A soft robot with peristaltic motion

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of peristaltic soft robot, it is characterized in that, robot is made of several modules in series, a module includes: electromagnet yoke, coil, annular permanent magnet, elastic film, magnetic liquid, porous medium elastomer.Electromagnet, annular permanent magnet and porous medium elastomer axis coincide and place, elastic film and electromagnet yoke and annular permanent magnet cylindrical surface are attached.Ring the coil, electromagnet yoke, elastic film, annular permanent magnet, porous medium elastomer add magnetic liquid to form closed magnetic circuit.Under the action of magnetic field, the axial dimension of module can change, and the modules of robot cooperate with each other to achieve the effect of peristaltic forward movement in the axial direction.The peristaltic soft robot provided by the present application is easy to control and has high motion ability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of soft robots, in particular to a peristaltic soft robot. BACKGROUND

[0002] Soft robots are composed of soft or flexible materials and reasonable mechanical structures, which can realize continuous deformation, have excellent flexibility, flexibility and unlimited degrees of freedom, and are suitable for human-machine interaction in various complex environments, and have broad application prospects. Peristaltic soft robots are a major research direction in the field of soft robots. Peristalsis mainly relies on the sequential and simple extension and contraction of each segment to obtain efficient movement ability. Peristaltic soft robots can be driven by magnetic circuits. If the extension and contraction of a single module are controlled by a magnetic circuit formed by an electromagnet and a permanent magnet, the peristaltic effect can be easily achieved. Soft robots controlled by magnetic liquids can be more easily controlled wirelessly and have great development potential.

[0003] For magnetically controlled soft robots, Chinese patent CN108724162B discloses a magnetorheological fluid soft robot, which is composed of a deformable shell and a magnetorheological fluid unit suspended in the shell by an elastic member. The flexible rolling of the soft robot is realized by applying a unidirectional magnetic field. However, the design of this system has defects. The material of the deformable shell is not defined, and it is also not realized that the deformable shell will be deformed and twisted after suspending the internal complex structure, which will greatly affect the overall performance of the soft robot. If the deformable shell is replaced by a hard material, it deviates from the category of soft robots.

[0004] Chinese patent CN109649521B discloses a method for driving magnetorheological fluid materials by converting magnetic field force into pushing force to realize wireless control. It needs to adjust the relationship between gravity, friction and magnetic field force and a series of complicated operations, which will limit the convenience of the soft robot. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to solve the existing technical problems and proposes a peristaltic soft robot. A closed magnetic circuit is formed by each element and the magnetic liquid to realize the extension and contraction of each module, and then the overall peristaltic effect of the soft robot in the axial direction is achieved.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the present application provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] The peristaltic soft robot comprises a connecting member and two modules. The two modules are located in the same plane, wherein the left electromagnet of the right module is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting member, and the right electromagnet of the left module is fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting member, so that a series connection structure is adopted.

[0008] The soft robot comprises a magnetic liquid, a ring-shaped permanent magnet, an electromagnet yoke, a porous medium elastomer, an elastic film and a coil.

[0009] Further, in the cross section of the module, two complete magnetic circuits are formed by the elements and the magnetic liquid.

[0010] The magnetic liquid has the advantages of high magnetic permeability, strong thixotropy, good fluidity and stability, and can effectively enhance the movement effect of the soft robot.

[0011] The porous medium elastomer is made of an elastic material with an elastic modulus of 25-40 MPa, such as foamed silica gel.

[0012] The ring-shaped permanent magnet is made of a neodymium iron boron permanent magnet alloy material.

[0013] The connecting member is made of a non-magnetic material, such as a homogeneous double-network cross-linked hydrogel.

[0014] The application has the following advantages: the magnetic liquid has good fluidity and stability, and can effectively enhance the movement effect of the soft robot; the designed module has excellent movement performance, and can be integrated in different numbers according to actual conditions and applied in complex working environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the original state of a module in this invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a module in the extended state in this invention.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a module in its contracted state in this invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the peristalsis after the three modules are integrated in this invention.

[0019] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0020] 1-Left electromagnet yoke, 2-Left coil, 3-Elastic film, 4-Porous medium elastomer, 5-Ring permanent magnet, 6-Right coil, 7-Right electromagnet yoke, 8-Magnetic liquid, 9-Connector. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, embodiments of the invention are described in detail below, providing further elaboration. It should be understood that the following embodiments are intended to explain the invention but are not intended to limit it.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, in one module of the peristaltic soft robot, the left electromagnet yoke 1 and the right electromagnet yoke 7 are adhesively connected to the two ends of the porous media elastomer 4. The axes of the left electromagnet yoke 1, the right electromagnet yoke 7, the annular permanent magnet 5, and the porous media elastomer 4 are aligned. The axial distance between the annular permanent magnet 5 and the two electromagnet yokes on its end face is equal. The elastic film 3 is attached to the cylindrical surfaces of the left electromagnet yoke 1, the right electromagnet yoke 7, and the annular permanent magnet 5, thus wrapping the side of the entire module. The magnetic liquid 8 exists not only inside the porous media elastomer 4 but also in the gaps formed after the left electromagnet yoke 1, the right electromagnet yoke 7, the elastic film 3, the annular permanent magnet 5, and the porous media elastomer 4 are connected.

