Actuating device and working method thereof

Abstract

According to the actuating device and the working method thereof, under the action of the electric field, the working medium is polarized to generate the electrostatic acting force, and the electrostatic acting force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism through flowing of the working medium; the electrostatic acting force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit can drive the bistable mechanism to be switched between two stable states, and then an external load is driven to achieve expected movement. The control system can control voltage output of the electrostatic hydraulic unit and collect motion information of the bistable mechanism at the same time, the electrostatic hydraulic unit can rapidly generate strong electrostatic acting force, and by combining the rapid switching characteristic of the bistable mechanism, the actuating device has the extremely high response speed and efficient actuating capacity, and the control system can be used for controlling the electrostatic hydraulic unit and the bistable mechanism. Compared with a traditional actuator, the actuating device provided by the invention can complete actions in a shorter time, and meets application scenes with extremely high response speed requirements, such as quick sorting in a high-speed automatic production line, quick adjustment of precise instruments and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of actuation technology, and particularly relates to an actuation device and its working method. Background Art

[0002] In many industrial and engineering applications, the performance requirements for actuators are increasing day by day. Traditional hydraulic actuators can provide a large output force, but their response speed is relatively slow, and they have limitations in some occasions that require frequent start-stop or precise control. Electrostatic actuators feature fast response and high precision, but their output force is often small. Bistable mechanisms, with their ability to quickly switch between two stable states and low energy consumption in the stable state, provide new ideas for improving actuator performance. Currently, there is no actuation module that effectively combines a bistable mechanism with the principle of electrostatic hydraulics to comprehensively solve the above problems.

[0003] Therefore, developing a new actuation technology that combines electrostatic hydraulic actuation with a bistable structure to achieve better actuation performance has important practical significance and application value. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides an actuation device and its working method to overcome the defect that the output force of existing actuators cannot be compatible with the response speed and precision, so as to achieve better actuation performance.

[0005] To solve the above problems, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] One of the purposes of this application is to provide an actuation device, including:

[0007] An electrostatic hydraulic unit, the electrostatic hydraulic unit includes an insulating sealed bag, a conductor layer, and a working medium. The insulating sealed bag is disposed between the conductor layers. The conductor layer is used to generate an electric field. The working medium is filled in the insulating sealed bag. Under the action of the electric field, the working medium is polarized to generate an electrostatic force, and the electrostatic force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism through the flow of the working medium;

[0008] A bistable mechanism, the electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit can drive the bistable mechanism to switch between two stable states, and then drive an external load to achieve the expected movement; and

[0009] A control system, the control system is used to control the voltage output of the electrostatic hydraulic unit and simultaneously collect the movement information of the bistable mechanism.

[0010] In some of the embodiments, the insulating sealed bag is an insulating film, and the insulating film is made of polytetrafluoroethylene or polypropylene or polyethylene.

[0011] In some of these embodiments, the conductor layer is a conductive thin film, the conductive thin film includes a metal foil or a conductive polymer film, the metal foil includes a copper foil or an aluminum foil, and the conductive thin film can be formed into a desired shape and layout through a processing technique so as to be able to generate a uniform and controllable electric field when a voltage is applied.

[0012] In some of these embodiments, the working medium includes silicone oil, and the silicone oil can be polarized under the action of an electric field to generate an electrostatic force.

[0013] In some of these embodiments, the bistable mechanism includes elastic elements such as an elastic beam, the elastic elements such as the elastic beam are connected to the output end of the electrostatic hydraulic unit, and the electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit is transmitted to the elastic elements such as the elastic beam through the output end to drive it to switch between two stable states, thereby driving an external load to achieve an expected motion.

[0014] In some of these embodiments, the elastic elements such as the elastic beam include a thin plate with a pre-deformation, a rod system structure or a micro-nano structure.

[0015] In some of these embodiments, the control system includes a controller, a power supply electrically connected to the controller, and a sensor electrically connected to the controller. The controller is used to receive an external instruction and control the voltage output of the power supply to the electrostatic hydraulic unit, and at the same time obtain the motion information of the bistable mechanism collected by the sensor, and the motion information includes the position and speed of the bistable mechanism.

[0016] In some of these embodiments, the power supply is used to provide a stable DC voltage or AC voltage to meet the electric field requirements of the electrostatic hydraulic unit; the sensor includes a displacement sensor and a force sensor.

