Mechanical-locking-based wire traction variable stiffness mechanism

Abstract

The invention discloses a mechanical-locking-based wire traction variable stiffness mechanism. The mechanism comprises a continuum robot basic structure, variable stiffness locking mechanisms and a variable stiffness traction mechanism. The continuum robot basic structure is composed of connection disks, a central wire and four driving wires distributed circumferentially. The connection disks include the middle connection disks and the tail end connection disk. The tail end connection disk is fixed to the tail end of the central wire and the tail ends of the driving wires through a wedge-shaped locking mouth. The middle connection disks are fixed to the central wire through wedge-shaped locking mouths. Each variable stiffness locking mechanism is a single-degree-of-freedom mechanism composed of sliding bevel wheels, springs, incomplete gears, connecting rods and inlaid metal sheets with each middle connection disk as a rack. The variable stiffness traction mechanism is composed of wire guide sheaths, a tensile metal wire and metal wire lock pieces. The wire guide sheaths and the central wire are concentric. The tensile metal wire penetrates through the wire guide sheaths and the wedge-shaped locking mouths of the central wire and is fixed to the sliding bevel gears through the metal wire lock pieces. The mechanical-locking-based wire traction variable stiffness mechanism is fast in rigid and flexible state switching and high in positioning rigidity.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the field of variable stiffness design of continuous mechanisms, in particular to a wire traction variable stiffness mechanism based on mechanical locking. Background technique [0002] Continuous mechanisms that imitate biological organs such as snakes and elephant trunks have high movement flexibility and strong adaptability in complex environments, especially in unstructured environments with many obstacles and narrow spaces. Change its shape flexibly. However, due to the high flexibility of the continuous mechanism, it also has the disadvantages of poor positioning rigidity and low control precision. In applications in medical and other fields, continuous mechanisms are often required to exhibit good flexibility and certain rigidity under certain conditions. For example, when a continuous mechanism is used for an endoscopic robot, its working process is divided into two stages. In the first stage, the robot needs to confo...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] In recent years, people have invented a variety of variable stiffness continuous mechanisms by using negative pressure blocking mechanisms, low melting point alloy phase transformation, positive pressure locking, etc., but most of them show defects such as insufficient variable stiffness and insufficient response speed.

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