An electric-driven artificial muscle device and a preparation method

Abstract

An electric-driven artificial muscle device includes a flexible anode film, a flexible cathode film, and a gel driving part located between the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film; the gel driving part includes limiting fibers and deformation fibers that are alternately arranged and interconnected; the limiting fibers and the deformation fibers are made of the same type of electro-polymer gel; the diameter of the limiting fibers is more than twice the diameter of the deformation fibers. The present invention can firmly fix the limiting fibers and the deformation fibers of the gel driving part, ensuring that the artificial muscle does not undergo lateral arc-shaped bending deformation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of novel intelligent materials, and particularly to an electro-driven artificial muscle device and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] An artificial muscle is a high-tech material or device that can change its shape under external physical or chemical stimuli, and is widely used in the development of robotics and the research of biological structures. At present, artificial muscles are mainly composed of multiple electro-driven flexible material units, which are called flexible actuators. The main material of the flexible actuator is electro-polymer gel. Since the electro-polymer gel has electroactivity, it can effectively simulate the contraction and relaxation functions of human muscles.

[0003] In traditional flexible actuators, the gel driving part is arranged between the flexible anode part and the flexible cathode part, and the flexible anode part and the flexible cathode part are respectively electrically connected to the outside through external electrical wires. In this technical solution, after being energized, the electro-polymer gel will creep towards the anode, thereby reducing the thickness of the flexible actuator. According to the principle of constant volume, the longitudinal length of the flexible actuator will increase accordingly. However, as Figure 1 shown, the defect of this technical solution is that due to various reasons (uneven internal stress distribution of the electro-polymer gel, non-uniformity of materials, unstable structure, etc.), the flexible actuator will also bend laterally while elongating longitudinally. Therefore, the utilization of the longitudinal deformation of the flexible actuator is restricted, thus affecting the deformation performance of the artificial muscle.

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, there is a technical solution to laterally attach a rigid PET strip on the surface of the anode or cathode to limit the lateral arc-shaped bending deformation of the flexible actuator. PET, that is, polyethylene terephthalate, has high strength. However, the defect of this technical solution is that the PET strip is laterally attached outside the electrode and is not firmly fixed, and is easily separated from the electrode due to deformation, so the limiting effect on the flexible actuator cannot be guaranteed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the present invention provides an electro-driven artificial muscle device and a preparation method thereof, which can firmly fix the limiting fibers and deformation fibers of the gel driving part, and ensure that the artificial muscle does not undergo lateral arc-shaped bending deformation.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0007] An electric-driven artificial muscle device includes a flexible anode film, a flexible cathode film, and a gel driving part located between the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film; the gel driving part includes limiting fibers and deformable fibers that are alternately arranged and interconnected; the limiting fibers and the deformable fibers are made of the same type of electro-polymer gel; the diameter of the limiting fibers is more than twice the diameter of the deformable fibers.

[0008] The alternating combination of the limiting fibers and the deformable fibers realizes the multi-scale fiber-based driving of the artificial muscle. The gel driving part is a structure formed by integral printing, in which the limiting fibers and the deformable fibers are alternately arranged. The diameter of the limiting fibers is more than twice the diameter of the deformable fibers, and the difference in fiber strength caused by the diameter difference is sufficient to satisfy: when the deformable fibers deform and cause the gel driving part to undergo a lateral arc-shaped bending deformation, the strength of the limiting fibers is sufficient to hinder the deformation, so that the gel driving part does not undergo a lateral arc-shaped bending deformation. As long as the limiting fibers are not separated from the deformable fibers, it can be ensured that the gel driving part does not produce a lateral arc-shaped bending deformation when it elongates longitudinally. The lateral arc-shaped bending deformation solved by this technical solution is a twisting deformation that occurs along a plane perpendicular to the expected elongation direction, and does not include the inclination of the gel driving part in other directions.