[0017] In some of these embodiments, the actuating device further includes a rigid support member, and the rigid support member is used to support the electrostatic hydraulic unit, the bistable mechanism and the control system, and the rigid support member includes engineering plastics.

[0018] A second object of the present application also provides a working method of the actuating device as described above, including the following steps:

[0019] Apply a voltage to the conductor layer, and the working medium is polarized under the action of the electric field to generate an electrostatic force, and the electrostatic force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism through the flow of the working medium;

[0020] The electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit drives the bistable mechanism to switch between two stable states, thereby driving an external load to achieve an expected motion;

[0021] The control system controls the voltage output of the electrostatic hydraulic unit and acquires the motion information of the bistable mechanism.

[0022] The present application adopts the above technical solution, and the beneficial effects are as follows:

[0023] For the actuating device and its working method provided by the present application, under the action of the electric field, the working medium is polarized to generate an electrostatic force, and the electrostatic force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism through the flow of the working medium. The electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit can drive the bistable mechanism to switch between two stable states, thereby driving an external load to achieve the expected motion. The control system can control the voltage output of the electrostatic hydraulic unit and simultaneously acquire the motion information of the bistable mechanism. The electrostatic hydraulic unit can quickly generate a strong electrostatic force. Combining with the fast switching characteristics of the bistable mechanism, the actuating device has an extremely fast response speed and high actuating ability. Compared with traditional actuators, the actuating device provided by the present application can complete actions in a shorter time, meeting application scenarios with extremely high requirements for response speed, such as rapid sorting in high-speed automated production lines, rapid adjustment of precision instruments, etc.

[0024] In addition, for the actuating device provided by the present application, the bistable mechanism does not require continuous energy input in the stable state and only consumes energy during state switching. Coupled with the high-efficiency energy conversion characteristics of the electrostatic hydraulic unit, the entire actuating device has high energy utilization efficiency. In occasions where energy supply is limited or there are strict requirements for energy consumption, such as portable devices, aerospace aircraft, etc., it can effectively extend the working time of the device or reduce energy consumption and lower the operating cost.

[0025] The actuating device provided by the present application has potential application value in multiple fields and can be widely applied to scenarios that require precise driving and control, such as robots, automation equipment, medical devices, etc., providing a more efficient and reliable actuating solution for these fields and contributing to the development and innovation of related technologies. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for describing the embodiments of the present application or the prior art. Obviously, the following described drawings are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the actuating module based on the electrostatic hydraulic bistable mechanism provided for this embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the working principle of the electrostatic hydraulic system provided in this embodiment;

[0029] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the liquid flow during the operation of the electrostatic hydraulic system provided in this embodiment;

[0030] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the working principle of the bistable mechanism provided in this embodiment;

[0031] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the working principle of the actuation module system based on the electrostatic hydraulic bistable mechanism provided in this embodiment;

[0032] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the series - parallel connection of the actuation modules based on the electrostatic hydraulic bistable mechanism provided in this embodiment. Detailed implementation manners

[0033] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present application, and should not be construed as a limitation of the present application.

[0034] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationships indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation of the present application.

[0035] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0036] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 , which is a schematic diagram of the structure of the actuation device 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application, including an electrostatic hydraulic unit 100, a bistable mechanism 200 and a control system 300. The technical solutions implemented thereby will be described in detail below.

[0038] Please refer to again Figure 2 andFigure 3 , the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100 includes an insulating sealed bag 10, a conductor layer 11, and a working medium 12. The insulating sealed bag 10 is disposed between the conductor layers 11. The conductor layer 11 is used to generate an electric field. The working medium 12 is filled in the insulating sealed bag 10. Under the action of the electric field, the working medium 12 is polarized to generate an electrostatic force, and the electrostatic force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism 200 through the flow of the working medium 12.

[0039] In this embodiment, the insulating sealed bag 10 is an insulating film, and the insulating film is made of polytetrafluoroethylene or polypropylene or polyethylene. The insulating film is made of a material with high insulation strength and low dielectric loss (such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, or other composite materials), has good flexibility and chemical corrosion resistance. Its function is to isolate the conductor layer, form a closed hydraulic environment, prevent current leakage, and at the same time be able to withstand a certain pressure change to ensure the stable existence of the electrostatic field.

[0040] In this embodiment, the conductor layer 11 is a conductive film. The conductive film is selected from metal foils with excellent conductivity (such as copper foil, aluminum foil) or conductive polymer films, and is formed into the required shape and layout through a specific processing technology so as to generate a uniform and controllable electric field when a voltage is applied.

