An explosion-proof underwater soft robot

Abstract

The application provides an anti-explosion underwater soft robot, and belongs to the field of robots.The problem that high transient energy of underwater explosion easily causes damage to internal components and circuits is solved.The anti-explosion underwater soft robot comprises a flexible circuit layer, a plurality of circuit modules are arranged on the flexible circuit layer, and the circuit modules are flexibly connected; a non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer is wrapped outside the flexible circuit layer; an elastic buffer layer is wrapped outside the non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer; and a driving unit is connected with the elastic buffer layer and used for driving the robot to move.The anti-explosion underwater soft robot is mainly used for underwater safety detection and underwater resource exploration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of robotics, and in particular relates to an explosion-proof underwater soft robot. Background Technology

[0002] Compared to traditional rigid robots, soft robots have significant advantages in many aspects. Due to the use of flexible materials and designs, they can adapt to more complex, variable, and extreme external environments and special operations, such as narrow, winding pipes, high-pressure, low-temperature deep seas, and flexible grasping, demonstrating enormous potential in numerous fields. As the applications of soft robots continue to expand, from underwater exploration to hazardous materials handling and oil field exploration, soft robots constantly face unpredictable extreme impact environments such as collisions and explosions in many application scenarios. Therefore, improving the impact resistance of soft robots has become a key aspect of ensuring their operability and stability.

[0003] In the field of dynamic impact resistance research for soft robots, studies suggest that the flexible materials constituting the robot's body play a crucial role in resisting impacts. They can absorb most of the energy generated by a collision through deformation, thereby mitigating the impact force and reducing the risk of robot damage. Some studies, through tests such as a car running over the crawling legs of a soft robot, throwing impacts, and static hydraulic soft robot bodies, have demonstrated that the elastic energy-absorbing properties of silicone are beneficial for impact resistance to some extent. However, under high-speed impacts, the behavior of elastic materials differs from that under low-speed impacts. Higher loading rates lead to dynamic brittleness, meaning the material does not have sufficient time to undergo elastoplastic deformation, thus failing to effectively absorb or disperse energy, resulting in brittle failure. In this process, the higher the impact energy, the more significant the dynamic response and the greater the damage. Simultaneously, and most importantly, the core circuitry and internal components, as crucial parts of the integrated soft robot, are also the most vulnerable to damage in explosive impacts; existing research has not addressed impact protection for them.

[0004] Regarding the protection of the internal circuits and components of integrated soft robots, existing research has focused on two main approaches: firstly, modularizing internal components to reduce the probability of electronic damage caused by stress concentration under high pressure; and secondly, using highly ductile serpentine or 3D helical wires to induce deformation of the internal structure under external forces to absorb some energy, thereby reducing the pressure on the internal circuits and components and protecting their internal parts. However, these studies have only achieved good results under static high pressure and static tension. Therefore, how to dissipate and absorb the transient high energy from underwater explosions, and thus protect the internal components and overall operation, has become a key factor in whether integrated soft robots can achieve resistance to underwater explosions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to propose an explosion-proof underwater soft robot to solve the problem that the high transient energy of underwater explosions can easily damage internal components and circuits.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: an explosion-proof underwater soft robot, comprising:

[0007] The flexible circuit layer contains multiple circuit modules, which are flexibly connected to each other.

[0008] A non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer is used to cover the outside of the flexible circuit layer;

[0009] An elastic buffer layer is used to cover the outside of the non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer.

[0010] The drive unit, connected to the elastic buffer layer, is used to drive the robot's movement.

[0011] Furthermore, the circuit modules are connected by 3D spiral wires.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic buffer layer includes an upper silicone shell and a lower silicone shell.

[0013] Furthermore, the driving unit includes a dielectric elastomer and a conductive medium. The dielectric elastomer is initially in a contracted state, and a conductive medium is disposed within the dielectric elastomer. A power supply is disposed in the circuit module. The positive terminal of the power supply is connected to the conductive medium, and the negative terminal of the power supply is connected to water. The dielectric elastomer expands when energized and returns to its initial contracted state when de-energized.

[0014] Furthermore, a support frame is provided on one end face of the elastic buffer layer. The side of the support frame away from the elastic buffer layer is connected to the dielectric elastomer. Water inlet and outlet are provided on the support frame to introduce water into the support frame and make contact with the negative terminal of the power supply. The two ends of the dielectric elastomer are respectively connected to the two sides of the support frame.

