A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical gas circuit

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of multi-joint pneumatic soft body crawling robots based on logic gas path, comprising: logic gas path component, drive assembly and bionic foot;The logic gas path component is connected with the drive assembly, the logic gas path component provides power for the drive assembly, the bionic foot is evenly fixed on the drive assembly, the bionic foot executes crawling under the drive of drive assembly.Compared with prior art, the present application provides a new driving mode for the design of crawling soft body bionic robot, and applies pneumatic soft valve and swing air chamber to new bionic drive.The physical scale of the complete soft pneumatic digital logic gate suitable for electric current (macro) soft actuator is applied to soft robot.It has certain flexible mobility.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of logical air circuits and aerodynamic bionics, and in particular to a multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air circuits. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional robots, primarily based on rigid structures, are widely used across various industries and have accumulated considerable technological expertise. However, their rigid structure results in complexity and low flexibility, limiting their application to relatively traditional fields. They are unsuitable for environments requiring high flexibility. With the continuous development of robotics technology in recent years, a new type of robot has emerged: soft robots. Unlike traditional rigid robots, soft robots are typically made of soft materials, and their driving tasks are usually achieved through flexible actuators. These actuators are usually composed of elastic soft materials capable of large deformations, allowing for significant bending, twisting, and deformation. They offer high environmental adaptability, good safety, and advantages such as simplicity, flexibility, continuous deformation, large deformation response, low cost, and high safety in human-robot interaction. They can perform tasks such as search and rescue, detection and monitoring in confined and complex spaces, helping humans explore more fields and complete more tasks, thus attracting significant attention. However, research on soft robots started relatively late and is quite challenging. Further in-depth research is needed in areas such as motion deformation control, load capacity enhancement, and application scenario expansion.

[0003] In the control section, traditional robots primarily rely on circuit control. Although soft devices (grippers, actuators, and basic robots) are rapidly becoming an integral part of a wide range of robotics technologies, the autonomy of fully soft devices is only just beginning to develop. Traditional control systems adapting to soft devices require hard valves and electronic controls, limiting their application effectiveness in soft robotics and related fields. Therefore, fully soft pneumatic digital logic gates suitable for the physical scale of current (macroscopic) soft actuators have excellent application prospects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on a logic-based pneumatic circuit. This provides a new driving method for the design of crawling soft biomimetic robots while also enabling modular design. Pneumatic soft valves and oscillating air chambers are applied to this new biomimetic drive system. Fully soft pneumatic digital logic gates, suitable for the physical scale of current (macroscopic) soft actuators, are applied to the soft robot. The flexible hose portion of the pneumatic valve is the main air circuit, normally open, and controlled by the control air circuit of the first air duct. When the first air duct is open, the main air circuit is blocked. The first air duct and the main air circuit have a NOT gate logic relationship. Through combination, this design provides a certain degree of flexibility and maneuverability.

[0005] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] This invention provides a multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on a logical air circuit, comprising: a logical air circuit assembly, a drive assembly, and a bionic foot;

[0007] The logic air circuit component is connected to the drive component, and the logic air circuit component provides power to the drive component. The bionic feet are evenly distributed and fixed on the drive component, and the bionic feet perform crawling under the drive of the drive component.

[0008] Furthermore, the logic pneumatic circuit assembly includes multiple flexible pneumatic valves, which include: an elastic tube, a "V" shaped clamp, a first vent tube, a balloon, a three-port air distribution unit, an external frame for the air valve, a first adjustable air pump, and a second adjustable air pump.