[0041] In this embodiment, the working medium 12 is silicone oil, which is filled in the insulating sealed bag 10. The insulating sealed bag 10 is disposed between the conductive films. Since the silicone oil has appropriate viscosity and dielectric properties, it can be polarized under the action of the electric field, thereby generating an electrostatic force. The electrostatic force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism after bulging at the end through liquid flow.

[0042] In this embodiment, the bistable mechanism 200 includes elastic elements such as elastic beams. The elastic elements such as elastic beams are connected to the output end of the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100. The electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100 is transmitted to the elastic elements such as elastic beams through the output end to drive them to switch between two stable states, thereby driving an external load to achieve the expected motion.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 4 again. The elastic elements such as elastic beams included in the bistable mechanism 200 are designed to have two stable mechanical equilibrium states, for example, in the form of a bistable structure with elastic beam buckling deformation. The bistable mechanism is connected to the output end of the electrostatic hydraulic unit, and the other side of the electrostatic hydraulic module is pasted to an external rigid support. It is driven to switch between two stable states, namely the first stable state and the second stable state, by the electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit, thereby driving an external load to achieve the expected motion.

[0044] Further, the elastic elements such as the elastic beam include thin plates, truss structures or micro-nano structures with pre-deformation.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 4 again. The control system 300 includes a controller (not shown in the figure), a power supply 310 electrically connected to the controller, and a sensor 320 electrically connected to the controller. The controller is configured to receive an external instruction and control the voltage output of the power supply 310 to the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100, and at the same time obtain the motion information of the bistable mechanism 200 collected by the sensor 320. The motion information includes the position and speed of the bistable mechanism.

[0046] It can be understood that the controller is responsible for receiving external instructions and precisely controlling the voltage output of the power supply 310 to the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100 according to preset algorithms and programs. At the same time, it collects information such as the position and speed of the bistable mechanism fed back by the sensor 320 to achieve closed-loop control of the actuation process and ensure the high-precision operation of the actuation device. The power supply 310 can provide a stable DC voltage or AC voltage to meet the electric field requirements of the electrostatic hydraulic unit. The sensor 320 includes a displacement sensor 321, a force sensor 322, etc., which are used to monitor the working state of the actuation device in real time and provide accurate data support for the control system.

[0047] In this embodiment, the actuation device further includes a rigid support 400, which is used to support the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100, the bistable mechanism 200 and the control system 300. The rigid support includes engineering plastics, which have good mechanical load-bearing and supporting performance, are used to paste and protect the electrostatic hydraulic unit, the bistable mechanism and the control system, and at the same time facilitate the installation of the device and its integration into other equipment.

[0048] It can be understood that the actuation device provided in this embodiment can be set to a single one, or multiple actuation devices can be set in series, or multiple actuation devices can be set in parallel, or multiple actuation devices can be set in series-parallel according to actual needs to meet actual requirements.

[0049] The actuation device provided in this embodiment works as follows: when the actuation device receives a work instruction, the control system 300 first activates the power supply and applies a voltage to the conductor layer 11 (conductive film) of the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100. At this time, an electric field is formed between the conductive films above and below the sealed insulating bag 10, and the working medium 12 (silicone oil) is polarized under the action of the electric field, generating an electrostatic force.

[0050] Since this electrostatic force acts on the silicone oil in the sealed insulating bag 10, it causes a pressure change in the silicone oil, which in turn pushes the wall surface of the sealed insulating bag 10 to deform, thereby transmitting the force to the bistable mechanism connected to the sealed bag.

[0051] When the resultant force reaches the state switching threshold of the bistable mechanism under the combined action of factors such as the electrostatic force and the elastic restoring force of elastic elements such as the elastic beam of the bistable mechanism, the bistable mechanism will quickly jump from the current stable state to another stable state, realizing a rapid state transition.

[0052] By precisely adjusting the voltage magnitude and polarity of the electrostatic hydraulic unit 100 and the parameters of the elastic elements of the bistable mechanism through the control system, etc., the active bidirectional jump of the bistable mechanism can be achieved, that is, it can be repeatedly switched between two stable states according to needs, driving the external load to complete various complex actions, such as linear displacement, angular rotation, etc.

