US 12,453,287 B2
Optical actuator
Gregory Scott Fischer, Boston, MA (US); Paulo Alberto Carvalho, Worcester, MA (US); Zhanyue Zhao, Shrewsbury, MA (US); and Christopher Julius Nycz, Wallkill, NY (US)
Appl. No. 17/616,136
Filed by Gregory Scott Fischer, Boston, MA (US); Paulo Alberto Carvalho, Worcester, MA (US); Zhanyue Zhao, Shrewsbury, MA (US); and Christopher Julius Nycz, Wallkill, NY (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 3, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/035901
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 2, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/247481, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/856,599, filed on Jun. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0238786 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. H02N 2/08 (2006.01); H10N 30/50 (2023.01); H10N 30/80 (2023.01); H10N 30/853 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 30/50 (2023.02) [H02N 2/08 (2013.01); H10N 30/80 (2023.02); H10N 30/8554 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An actuator powered by photonic energy, the actuator comprising:
a body comprising a material which deforms from a first undeformed state when exposed to electromagnetic radiation to a second deformed state and begins to return to the first state when the electromagnetic radiation is removed;
an optical de-multiplexer;
a source of electromagnetic radiation adapted to generate an output, the electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the de-multiplexer and disposed for irradiating the surface of the body with the output;
a stationary element affixed to the body; and
a moving element engaging the stationary element at least when the body is in the second deformed state,
wherein deformation of the deformable material in response to applied electromagnetic radiation is transmitted by the stationary element to the moving element by friction between the stationary element and the moving element for causing motion of the moving element.