[0015] Furthermore, soft robot flapping wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the elastic buffer layer.

[0016] Furthermore, the support frame is connected to the elastic buffer layer via a PET sheet.

[0017] Furthermore, the conductive medium is carbon paste.

[0018] Furthermore, the dielectric elastomer is a VBH film.

[0019] Furthermore, the elastic buffer layer is provided with a soft robotic fish tail at its tail end.

[0020] Compared with existing published technologies, the advantages of this invention are:

[0021] 1. This robot adopts a flexible material soft body design, which can adapt to more complex, changeable, and extreme external environments and special operations;

[0022] 2. By modularizing the core circuit and flexibly connecting the modules, this robot can improve its overall impact resistance in the event of an explosion, thereby reducing the risk of brittle fracture. In addition, with the software, it can be more flexible and adapt to extreme and special working environments, and can act as the last line of defense.

[0023] 3. This robot, through the design of an elastic buffer layer, can initially buffer external impacts;

[0024] 4. This robot is designed with a combination of a non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer and an elastic buffer layer. When the robot is subjected to rapid stimulation from an external underwater explosion field, the non-Newtonian fluid in the buffer layer undergoes a phase transition, changing from a gel state to a glass state. This rapidly disperses the stress in the impact area, increases the internal deformation resistance, and promotes the transfer and absorption of external impact energy within the silicone shell. When the impact force of the external explosion field is too large, the buffer layer will break under further impact. In this process, most of the energy will be absorbed, stress concentration will be reduced, and the peak impact load will be significantly weakened.

[0025] 5. This robot further absorbs impact energy and reduces internal stress concentration through the modularity of flexible circuits and the extensibility of 3D spiral wires;

[0026] 6. This robot uses a dielectric elastomer in conjunction with seawater to complete the power supply process, ensuring smooth operation of the robot. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the driving principle of an explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the driving unit described in this invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a top view of an explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of an explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5This is a front view of an explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a layered view of the explosion-proof underwater soft robot described in this invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible circuit layer described in this invention.

[0035] 1. Dielectric elastomer; 2. ABS plastic sheet; 3. Conductive medium; 4. Wire; 5. Soft robot body; 6. Soft robot flapping wings; 7. Soft robot fish tail; 8. Support frame; 9. Inlet and outlet; 10. PET sheet; 11. Upper silicone shell; 12. Non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer; 13. Flexible circuit layer; 14. Lower silicone shell; 15. 3D spiral wire; 16. Power supply; 17. Circuit module. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, and the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments.

[0037] It should be noted that the descriptions of "left," "right," "left side," "right side," "upper part," "lower part," "top," and "bottom" in this invention are defined based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are merely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the described structure must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0038] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0039] Referring to the accompanying drawings, this embodiment describes an explosion-proof underwater soft robot, comprising:

[0040] The flexible circuit layer 13 is provided with multiple circuit modules 17, which are flexibly connected to each other. By integrating important modules and then flexibly connecting them, the entire flexible circuit layer is sealed with silicone. It can act as the last buffer when the robot is subjected to an explosive impact. The modules can move flexibly relative to each other and will not be rigidly damaged when subjected to impact.

[0041] A non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer 12 is wrapped around the flexible circuit layer 13. The non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer 12 consists of a non-Newtonian fluid placed within a silicone layer. Under the rapid stimulus of an explosion, the non-Newtonian fluid undergoes a phase transition, changing from a gel state to a glass state. Stress in the impact area is rapidly dispersed, internal deformation resistance increases, and external impact energy is simultaneously transferred and absorbed within the silicone shell. When the impact force of the external explosion field is too large, the buffer layer will fracture under further impact. During this process, it absorbs most of the energy, reduces stress concentration, and significantly weakens the peak impact load. The fluidity of the non-Newtonian fluid in static conditions indicates its good self-healing properties; it can recover to its original state after fracture, further improving the adaptability of this type of soft robot to high-speed impact environments.

[0042] An elastic buffer layer is wrapped around the outside of the non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer 12; the elastic buffer layer can play a preliminary buffering role, and the outermost layer can withstand general impacts.

[0043] The drive unit, connected to the elastic buffer layer, is used to drive the robot's movement.

