer actuator 1A is formed as a laminate 1a in which a pair of electrode layers are laminated on both electrolytic layer respectively. The basic structure of the polymer actuator is such that a slit 1a1 having a slit 5 on one end of the laminate 1a and an integrally deformed part 1a2 having no slit 5 are integrally formed. In the polymer actuator 1A, a fixing end b side can be held and fixed using a simple fixture 9 such as base plates 9a, 9a. Legs 6, 6 are formed on both sides of the slit 5 in a free end (a) side, thereby the deformation amount of the free end (a) can be increased and the deterioration in the whole driving force can be suppressed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an actuator that deforms when a potential difference is applied between electrodes, and more particularly to a polymer actuator that deforms due to movement of ions by an electric field.

Patent Document 1 describes an actuator using an ion exchange resin.
In FIG. 6 of the same document, a plurality of legs are integrally formed inside a ring-shaped actuator element so that the legs can be bent when a voltage is applied to the legs via a lead wire. It has become.

  Patent Document 2 describes an actuator using a C-shaped cation exchange resin. In this actuator, when a voltage is applied between the electrodes, the negative electrode is deformed into a convex shape and a positive electrode concave shape, so that the entire actuator can be deformed into a substantially conical shape.

In the actuator described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to obtain a large driving force by using a plurality of legs at once and by concentrating the driving force on the inner peripheral side in the actuator described in Patent Document 2. It is said that.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-282992 JP 2005-27444 A (FIG. 1)

  However, in the thing of patent document 1, since a leg part and a ring-shaped part are integrally formed, if a leg part bends, the inner peripheral side of the ring-shaped actuator element which forms a base will be an axial centerline with a leg part. The shape is easy to deform in the vertical direction parallel to the. In addition, as described in Patent Document 1, when a difference occurs in the displacement amounts of the plurality of leg portions, the actuator element itself is deformed into a wave shape.

  For this reason, in order to stably drive such an actuator, it is necessary to firmly hold and fix the ring-shaped actuator element, which leads to an increase in size and complexity of the fixing member, and in terms of cost. There is a problem that it is easy to soar.

  Further, if the base portion is too strongly held and fixed by the fixing member, the leg portion is constrained and there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain a large amount of displacement or driving force.

  Further, the C-shaped actuator described in Patent Document 2 has a problem that the outer periphery and the inner periphery cannot be fixed. That is, the C-shaped actuator can only be joined in a sliding state or partially fixed to the operation object and the base substrate, and is difficult to stabilize in terms of fixation. Another problem is that durability and operation stability are difficult because the deformation operation itself tends to cause internal distortion.

  The present invention is for solving the above-described conventional problems, and can be stably held and fixed using a fixing member having a simple configuration, and can suppress a decrease in displacement and driving force. An object of the present invention is to provide a basic structure of the polymer actuator.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a polymer actuator capable of increasing the degree of freedom in design and easily adjusting the amount of displacement and driving force by applying the basic structure of the actuator.

The present invention relates to a laminate comprising a belt-like polymer, comprising an electrolyte layer, a first electrode layer formed on one surface of the electrolyte layer, and a second electrode layer formed on the other surface. The laminate is bent and deformed by applying an electric field between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer in a state where one end of the laminate is fixed by a support member as a fixed end. In the polymer actuator
A slit part is formed between one end and the other end part of the laminate, and each part is deformed, and an integral deformation part that is not formed with a slit and deforms integrally is provided. Is.

  In the polymer actuator of the present invention, a large deformation amount can be obtained although the driving force is small in the slit portion, and a large driving force can be obtained in the integral deformation portion instead of a small deformation amount.

  For example, the integrally deformed portion is formed on the fixed end side of the laminate, and the slit portion is formed on the free end side opposite to the fixed end.

  Or the said slit part is formed in the fixed end side of the said laminated body, and the said integral deformation part is formed in the free end side on the opposite side to the said fixed end.

  Alternatively, the integral deformation portion is formed at the fixed end and the free end, and the slit portion is formed between the fixed end and the free end of the laminate.

  As described above, the slit can be formed at any one of the free end, the fixed end, and the middle of the actuator.