[0009] The limiting fibers and the deformable fibers are electro-polymer gel fibers of the same type. For example, both the limiting fibers and the deformable fibers are PVC gel fibers, and the limiting fibers can be firmly connected to the deformable fibers. When the gel driving part is energized, the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film deform with the deformation of the gel driving part. The limiting fibers limit the gel driving part from generating a lateral bending deformation. At the same time, the limiting fibers are not easily peeled off from the deformable fibers due to the deformation. Since the basic materials of the two parts are the same, they have high compatibility in physical and chemical properties, which means that there will be no material mismatch problem at the connection, thus reducing the risk of stress concentration or interface peeling caused by material differences. The materials of the limiting fibers and the deformable fibers are the same at the molecular level, and their interfaces are more uniform without obvious demarcation lines. This uniformity helps to form a stronger bond between the two parts. In addition, the materials of the two parts are the same, so the adhesion force between them will be stronger because the same molecular structure can provide more contact points, thus enhancing the adhesion.

[0010] Preferably, the gel driving part includes a longitudinal deformation structure layer for longitudinal elongation; the longitudinal deformation structure layer is formed by cross-stacking of the deformable fibers.

[0011] The gel driving part includes one or more longitudinally deformable structure layers, and each longitudinally deformable structure layer is formed by stacking deformation fibers into a structure that is prone to longitudinal deformation and elongation, such as a parallelogram. By stacking the deformation fibers into structures that are easy to elongate, such as parallelograms, the elongation ability of the gel driving part in the longitudinal direction can be significantly improved, enabling the gel driving part to more effectively convert electrical energy into mechanical energy when subjected to electrical stimulation, thereby improving the deformation efficiency. At the same time, the longitudinally deformable structure layer that is prone to longitudinal deformation and elongation can reduce energy loss during the deformation process and improve the energy utilization efficiency of the artificial muscle.

[0012] Preferably, the gel driving part includes a limiting structure layer for restricting the lateral arc-shaped bending deformation of the longitudinally deformable structure layer; the limiting structure layer is formed by cross-stacking the limiting fibers.

[0013] The gel driving part includes one or more limiting structure layers, and each limiting structure layer is formed by cross-stacking the limiting fibers into a stable structure that can play a role in restricting deformation, such as a triangle. The limiting structure layer formed by cross-stacking has a high bending resistance, and with the common support of multiple limiting structure layers, it is ensured that the overall limiting fibers are not prone to deformation when subjected to external forces. Therefore, the lateral arc-shaped bending deformation of the gel driving part can be effectively restricted, thereby increasing the overall stability of the artificial muscle. To further ensure that the artificial muscle does not undergo lateral arc-shaped bending deformation, a limiting structure layer containing limiting fibers is also provided inside the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film to prevent the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film from undergoing lateral arc-shaped bending deformation.

[0014] Preferably, the gel driving part includes a strip-shaped constraint limiting device; the constraint limiting device includes multiple of the limiting structure layers; the constraint limiting device is not provided at both ends of the gel driving part in the longitudinal elongation direction.

[0015] The gel driving part is a sheet-like film with a certain thickness, and the constraint limiting device includes multiple layers of limiting structure layers. The constraint limiting device and the deformable part composed of multiple longitudinally deformable structure layers are alternately arranged. The constraint limiting device is strip-shaped and is transversely provided inside the gel driving part, and it hinders the movement of both sides of the gel driving part in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal elongation direction by not deforming itself. Multiple constraint limiting devices are evenly arranged, which can be more evenly distributed inside the gel driving part, thereby providing more uniform resistance in the transverse direction and ensuring the consistency of the deformation hindrance process.

[0016] Preferably, the gel driving part includes a block-shaped clamping limiting device; the clamping limiting device includes multiple of the limiting structure layers; the clamping limiting device is provided at both ends of the gel driving part in the longitudinal elongation direction and is respectively connected to the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film; the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film have the same shape.

[0017] The flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film have the same shape and will deform accordingly when the gel driving part deforms. Block-shaped clamping and limiting devices are arranged at both ends of the gel driving part, which can limit the lateral arc-shaped bending deformation of the gel driving part. Also, because they are connected to the flexible anode film and the flexible cathode film at the same time, the lateral arc-shaped bending deformation of the flexible anode film, the gel driving part, and the flexible cathode film is inhibited, providing an additional guarantee for the anti-bending ability of the limiting fibers.

[0018] Preferably, an anode pin is provided at each of the upper left end and the lower right end of the flexible anode film; a cathode pin is provided at each of the upper right end and the lower left end of the flexible cathode film.