[0044] In this embodiment, the circuit modules 17 are connected by 3D spiral wires 15. The 3D spiral wires 15 ensure a certain relative motion margin between the circuit modules 17, providing a certain degree of buffering effect when the robot is subjected to an explosive impact.

[0045] In this embodiment, the elastic buffer layer includes an upper silicone shell 11 and a lower silicone shell 14.

[0046] In this embodiment, the driving unit includes a dielectric elastomer 1 and a conductive medium 3. The dielectric elastomer 1 is initially in a contracted state, and the conductive medium 3 is disposed within the dielectric elastomer 1. The circuit module 17 is equipped with a power supply 16, the positive terminal of which is connected to the conductive medium 3, and the negative terminal of which is connected to water. The dielectric elastomer 1 expands when energized and returns to its initial contracted state when de-energized. The initial contracted state of the dielectric elastomer 1 is formed by pre-stretching the dielectric elastomer 1 during the manufacturing process. When the dielectric elastomer 1 is energized, it expands, gradually lengthening in the stretching direction. Through continuous energization and de-energization, the dielectric elastomer 1, connected to the two side wings 6 via the support frame 8, forms a continuous flapping motion, thereby generating the driving force for the robot to move in the water.

[0047] In this embodiment, a support frame 8 is provided on one end face of the elastic buffer layer. The side of the support frame 8 away from the elastic buffer layer is connected to the dielectric elastomer 1. Water inlet and outlet 9 are provided on the support frame 8 to introduce water into the support frame 8 and contact the negative terminal of the power supply 16. The two ends of the dielectric elastomer 1 are respectively connected to the two sides of the support frame 8. The support frame 8 is made of a soft material, specifically silicone, so that when the drive unit is driven, the support frame 8 can maintain a certain deformation, meeting the robot's flexible drive requirements and forming a buffer space when subjected to explosive impact. Specifically, the support frame 8 is provided on one end face of the PET sheet 10 connected to the lower silicone shell 14, and the side of the support frame 8 away from the PET sheet 10 is connected to the dielectric elastomer 1.

[0048] In this embodiment, soft robot flapping wings 6 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the elastic buffer layer of the soft robot body 5. The arrangement of the soft robot flapping wings 6 can increase the contact area with water, so that the dielectric elastomer 1 can drive the robot through the soft robot flapping wings 6 during repeated deformation and recovery deformation, thereby achieving a better driving effect. The flapping wings 6 can increase the contact area with water, thereby improving the driving force of a single drive.

[0049] In this embodiment, the support frame 8 is connected to the elastic buffer layer via a PET sheet 10.

[0050] In this embodiment, the conductive medium 3 is carbon paste. Carbon paste, as an excellent conductive medium, can improve conductivity.

[0051] In this embodiment, the dielectric elastomer 1 is a VBH film. Specifically, it is composed of two VBH films joined together, with carbon paste integrated between the two dielectric elastomer films. The carbon paste is connected to a power supply 16 via a wire 4. The power supply 16 is a 7.4V power supply, and a boost module is installed between the power supply 16 and the carbon paste. When the 7.4V voltage from the power supply 16 is boosted to 9,000 to 10,000 volts by the boost module, and water is used as the negative electrode, an electric field is formed on both sides of the dielectric elastomer 1. When energized, the dielectric elastomer 1 expands, its area increases, and it extends along the pre-stretching direction. After de-energization, the dielectric elastomer 1 recovers its deformation in the opposite direction. Thus, during the continuous energization and de-energization process, the dielectric elastomer 1 reciprocates, forming a continuously flapping shape by connecting the two side wings 6 through the support frame 8, which helps the robot move in the water.

[0052] In this embodiment, the upper silicone shell 11 of the elastic buffer layer is provided with a soft robotic fish tail 7.

[0053] The dielectric elastomer driving unit is fabricated as follows:

[0054] 1. Cut a 15cm*15cm, 1.5mm thick VHB dielectric elastic film and stretch it into a 60cm*33cm film by hand or machine;

[0055] 2. Attach two 20cm*20cm ABS plastic sheets to the stretched film, and cut them out to make two modules;

[0056] 3. Apply a layer of carbon paste to one of the modules in a predetermined shape as the positive electrode;

[0057] 4. Place the other module on top of the module coated with carbon paste and press to adhere the two together to form a complete dielectric elastomer drive unit.

