Online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver and application

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of robots, and discloses an on-line programmable high transient power modular bistable driver and application, the on-line programmable high transient power modular bistable driver comprises a bottom plate, the middle part of the bottom plate is provided with a guide cylinder; the bottoms of the two elastic plates are fixed to the two side ends of the bottom plate respectively; the telescopic air pipe is connected between the two elastic plates, and the energy potential barrier of the bistable structure can be programmed by programming the air pressure of the telescopic air pipe on line; the number of the connecting side plates is two, and one ends of the connecting side plates are hinged to the tops of the two elastic plates correspondingly; the two sides of the pushing plate are hinged to the other ends of the two connecting side plates respectively; and the pushing electric push rod is of a cylindrical structure and is fixed to the pushing plate, and a cylindrical shell of the pushing electric push rod is connected with the guide cylinder in a sliding and inserted mode. The driver has adjustable transient bursting power, and breaks through the limitation that the driving performance and transient power of most of bistable structures cannot be changed in the past.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and more specifically to an online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver and its applications. Background Technology

[0002] In macroscopic robotic systems, propulsion and control typically rely on complex onboard electronics and battery power. In particular, traditional robots often employ a combination of motors and reducers for drive, but this approach has limited flexibility, adaptability, and lightweight design, making it difficult to meet the operational requirements of special environments.

[0003] In contrast, the mechanical instability of bistable actuators provides an ideal mechanism for novel robots requiring high-speed motion and rapid energy release. These actuators exhibit two local minima in their energy landscape, corresponding to two stable equilibrium positions. Unlike monostable actuators, bistable actuators typically pre-store energy through additional elastic elements. Once an external stimulus overcomes the energy barrier, the actuator can undergo significant deflection or deformation within milliseconds to tens of milliseconds. This provides an ideal mechanism for robotic applications requiring high-speed motion, rapid energy release, and shape locking.

[0004] Literature review reveals that the driving capability of most existing bistable actuators primarily relies on pre-defined structural and material parameters established during the initial design phase. Examples include Chinese invention patents with application numbers "CN202310727096.0", "CN202211618252.1", and "CN202410340641.5". However, once the actuator is manufactured, its function and performance cannot be altered. This limits the developed robots to a predetermined working mode. To date, only a few studies have explored reprogrammable bistable actuators, such as the papers "Electroactive soft bistable actuator with adjustable energy barrier and stiffness" and "Reprogrammable Bistable Actuators for Multimodal, Fast, and Ultrasensitive Grasping," which propose a programmable bistable locking gripper system. However, this research still faces challenges such as slow programming speed, low transient power, and limited application scenarios.

[0005] Therefore, improving the performance and versatility of bistable robots in multi-task scenarios remains an ongoing goal. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present invention provides a modular bistable actuator with "rigid-flexible coupling" and online programmable high transient power, and its application, breaking through the limitations of most previous bistable structures where the driving performance and transient power were unchangeable. By adjusting the energy barrier of the bistable structure, variable speed drive for crawling robots and swimming robots is achieved, and the obstacle-crossing ability of crawling robots is significantly enhanced.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A modular bistable driver with in-circuit programmable high transient power, comprising:

[0009] A base plate, wherein a guide tube is located in the middle of the base plate;

[0010] Two elastic plates are provided, with their bottoms fixed to the two sides of the base plate respectively.

[0011] A telescopic air tube, which is connected between the two elastic plates, allows the energy barrier of the bistable structure to be programmed online by programming the air pressure in the telescopic air tube.

[0012] Connecting side plates, there are two connecting side plates, one end of which is respectively hinged to the top of the two elastic plates;

[0013] A push plate, wherein both sides of the push plate are respectively hinged to the other ends of the two connecting side plates;

[0014] The electric push rod is a cylindrical structure that is fixed on the push plate. The cylindrical housing of the electric push rod is slidably inserted into the guide cylinder.

[0015] in,

[0016] Initially, the end of the first telescopic rod abuts against the bottom of the guide cylinder, and the two connecting side plates form a "<" shape. This state is defined as the closed state of the actuator.