[0019] This staggered pin structure helps to maintain the balance of the artificial muscle device during deformation. This solution allows for direct electrical connection through the pins, simplifies the electrical connection process, eliminates the need for complex wiring, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and assembly difficulty. At the same time, the symmetrical pin layout helps to maintain the consistency of deformation during deformation, enabling the artificial muscle to evenly distribute stress during stretching and contraction, improving its stability and reliability. In addition, the symmetrical pin layout and simplified electrical connection method help to improve production efficiency and reduce the complexity and potential errors in the assembly process.

[0020] Preferably, the clamping and limiting device is provided with an anode cavity for accommodating the anode pin and a cathode cavity for accommodating the cathode pin.

[0021] In actual production, the artificial muscle includes multiple flexible anode films, gel driving parts, and flexible cathode films, and the three are arranged in an orderly manner according to the electrical connection rules. Therefore, the anode pins are all distributed at the upper left end and the lower right end of the unit artificial muscle, and the cathode pins are all distributed at the upper right end and the lower left end of the unit artificial muscle. The anode cavity and the cathode cavity of the clamping and limiting device are used to accommodate the anode pin and the cathode pin respectively, which can protect the pins from physical damage and also reduce the risk of short circuit caused by the contact between the pins and other components.

[0022] Preferably, the gel driving part contains an ion sensing liquid.

[0023] Ionic sensing liquid, such as 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ion, is used to integrate the driving and sensing functions to achieve the integration of driving and sensing for flexible devices. The ionic sensing liquid combines with the electro-polymer gel fiber, increasing the specific surface area, enabling more ions to attach, providing more conductive paths, and having better sensing performance, thus improving the conductive sensitivity of the gel driving part. The introduction of the ionic sensing liquid endows the gel driving part with sensing performance. During the deformation process, the changes in the equivalent resistance and capacitance of the gel can be accurately captured to achieve the self-sensing function. The self-sensing ability enables the system or device to autonomously sense and measure its own state or behavior without the assistance of external sensors. In the field of electro-driven artificial muscles, this function allows the material to independently detect and respond to changes in physical states such as deformation, stress, and strain. Through the self-sensing function, the dependence on external sensors is reduced, the system design is simplified, and the manufacturing and maintenance costs are lowered.

[0024] A preparation method of an electro-driven artificial muscle device, wherein the driving part syringe contains the electro-polymer gel and the ionic sensing liquid; the electrode syringe contains the electro-polymer gel, DBA, and carbon nanotubes; an air pump drives the movement of the driving part syringe; when the electrostatic field power supply connected to the printing plane is disconnected, the driving part syringe injects the limiting fiber to print the limiting structure layer; when the electrostatic field power supply is turned on, the driving part syringe injects the deformation fiber to print the longitudinal deformation structure layer; according to a preset program, the driving part syringe, the electrode syringe, and the printing plane perform relative movements.

[0025] The preparation method of the present invention is based on the near-field electrospinning 3D direct writing technology that combines the traditional near-field solution or melt electrospinning technology with the traditional 3D printing technology. A multifunctional, low-cost, and large-scale method is provided to produce ultra-thin fiber structures. Under the action of a high electrostatic field between the syringe and the printing platform, nanofiber-based films with a high specific surface area, high porosity, and high flexibility can be prepared. The fiber diameter is generally 0.01 - 10 μm, while the fiber diameter that can be prepared based on the traditional 3D printing technology without the action of a high-voltage electrostatic field is relatively large, generally above 10 μm. Among them, the electrostatic field power supply is a high-voltage device connected between the syringe and the printing platform, used to generate a high-voltage electrostatic field. By closing and disconnecting the power supply, the switching between traditional 3D printing and electrostatic direct writing 3D printing can be realized, and the printing of electro-polymer gel fibers with different diameters can be achieved. A melting heating device is provided above the injection ports of both the driving part syringe and the electrode syringe to heat the materials in the syringes. The driving part syringe is used to print the limiting fibers and deformed fibers in the gel driving part. When the air pump pushes the driving part syringe to move, the melting heating device heats above the injection port, thereby performing high-temperature melting on the substances in the driving part syringe. At this time, if the electrostatic field power supply connected to the printing plane is not turned on, the diameter of the electro-polymer gel fibers printed by the driving part syringe is relatively large; if the electrostatic field power supply is turned on, a high pressure difference is formed between the printing plane and the needle of the driving part syringe, and electrospinning can be used to form electro-polymer gel fibers with a smaller diameter. The electrode syringe contains electro-polymer gel, DBA, and carbon nanotubes, and is used to make flexible electrodes. According to the preset program written, the driving part syringe, the electrode syringe, and the printing plane perform relative movements under the action of the system control module, thereby printing the target shape combination.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are reflected in:

[0027] 1. In the present invention, by combining limiting fibers and deformed fibers with different diameters, a gel driving part with a multi-scale fiber-based structure is constructed. At the same time, since the limiting fibers and the deformed fibers are made of the same material and are connected to each other, the risk of peeling of the limiting fibers caused by deformation is reduced. This reliable fixing method ensures that under high-load or repeated use conditions, the limiting fibers will not separate from the deformed fibers, maintaining the integrity of the structure, and thus effectively restricting the lateral bending of the gel driving part during longitudinal elongation.

[0028] 2. In the multi-scale fiber-based structure, the limiting fibers can improve the deformation utilization rate by restricting the lateral bending deformation of the gel driving part, making the elongation of the artificial muscle more effective longitudinally. The deformation of the artificial muscle is more concentrated in the required direction, improving the driving efficiency, reducing energy loss, and enhancing the reliability of the artificial muscle.

[0029] 3. Since deformation fibers with a smaller diameter are adopted, this means that, according to the application scenario, a very thin longitudinally deformable structure layer can be manufactured. The reduction in the thickness of the longitudinally deformable structure layer enables more layers of longitudinally deformable structure layers to be stacked to form a gel driving part with a certain thickness without significantly increasing the total thickness of the artificial muscle.

[0030] 4. Artificial muscles in the prior art often require separate sensors to detect deformation, while the present invention integrates the driving and sensing functions, realizing the integration of driving and sensing of flexible devices, simplifying the structure, eliminating the need for additional sensors, and reducing the complexity of the system. By adding an ion sensing liquid to the electro-polymer gel fiber in the present invention, the conductivity and sensitivity of the material are improved. The gel driving part obtains self-sensing ability, can more accurately detect deformation, and thus realizes precise control of the artificial muscle.

[0031] 5. The preparation method of the present invention is an integrated preparation and forming technology combining 3D printing technology and electrospinning technology. Through the near-field melt electrospinning direct writing technology, an ultra-thin gel driving part can be prepared, which is beneficial to greatly reducing the driving voltage and can make up for the defect of poor fiber accuracy in 3D printing. By combining the melt near-field melt electrospinning direct writing technology and the 3D printing technology based on melt extrusion, and simultaneously using computer-aided design and controlling the size and direction of the printed fibers, precise layer-by-layer deposition of fibers can be achieved, and ultra-fine fibers with a diameter of 0.05 - 200 μm can be prepared. The traditional electrospinning preparation process usually adopts the far-field jet method to prepare ultra-fine fibers by utilizing the whipping instability of the fluid under the action of an electric field. Due to the complex and uncontrollable movement law of the fibers under whipping, the deposition of the fibers is uncontrollable, and it is difficult to achieve high-resolution deposition printing even through the pattern design of the collector.

[0032] 6. Most of the electro-polymer gel solutions prepared by traditional methods use irritating THF volatile solvents, while the preparation method of the present invention can directly generate fibers without the need for the volatilization of organic solvents, providing the possibility for realizing high-precision microstructure regulation of artificial muscles and the integrated preparation of materials and functions, and providing a solution for the bionic construction and preparation of multi-scale fiber-based artificial muscles. Description of the Drawings

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the lateral arc-shaped bending deformation state of an artificial muscle in the prior art;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an artificial muscle;

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the hierarchy of an artificial muscle;

[0036] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the hierarchy of the limiting structure layer;

[0037] Figure 5 is a hierarchical schematic diagram of the gel driving part;

[0038] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the artificial muscle group;

[0039] Figure 7 is a process schematic diagram of the preparation method.

