A woven flexible drive system driven electromagnetically

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of woven flexible driver systems driven by electromagnetic, which can be used in soft robot field, and the driver system is mainly composed of magnetic field generator and woven structure made of conductive fiber. Multiple fibers are spirally interwoven to form the woven structure as the main structure of the flexible driver, which has good deformation capacity. The head and tail of the multiple conductive fibers are connected in sequence by wire to form a passage, and a magnetic field can be formed inside the structure after being powered by an external DC power supply. The magnetic field of the woven structure interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic field generator to generate driving force, realizing the driving effect of the woven structure. By controlling the size and direction of the current of the woven structure or the electromagnetic magnetic field generator, the size and direction of the driving force can be changed, realizing the regulation and control of the elongation, contraction and corresponding movement amount of the woven structure. The biased magnetic field generator can realize the yawing movement of the woven structure. The main structure of the driver is soft and flexible in deformation, and can be driven without dragging wires through electromagnetic drive.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of soft body robots, specifically a woven flexible actuator system driven by electromagnetic force. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible actuators are the driving devices for soft robots and are crucial to their development. Currently, commonly used flexible actuators include the following categories:

[0003] Firstly, pneumatic actuation is employed. This method relies on an air pump to inflate or draw air into the structure, using the air pressure to induce deformation and movement, thus achieving actuation. Secondly, shape memory alloys are used for actuation, utilizing the free energy difference between the high-temperature austenitic phase and the low-temperature martensite phase to provide the driving force. This method requires inducing phase transformation in the shape memory alloy through the thermal effect of electric current or the thermal conduction of a medium. Additionally, electrodeformable polymers (IPMCs) can bend and deform under an electric field, but their dependence on a liquid environment presents limitations. Other methods include dielectric elastomer actuation, gel actuation, and internal combustion actuation, all of which require direct connection to a power supply device for actuation excitation.

[0004] Analysis reveals that most current flexible actuators require connection to power sources such as power supplies and air pumps via wires and air ducts. This wired drive method limits the range of movement and long-distance driving capabilities of robots equipped with these actuators, thus restricting their applications.

[0005] This case arose in order to resolve the aforementioned issues. Summary of the Invention

[0006] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0007] To overcome the problems of wire-driven flexible actuators and difficulty in long-distance driving, this invention designs an electromagnetically driven spiral braided flexible actuator. By utilizing the principle that the magnetic field generated by the energized spiral coil interacts with the ambient magnetic field, an actuator capable of remotely controlling actions such as elongation, contraction, and yaw is realized, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0008] (II) Technical Solution

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: a braided flexible actuator system driven by electromagnetic means, comprising a tubular braided structure formed by spiral winding of conductive fibers, wherein the surface of the approximately spiral conductive fibers is covered with insulating material, and the structure formed has good folding and bending flexibility, and generates a magnetic field inside after being energized; it also includes a magnetic field generator, which can form a magnetic field of appropriate intensity in a certain space.

[0010] In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the braided structure is placed in the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator. After being energized, the braided structure will be deformed by the magnetic force under the action of the external magnetic field, thus generating a driving effect.

[0011] Specifically, one end of the tubular braided structure is fixed to the base and placed within the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator. Upon energization, the spiral conductive fibers create a new magnetic field within the braided structure, causing it to deform under the influence of the existing magnetic field and generate a driving force. Therefore, the disclosed braided flexible actuator can be driven without a dielectric and is less constrained by environmental factors. By controlling the strength and direction of the magnetic field within the braided structure or the ambient magnetic field, based on the principle of "like poles repel, unlike poles attract" between magnetic fields, different force states and motion modes of the tubular braided structure can be achieved.

[0012] In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the braided structure is composed of multiple independent conductive fibers, thus containing multiple circuits internally. To simplify control, the ends of each conductive fiber in the braided structure are tightly connected by wires to form a unique circuit path. Since the current flows in opposite directions and the spirals are also opposite, the magnetic fields formed by the left and right spiral fibers are in the same direction. Therefore, by supplying power to the connected path with an external DC power supply, the magnetic field formed inside the structure can be controlled by a switch.

[0013] In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a sliding rheostat can be connected in series in the circuit where the braided structure is located. By changing the sliding rheostat, the magnitude of the current passing through the conductive fiber can be controlled, thereby controlling the strength of the internal magnetic field. The strength of the magnetic field affects the electromagnetic force between the magnetic field generator and the flexible actuator, thus enabling control of the driving force and driving amount of the flexible actuator.