[0017] By applying negative pressure to the telescopic air tube, the telescopic air tube contracts, causing the two elastic plates to bend inward. At the same time, the first telescopic rod of the push electric push rod extends and pushes the push plate upward, making the connecting side plate parallel to the bottom plate. At this time, the state is the critical state. If the push plate is pushed upward, the push plate can undergo a transient transition. At this time, the two connecting side plates form a ">" shape. This state is defined as the driving force being turned on.

[0018] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, this invention discloses an online programmable modular bistable actuator with high transient power. By applying negative pressure to the telescopic tube, the tube contracts, causing the two elastic plates to bend inward. At this time, the energy barrier that needs to be overcome when the bistable structure switches states increases. Conversely, when positive pressure is applied, the tube extends, causing the elastic plates to expand outward. At this time, the energy barrier that needs to be overcome when the bistable structure switches states decreases. Therefore, the actuator of this invention has a programmable (programmable means "adjustable") energy barrier and adjustable transient burst power, breaking the limitations of the unchangeable driving performance and transient power of most previous bistable structures. In addition, the cylindrical housing of the push electric actuator is slidably inserted with the guide cylinder. In this way, the guide cylinder can vertically guide the push electric actuator, so that when the bistable structure is triggered, the bistable structure can only be triggered in a specific straight up and down manner, maximizing the effectiveness of the bistable structure.

[0019] Furthermore, the elastic plate is an FR4 fiberglass board.

[0020] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are: FR4 fiberglass board can withstand greater bending and has good recoverability.

[0021] Furthermore, the telescopic air tube is a rigid-flexible coupling tube, which includes:

[0022] A bellows, wherein end caps are respectively installed at both ends of the bellows, and the end caps are rotatably connected to the elastic plate through a rotating shaft assembly;

[0023] A rigid telescopic shaft is located inside the bellows, and its two ends are fixedly connected to the two end caps respectively.

[0024] One of the end caps is equipped with an air nozzle, through which positive or negative pressure can be applied to the bellows.

[0025] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are as follows: Due to the buckling effect, a simple bellows may experience instability under load. Therefore, this invention incorporates a rigid-flexible coupling design for the bellows, namely, adding a rigid telescopic shaft inside the bellows. When the bellows is inflated (positive pressure) or deflated (negative pressure) and elongates or shortens, the rigid telescopic shaft not only elongates or shortens simultaneously with the bellows but also improves the rigidity of the bellows, preventing buckling and increasing the output force of the bellows, thereby effectively altering the energy barrier. Furthermore, the bellows and the elastic plate cannot be rigidly fixed but need to be connected via a rotating shaft assembly. This is because the rigid telescopic shaft inside the bellows allows the bellows to only perform linear motion. When the bellows contracts or expands, the rotational connection between the two allows the elastic plate to bend inward or expand outward normally.

[0026] Furthermore, the rotating shaft assembly includes:

[0027] The first clamping plate is fixedly connected to the end cap by bolts;

[0028] A rotating shaft, one end of which is fixedly connected to the first clamping plate;

[0029] The second clamping plate is fixedly connected to one side of the elastic plate, and a bearing is fixedly mounted on the second clamping plate. The other end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the bearing.

[0030] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are: simple structure and easy quick assembly and disassembly of corrugated pipe and elastic plate.

[0031] Furthermore, the rigid telescopic shaft includes:

[0032] A rigid cylinder, one end of which is fixedly connected to one of the end caps, and a first linear bearing is fixed inside the other end of the rigid cylinder.

[0033] A rigid rod, one end of which is fixedly connected to another end cap, and the other end of which is slidably inserted into the first linear bearing.

[0034] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are as follows: when the bellows elongates or shortens, the internal rigid rod moves within the rigid cylinder, thereby changing the length of the rigid telescopic shaft, allowing the bellows to elongate and shorten normally. Furthermore, the inclusion of the first linear bearing reduces the frictional resistance during the sliding of the rigid rod, improves the smoothness of its movement, and thus ensures the stability of the bellows' elongation and contraction.

[0035] Furthermore, the corrugated tube is made by silicone injection molding. Specifically, silicone is poured into a mold to obtain an injection molded part with a corrugated PVA inner core. The injection molded part is then placed in a warm water bath to melt the PVA inner core, thus obtaining the corrugated tube.