[0009] The elastic tube, "V"-shaped clamp, first vent tube, and balloon are all housed within the external frame of the air valve. Two ports of the three-port air distribution unit are connected to one end of the first vent tube, and the third port of the three-port air distribution unit is connected to the first adjustable air pump. The other end of the first vent tube is connected to the balloon, which is positioned outside the "V"-shaped clamp. The elastic tube, acting as a valve core, is fixed inside the "V"-shaped clamp. One end of the elastic tube is connected to the second adjustable air pump, and the elastic tube withstands axial compression. The balloon is connected to the end of the first vent tube via an elastic rubber ring. The elastic tube, "V"-shaped clamp, first vent tube, and balloon constitute the control air path, controlling the opening and closing of the air chamber of the drive component. The external frame of the air valve restricts the balloon's expansion range, and the first adjustable air pump provides the air source. During operation, air is introduced into the balloon through the first vent tube. The balloon expands, axially compressing the "V"-shaped clamp, causing the cross-sectional area of ​​the elastic tube inside the "V"-shaped clamp to contract, thus blocking the main air path. When not in use, the balloon deflates through the air inlet, the "V"-shaped clamp opens, and the main air passage of the flexible hose resumes airflow.

[0010] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a first airbag component, an elastic substrate, and a second airbag component connected in sequence. A second vent pipe is fixed to one end of each of the first and second airbag components. The second vent pipe is the air release pipe of the airbag, and the other end of the second vent pipe is connected to the atmosphere. The inner diameter of the second vent pipe is 0.5 mm, which is used to control the air release speed.

[0011] Furthermore, the first airbag component and the second airbag component form multiple sealing lines through a heat-sealing method, and a thin film air cavity is formed between every two sealing lines. By controlling the shape of the sealing lines, the shape of the first airbag component and the second airbag component when inflated can be controlled.

[0012] Furthermore, each of the first and second airbag components is equipped with a third vent pipe, which serves as the air inlet for the airbag. The third vent pipe is connected to the elastic tube in the flexible pneumatic valve, thus each drive assembly unit has at least two flexible pneumatic valves connected to it for control. The air supply control of the flexible pneumatic valves enables the opening and closing of the air supply to the first and second airbag components, thereby achieving the cyclical movement of the drive assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, the bionic foot includes a foam plate and artificial fiber simulated bristles fixed to the bottom of the foam plate. The first air bladder and the second air bladder each have two bionic feet fixed to them, one in front and one behind. The artificial fiber simulated bristles have the front half facing upward and the rear half facing downward, with the tips of the bristles pointing backward. This design allows for a smaller frictional force when the air bladder inflates and deforms, while providing greater frictional resistance when moving backward.

[0014] Furthermore, the first airbag component and the elastic substrate are bonded together with double-sided adhesive, and the second airbag component and the elastic substrate are bonded together with double-sided adhesive. An adhesive layer is formed between the first airbag component and the elastic substrate, and between the second airbag component and the elastic substrate, using double-sided adhesive.

[0015] Furthermore, both the first and second airbag components are made of transparent TPU film, and the elastic substrate is made of flexible paper.

[0016] Furthermore, the V-shaped clamp has two layers: the upper layer is a 0.2mm FR4 rigid board, and the lower layer is CPP material, which has the characteristics of having memory marks after multiple bends and is not easy to break.

[0017] Furthermore, the balloon is a twisted sphere of 260q.

[0018] Furthermore, the foam board is made of EPE pearl foam board and is shaped like a cuboid block.

[0019] Furthermore, the external frame of the valve is a cylindrical hollow thin-walled plastic tube made of PVC, which serves to support the internal structure.

[0020] Furthermore, the dimensions of the drive component are 60*26*0.3mm.

[0021] Furthermore, the outer diameter OD of the first ventilator is 3mm, and the inner diameter ID is 2mm.

[0022] Furthermore, the outer diameter OD of the second vent tube is 1.6 mm, and the inner diameter ID is 0.5 mm.

[0023] Furthermore, the outer diameter OD of the third vent tube is 1.6 mm, and the inner diameter ID is 1.0 mm.