In the above, it is preferable that a plurality of the slit portions are formed in the laminate.
In the above means, the portion where the slit portion is formed is easily bent and deformed, so that the amount of displacement at the time of deformation can be increased.

In this case, for example, a plurality of slits having different length dimensions can be formed.
Alternatively, a plurality of slits having different width dimensions may be formed.

  In the above configuration, a desired displacement amount and driving force can be obtained by adjusting the length dimension or width dimension of the slit.

  Further, leg portions are formed between adjacent slits, and leg portions having different length dimensions are included in the plurality of leg portions.

  Or the leg part is formed in each between adjacent slits, and the leg part from which a width dimension differs is contained in these several leg parts.

  In the above configuration, the desired displacement and driving force can be obtained by adjusting the length or width of the leg.

  In the above, one end and the other end of the laminate may be formed with different width dimensions.

The above means can be an actuator with a large driving force or an actuator with a large displacement.
Moreover, in the above, what is an ion exchange resin layer is used for the said electrolyte layer.

  In the present invention, a basic structure of a polymer actuator that can be held and fixed using a fixing member having a simple structure, and that can suppress a decrease in displacement and driving force even when fixed by such a fixing member. And application examples thereof.

  Further, by applying the basic structure of the actuator, it becomes possible to increase the degree of freedom in design, and the displacement amount and the driving force can be easily adjusted.

Hereinafter, the polymer actuator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1A is a sectional view for explaining the basic principle of a polymer actuator, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view showing a driving state of the polymer actuator.

First, the basic configuration of the polymer actuator will be described.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show an ion conductive polymer actuator 1, an electrolyte layer 2, a first electrode layer 3 provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer 2, and the other of the electrolyte layer 2. It is comprised as the laminated body 1a with which the 2nd electrode layer 4 provided in this surface was piled up.

  The electrolyte layer 2 is a resin layer capable of ion exchange, and is obtained by impregnating a cation exchange resin with an electrolytic solution as an electrolyte. The cation exchange resin is obtained by introducing a hydrophilic functional group such as a sulfonic acid group or a carboxyl group into polyethylene, polystyrene, fluororesin or the like. The electrolytic solution is a polarizable organic solvent or ionic liquid containing a salt. Further, the electrolyte layer 2 may be a gel obtained by mixing an ionic liquid into a base polymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride.

  In the first electrode layer 3 and the second electrode layer 4, a conductive filler is included in the same electrolyte layer as the electrolyte layer 2. That is, the first electrode layer 3 and the second electrode layer 4 are configured by further mixing a conductive filler such as carbon nanotube or carbon nanofiber in an ion exchange resin impregnated with an electrolytic solution. Or the electroconductive filler may be mixed in the inside of the said gel-like layer containing a cationic liquid.

  By laminating the sheet-like resin to be the electrolyte layer 2, the sheet-like first electrode layer 3 and the sheet-like second electrode layer 4 mixed with the conductive filler, FIG. The polymer actuator 1 having the three-layer structure shown can be formed. The polymer actuator 1 has a structure in which the boundary surface between the electrolyte layer 2 and the first electrode layer 3 and the boundary surface between the electrolyte layer 2 and the second electrode layer 4 have strong adhesion.

  Further, as another method of forming the first electrode layer 3 and the second electrode layer 4, a plating bath or a metal complex solution is used to form gold or metal on both surfaces of the cation exchange resin constituting the electrolyte layer 2. The first electrode layer 3 and the second electrode layer 4 may be formed by attaching a conductive metal such as silver or copper. In this case, the conductive metal has a structure in which a part of the conductive metal enters the resin constituting the electrolyte layer 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, when an electric field is applied to the electrolyte layer 2 such that the first electrode layer 3 is on the anode side and the second electrode layer 4 is on the cathode side, The cation moves to the second electrode layer 4 on the cathode side. When the first electrode layer 3 and the second electrode layer 4 are formed by mixing a conductive filler in an ion-exchangeable layer like the electrolyte layer 2, the first electrode layer 3 The cations dissociated in the second electrode layer 4 also move to the second electrode layer 4 side.