[0040] Among them:

[0041] 1. Flexible anode film; 11. Anode pin; 2. Gel driving part; 21. Restriction structure layer; 21A. Constraint limiting device; 21B. Clamping limiting device; 21B1. Anode cavity; 21B2. Cathode cavity; 22. Longitudinal deformation structure layer; 3. Flexible cathode film; 31. Cathode pin. Specific embodiments

[0042] In order to make the technical means, creative features, achieved purposes and effects of the invention easy to understand, the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0043] It should be noted that the structures, ratios, sizes, etc. shown in the drawings of this specification are only used to cooperate with the content disclosed in the specification for those familiar with this technology to understand and read, and are not used to limit the limited conditions for the implementation of the present invention. Therefore, they do not have technical substance. Any modification of the structure, change of the proportional relationship or adjustment of the size, without affecting the effects that the present invention can produce and the purposes that can be achieved, should still fall within the scope covered by the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0044] Example 1:

[0045] As Figure 2-3 shown, an electro-driven artificial muscle device, an electro-driven artificial muscle device, includes a flexible anode film 1, a flexible cathode film 3, and a gel driving part 2 located between the flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3; the gel driving part 2 includes alternately arranged and interconnected limiting fibers and deformation fibers; both the limiting fibers and the deformation fibers are electro-polymer gel fibers; the diameter of the limiting fibers is more than twice the diameter of the deformation fibers.

[0046] The diameter of the limiting fiber is more than twice that of the deformable fiber, and the difference in fiber strength caused by the diameter difference is sufficient to meet the requirement that when the deformable fiber deforms and causes the gel driving part 2 to undergo a transverse arc-shaped bending deformation, the strength of the limiting fiber is sufficient to hinder the deformation, so that the gel driving part 2 does not undergo a transverse arc-shaped bending deformation. As long as the limiting fiber is not separated from the deformable fiber, it can ensure that the gel driving part 2 does not generate a transverse arc-shaped bending deformation when it elongates longitudinally. The transverse arc-shaped bending deformation solved by this technical solution is a twisting deformation occurring along a plane perpendicular to the expected elongation direction, and does not include the inclination of the gel driving part 2 in other directions.

[0047] Both the limiting fiber and the deformable fiber are made of electro-polymer gel, and the limiting fiber can be firmly connected to the deformable fiber. When the gel driving part 2 is energized, the flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3 deform with the deformation of the gel driving part 2. The limiting fiber restricts the gel driving part 2 from generating a transverse bending deformation. At the same time, the limiting fiber is not easily peeled off from the deformable fiber due to the deformation. Since the basic materials of the two parts are the same, they have high compatibility in physical and chemical properties, which means that there will be no material mismatch problem at the connection, thus reducing the risk of stress concentration or interface peeling caused by material differences. The materials of the limiting fiber and the deformable fiber parts are the same at the molecular level, and their interfaces are more uniform without obvious dividing lines. This uniformity helps to form a stronger bond between the two parts. In addition, the materials of the two parts are the same, so the adhesion force between them will be stronger because the same molecular structure can provide more contact points, thereby enhancing the adhesion.

[0048] As Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, the gel driving part 2 includes a limiting structure layer 21 for restricting the transverse arc-shaped bending deformation of the longitudinal deformation structure layer 22; the limiting structure layer 21 is formed by cross-stacking of limiting fibers. The gel driving part 2 includes one or more limiting structure layers 21, and each limiting structure layer 21 is formed by cross-stacking of limiting fibers into a stable structure capable of restricting deformation, such as a triangle. The limiting structure layer 21 formed by cross-stacking has a high anti-bending ability, and multiple limiting structure layers 21 support together, so that the overall limiting fiber is not easily deformed when subjected to an external force. Therefore, it can effectively restrict the transverse arc-shaped bending deformation of the gel driving part 2, thereby increasing the overall stability of the artificial muscle. The diameter of the deformable fiber in the limiting structure layer 21 is relatively large, and in this embodiment, it is selected as 50 microns. To further ensure that the artificial muscle does not undergo a transverse arc-shaped bending deformation, the flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3 also have a limiting structure layer 21 containing limiting fibers to prevent the flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3 from undergoing a transverse arc-shaped bending deformation.