[0024] Furthermore, the three-port air distribution unit has a model number of 23.4x12.5 and an OD of 1.6mm.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0026] A novel actuation method is proposed for the design of crawling soft biomimetic robots. This method involves modular design, applying pneumatic soft valves and oscillating air chambers to the new biomimetic actuator. Fully soft pneumatic digital logic gates, suitable for the physical scale of current (macroscopic) soft actuators, are applied to the soft robot, resulting in a degree of flexibility and maneuverability. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the basic structure of the flexible pneumatic valve of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on the logic air path according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the working principle of the flexible pneumatic valve of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on the logic air path according to the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of the basic structure of the drive component of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on the logic air path according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 A top view of the drive assembly of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air circuits according to the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5a This is a schematic diagram of the inflation state of the drive component of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on the logic air path according to the present invention.

[0032] Figure 5b A schematic diagram of the drive assembly of a multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on a logic air path according to the present invention in an inflated state;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a timing diagram of the drive control component for a multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on a logic air path, according to the present invention.

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a cycle drive process of the drive component of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on the logic air path according to the present invention.

[0035] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the combination of multiple drive component units of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air path according to the present invention;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the motion modes of the multi-drive component unit combination of the multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on the logic air path according to the present invention.

[0037] Reference numerals: 1. Flexible pneumatic valve; 2. "V" shaped clamp; 3. First vent pipe; 3-1. Second vent pipe; 3-2. Third vent pipe; 4. Balloon; 5. Three-port air distribution unit; 6. Elastic tube; 7-1. First airbag component; 7-2. Second airbag component; 8. Elastic base plate; 10. Foam board; 11. Artificial fiber simulates bristles; 13. Sealing line; 14. External frame of the air valve; 15. Flexible connecting strip. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Component models, material names, connection structures, control methods, algorithms, and other features not explicitly described in this technical solution are considered common technical features disclosed in the prior art.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] This embodiment provides a multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on a logical air circuit, including: a logical air circuit component, a drive component, and a bionic foot;

[0041] The logic air circuit component is connected to the drive component, and the logic air circuit component provides power to the drive component. The bionic feet are evenly distributed and fixed on the drive component, and the bionic feet perform crawling under the drive of the drive component.

[0042] In specific implementation methods, such as Figure 1 As shown, the logic pneumatic circuit assembly includes multiple flexible pneumatic valves 1. Each flexible pneumatic valve 1 includes: an elastic tube 6, a "V" shaped clamp 2, a first air inlet tube 3, a balloon 4, a three-port air distribution unit 5, an external frame for the air valve 14, a first adjustable air pump, and a second adjustable air pump.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, the elastic tube 6, the "V"-shaped clamp 2, the first vent tube 3, and the balloon 4 are all located inside the outer frame 14 of the air valve. Two ports of the three-port air distribution unit 5 are connected to one end of the first vent tube 3, and the third port of the three-port air distribution unit 5 is connected to the first adjustable air pump. The other end of the first vent tube 3 is connected to the balloon 4, which is located on the outside of the "V"-shaped clamp 2. The elastic tube 6, as the valve core, is fixed to the inside of the "V"-shaped clamp 2 and is subjected to axial compression. The balloon 4 is connected to the end of the first vent tube 3 via an elastic rubber ring. The elastic tube 6, the "V"-shaped clamp 2, the first vent tube 3, and the balloon 4 constitute the control air circuit, controlling the opening and closing of the air chamber of the drive component. The outer frame 14 of the air valve restricts the expansion range of the balloon, and the first adjustable air pump provides the air source. When in operation, air is introduced into the balloon 4 through the first vent pipe 3. The balloon 4 expands and axially compresses the "V" shaped clamp 2, causing the cross-sectional area of ​​the elastic tube 6 inside the "V" shaped clamp 2 to shrink, thereby blocking the main air passage.

[0044] like Figure 3 , 4 As shown, in a specific embodiment, the driving assembly includes a first airbag component 7-1, an elastic substrate 8, and a second airbag component 7-2 connected in sequence. Both ends of the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 are provided with fixing components. One end of the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 are each fixedly connected to a second vent pipe 3-1. The second vent pipe 3-1 is the air release pipe of the airbag. The other end of the second vent pipe 3-1 is connected to the atmosphere. The inner diameter of the second vent pipe 3-1 is 0.5 mm, which is used to control the air release speed.