[0014] In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a current commutator can be connected in series in the circuit where the braided structure is located to control the direction of the current and change the direction of the magnetic force, so that the braided structure can switch between the stretching and contraction driving modes. At the same time, the frequency of the current change can be controlled to control the extension and contraction frequency of the driver.

[0015] In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a movable device is used, on which the magnetic field generator is placed, and the position of the movable device is changed so that the magnetic field generator is radially biased relative to the braided driver, thereby causing the driver to perform a yaw driving action.

[0016] In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, an electromagnet is used as a magnetic field generator. By changing the magnitude and direction of the electromagnet current, the strength of the ambient magnetic field can be changed, thereby affecting the magnitude and direction of the driving force, changing the driving mode and driving force of the braided structure, and realizing remote wireless driving of the braided driver.

[0017] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator system provided by the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0019] 1. The electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator of the present invention uses a braided structure formed by the spiral interlacing of conductive fibers as the main structure of the actuator, which has good flexibility and adaptability, and can achieve a variety of motion forms such as elongation, contraction and bending under the action of electromagnetic force.

[0020] 2. The electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator of the present invention can control the amount of motion and switch the motion mode by changing the direction and intensity of the magnetic field inside the braided structure and its position relative to the magnetic field generator, which is easy to control.

[0021] 3. The electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator of the present invention can use an electromagnet as a magnetic field generator. By controlling the direction, intensity, and position of the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet relative to the braided actuator, the amount of motion can be controlled and the motion mode can be switched. It is not only easy to control, but also realizes the wire-free control of the actuator, and can adapt to a variety of working environments. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of a braided flexible actuator system driven by electromagnetic force according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a single conductive fiber and an insulating layer in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a system for controlling the magnitude of the current to change the driving quantity according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a system for controlling the direction of current to change the elongation and contraction motion modes according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the extended state of the braided actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the retracted state of the braided actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a system for controlling the position of a magnetic field generator to change its bending state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the bending state of the braided actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of a system for controlling the magnetic field parameters of an electromagnetic magnetic field generator to change the motion state of a braided actuator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0032] This invention provides an electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator system, mainly composed of a magnetic field generator, a tubular braided structure formed by helical winding of conductive fibers, and end connecting wires. The braided structure formed by conductive fibers has flexibility and adaptability. When energized, a magnetic field is generated inside, which deforms and drives the actuator under the magnetic force of the magnetic field generator.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator system. Figure 1 As shown, the electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator system includes an electromagnetic generator 1-1, a braided structure composed of conductive fibers 1-2, an end connecting wire 1-3, an external circuit port 1-4, and a base 1-5.

[0034] The magnetic field generator can be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, which can generate a magnetic field of a certain intensity within a certain space and is fixed to the ground. The braided structure 1-2 is made of multiple conductive fibers spirally wound together. The interlacing of the left and right spiral fibers can stabilize the braided structure and give it good bending flexibility and folding and unfolding characteristics. One end of it is fixed to the base 1-5.

[0035] Each conductive fiber, such as Figure 2 As shown, it consists of an internal conductive material 2-1 and an external insulating layer 2-2. Due to its helical shape, each fiber generates a strong internal magnetic field when energized. The end-connecting wires 1-3 connect the left-hand and right-hand fibers end-to-end, forming a unique circuit path for easy control. Because the left-hand and right-hand fibers have different helical directions and current directions, the internal magnetic fields of each helical fiber are aligned, creating a superposition effect.

[0036] After the fibers are connected, circuit ports 1-4 are formed to connect the braided structure to the external power supply circuit. When energized, the magnetic field of the braided structure 1-2 interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic field generator 1-1, and the resulting magnetic force can cause the braided structure to deform and move, thus creating a driving effect.

[0037] Application mode one of braided flexible actuators, as shown in the attached diagram. Figure 3The diagram shows a system for controlling the magnitude of the current to change the driving amount according to an embodiment of the present invention. One end of the braided structure 3-2 is fixed to the base 3-5. The power supply 3-1 supplies power to the braided structure 3-2. Changing the resistance of the sliding rheostat 3-3 connected in the circuit can change the magnitude of the current in the fibers of the braided structure 3-2, thereby changing the internal magnetic field strength of the braided structure 3-2. The change in the magnitude of the magnetic force between the electromagnetic generator 3-4 and the braided structure 3-2 further changes the driving force and the driving amount.

