Bionic Muscle

Abstract

The present invention provides an electromagnetic device comprising: a power circuit, and a contact initiated electro-magnet having an electrical coil in operable connection with the power circuit, wherein one end of the electrical coil is directly connected to the power circuit and the other is connected to the magnetic core of the electromagnet such that, in use, the magnetic core performs the dual purposes of (i) focusing the electromagnetic field created by the coil and (ii) forms part of the electrical circuit that energizes the magnetic core of the electromagnet. Multiple electromagnetic devices may be combined to form a kinetic device capable of creating an electrically-based movement device that mimics the form and function of the skeletal muscle through the use of multiple contact initiated electromagnets held within elastic tubes.

1 . A contact initiated electromagnet having a magnetic core and an electrical coil in operable connection with a power circuit, wherein one end of the electrical coil is directly connected to the power circuit and the other end is connected to the magnetic core, such that, in use, when the power circuit is completed, the magnetic core of the electromagnet creates a magnetic field that attracts a magnetic core of an adjacent contact initiated electromagnet, thereby causing the adjacent electromagnet to connect to the same power circuit. 
     
     
         2 . A bionic muscle cell comprising a contact initiated electromagnet according to  claim 1 , wherein when the power circuit is completed, the bionic muscle cell is energized. 
     
     
         3 . The bionic muscle cell of  claim 2  configured such that, in use, when a first bionic muscle cell is energized, the magnetic field created magnetically attracts an adjacent second bionic muscle cell. 
     
     
         4 . The bionic muscle cell of  claim 3  configured such that, in use, when the second bionic muscle cell makes contact with the first bionic muscle cell, the power circuit of the second bionic muscle cell is completed and the second bionic muscle cell is energized. 
     
     
         5 . A bionic muscle fibre comprising a plurality of bionic muscle cells according to  claim 2  encased in a biocompatible material. 
     
     
         6 . The bionic muscle fibre of  claim 5  wherein the biocompatible material is elastic. 
     
     
         7 . A bionic muscle group comprising two or more bionic muscle fibres according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         8 . A bionic muscle group comprising three or more bionic muscle fibres according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         9 . The bionic muscle group of  claim 8 , wherein the number of bionic muscle fibres in a bionic muscle group is determined by the magnetic force that can be generated by a single bionic muscle cell and a desired contraction ratio. 
     
     
         10 . The bionic muscle group of  claim 9 , wherein the relative positioning of two bionic muscle fibres is such that the bionic muscle cells in one bionic muscle fibre are offset along the length of the bionic muscle group relative to the bionic muscle cells of another bionic muscle fibre in the same bionic muscle group. 
     
     
         11 . The bionic muscle group of  claim 10 , wherein during a contraction, when the bionic muscle cells in one bionic muscle fibre are at full contraction ratio separation and the bionic muscle cells in other bionic muscle fibre in the bionic muscle group are at less than full contraction ratio separation, the amount of force required for the next bionic muscle cell to make contact in any of the fibres in a bionic muscle group is less than the force required within one fibre alone. 
     
     
         12 . The bionic muscle group of  claim 11 , wherein each increment of contraction is equal to the ratio of contraction divided by the number of bionic muscle fibres in the bionic muscle group. 
     
     
         13 . A bionic muscle mass comprising three or more bionic muscle groups of  claim 8 , wherein the three or more bionic muscle groups are encased in an elastic non-electro-conductive sheath. 
     
     
         14 . The bionic muscle mass of  claim 13 , wherein the sheath is adapted to transfer contractive forces between muscle groups. 
     
     
         15 . The bionic muscle mass of  claim 14 , wherein an extension of the sheath at each end of the bionic muscle mass forms bionic tendons. 
     
     
         16 . A system for simulating the function of a partial or complete mammalian muscle, the system comprising one or more bionic muscle cells according to  claim 2 , wherein the system does not use complex sensory and/or control systems to control servos and/or motors of an electro-mechanical device. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the bionic muscle cells are arranged to form a bionic muscle fibre. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the bionic muscle fibres are arranged to form a bionic muscle group. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein the bionic muscle groups are arranged to form a bionic muscle mass. 
     
     
         20 . A contact initiated electromagnet having a magnetic core and an electrical coil in operable connection with a power circuit, wherein one end of the electrical coil is directly connected to the power circuit and the other end is connected to the magnetic core.