  As a result, inside the electrolyte layer 2, the volume tends to expand at a position biased toward the second electrode layer 4 side. That is, since an expansion stress is generated on the second electrode layer 4 side and an expansion strain is generated based on the expansion stress, a bending stress is generated in the laminate 1a, and as shown in FIG. Bending occurs in the actuator 1.

  In the following, the driving force generated by the free end of the polymer actuator 1 will be described as the reference driving force F.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the polymer actuator having the above basic configuration will be described.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the basic structure of the polymer actuator as the first embodiment of the present invention.

  A polymer actuator 1A shown in FIG. 2 as the first embodiment shows a basic structure of an ion conductive actuator. The polymer actuator 1A is formed as a substantially rectangular laminate 1a in which the length dimension L in the Y direction is longer than the width dimension W in the X direction. And it has the one slit 5 formed along the Y direction at the end (Y1 side) of this laminated body 1a. The portion where the slit 5 is formed at one end (Y1 side) is the slit portion 1a1, and the portion where the slit on the fixed end side is not formed at the other end (Y2 side) is the integrally deformed portion 1a2 which deforms integrally. . The slit portion 1a1 and the integral deformation portion 1a2 are integrally formed.

  In this polymer actuator 1A, one end on the Y2 side where the slit 5 is formed is a free end a, and the other end on the Y1 side is a fixed end b. The fixed end b is cantilevered with respect to a fixing member 9 serving as a base. Fixed in a supported state.

  For example, the fixing member 9 may be configured to sandwich both surfaces of the fixed end b of the polymer actuator 1A from the plate thickness (Z) direction perpendicular to the paper surface using two base plates 9a and 9a as shown in FIG. Alternatively, simple means such as a configuration (not shown) in which one end of the polymer actuator 1A is embedded and fixed in the fixing member 9 can be used. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the polymer actuator 1A.

  In the polymer actuator 1A, a slit portion 1a1 is formed by a single slit 5, and the free end a side is branched into two. The individual tip portions formed by branching are leg portions 6 and 6.

  The polymer actuator 1A shown in the first embodiment is not in the shape of a ring as in the prior art, but has a configuration in which the fixed end b is formed with a certain width dimension, so that one end on the fixed end b side is fixed. It is possible to stably hold and fix the member 9. Moreover, in this laminated body 1a, the slit portion 1a1 is formed on the free end a side, and the integrally deformed portion 1a2 is integrally formed on the fixed end b side. It is smaller than the binding force in the width direction on the fixed end b side. For this reason, the laminated body 1a is more easily bent and deformed in the plate thickness (Z) direction on the free end a side than on the fixed end b side, and can generate a large displacement and driving force on the free end a side. The driving force generated at the free end a of one leg 6 of the polymer actuator 1A is about F / 2, but the total driving force generated by the two legs 6 and 6 is approximately F. / 2 × 2 = F, which can be equivalent to the reference driving force generated by the polymer actuator 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a polymer actuator showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
The polymer actuator 1B shown in FIG. 3 is basically the same as the polymer actuator 1A shown in the first embodiment. However, a plurality of leg portions (three in FIG. 2) 6 are formed in a strip shape by forming a slit portion 1a1 including a plurality of (two in FIG. 2) slits 5 and 5 on the free end a side. Is different.

  The structure on the fixed end b side of the polymer actuator 1B shown in the second embodiment is the same as that of the polymer actuator 1A shown in the second embodiment. For this reason, it is possible to stably hold and fix the fixed end b side of the polymer actuator 1B using the simple fixing member 9.

  On the other hand, two slits 5 and 5 are formed in the slit portion 1a1 on the free end a side, and three more leg portions 6, 6, and 6 are formed than the polymer actuator 1A. If the outer dimensions (vertical, horizontal, and plate thickness dimensions) of the polymer actuators 1A and 1B and the width dimension of the slit 5 are the same, each of the polymer actuators 1B on the side where the number of the leg portions 6 is large. The width of the leg 6 is narrower than that of the polymer actuator 1A. That is, the driving force generated by one leg portion 6 of the polymer actuator 1B is about F / 3, and is based on the reference driving force F generated by one leg portion 6 of the polymer actuator 1 or the polymer actuator 1A. Becomes smaller. However, since the total driving force Σf generated by the entire polymer actuator 1B is proportional to the total number of all the leg portions 6, it can be made equal to the reference driving force F generated by the polymer actuator 1. That is, the larger the number of slits (the number of legs), the smaller the reference driving force per leg, but the driving force generated by the entire polymer actuator 1 can be approximately the same as the reference driving force F. .