[0049] As Figure 5As shown, the gel driving part 2 includes a longitudinal deformation structure layer 22 for longitudinal elongation; the longitudinal deformation structure layer 22 is formed by cross-stacking deformed fibers. The gel driving part 2 includes one or more longitudinal deformation structure layers 22, and each longitudinal deformation structure layer 22 is stacked by deformed fibers into a structure that is easy to longitudinally deform and elongate, such as a parallelogram. By stacking the deformed fibers into a structure that is easy to elongate, such as a parallelogram, the elongation ability of the gel driving part 2 in the longitudinal direction can be significantly improved, so that the gel driving part 2 can more effectively convert electrical energy into mechanical energy when subjected to electrical stimulation, thereby improving the deformation efficiency. At the same time, the longitudinal deformation structure layer 22 that is easy to longitudinally deform and elongate can reduce the energy loss during the deformation process and improve the energy utilization efficiency of the artificial muscle. The fiber arrangement of the longitudinally elongated longitudinal deformation structure layer 22 is a topological structure that is easy to deform in the length direction, and the diameter of the deformed fibers therein is small, which is selected as 20 microns in this embodiment.

[0050] The gel driving part 2 includes a strip-shaped constraint and limiting device 21A; the constraint and limiting device 21A includes a limiting structure layer 21; the constraint and limiting device 21A is not provided at both ends of the gel driving part 2 in the longitudinal elongation direction.

[0051] The gel driving part 2 is a sheet-like film with a certain thickness, and the constraint and limiting device 21A includes multiple limiting structure layers 21. The constraint and limiting device 21A and the multiple longitudinal deformation structure layers 22 are arranged alternately. The constraint and limiting fiber 21A is strip-shaped and is horizontally arranged inside the gel driving part 2, and it hinders the movement of both sides of the gel driving part 2 in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal elongation direction by not deforming itself. A plurality of constraint and limiting fibers 21A are uniformly arranged, which can be more evenly distributed inside the gel driving part 2, thereby providing more uniform resistance in the transverse direction and ensuring the consistency of the deformation hindrance process.

[0052] The gel driving part 2 includes a block-shaped clamping and limiting device 21B; the clamping and limiting device 21B includes multiple limiting structure layers 21; the clamping and limiting device 21B is provided at both ends of the gel driving part 2 in the longitudinal elongation direction and is respectively connected to the flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3; the flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3 have the same shape. The flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3 have the same shape and will deform accordingly when the gel driving part 2 deforms. The block-shaped clamping and limiting device 21B is provided at both ends of the gel driving part 2, which can limit the gel driving part 2 from undergoing transverse arc-shaped bending deformation. Also, because it is simultaneously connected to the flexible anode film 1 and the flexible cathode film 3, it inhibits the transverse arc-shaped bending deformation of the flexible anode film 1, the gel driving part 2, and the flexible cathode film 3, providing an additional guarantee for the anti-bending ability of the limiting fiber.

[0053] The gel driving part 2 contains an ion sensing liquid. The ion sensing liquid, such as 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ion, combines with the electro-polymer gel fiber, increasing the specific surface area, allowing more ions to attach, providing more conductive paths, and having better sensing performance, thus improving the conductive sensitivity of the gel driving part 2. The introduction of the ion sensing liquid endows the gel driving part 2 with sensing performance. During the deformation process, the changes in the equivalent resistance and capacitance of the gel can be accurately captured to achieve the self-sensing function. The self-sensing ability enables the system or device to autonomously sense and measure its own state or behavior without the assistance of external sensors. In the field of electro-driven artificial muscles, this function allows the material to independently detect and respond to changes in physical states such as deformation, stress, and strain. Through the self-sensing function, the dependence on external sensors is reduced, the system design is simplified, and the manufacturing and maintenance costs are lowered. The physical model of the electro-polymer gel can be converted into a model combined with resistance and capacitance according to the equivalent circuit. Since the equivalent resistance and equivalent capacitance of the gel change after deformation, the current deformation can be judged by detecting the magnitudes of the equivalent resistance and equivalent capacitance, thus playing the self-sensing function. The self-sensing performance of the gel can be represented by sensitivity. The concept of sensitivity: sensitivity GF = (R - R0) / R0, where R0 is the resistance in the initial state and R is the resistance after being stretched.

