A hydraulic actuator device for a hydraulic system filled with an electrically conductive medium, the hydraulic actuator device being situatable or being situated on and/or in the hydraulic system, and including at least one actuator module, which in each case is designed in such a way that at least a portion of the electrically conductive medium is acceleratable into at least one partial volume of the hydraulic system due to its interaction with an electrical current flow generated with the aid of the respective actuator module and/or with a magnetic field created with the aid of the respective actuator module, as a result of which a pressure build-up is creatable in the at least one partial volume of the hydraulic system.

A dynamic interface between a vehicle windshield and a structure (e.g., an A-pillar) is provided. The dynamic interface can be actively managed to allow its configuration to be selectively changed based on real-time driving environment conditions. The interface can include one or more actuators that can be selectively activated or deactivated to change the aerodynamic characteristics of the interface. When a crosswind activation condition is detected, the actuator(s) can be activated. The actuator(s) can be soft-bodied structures. The actuator(s) can include a bladder defining a fluid chamber filled with a dielectric fluid. A first conductor and a second conductor can be operatively positioned on opposite portions of the bladder. When electrical energy is supplied to the conductors, they can become oppositely charged. As a result, the conductors can be electrostatically attracted toward each other, displacing some of the dielectric fluid to an outer peripheral region of the fluid chamber.

A pressure pin of a press, in particular a forming press, for transferring a force to a tool component of the press includes a pin body, a sensor element arranged in the pin body for measuring a force which can be transferred via the pressure pin, and an actuator unit arranged in the pin body which has a functional body made of an adaptive material. The adaptive material is designed such that the rheological properties thereof and/or the length thereof and/or the volume thereof can be selectively modified as a function of an electrical and/or magnetic field.

A directional control system of a marine vessel includes a steering control member manually operated by a user and operationally connected to a direction-variation member acting on or in the water, such as at least one rudder blade or at least one outboard engine, the direction-variation member having an angular position that is controlled by the steering control member; and a locking system locking the free variation of the angular position of the direction-variation member, which can be activated and deactivated to allow the variation of angular position and carry out a directional change, the locking system including a hydraulic cylinder having a piston dividing the cylinder into two chambers, which are connected by a bypass circuit that can be opened and closed by a switching member.

A system that utilizes a very thin arrangement of transparent sub panels containing embedded very small distributed electromagnet wires to control the distribution of very fine magneto-rheological fluid particles suspended in a very thin panel sandwiched between the electromagnet wire panels. The current applied to specific electromagnets may be used to control the amount of electromagnetic energy, such as visible light, that can be transmitted through the panel system. The system may also be used to increase or decrease the rigidity of the multi-panel structure as a function of current applied to the electromagnets.

Hydraulically-amplified, self-healing, electrostatic actuators that harness electrostatic and hydraulic forces to achieve various actuation modes. Electrostatic forces between electrode pairs of the actuators generated upon application of a voltage to the electrode pairs draws the electrodes in each pair towards each other to displace a liquid dielectric contained within an enclosed internal cavity of the actuators to drive actuation in various manners. The electrodes and the liquid dielectric form a self-healing capacitor whereby the liquid dielectric automatically fills breaches in the liquid dielectric resulting from dielectric breakdown.

An actuator, such as a pressure actuator or a vacuum actuator, has a housing and a plunger that is guided through the housing. A diaphragm is connected to the housing and to the plunger and forms a gas-tight pressure chamber with the housing. A pressure medium connector is provided on the housing and communicates with the pressure chamber to pressurize the pressure chamber. A braking element is provided on the plunger and enables a braking force can be exerted on the plunger.

A method for operating an actuator system includes providing an actuator with a deformable shell defining an enclosed internal cavity, a fluid dielectric, and first and second electrodes disposed over opposing sides of the enclosed internal cavity, and providing a power source such that the actuator system exhibits a first operational performance. Further, the method includes modifying at least one of length, width, diameter, and shape of the deformable shell and/or the first and second electrodes, a volume of the fluid dielectric, permittivity, thickness, and material of the deformable shell, and a partition within the deformable shell such that the actuator so modified exhibits a second operational performance. The operational performance includes force as a function of stroke, actuator breakdown strength, direction of actuation, uniformity of deformation of the deformable shell, actuator flexibility, and stroke as a function of actuator system volume.

An electro-hydraulic actuator includes a deformable shell defining an enclosed internal cavity and containing a liquid dielectric, first and second electrodes on first and second sides, respectively, of the enclosed internal cavity. An electrostatic force between the first and second electrodes upon application of a voltage to one of the electrodes draws the electrodes towards each other to displace the liquid dielectric within the enclosed internal cavity. The shell includes active and inactive areas such that the electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes displaces the liquid dielectric within the enclosed internal cavity from the active area of the shell to the inactive area of the shell. The first and second electrodes, the deformable shell, and the liquid dielectric cooperate to form a self-healing capacitor, and the liquid dielectric is configured for automatically filling breaches in the liquid dielectric resulting from dielectric breakdown.

An artificial muscle assembly includes initiating actuators and an artificial muscle. The artificial muscle includes a housing including an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region. The electrode pair includes a first electrode and a second electrode fixed to respective first and second surfaces of the housing. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a central opening defining the expandable fluid region. The electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs a dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region. Each initiating actuator is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state applies a force against the electrode region of the artificial muscle.