US 12,435,903 B2
Electroactive polymer valve
Shakil Ahmad Shimul, Lubbock, TX (US); and Wei Li, Lubbock, TX (US)
Assigned to TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, Lubbock, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/797,037
Filed by Texas Tech University System, Lubbock, TX (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 23, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/019291
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 2, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/173589, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/980,890, filed on Feb. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0064742 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. F24F 13/10 (2006.01); F16K 15/14 (2006.01); F16K 31/02 (2006.01)
CPC F24F 13/105 (2013.01) [F16K 15/14 (2013.01); F16K 15/1401 (2021.08); F16K 31/02 (2013.01); F24F 2221/20 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a housing;
at least one shell mounted to the housing, the at least one shell comprising a flap mold; and
at least one Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap, the at least one Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap being bound on at least two sides in the housing, and a corner of the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap being unbound to the housing, wherein the corner of the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap is configured to form a seal with the flap mold of the at least one shell, wherein applying a voltage to the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap causes the Dielectric Elastomer Actuator flap to open the seal with the at least one shell.