  Moreover, the leg portion 6 is less likely to bend in the plate thickness direction when the leg portion 6 is wider than the narrower width dimension in the X direction. For this reason, in this polymer actuator 1B, the amount of displacement on the free end a side is larger than that on the fixed end b side. For this reason, the displacement amount of the individual leg portions 6 formed by branching is changed to the displacement amount in an integrated state before branching, and further, the individual leg portions 6 in the case of the polymer actuator 1A formed by branching into two. It can be made larger than the displacement.

  For this reason, in this polymer actuator 1B, even if it is fixed by the simple fixing member 9, the reference driving force F equivalent to that of the polymer actuator 1 can be secured, and a larger displacement than that of the polymer actuator 1A is generated. Can be made.

  Then, by adjusting the length dimension or width dimension of the slit 5, or by changing the length dimension or width dimension of each leg 6 itself, the polymer actuator 1B is caused to generate a desired driving force and displacement. It becomes possible.

  Note that the lengths and widths of the plurality of slits 5 formed in the laminated body 1a may not be the same. If the length dimension and width dimension of each slit 5 are changed as necessary, the driving force and the displacement amount can be adjusted.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a polymer actuator showing a third embodiment of the present invention.
The structure of the polymer actuator 1C shown in this embodiment is the same as the basic structure shown in the first embodiment. However, the polymer actuator 1C has a configuration in which the slit portion 1a1 side where the slit 5 is formed is the fixed end b side, and the integrally deformed portion 1a2 where the slit 5 is not formed is the free end a side. This is different from the polymer actuator 1A of the first embodiment. The slit portion 1a1 and the integral deformation portion 1a2 are integrally formed.

  In the polymer actuator 1C, it is possible to fix the fixed end b side, which is one end where the slit portion 1a1 is formed, using the same simple fixing member 9 as described above.

  If the outer dimensions of the polymer actuator 1C of the third embodiment and the polymer actuator 1A of the first embodiment are the same, each of the individual leg portions 6 on the fixed end b side of the polymer actuator 1C will be described. The width dimension is narrower than the width dimension on the fixed end b side of the polymer actuator 1A shown in the first embodiment.

  For this reason, the deformation amount of the polymer actuator 1C has a characteristic that the fixed end b side where the slit portion 1a1 is formed is larger than the free end a where the integral deformation portion 1a2 is formed. Therefore, also in this polymer actuator 1C, the amount of displacement in the plate thickness direction of the tip of the free end a can be made equal to that of the polymer actuator 1A of the first embodiment. Moreover, the individual driving force of the leg 6 is about F / 2, but the total driving force Σf of the entire leg 6 becomes the reference driving force F equivalent to that of the polymer actuator 1. That is, by fixing the polymer actuator 1A with the simple fixing member 9, it is possible to maintain the reference driving force F equivalent to that of the polymer actuator 1 having the basic configuration without the slit portion, A displacement larger than that of the polymer actuator 1 having the configuration can be obtained.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a polymer actuator showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Further, the polymer actuator 1D shown in FIG. 5 is basically the same as that shown in FIG. The configuration is the same as that of the polymer actuator 1B of the second embodiment. However, the polymer actuator 1D is different from the polymer actuator 1B in that the polymer actuator 1B has the integrally deformed portion 1a2 side as the fixed end b side, whereas the polymer actuator 1D has a slit portion 1a1 leg 6 The side is the free end a side. The slit portion 1a1 and the integral deformation portion 1a2 are integrally formed.

  In this polymer actuator 1D, the driving force generated by each leg 6 is about F / 3, and the driving force generated by each leg 6 of the polymer actuator 1C in FIG. 4 is smaller than F / 2. The total driving force Σf generated by the plurality of legs 6 as a whole can be set to a reference driving force F equivalent to that of the polymer actuator 1B.

