Bidirectional reducing folding and unfolding mechanism based on Kresling structure

Abstract

The invention discloses a bidirectional variable-diameter folding and unfolding mechanism based on a Kresling structure, and belongs to the field of design of variable-diameter folding and unfolding mechanisms, the bidirectional variable-diameter folding and unfolding mechanism comprises deployable planes symmetrically arranged in the same vertical direction, the symmetrically arranged deployable planes are connected through Kresling plunger trusses, the Kresling plunger trusses are connected with a micro hydraulic device to drive stretching and retracting, and the micro hydraulic device is connected with the deployable planes to drive the deployable planes to stretch and retract. The deployable plane comprises a fixed layer and a movable layer, and the movable layer comprises a controller in the center and a plurality of telescopic fan-shaped bodies evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the controller. According to the bidirectional variable-diameter folding and unfolding mechanism based on the Kresling structure, the folding and unfolding structure is designed according to the longitudinal deformation principle of the Kresling truss and the transverse folding and unfolding principle of the variable-diameter wheels, and the problems that a traditional folding and unfolding mechanism is single in variable-diameter direction and unstable in structure are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of diameter-changing retracting and extending mechanism design, and in particular to a bidirectional diameter-changing retracting and extending mechanism based on a Kresling structure. Background Art

[0002] The design of deformation mechanism plays an important role in the fields of robotics, aerospace, movable mechanical equipment, etc. Currently, commonly used deformation mechanisms, such as scissor-type connecting rods, long-row continuous hinges and other structures have problems such as single extension direction and poor stability.

[0003] Many origami configurations can achieve multi-stiffness and multi-stability deformation by changing the properties of creases. Kresling origami configuration is one of them. This configuration will have multiple stable states during the folding process, which has important reference significance for the design of the retracting and unfolding mechanism. At present, the retracting and unfolding deformation mechanism has poor extension stability, and the application of combining the Kresling structure with the retracting and unfolding deformation mechanism to improve its stability is not widely used. Therefore, a bidirectional variable diameter retracting and unfolding mechanism based on the Kresling structure is proposed. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a bidirectional variable diameter retracting and extending mechanism based on the Kresling structure, and the retracting and extending structure is designed according to the longitudinal deformation of the Kresling truss and the lateral retracting and extending principle of the variable diameter wheel, so as to solve the problem that the traditional retracting and extending mechanism has a single variable diameter direction and an unstable structure.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a bidirectional variable-diameter retractable and expandable mechanism based on a Kresling structure, including expandable planes symmetrically arranged in the same vertical direction, the symmetrically arranged expandable planes are connected by a Kresling plunger truss, the Kresling plunger truss is connected to a micro-hydraulic device to drive the expansion and contraction, the expandable plane includes a fixed layer and a movable layer, the movable layer includes a central controller, and a plurality of telescopic fan-shaped bodies evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the controller.

[0006] Preferably, the controller at the center of the moving layer is arranged on the fixed layer, and the fixed layer is arranged at one end of the moving layer away from the Kresling plunger truss.

[0007] Preferably, the controller is connected to each fan-shaped body through a plurality of telescopic rods.

[0008] Preferably, the Kresling plunger truss comprises a plurality of long rods and a plurality of short rods, both ends of the long rods are provided with fisheye bearings, and the fisheye bearings are respectively connected to the fan-shaped bodies of the moving layer through spherical universal joints.

[0009] Preferably, both the long rod and the short rod are hydraulic telescopic cylinders.

[0010] Preferably, one end of the short rod is connected to the fan-shaped body through a sliding structure, and the other end of the short rod is slidably sleeved on the cylinder body of the long rod.

[0011] Preferably, the sliding structure includes a sliding body arranged at one end of the short rod, a plurality of fan-shaped bodies are provided with arc-shaped sliding tracks at intervals, and the sliding body is arranged in the sliding track and is slidably connected to the sliding track.

[0012] Preferably, the micro hydraulic device includes a hydraulic power element for controlling the extension and retraction of the long rod and the short rod and an auxiliary element for providing hydraulic force to the hydraulic power element.

[0013] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above-mentioned bidirectional variable diameter retracting and extending mechanism based on the Kresling structure, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0014] (1) The structure of the present invention can control the deformation path of the Kresling truss and improve the stability and controllability of its deformation;

[0015] (2) The structure of the present invention is a multi-stable deformation structure, which can provide smooth and controllable deformation behavior under the action of hydraulic drive or other external forces;

[0016] (3) The structure of the present invention has triple deformation performances of Kresling truss structure diameter change, hydraulic plunger rod diameter change, and expandable plane diameter change; it provides a structural design solution with bidirectional deformation function for the fields of robots, aerospace, and movable mechanical equipment.