[0038] Application mode two of braided flexible actuators, as shown in the appendix. Figure 4 The diagram shows a system schematic of the elongation and contraction motion mode by controlling the direction of the current according to an embodiment of the present invention. One end of the braided structure 4-2 is fixed to the base 4-5. The power supply 4-1 supplies power to the braided structure 4-2. Adjusting the current commutator 4-3 connected in the circuit can change the direction of the current in the fibers of the braided structure 4-2, thereby changing the direction of the internal magnetic field of the braided structure 4-2. The change in the direction of the magnetic force of the electromagnetic generator 4-4 and the braided structure 4-2 further changes the deformation trend and driving direction.

[0039] The elongated state of braided structure 4-2 is as follows Figure 5 As shown, the shrunken state of braided structure 4-2 is as follows: Figure 6 As shown.

[0040] Application mode three of braided flexible actuators, as shown in the appendix. Figure 7 The diagram shows a system schematic of the control magnetic field generator position changing bending state according to an embodiment of the present invention. Power supply 7-1 supplies power to the braided structure 7-2, creating a magnetic field inside the braided structure 7-2. One end of the braided structure is fixed to the base. The electromagnetic generator 7-3 is fixed to the moving device 7-4. By changing the lateral relative position between the electromagnetic generator 7-3 and the braided structure 7-2 through the moving mechanism 7-4, a biasing force can be generated on the braided structure 7-2, causing it to bend and deform. The bending state of the braided structure 7-2 is as follows: Figure 8 As shown.

[0041] Application mode four of braided flexible actuators, as shown in the appendix. Figure 9The diagram shows a system schematic of an embodiment of the present invention that controls the magnetic field parameters of an electromagnetic magnetic field generator to change the motion state of a braided actuator. One end of the braided structure 9-2 is fixed to the base 9-7. Power supply 9-1 supplies power to the braided structure 9-2, causing a magnetic field to form inside the braided structure 9-2. Power supply 9-3 supplies power to the electromagnet 9-4, causing the electromagnet 9-4 to generate a magnetic field of a certain intensity in the environment. Changing the resistance of the sliding rheostat 9-5 connected in the electromagnet circuit can change the magnetic field strength of the electromagnet 9-4; the magnitude of the magnetic force between the electromagnet 9-4 and the braided structure 9-2 changes, thereby changing the driving force and driving quantity. Adjusting the current commutator 9-6 connected in the electromagnet circuit can change the current direction of the electromagnet 9-4, thereby changing the magnetic field direction of the electromagnet 9-4; the direction of the magnetic force between the electromagnet 9-4 and the braided structure 9-2 changes, thereby changing the deformation trend and driving direction of the braided structure 9-2.

[0042] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the tubular braided structure formed by the helical winding of conductive fibers used in this invention improves the stability of the flexible actuator. The unique circuit path formed by the connecting wires facilitates control, and the magnetic field is used for actuation, allowing for different actuation effects by controlling the properties of the magnetic field. Compared with existing flexible actuators, this flexible actuator can achieve actuation by changing the properties of the magnetic field generator, making it suitable for offline actuation environments.

[0043] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A braided flexible actuator system driven by electromagnetic force, characterized in that, include: A magnetic field generator, which is used to generate a magnetic field within a certain space; as well as The structure is tubular and is formed by spirally winding multiple conductive fibers, including left-handed and right-handed fibers. The left-handed and right-handed fibers are interlaced to form the structure, and each conductive fiber consists of an inner conductive material and an outer insulating layer. Each of the left-handed and right-handed fibers is connected end to end and forms a unique circuit path through the end connecting wire. The left-handed and right-handed fibers have different spiral directions and different current directions, so that the magnetic field inside each helical fiber is in the same direction and forms a superposition effect. The braided structure is placed in the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator, and deforms under the action of magnetic force after being energized, so as to achieve driving.

2. The electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator system according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the braided structure is fixed by a base.

3. The electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an external power supply, which includes a power source and a sliding rheostat connected to the single circuit path, the sliding rheostat being used to change the magnitude of the current in the conductive fibers of the braided structure.

4. The electromagnetically driven braided flexible actuator system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an external power supply, which includes a power source and a current commutator connected to the single circuit path, the current commutator being used to change the direction of current in the conductive fibers of the braided structure.

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