  Moreover, in the polymer actuator 1D, the fixed end b side where the slit portion 1a1 is formed is in a state of being easily deformed. For this reason, in the polymer actuator 1D, when the fixed end b side where the slit portion 1a1 is formed is greatly deformed, the integrally deformed portion 1a2 provided at the tip of the polymer actuator 1D is made more than the polymer actuator 1 having no slit. Furthermore, it is possible to perform a displacement operation with a larger displacement amount than the polymer actuators 1B and 1C that are branched into two.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a polymer actuator showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
The polymer actuator shown in the fifth embodiment is a modification of the polymer actuators 1A and 1B shown as the first and second embodiments.

  In the polymer actuator 1E shown as the first modification in FIG. 6A, the length dimension from the free end a of the laminated body 1a of all the slits 5 forming the slit portion 1a1 is constant, but different lengths. This is different from the polymer actuators 1A and 1B shown as the first and second embodiments in that a leg portion 6 having a length is included. In this embodiment, the length dimensions La1, La2, La3, and La4 of all the leg portions 6 are different from each other. However, the leg portions having the same length dimension may be included in part. it can.

  Further, the polymer actuator 1F shown as the second modification in FIG. 6B is different in that the length dimensions Lb1, Lb2, and Lb3 of the slit 5 forming the slit portion 1a1 are different.

  Or as shown to FIG. 6 (A), you may set it as the structure which included the leg part 6 which consists of a different width dimension in the slit 5 which forms the slit part 1a1. In FIG. 6A, all the width dimensions Wa1, Wa2, Wa3, and Wa4 are made different for each leg portion 6. However, the leg portions 6 having the same width dimension may be partially included. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, a configuration including a plurality of slits 5 having different width dimensions Wb1, Wb2, and Wb3 may be employed.

  In this way, by changing the length dimension of the slit 5 forming the slit part 5 of the polymer actuators 1E and 1F for each slit, or by changing the length dimension of the leg part 6 for each leg part 6. The driving force and the amount of displacement generated in the leg 6 can be made different for each leg 6. On the other hand, it is possible to prevent a decrease in driving force generated by the entire polymer actuators 1E and 1F.

  FIG. 7 is a plan view of a polymer actuator showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a plan view of the polymer actuator showing a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

  The polymer actuator 1G shown in FIG. 7 is different from the polymer actuator 1G shown in FIG. 8 in that the slit portion 1a1 is provided not at one end or the other end of the laminate 1a but at the center between them. The difference is that slit portions 1a1 and 1a1 are provided at both ends.

  In such polymer actuators 1G and 1H, both ends of the polymer actuators 1G and 1H can be fixed by the fixing members 9A and 9A provided at both ends, respectively, and can be driven without having a free end. Become.

  On the other hand, the polymer actuator 1G can be deformed so that the central slit portion 1a1 moves in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface with the fixing members 9A and 9A at both ends as fulcrums.

  Even in the other polymer actuator 1H, the integrally deformed portion 1a2 which is a portion where the central slit portion 1a1 is not formed can be deformed so as to move in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface with the fixing members 9A and 9A at both ends as fulcrums. it can. When both ends are fixed, the distance between the fixing member 9A on one end side and the fixing member 9A on the other end side is set to be equal to or shorter than the length dimension in the Y direction of the polymer actuators 1G and 1H. It is preferable to drive in a state where no tension in the longitudinal (Y) direction is applied.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, only the central portion may be fixed by a fixing member 9B, and both ends thereof may be driven as free ends. In this case, each actuator has the same configuration as in the first to fourth embodiments, so that it is possible to generate a large displacement and driving force in the polymer actuators 1G and 1H.

  FIG. 9 is a plan view of a polymer actuator showing an eighth embodiment of the present invention. A polymer actuator 1I shown in FIG. 9 corresponds to the application example of FIG.

  The structure shown in FIG. 9 is formed by combining four polymer actuators 1I provided around a square opening formed on a base (not shown).

  Each polymer actuator 1I has a substantially trapezoidal shape in which the width dimension of the free end a is narrower than the width dimension of the fixed end b. The four polymer actuators 1I are fixed by sandwiching the four fixed ends b, b, b, b between the frame-shaped fixing member 9C and the edge of the opening of the base from the vertical direction, for example. The free ends a, a, a, a are cantilevered in a state of protruding into the opening.