[0054] An anode pin 11 is provided at both the upper left end and the lower right end of the flexible anode film 1; a cathode pin 31 is provided at both the upper right end and the lower left end of the flexible cathode film 3.

[0055] This staggered pin structure helps to maintain the balance of the artificial muscle during the deformation process. This solution allows for direct electrical connection through the pins, simplifies the electrical connection process, eliminates the need for complex wiring, thus reducing the manufacturing cost and assembly difficulty. At the same time, the symmetric pin layout helps to maintain the consistency of deformation during the deformation process, enabling the artificial muscle to evenly distribute stress during stretching and contraction, improving its stability and reliability. In addition, the symmetric pin layout and the simplified electrical connection method help to improve production efficiency, reducing the complexity and potential errors in the assembly process.

[0056] Specifically, the clamping and limiting device 21B is provided with an anode cavity 21B1 for accommodating the anode pin 11 and a cathode cavity 21B2 for accommodating the cathode pin 31. In actual production, a unit artificial muscle includes a plurality of flexible anode films 1, a gel driving part 22, and a flexible cathode film 3, and the three are arranged in an orderly manner according to the electrical connection rules. Therefore, the anode pins 11 are all distributed at the upper left end and the lower right end of the unit artificial muscle, and the cathode pins 31 are all distributed at the upper right end and the lower left end of the unit artificial muscle. The anode cavity 21B1 and the cathode cavity 21B2 of the clamping and limiting device 21B are used to accommodate the anode pin 11 and the cathode pin 31 respectively, which can protect the pins from physical damage and also reduce the risk of short circuit caused by the contact between the pins and other components.

[0057] As Figure 6 shown, a plurality of unit artificial muscles are combined in series and parallel to form an artificial muscle group to complete more and more complex action tasks. Among them, the driving and sensing functions of the artificial muscle correspond to the functions of the thin myofilaments and thick myofilaments of real muscles respectively, and the unit artificial muscle module corresponds to the myofibril. The human muscle plus the neural network is a biological tissue with integrated driving and sensing functions. The present invention endows this flexible device with the integrated driving and sensing technology, so as to realize the construction of bionic functions. Further, through the bionic structural relationship in which the biological skeletal muscle corresponds to each module structure one by one, the bionic design concept of structure and function is constructed.

[0058] A preparation method of an electro-driven artificial muscle device, wherein the driving part syringe contains an electro-polymer gel and an ion sensing liquid; the electrode syringe contains an electro-polymer gel, DBA, and carbon nanotubes; an air pump pushes the driving part syringe to move; when the electrostatic field power supply connected to the printing plane is disconnected, the driving part syringe injects limiting fibers to print the limiting structure layer 21; when the electrostatic field power supply is turned on, the driving part syringe injects deformation fibers to print the longitudinal deformation structure layer 22; according to a preset program, the driving part syringe, the electrode syringe and the printing plane move relative to each other.

[0059] The driving part syringe is used to print the limiting fibers and deformation fibers in the gel driving part 2. When the air pump pushes the driving part syringe to move, the melting and heating device heats above the injection port to melt the substances in the driving part syringe at a high temperature. At this time, if the electrostatic field power supply connected to the printing plane is not turned on, the diameter of the electro-polymer gel fiber printed by the driving part syringe is larger; if the electrostatic field power supply is turned on, a high voltage difference is formed between the printing plane and the needle of the driving part syringe, and electrospinning can be used to form electro-polymer gel fibers with a smaller diameter. The electrode syringe contains an electro-polymer gel, DBA, and carbon nanotubes and is used to make a flexible electrode. According to the preset program written, the driving part syringe, the electrode syringe and the printing plane move relative to each other under the action of the system control module, so as to print out the target shape combination.

[0060] Generally, the preparation methods of electro-polymer gels mainly include coating method, evaporation method, traditional 3D printing method, etc. These traditional methods will inevitably face problems such as the relatively large scale, insufficient fineness, and high driving voltage of the prepared electro-polymer gels. And since these preparation methods are relatively independent of the electrodes, it is necessary to set the electrodes after the gel is prepared, which is inconvenient to operate. To solve the above problems, the present invention combines traditional 3D printing technology with electrospinning technology. The electrospinning technology can make the diameter of the filaments ejected from the nozzle very small, adjustable from 1 to 20 microns. Combining with 3D printing technology can make the filaments arrange in the direction we want, and finally form a fiber film. This fiber film has a controllable topological structure and a smaller thickness, so it can complete more tasks under the premise of a low driving voltage.