[0058] The manufacturing method of the soft robot body 5 is as follows:

[0059] 1. Print molds of each layer of the soft robot using a 3D printer;

[0060] 2. Cast the upper silicone shell 11 and the two side flapping wings 6;

[0061] 3. Place the non-Newtonian fluid on the upper silicone shell 11 and create the non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer 12 using a molding die;

[0062] 4. First, the flexible circuit containing 3D spiral wires is sealed with silicone, and then the flexible circuit layer 13 is made under the buffer layer with a molding die.

[0063] 5. Cast silicone to make the lower silicone shell 14, completing the encapsulation.

[0064] Overall assembly:

[0065] 1. Use 704 silicone rubber glue to attach the PET sheet 10 to the bottom of the lower silicone shell 14 of the soft robot;

[0066] 2. Attach the silicone support frame 8 to the PET sheet 10;

[0067] 3. Adhere the prepared dielectric elastomer driving unit to the support frame 8. After the glue has cured, cut off the excess dielectric elastomer film and remove the ABS plastic plate.

[0068] 4. Connect the positive terminal of the power supply 16 inside the main body to the carbon paste of the dielectric elastomer 1, and let the negative terminal come into contact with the water in the outside. Then, make sure the connection is waterproof to complete the production of the explosion-proof underwater soft robot.

[0069] Buffering Principle: The upper silicone shell 11 and lower silicone shell 14 first absorb a small portion of the energy through their elastic-plastic deformation. Then, under the rapid stimulation of the external underwater explosion field, the non-Newtonian fluid in the non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer 12 undergoes a phase transition, changing from a gel state to a glass state. Stress in the impact area is rapidly dispersed, and internal deformation resistance increases. Simultaneously, this promotes the transfer and absorption of external impact energy within the silicone shell. When the impact force of the external explosion field is too large, the buffer layer will break under further impact. During this process, most of the energy is absorbed, stress concentration is reduced, and the peak impact load is significantly weakened. Finally, the flexibility of the flexible circuit layer 13 and the 3D spiral wire 15 further absorbs impact energy and reduces internal stress concentration, thus achieving a highly adaptable integrated soft robot design for underwater explosion environments. Furthermore, the fluidity of the non-Newtonian fluid in static conditions indicates its good self-healing properties; it can recover completely after breakage, further enhancing the adaptability of this soft robot to high-speed impact environments. To a certain extent, the water contained within the support frame 8 also plays a buffering role.

[0070] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention.

Claims

1. An explosion-proof underwater soft robot, characterized in that, include: The flexible circuit layer (13) is provided with multiple circuit modules (17), and the circuit modules (17) are flexibly connected to each other; A non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer (12) is wrapped around the outside of the flexible circuit layer (13); An elastic buffer layer is wrapped around the outside of the non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer (12); The drive unit, connected to the elastic buffer layer, is used to drive the robot's movement. The elastic buffer layer includes an upper silicone shell (11) and a lower silicone shell (14); The circuit modules (17) are connected to each other by 3D spiral wires (15); A support frame (8) is provided on one end face of the elastic buffer layer. The side of the support frame (8) away from the elastic buffer layer is connected to the dielectric elastomer (1). An inlet and outlet (9) is provided on the support frame (8) to introduce water into the support frame (8) and make contact with the negative terminal of the power supply (16). The two ends of the dielectric elastomer (1) are respectively connected to the two sides of the support frame (8).

2. The explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving unit includes a dielectric elastomer (1) and a conductive medium (3). The dielectric elastomer (1) is initially in a contracted state. The conductive medium (3) is disposed inside the dielectric elastomer (1). The circuit module (17) is provided with a power supply (16). The positive terminal of the power supply (16) is connected to the conductive medium (3), and the negative terminal of the power supply (16) is connected to water. The dielectric elastomer (1) expands after being energized and returns to its initial contracted state after being de-energized.

3. The explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic buffer layer is symmetrically provided with soft robot flapping wings (6) on both sides.

4. The explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support frame (8) is connected to the elastic buffer layer by a PET sheet (10).

5. The explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The conductive medium (3) is carbon paste.

6. The explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The dielectric elastomer (1) is a VBH film.

7. An explosion-proof underwater soft robot according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: The elastic buffer layer is provided with a soft robotic fish tail (7).

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