  Alternatively, base plates 9a and 9a as shown in FIG. 2 may be provided on each of the four sides to fix the four fixed ends b, b, b, and b, respectively. Furthermore, you may fix so that the four fixed ends b, b, b, b may be embed | buried under the four edges of an opening part, respectively.

  Thus, also in the polymer actuator 1 shown in the eighth embodiment, each polymer actuator 1I can be held and fixed by the simple fixing means 9 as in the above embodiments.

  In the polymer actuator 1I, a slit 5 that forms a slit portion 1a1 is formed on the free end a side, and an integrally deformed portion 1a2 that is not formed with a slit 5 is formed on the fixed end b side. The left and right oblique sides of each polymer actuator 1I are preferably formed with an inclination angle θ that does not contact the oblique sides of the adjacent polymer actuator 1I, that is, the inclination angle θ is less than 45 degrees. The slit portion 1a1 and the integral deformation portion 1a2 are integrally formed.

  Since the polymer actuator 1I has a wider width dimension on the fixed end b side than a width dimension on the free end a side, it can generate a large driving force. In addition, since the driving force generated by the four polymer actuators 1I can be concentrated inside the opening, it is possible to generate a large driving force at one location.

  In addition, a slit portion 1a1 is formed on the free end a side, and the width dimension of each leg portion 6 that is branched by the slit 5 is narrower than the width dimension of the integral deformation portion 1a2. For this reason, the deformation amount of each leg portion 6 in the Z direction perpendicular to the paper surface can be further increased as compared with the deformation amount of the free end a when the slit 5 is not formed.

  In addition, the structure which has the several leg part 6 by forming the several slit 5 like the polymer actuator 1B (refer FIG. 3) of 2nd Embodiment may be sufficient as the slit part 1a1. Or the structure which formed the slit part 1a1 in the fixed end b side like polymer actuator 1D (refer FIG. 5) of 4th Embodiment may be sufficient. Furthermore, as in FIG. 6 (A), the lengths and widths of the plurality of leg portions 6 may not be constant, and the lengths of the plurality of slits 5 may be the same as in FIG. 6 (B). The dimensions and width dimensions may not be constant.

  In the eighth embodiment, a case has been described in which four trapezoidal polymer actuators 1I each having a narrow width at the free end a side and a wide width at the fixed end b are combined. The shape of the actuator is not limited to a trapezoidal shape. For example, it may be an inverted trapezoidal actuator with a wide width on the free end a side and a narrow width on the fixed end b side, and it may have any shape such as a circular shape, a triangular shape, or other polygonal shapes. May be. The number of actuators is not limited to four, and may be two or three, or may be five or more.

  FIG. 10 shows a polymer actuator according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a plan view and (B) is a cross-sectional view.

  The polymer actuator 1J shown in the tenth embodiment has a circular outer shape, but a substantially cross-shaped opening 1b is formed at the center of the laminate 1a, and an edge is formed on the opening 1b. Is different from a conventional frame-shaped or C-shaped actuator in that four convex portions (corresponding to leg portions) 7 projecting in a semicircular shape in the central direction are integrally formed.

  In this polymer actuator 1J, the tip portion protruding toward the center forms the free end 7a, and the outer edge on the outer peripheral side is the fixed end 7b. Moreover, the clearance gap formed in the adjacent convex part 7 and the convex part 7 forms the slit 5 which comprises the slit part 1a1.

  Such a polymer actuator 1J is installed on the base 8, and is sandwiched from the thickness direction with a simple fixing member 9D in which a circular opening 9D1 is formed on the center side. For example, it can be held and fixed stably.

  In this case, an annular region outside the end 7c side of the convex portion 7 indicated by a dotted circle and inside the inner edge 9D2 of the fixing member 9D indicated by a solid circle is the integrally deformed portion 1a2. In this embodiment, the slit portion 1a1 and the integrally deformed portion 1a2 are integrally formed.