[0036] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are as follows: Considering that the inner core is difficult to remove from the injection-molded part, the inner core is made of water-soluble PVA material. The corrugated pipe can be easily obtained by placing the injection-molded part in a warm water bath to melt the PVA material of the inner core. Therefore, corrugated pipes can be conveniently manufactured using this method.

[0037] Furthermore, a second linear bearing is fixed inside the guide cylinder, and the cylindrical housing of the pusher electric push rod is slidably inserted into the second linear bearing.

[0038] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are: it can reduce the frictional resistance when the electric push rod slides in the guide cylinder, making the electric push rod move up and down more smoothly.

[0039] This invention provides an application of a modular bistable actuator, which can be applied to a crawling robot. The modular bistable actuator includes: the aforementioned modular bistable actuator, a front wheel frame, a rear wheel frame, a front wheel, and a rear wheel. The front wheel frame is fixed to the push plate, and the front wheel is installed on both sides of the front wheel frame. The rear wheel frame is fixed to the base plate, and the rear wheel is installed on both sides of the rear wheel frame.

[0040] The base plate is fixed with a first reset electric push rod, and the second telescopic rod of the first reset electric push rod is connected to the connecting side plate through a first pull rope.

[0041] The modular bistable actuator of this invention can be directly applied to crawling robots. Initially, the modular bistable actuator of the crawling robot is in the off state. During crawling, negative pressure is applied to the bellows, causing it to contract and bend the two elastic plates inward. At the same time, the first telescopic rod of the pusher electric actuator extends, pushing the pusher plate upward, making the connecting side plate parallel to the bottom plate. This state is the critical state. Continuing to push the pusher plate upward, the pusher plate can undergo a transient power transition. Then, with the movement of the front and rear wheels, the crawling robot can quickly move forward a distance. At this time, the modular bistable actuator is in the on state. Then, the second telescopic rod of the first reset electric actuator retracts, pulling the connecting side plate back to the initial state, i.e., the reset state (off state), through the first pull rope. Then, the crawling robot undergoes another transient transition, reset, transition, and reset, repeating the action to complete the crawling action. The first reset electric actuator and the bistable connecting side plate are connected by the first pull rope. Because the pull rope is relatively flexible, the moment of bistable switching will not affect the triggering speed.

[0042] Therefore, by increasing the energy barrier of the bistable actuator, the obstacle-crossing ability of the crawling robot can be improved. For example, when the crawling robot is climbing stairs, increasing the energy barrier of the actuator allows the crawling robot to climb the stairs easily and quickly.

[0043] Furthermore, one-way bearings are installed between the front wheel frame and the front wheel, and between the rear wheel frame and the rear wheel, allowing the front wheel and the rear wheel to move only forward.

[0044] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are: when the bistable structure is switched, a backward pushing force will definitely be generated. With a one-way bearing, the crawling robot can only move forward and not backward, thus making the forward movement more efficient.

[0045] This invention provides another application of a modular bistable actuator, which can be applied to a swimming robot. The modular bistable actuator includes: the aforementioned modular bistable actuator, two swimming propellers, and the two swimming propellers are respectively fixedly connected to the two connecting side plates.

[0046] The base plate is fixed with a second reset electric push rod, and the third telescopic rod of the second reset electric push rod is connected to the connecting side plate through a second pull rope.

[0047] The modular bistable actuator of this invention can be directly applied to a swimming robot. Initially, the modular bistable actuator of the swimming robot is in the off state. When swimming forward, negative pressure is applied to the bellows, causing the bellows to contract and the two elastic plates to bend inward. At the same time, the first telescopic rod of the pusher electric actuator extends, pushing the push plate upward, making the connecting side plate parallel to the bottom plate. At this time, this state is the critical state. If the push plate is pushed upward, the push plate can undergo a transient power transition, which in turn drives the swimming paddle to stroke back and forth, realizing the rapid forward movement of the swimming robot. At this time, the modular bistable actuator is in the on state. Afterward, the third telescopic rod of the second reset electric actuator retracts, pulling the connecting side plate back to the initial state, i.e., the reset state (off state), through the second pull rope. Then, the swimming robot swims forward transiently, resets, swims forward, resets, repeating the action to complete the forward swimming action. Among them, the second reset electric actuator and the bistable connecting side plate are connected by the second pull rope. Because the pull rope is relatively flexible, the moment of bistable switching will not affect the triggering speed.