[0061] The flexible electrode is composed of electro-polymer gel, DBA, and carbon nanotubes, and has good electrical conductivity. The gel driving part 2 contains electro-polymer gel, DBA, and ion sensing liquid. Imidazole-based ionic liquids, such as N-methylimidazole bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide salt, or functional ionic liquids, such as 1-allyl-3-methylimidazole bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide salt, can be added to the ion sensing liquid to enable the gel driving part 22 to achieve a self-sensing function.

[0062] In addition to the PVC gel dielectric material, other dielectric and electroactive elastomer materials can be added to the gel driving part 22, such as CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), and dielectric materials that will generate electro-deformation such as Polymethyl methacrylate, polyurethane, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, PA6, polyvinylalcohol (PVA), polycarbonate, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyacrylonitrile, silicone, etc.

[0063] In addition to the plasticizer DBA, other plasticizers with similar effects, such as DMA, DESuc, DEA, DOS, DOA, DMP, DBP, DOP, DEHP, DESeb, DBSeb, DOSeb, etc., can be added to the gel driving part 2. The ratio of the polymer material to the plasticizer is 1:4 to 1:6.

Claims

1. An electro-driven artificial muscle device, comprising a flexible anode film (1), a flexible cathode film (3), and a gel driving part (2) located between the flexible anode film (1) and the flexible cathode film (3); characterized in that, The gel driving part (2) comprises limiting fibers and deforming fibers which are alternately arranged and interconnected; the limiting fibers and the deforming fibers are made of the same type of electro-polymer gel; the diameter of the limiting fibers is more than twice the diameter of the deforming fibers; The gel driving part (2) comprises a longitudinal deformation structure layer (22) for longitudinal elongation; the longitudinal deformation structure layer (22) is formed by cross-stacking of the deforming fibers; The gel driving part (2) comprises a limiting structure layer (21) for restricting the lateral arc-shaped bending deformation of the longitudinal deformation structure layer (22); the limiting structure layer (21) is formed by cross-stacking of the limiting fibers.

2. The electro-driven artificial muscle device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gel driving part (2) comprises a strip-shaped constraint limiting device (21A); the constraint limiting device (21A) comprises a plurality of the limiting structure layers (21); the constraint limiting device (21A) is not provided at both ends of the gel driving part (2) in the longitudinal elongation direction.

3. The electro-driven artificial muscle device according to claim 1, wherein The gel driving part (2) comprises a block-shaped clamping limiting device (21B); the clamping limiting device (21B) comprises a plurality of the limiting structure layers (21); the clamping limiting device (21B) is provided at both ends of the gel driving part (2) in the longitudinal elongation direction and is respectively connected to the flexible anode film (1) and the flexible cathode film (3); the flexible anode film (1) and the flexible cathode film (3) have the same shape.

4. The electro-driven artificial muscle device according to claim 3, characterized in that, An anode pin (11) is provided at both the upper left end and the lower right end of the flexible anode film (1); a cathode pin (31) is provided at both the upper right end and the lower left end of the flexible cathode film (3).

5. The electro-driven artificial muscle device according to claim 4, characterized in that The clamping limiting device (21B) is provided with an anode cavity (21B1) for accommodating the anode pin (11) and a cathode cavity (21B2) for accommodating the cathode pin (31).

6. The electro-driven artificial muscle device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The gel driving part (2) comprises an ion sensing liquid.

7. A preparation method of an electro-driven artificial muscle device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The driving part syringe contains the electro-polymer gel and the ion sensing liquid; The electrode syringe contains the electro-polymer gel, DBA, and carbon nanotubes; The air pump pushes the driving part syringe to move; when the electrostatic field power supply connected to the printing plane is disconnected, the driving part syringe injects the limiting fibers to print the limiting structure layer (21); when the electrostatic field power supply is turned on, the driving part syringe injects the deforming fibers to print the longitudinal deformation structure layer (22); According to a preset program, the driving part syringe, the electrode syringe and the printing plane perform relative movement.

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