[0053] In the actuating device and its working method provided by this application, the working medium is polarized under the action of the electric field to generate an electrostatic force, and the electrostatic force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism through the flow of the working medium. The electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit can drive the bistable mechanism to switch between two stable states, thereby driving the external load to achieve the expected motion; the control system can control the voltage output of the electrostatic hydraulic unit and simultaneously collect the motion information of the bistable mechanism. The electrostatic hydraulic unit can quickly generate a strong electrostatic force. Combining with the fast switching characteristics of the bistable mechanism, the actuating device has an extremely fast response speed and high actuating ability. Compared with traditional actuators, the actuating device provided by this application can complete actions in a shorter time, meeting application scenarios with extremely high requirements for response speed, such as fast sorting in high-speed automated production lines and fast adjustment of precision instruments.

[0054] In addition, for the actuating device provided by this application, the bistable mechanism does not require continuous energy input in the stable state and only consumes energy during state switching. Coupled with the high-efficiency energy conversion characteristics of the electrostatic hydraulic unit, the entire actuating device has a high energy utilization efficiency. In occasions where the energy supply is limited or there are strict requirements for energy consumption, such as portable devices, aerospace aircraft, etc., it can effectively extend the working time of the device or reduce energy consumption and lower the operating cost.

[0055] The actuating device provided by this application has potential application value in multiple fields and can be widely applied to scenarios that require precise driving and control, such as robots, automation equipment, medical devices, etc. It provides a more efficient and reliable actuating solution for these fields, helping to promote the development and innovation of related technologies.

[0056] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application, and only specifically describe the technical principles of the present application. These descriptions are only for explaining the principles of the present application and cannot be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection of the present application in any way. Based on the explanation here, any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application, and other specific implementation methods of the present application that can be associated with the technicians in this field without creative work, should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An actuating device, characterized in that: include: An electrostatic hydraulic unit, the electrostatic hydraulic unit comprising an insulating sealed bag, a conductor layer and a working medium, the insulating sealed bag being arranged between the conductor layers, the conductor layer being used to generate an electric field, the working medium being filled in the insulating sealed bag, the working medium being polarized under the action of the electric field to generate an electrostatic force, and the electrostatic force being transmitted to the bistable mechanism through the flow of the working medium; A bistable mechanism, wherein the electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit can drive the bistable mechanism to switch between two stable states, thereby driving the external load to achieve the expected movement; and A control system is used to control the voltage output to the electrostatic hydraulic unit and simultaneously collect the motion information of the bistable mechanism.

2. The actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that The insulating sealing bag is an insulating film, and the insulating film is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene or polyethylene.

3. The actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conductor layer is a conductive film, which includes a metal foil or a conductive polymer film, and the metal foil includes a copper foil or an aluminum foil. The conductive film can be formed into a desired shape and layout through a processing technology so as to generate a uniform and controllable electric field when a voltage is applied.

4. The actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The working medium includes silicone oil, which can be polarized under the action of an electric field to generate an electrostatic force.

5. The actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bistable mechanism includes elastic elements such as elastic beams, which are connected to the output end of the electrostatic hydraulic unit. The electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit is transmitted to the elastic elements such as the elastic beams through the output end to drive them to switch between two stable states, thereby driving the external load to achieve the expected movement.

6. The actuating device according to claim 5, characterized in that The elastic elements such as the elastic beam include a thin plate with pre-deformation, a rod structure or a micro-nano structure.

7. The actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control system includes a controller, a power supply electrically connected to the controller, and a sensor electrically connected to the controller. The controller is used to receive external instructions and control the voltage output of the power supply to the electrostatic hydraulic unit, and at the same time obtain motion information of the bistable mechanism collected by the sensor, and the motion information includes the position and speed of the bistable mechanism.

8. The actuating device according to claim 7, characterized in that The power supply is used to provide a stable DC voltage or AC voltage to meet the electric field requirements of the electrostatic hydraulic unit; the sensor includes a displacement sensor and a force sensor.

9. The actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuating device further comprises a rigid support member, wherein the rigid support member is used to support the electrostatic hydraulic unit, the bistable mechanism and the control system, and the rigid support member comprises engineering plastic.

10. A method for operating an actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steps include: Applying a voltage to the conductor layer, the working medium is polarized under the action of the electric field to generate an electrostatic force, and the electrostatic force is transmitted to the bistable mechanism through the flow of the working medium; The electrostatic force generated by the electrostatic hydraulic unit drives the bistable mechanism to switch between two stable states, thereby driving the external load to achieve the expected movement; The control system controls the voltage output to the electrostatic hydraulic unit and collects the motion information of the bistable mechanism.

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