[0017] The technical solution of the present invention is further described in detail below through the accompanying drawings and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 A bottom view of a moving layer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a mobile layer deployment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a gear-driven rotation according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the application of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the application of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the application of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the application of Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0026] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the application of Example 2 of the present invention.

[0027] Reference numerals

[0028] 1. Fixed layer; 2. Moving layer; 3. Hydraulic power element; 4. Auxiliary element; 5. Short rod; 6. Long rod; 7. Sliding track; 8. Sliding body; 9. Controller; 10. Fan-shaped body; 11. Telescopic rod; 12. Ball joint; 13. External large gear; 14. Internal bevel gear; 15. Motor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention are further described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions.

[0030] It should be noted that the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or server that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not explicitly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0031] Like reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and thus, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or are directions or positional relationships in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "setting", "installation" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0034] Example

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the bidirectional variable diameter retractable and expandable mechanism based on the Kresling structure of the present invention comprises two expandable planes symmetrically arranged in the same vertical direction. The symmetrically arranged expandable planes are connected by a Kresling plunger truss, and the Kresling plunger truss is connected to a micro hydraulic device to drive the expansion and contraction.

[0036] The expandable plane includes a fixed layer 1 and a movable layer 2, such as Figure 3 As shown, the mobile layer 2 includes a controller 9 at the center and six telescopic sectors 10 evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the controller 9. The controller 9 at the center of the mobile layer 2 is arranged on the fixed layer 1, and the fixed layer 1 is arranged at one end of the mobile layer 2 away from the Kresling plunger truss. The controller 9 is connected to each sector 10 through a plurality of telescopic rods 11.

[0037] The Kresling plunger truss includes a plurality of long rods 6 and a plurality of short rods 5. Both ends of the long rods 6 are provided with fisheye bearings, which are respectively connected to the fan-shaped body 10 of the moving layer 2 through a spherical universal joint 12. The long rods 6 and the short rods 5 are both hydraulic telescopic cylinders. One end of the short rod 5 is connected to the fan-shaped body 10 through a sliding structure, and the other end of the short rod 5 is sleeved on the cylinder body of the long rod 6 through a bearing, and the other end of the short rod 5 can slide on the long rod 6. Figure 4 As shown, the torque required for the rotation of the long rod 6 and the short rod 5 is provided by gears, driven by a motor, and the power required for the extension and retraction is driven by a micro hydraulic device. An external large gear 13 can be set on the side of the fixed layer 1 away from the controller 9, and the external large gear 13 is driven to rotate by an internal bevel gear 14. The center of the internal bevel gear 14 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 15 and is driven to rotate by the motor 15. Or other driving methods that can provide torsion are adopted, and gears are not necessary. Gears are external components and are only used to provide the torque required for rotation.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, the sliding structure includes a sliding body 8 arranged at one end of a short rod 5, six sector bodies 10 are provided with arc-shaped sliding tracks 7 at intervals, and the sliding body 8 is arranged in the sliding track 7 and is slidably connected to the sliding track 7.

[0039] The micro hydraulic device includes a hydraulic power element 3 for controlling the extension and retraction of the long rod 6 and the short rod 5 and an auxiliary element 4 for providing hydraulic force to the hydraulic power element 3. The auxiliary element 4 includes a rubber tube, etc. The long rod 6 and the short rod 5 are used as the actuators of the micro hydraulic device. The cylinder parts of the long rod 6 and the short rod 5 are connected to the hydraulic power element 3 through the oil inlet and return oil circuits to realize the extension and retraction of the Kresling plunger truss. The extension and retraction of the Kresling plunger truss drives the fan-shaped body 10 to move, and the telescopic rod 11 realizes the area change of the moving layer 2.