[0048] In addition, considering that the swimming robot will paddle forward when it resets, causing it to swim backwards, this problem can be solved by measuring the distance traveled. That is, when swimming forward, negative air pressure is applied to the bellows, so the forward swimming distance and speed will be very fast. When bistable reset, positive air pressure is applied to the bellows, so the backward swimming speed and distance are very small. Periodic motion can achieve better swimming efficiency.

[0049] Based on the above scheme, this invention develops a modular bistable actuator with a programmable energy barrier that is "rigidly coupled". This breaks through the limitations of most previous bistable structures, which had unchangeable driving performance and transient power. By adjusting the energy barrier of the bistable structure, variable speed drive for crawling robots and swimming robots is realized, and the obstacle-crossing ability of crawling robots is greatly enhanced. Attached Figure Description

[0050] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0051] Figure 1 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver in the off state, provided by the present invention.

[0052] Figure 2 This is a second-view structural schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of an online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver in the off state, provided by the present invention.

[0053] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of an online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver in the off state, provided by the present invention.

[0054] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver in the on state provided by the present invention.

[0055] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main view structure of an online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver in the on state provided by the present invention.

[0056] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of the mid-section AA.

[0057] Figure 7This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a telescopic trachea.

[0058] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the telescopic trachea.

[0059] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view of the mid-section BB.

[0060] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the mold used for injection molding of bellows.

[0061] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the corrugated pipe injection molding process.

[0062] Figure 12 (a) is a simplified diagram of the structure when the trachea contracts inward due to negative pressure.

[0063] Figure 12 (b) is a simplified diagram of the structure when the trachea expands outward due to positive pressure inside.

[0064] Figure 13 A schematic diagram illustrating the application of the modular bistable actuator provided by this invention to a crawling robot.

[0065] Figure 14 for Figure 13 A magnified schematic diagram of the structure of part A in the middle.

[0066] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a crawling robot moving forward.

[0067] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of a modular bistable actuator applied to a swimming robot.

[0068] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of a swimming robot swimming forward. Detailed Implementation

[0069] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0070] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0071] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0072] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0073] Bistable actuators utilize mechanical instability to switch rapidly between open and closed states, exhibiting fast response, power amplification, and self-locking capabilities. If the energy barrier of a bistable actuator is small, the transient power emitted during state transitions is correspondingly small. Conversely, if the energy barrier is large, the transient power is large. Therefore, the transient power can be altered by adjusting the energy barrier of the bistable actuator. Consequently, crawling and swimming robots built upon it can move at faster speeds. Furthermore, they offer better obstacle-crossing capabilities (for example, when pushing a bicycle up a step, slightly tilting it backward and then pushing forward allows it to climb, effectively increasing transient power).

[0074] join Figures 1-12 As shown, this embodiment of the invention discloses an online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver, comprising:

[0075] Base plate 1, with guide tube 2 in the middle;

[0076] There are two elastic plates 3, and their bottoms are fixed to the two sides of the base plate 1 respectively.

[0077] There are two telescopic air tubes 4, which can be connected between two elastic plates 3 respectively. The energy barrier of the bistable structure can be programmed by online programming of the air pressure of the telescopic air tubes 4.

[0078] There are two connecting side plates 5, one end of which is hinged to the top of the two elastic plates 3 respectively.

[0079] The push plate 6 is hinged to the other ends of the two connecting side plates 5 on both sides;

[0080] The electric push rod 7 is a cylindrical structure that is fixed on the push plate 6. The cylindrical shell of the electric push rod 7 is slidably inserted into the guide cylinder 2.

[0081] in,

[0082] Initially, the end of the first telescopic rod 71 abuts against the bottom of the guide cylinder 2, and the two connecting side plates 5 are in a "<" shape. This state is defined as the closed state of the actuator.