[0023] like Figure 2As shown in the figure, by supplying power to the left and right two electromagnet modules, the soft robot system is elongated. At this time, the left electromagnet module composed of the left electromagnet yoke and the left coil is supplied with forward direct current, forming N-S-N magnetic pole distribution on the cross section, and the right electromagnet module composed of the right electromagnet yoke and the right coil is supplied with reverse direct current, forming N-S-N magnetic pole distribution on the cross section. Due to the existence of the magnetic circuit, the two electromagnet modules move to both sides, the whole module is elongated, the porous medium elastomer is stretched and deformed, the magnetic liquid flows from the gap formed by the left electromagnet yoke, the right electromagnet yoke, the elastic film, the annular permanent magnet and the porous medium elastomer to the gap, the radial dimension of the module becomes smaller, and finally the stress is stable, and the robot system remains stable.

[0024] As shown in the figure, Figure 3 As shown in the figure, by supplying power to the left and right two electromagnet modules, the soft robot system is elongated. At this time, the left electromagnet module composed of the left electromagnet yoke and the left coil is supplied with forward direct current, forming N-S-N magnetic pole distribution on the cross section, and the right electromagnet module composed of the right electromagnet yoke and the right coil is supplied with reverse direct current, forming N-S-N magnetic pole distribution on the cross section. Due to the existence of the magnetic circuit, the two electromagnet modules move to both sides, the whole module is elongated, the porous medium elastomer is stretched and deformed, the magnetic liquid flows from the gap formed by the left electromagnet yoke, the right electromagnet yoke, the elastic film, the annular permanent magnet and the porous medium elastomer to the gap, the radial dimension of the module becomes smaller, and finally the stress is stable, and the robot system remains stable.

[0025] As shown in the figure, Figure 4 As shown in the figure, by supplying power to the left and right two electromagnet modules, the soft robot system is elongated. At this time, the left electromagnet module composed of the left electromagnet yoke and the left coil is supplied with forward direct current, forming N-S-N magnetic pole distribution on the cross section, and the right electromagnet module composed of the right electromagnet yoke and the right coil is supplied with reverse direct current, forming N-S-N magnetic pole distribution on the cross section. Due to the existence of the magnetic circuit, the two electromagnet modules move to both sides, the whole module is elongated, the porous medium elastomer is stretched and deformed, the magnetic liquid flows from the gap formed by the left electromagnet yoke, the right electromagnet yoke, the elastic film, the annular permanent magnet and the porous medium elastomer to the gap, the radial dimension of the module becomes smaller, and finally the stress is stable, and the robot system remains stable.

[0026] The embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present application, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, any obvious improvement, replacement or modification made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential content of the present application shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A peristaltic soft robot, characterized in that, The robot comprises multiple software drive modules and connectors (9). Each software drive module includes: a left electromagnet yoke (1), a left coil (2), an elastic film (3), a porous media elastomer (4), a ring-shaped permanent magnet (5), a right coil (6), a right electromagnet yoke (7), and a magnetic liquid (8). The connections between the robot parts are as follows: the center of the right end face of the left electromagnet yoke (1) is fixedly bonded to the left end of the porous media elastomer (4), and the right electromagnet yoke (7) is... The center of the left end face is fixedly bonded to the right end of the porous medium elastic body (4). The annular permanent magnet (5) is sleeved on the porous medium elastic body (4). The axes of the left electromagnet yoke (1), the annular permanent magnet (5), the porous medium elastic body (4) and the right electromagnet yoke (7) are placed in the same direction. The axial distance between the annular permanent magnet (5) and the two electromagnet yokes on the left and right is equal. The elastic film (3) is attached to the cylindrical surface of the left electromagnet yoke (1), the right electromagnet yoke (7) and the annular permanent magnet (5). The magnetic liquid (8) is uniformly dispersed in the porous medium elastomer (4); and the magnetic liquid (8) also exists in the gap formed after the left electromagnet yoke (1), elastic film (3), annular permanent magnet (5), right electromagnet yoke (7) and porous medium elastomer (4) are connected; Two adjacent soft drive modules are connected by a connector (9), which has the function of magnetic isolation. The peristaltic soft robot can connect n soft drive modules in series according to the usage, where n≥4.

2. The peristaltic soft robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic liquid (8) is composed of nano-magnetic particles, thixotropic agents, and a base liquid, which effectively enhances the motion effect of the peristaltic robot.

3. The peristaltic soft robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic film (3) is composed of a polymer and soft magnetic particles, with a relative permeability of not less than 5 and an elastic modulus between 500 MPa and 2000 MPa.

4. A peristaltic soft robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The porous media elastomer (4) is made of polyurethane material with an elastic modulus between 25 MPa and 40 MPa.

5. A peristaltic soft robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ring-shaped permanent magnet (5) is made of neodymium iron boron permanent magnet alloy material; the ring-shaped permanent magnet (5) is composed of magnetic tiles spliced ​​together, and the magnetic tiles are radially magnetized so that the N pole is on the outer arc surface and the S pole is on the inner arc surface. The number of magnetic tiles is M, M>4.

6. A peristaltic soft robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connector (9) is made of a non-magnetic material.

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