[0045] In a specific embodiment, the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 form multiple sealing lines 13 by heat fusion sealing. A thin film air cavity is formed between every two sealing lines 13. The shape of the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 when inflated is controlled by controlling the shape of the sealing lines 13. Figure 5a This is a schematic diagram showing the first airbag component 7-1, i.e., the upper airbag in the figure, where the first airbag component 7-1 is constrained by the shape of the sealing line 13 and undergoes an overall upward bending deformation. Figure 5b This is a diagram showing the state when the air is not inflated.

[0046] In a specific embodiment, the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 are each provided with a third vent pipe 3-2. The third vent pipe 3-2 is the air inlet of the airbag and is connected to the elastic tube 6 in the flexible pneumatic valve 1. Therefore, each drive component unit has at least two flexible pneumatic valves 1 connected to and controlled by it. The air supply control of the flexible pneumatic valve 1 realizes the opening and closing of the air supply to the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2, thereby realizing the cyclic movement of the drive component.

[0047] In a specific embodiment, the bionic foot includes a foam plate 10 and artificial fiber simulated bristles 11 fixed to the bottom of the foam plate 10. The first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 are each fixed with two bionic feet, one in front and one behind. The artificial fiber simulated bristles 11 are arranged with the front half facing upward and the rear half facing downward, with the tips of the bristles pointing backward. This arrangement allows for a smaller frictional force when the airbag is inflated and deforms, while providing a larger frictional resistance when moving backward.

[0048] In a specific embodiment, the first airbag component 7-1 is bonded to the elastic substrate 8 with double-sided adhesive, and the second airbag component 7-2 is bonded to the elastic substrate 8 with double-sided adhesive. An adhesive layer is formed between the first airbag component 7-1 and the elastic substrate 8, and between the second airbag component 7-2 and the elastic substrate 8, using double-sided adhesive.

[0049] In a specific embodiment, both the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 are transparent TPU films, and the elastic substrate 8 is flexible paper.

[0050] In a specific embodiment, the V-shaped clamp 2 has two layers: the upper layer is a 0.2mm FR4 rigid board, and the lower layer is made of CPP material, which has the characteristics of having memory marks after multiple bends and not being easy to break.

[0051] In this specific implementation, balloon 4 is a twisted sphere of 260q. The 260q balloon is a long, narrow balloon.

[0052] In a specific implementation, the foam board 10 is made of EPE pearl foam board and is shaped like a cuboid block.

[0053] In a specific implementation, the outer frame 14 of the air valve is a cylindrical hollow thin-walled plastic tube made of PVC material, which serves to support the internal structure.

[0054] In a specific implementation, the dimensions of the drive component 7 are 60*26*0.3mm.

[0055] In a specific implementation, the outer diameter OD of the first vent pipe 3 is 3mm and the inner diameter ID is 2mm.

[0056] In a specific implementation, the outer diameter OD of the second vent pipe 3-1 is 1.6 mm, and the inner diameter ID is 0.5 mm.

[0057] In a specific implementation, the outer diameter OD of the third vent pipe 3-2 is 1.6 mm, and the inner diameter ID is 1.0 mm.

[0058] In a specific implementation, the three-port air distribution unit 5 has a size of 23.4x12.5 and an OD of 1.6mm.

[0059] like Figure 6 , 7 As shown, the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 are intermittently inflated and deflated to ensure a pressure difference across the elastic substrate 8, thus allowing it to bend. A second adjustable air pump supplies gas to the first airbag component 7-1 and the second airbag component 7-2 via a logic air path. (As shown...) Figure 7 Device A is initially in a steady-state position. Then, the first airbag 7-1 is inflated. Due to the difference in inner diameter between the second vent pipe 3-1 and the third vent pipe 3-2, air is released from the rear of the first airbag 7-1 at a relatively small flow rate during inflation. When the inflation speed is high, a compressive load is generated on the elastic substrate surface of the first airbag 7-1, causing it to bend towards the first airbag 7-1 and enter the desired position. Figure 7 b. When inflation stops, the first airbag component 7-1 releases air through the vent until it is completely deflated and reaches the desired state. Figure 7 c. Similarly, when the second airbag component 7-2 is inflated, the airbag bends towards the second airbag component 7-2 side, as... Figure 7 d, until inflation stops and deflation is complete, returning to state 7a.