  When a predetermined electric field is applied to the polymer actuator 1J, bending deformation occurs in the four convex portions 7, and the free end 7a of the convex portion 7 projects upward (Z1 direction) through the opening 9D1.

  In the polymer actuator 1J shown in the tenth embodiment, since the convex portion 7 protrudes toward the center of the opening 1b, even if the convex portion 7 is deformed, the surface of the fixed end 7b having a circular shape is formed. Deformation into a wave shape can be prevented. Moreover, by adjusting the inner diameter of the inner edge 9D2 of the fixing member 9D, it is possible to secure a wide fixing area on the outer peripheral side, so that the holding can be stably performed even using the simple fixing member 9D as described above. Can be fixed.

  Furthermore, since it is the structure which has the slit part 1a1, while being able to generate a comparatively big driving force like each said embodiment, it becomes possible to ensure a big displacement amount.

  Also in this embodiment, it is preferable to form a plurality of slits 5 and convex portions 7 in the slit portion 1a1. In this way, since it can be in the same state as the polymer actuator 1B shown in the second embodiment in which a plurality of legs are branched, the amount of displacement of each convex portion 7 can be increased. Is possible.

  As described above, in the present invention, since the polymer actuator 1 having the basic configuration is integrally formed with the slit portion 1a1 and the integrally deformed portion 1a2 not having the slit 5, the amount of displacement is increased. be able to. Moreover, it can be easily held and fixed by a simple fixing member, and a large amount of displacement and driving force can be secured even if it is fixed in this way.

(A) is a sectional view for explaining the basic principle of the polymer actuator, (B) is a sectional view of the polymer actuator showing a driving state, The perspective view of the polymer actuator which shows the 1st Embodiment of this invention, The top view of the polymer actuator which shows the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, The top view of the polymer actuator which shows the 3rd Embodiment of this invention, The top view of the polymer actuator which shows the 4th Embodiment of this invention, The top view of the polymer actuator which shows the 5th Embodiment of this invention, The top view of the polymer actuator which shows the 6th Embodiment of this invention, The top view of the polymer actuator which shows the 7th Embodiment of this invention, The top view of the polymer actuator which shows the 8th Embodiment of this invention, It is a polymer actuator showing a tenth embodiment of the present invention, (A) is a plan view, (B) is a sectional view,

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A-1J Polymer actuator 1a Laminated body 1a1 Slit part 1a2 Integrated deformation part 2 Electrolyte layer 3 1st electrode layer 4 2nd electrode layer 5 Slit 6 Leg part 7 Protrusion part 7a Free end 7b Fixed end 8 Base 9, 9A to 9D Fixed member a Free end b Fixed end

Claims (11)

Formed as a laminate made of a band-shaped polymer comprising an electrolyte layer, a first electrode layer formed on one surface of the electrolyte layer, and a second electrode layer formed on the other surface; In a polymer actuator in which the laminate is bent and deformed by applying an electric field between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer in a state where one end of the laminate is fixed as a fixed end by a support member. ,
A slit portion is formed between one end and the other end portion of the laminate, and each has a slit portion that is deformed, and an integrally deformed portion that is integrally formed and is not formed with a slit. Polymer actuator.   The polymer actuator according to claim 1, wherein the integrally deformed portion is formed on a fixed end side of the laminate, and the slit portion is formed on a free end side opposite to the fixed end.   3. The polymer actuator according to claim 1, wherein the slit portion is formed on a fixed end side of the laminate, and the integrally deformed portion is formed on a free end side opposite to the fixed end.   The said integral deformation part is formed in the said fixed end and the said free end, and the said slit part is formed in the middle of the said fixed end and the said free end of the said laminated body. Polymer actuator.   The polymer actuator according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of slits are formed in the laminate.   The polymer actuator according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of slits having different length dimensions are formed.   The polymer actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a plurality of slits having different width dimensions are formed.   The polymer actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein legs are formed between adjacent slits, and legs having different lengths are included in the plurality of legs.   The polymer actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein legs are formed between adjacent slits, and legs having different width dimensions are included in the plurality of legs.   The polymer actuator according to claim 1, wherein one end and the other end of the laminate are formed with different width dimensions.   The polymer actuator according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte layer is an ion exchange resin layer.

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