[0040] When in use, the long rod 6 and the short rod 5 are controlled by a micro hydraulic device to retract, the sliding body 8 at the top of the short rod 5 slides in the sliding track 7, and the controller 9 in the central area controls the telescopic rod 11 to push the fan-shaped plane from the external connection of each fan-shaped body 10, thereby increasing the area of ​​the mobile layer 2 and realizing two-way variable diameter expansion. The area within the transition area of ​​the inflection point of the sliding track 7 is a rigid area, and the truss is self-locking. The area outside is a folding area. The Kresling plunger truss cooperates with the mobile layer 2 to achieve free deformation along the path. The rigid area is located within the transition area, close to the fixed part of the long rod 6, and the folding area is far away from the fixed part of the long rod 6. The Kresling plunger truss generates torque through the rotation of gears or similar methods, and then rotates to retract or unfold. The above functions can be realized in the folding area, and in the rigid area, the angle between the long rod 6 and the short rod 5 is less than the friction angle, so as to achieve self-locking.

[0041] The two-way variable diameter retracting and extending mechanisms are connected in sequence up and down, and the micro hydraulic device is arranged on two adjacent two-way variable diameter retracting and extending mechanisms to achieve variable diameter retracting and extending of various lengths.

[0042] The structure in this embodiment can be applied in, but not limited to, the fields of robotics, aerospace, movable mechanical equipment, and civil engineering.

[0043] The present invention adopts the above-mentioned bidirectional variable diameter retracting and extending mechanism based on the Kresling structure, and designs the retracting and extending structure through the longitudinal deformation of the Kresling truss and the lateral retracting and extending principle of the variable diameter wheel, thereby solving the problem of the traditional retracting and extending mechanism having a single variable diameter direction and an unstable structure.

[0044] Example 1

[0045] As a multi-flexibility manipulator or robot application, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7As shown, a bidirectional variable diameter retracting and extending mechanism based on the Kresling structure is a unit cell. The robotic arm is composed of multiple unit cells. Each unit cell can be individually controlled by hydraulic or electric drive to realize the rotation, contraction and expansion of different joints. Due to its self-locking performance, it can realize the movement requirements of different angles, different lengths and different widths. It can be applied to the operation requirements of multi-flexibility robots in special environments such as pipelines.

[0046] Example 2

[0047] As a shock-absorbing and energy-absorbing mechanism, it can be applied to the energy absorption needs of aircraft landing buffer or bridges and other buildings. Fig. 9 As shown, the structure is composed of a single-layer or multi-layer structure, arranged and combined longitudinally or transversely. The longitudinal combination can be used for aircraft landing cushioning, where the structure shrinks from the bottom layer upward in sequence to absorb impact force and improve seismic performance; the transverse arrangement can be used for applications such as vehicle cushioning, energy conversion and power generation of speed bumps, and bridge seismic resistance.

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify or replace the technical solution of the present invention with equivalents, and these modifications or equivalent replacements cannot cause the modified technical solution to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on a Kresling structure, characterized in that: The invention comprises expandable planes symmetrically arranged in the same vertical direction, wherein the symmetrically arranged expandable planes are connected by Kresling plunger trusses, and the Kresling plunger trusses are connected to a micro hydraulic device to drive expansion and contraction. The expandable planes comprise a fixed layer and a movable layer, and the movable layer comprises a central controller and a plurality of telescopic fan-shaped bodies uniformly arranged in a circumferential direction of the controller.

2. The bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on the Kresling structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller at the center of the moving layer is arranged on the fixed layer, and the fixed layer is arranged at one end of the moving layer away from the Kresling plunger truss.

3. The bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on the Kresling structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is connected with each fan-shaped body through a plurality of telescopic rods.

4. The bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on the Kresling structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The Kresling plunger truss comprises a plurality of long rods and a plurality of short rods. Both ends of the long rods are provided with fisheye bearings, and the fisheye bearings are respectively connected to the fan-shaped bodies of the moving layer through spherical universal joints.

5. The bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on the Kresling structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: Both the long rod and the short rod are hydraulic telescopic cylinders.

6. The bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on the Kresling structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: One end of the short rod is connected with the fan-shaped body through a sliding structure, and the other end of the short rod is slidably sleeved on the cylinder body of the long rod.

7. The bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on the Kresling structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: The sliding structure comprises a sliding body arranged at one end of a short rod, a plurality of fan-shaped bodies are provided with arc-shaped sliding tracks at intervals, and the sliding body is arranged in the sliding track and is slidably connected with the sliding track.

8. The bidirectional variable diameter retractable and extendable mechanism based on the Kresling structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The micro hydraulic device comprises a hydraulic power element for controlling the extension and retraction of a long rod and a short rod and an auxiliary element for providing hydraulic force to the hydraulic power element.

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