[0060] like Figure 8 , 9 As shown, this is a practical application of unit drive component combination. Multiple unit drive components are connected end-to-end via flexible connecting strips, allowing multiple components to work simultaneously without affecting their motion flexibility. When it is necessary to maintain the robot of this invention along a relatively straight crawling path, the staggered sides of the front and rear air chambers are inflated, as shown... Figure 9 When steering is required, the air chamber on the steering side is inflated. Therefore, this invention has a certain degree of flexibility and maneuverability.

[0061] Components not described in detail in this embodiment are all existing components that can be purchased through public channels.

[0062] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and use the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without inventive effort. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths, characterized in that, include: Logic airflow components, drive components, and bionic feet; The logic air circuit component is connected to the drive component, and the logic air circuit component provides power to the drive component. The bionic feet are evenly distributed and fixed on the drive component, and the bionic feet perform crawling under the drive of the drive component. The logic pneumatic circuit assembly includes multiple flexible pneumatic valves (1), each flexible pneumatic valve (1) including: an elastic tube (6), a "V" shaped clamp (2), a first air inlet tube (3), a balloon (4), a three-port air distribution unit (5), an external frame for the air valve (14), a first adjustable air pump, and a second adjustable air pump; The elastic tube (6), "V" shaped clamp (2), first vent tube (3), and balloon (4) are all located inside the outer frame (14) of the air valve. The two ports of the three-port air distribution unit (5) are respectively connected to one end of the two first vent tubes (3). The third port of the three-port air distribution unit (5) is connected to the first adjustable air pump. The other ends of the two first vent tubes (3) are connected to the balloon (4). The balloon (4) is located on the outside of the "V" shaped clamp (2). The elastic tube (6) is fixed to the inside of the "V" shaped clamp (2) as a valve core. One end of the elastic tube (6) is connected to the second adjustable air pump. The elastic tube (6) is subjected to axial compression.

2. The multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a first airbag component (7-1), an elastic substrate (8), and a second airbag component (7-2) connected in sequence. One end of the first airbag component (7-1) and the second airbag component (7-2) are each fixedly connected to a second vent pipe (3-1). The second vent pipe (3-1) is the air release pipe of the airbag, and the other end of the second vent pipe (3-1) is connected to the atmosphere to control the speed of air release.

3. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first airbag component (7-1) and the second airbag component (7-2) form multiple sealing lines (13) by heat fusion sealing. A thin film air cavity is formed between every two sealing lines (13). The shape of the first airbag component (7-1) and the second airbag component (7-2) when inflated is controlled by controlling the shape of the sealing lines (13).

4. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first airbag component (7-1) and the second airbag component (7-2) are each provided with a third air pipe (3-2). The third air pipe (3-2) is the air inlet of the airbag and is connected to the elastic tube (6) in the flexible pneumatic valve (1).

5. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bionic foot includes a foam plate (10) and artificial fiber simulated bristles (11) fixed to the bottom of the foam plate (10).

6. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first airbag component (7-1) is bonded to the elastic substrate (8) with double-sided adhesive, and the second airbag component (7-2) is bonded to the elastic substrate (8) with double-sided adhesive.

7. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the first airbag component (7-1) and the second airbag component (7-2) are made of transparent TPU film material, and the elastic substrate (8) is made of flexible paper.

8. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 1, characterized in that, The "V" shaped clip (2) has two layers: the upper layer is a rigid board with a FR4 fire-resistant rating of 0.2 mm thickness, and the lower layer is made of chlorinated polypropylene resin.

9. A multi-joint pneumatic soft crawling robot based on logical air paths according to claim 1, characterized in that, The balloon (4) is a twisted ball of 260 q.

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