[0083] By applying negative pressure to the telescopic air tube 4, the telescopic air tube 4 contracts, causing the two elastic plates 3 to bend inward. At the same time, the first telescopic rod 71 of the pusher rod 7 extends and pushes the pusher plate 6 upward, making the connecting side plate 5 parallel to the bottom plate 1. At this time, the state is the critical state. If the pusher plate 6 is pushed upward, the pusher plate 6 can undergo a transient transition. At this time, the two connecting side plates 5 have a ">" shaped structure. This state is defined as the open state of the actuator.

[0084] In some embodiments, the elastic plate 3 is an FR4 fiberglass board.

[0085] In some embodiments, the telescopic air tube 4 is a rigid-flexible coupling tube, which includes:

[0086] The bellows 41 has end caps 42 installed at both ends, and the end caps 42 are rotatably connected to the elastic plate 3 through the rotating shaft assembly 8.

[0087] Rigid telescopic shaft 43 is located inside bellows 41, and its two ends are fixedly connected to two end caps 42 respectively.

[0088] One of the end caps 42 is equipped with an air nozzle 44, which can apply positive or negative pressure to the bellows 41.

[0089] In some embodiments, the pivot assembly 8 includes:

[0090] The first clamping plate 81 is fixedly connected to the end cap 42 by bolts;

[0091] A rotating shaft 82, one end of which is fixedly connected to the first clamping plate 81;

[0092] The second clamping plate 83 is fixedly connected to one side of the elastic plate 3. A bearing 84 is fixed on the second clamping plate 83, and the other end of the rotating shaft 82 is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the bearing 84.

[0093] In some embodiments, the rigid telescopic shaft 43 includes:

[0094] Rigid cylinder 431, one end of rigid cylinder 431 is fixedly connected to one of the end caps 42, and a first linear bearing 432 is fixed inside the other end of rigid cylinder 431.

[0095] A rigid rod 433 is fixedly connected at one end to another end cap 42, and the other end of the rigid rod 433 is slidably inserted into the first linear bearing 432.

[0096] In some embodiments, see Figure 10 and Figure 11 The corrugated pipe 41 is made of silicone injection molding. Specifically, silicone is poured into the mold 9 to obtain an injection molded part 11 with a corrugated PVA inner core 10. The injection molded part 11 is placed in a 50°C warm water bath to melt the PVA inner core 10 and obtain the corrugated pipe 41.

[0097] In some embodiments, a second linear bearing 12 is fixed inside the guide cylinder 2, and the cylindrical housing of the pusher electric push rod 7 is slidably inserted into the second linear bearing 12.

[0098] See Figures 13-14 As shown, the present invention provides an application embodiment of a modular bistable actuator. Specifically, the modular bistable actuator can be applied to a crawling robot, which includes: a modular bistable actuator, a front wheel frame 13, a rear wheel frame 14, a front wheel 15, and a rear wheel 16. The front wheel frame 13 is fixed on the push plate 6, and front wheels 15 are installed on both sides of the front wheel frame 13. The rear wheel frame 14 is fixed on the base plate 1, and rear wheels 16 are installed on both sides of the rear wheel frame 14.

[0099] The base plate 1 is fixed with a first reset electric push rod 17, and the second telescopic rod 171 of the first reset electric push rod 17 is connected to the connecting side plate 5 through a first pull rope 18.

[0100] One-way bearings 19 are installed between the front wheel frame 13 and the front wheel 15, and between the rear wheel frame 14 and the rear wheel 16, allowing the front wheel 15 and the rear wheel 16 to move only forward.

[0101] See Figures 16-17As shown, the present invention provides another application embodiment of a modular bistable actuator. Specifically, the modular bistable actuator can be applied to a swimming robot, which includes: a modular bistable actuator, two swimming propellers 20, and the two swimming propellers 20 are respectively fixedly connected to two connecting side plates 5.

[0102] The base plate 1 is fixed with a second reset electric push rod 21, and the third telescopic rod 211 of the second reset electric push rod 21 is connected to the connecting side plate 5 through a second pull rope 22.

[0103] This invention can improve the movement speed and obstacle-crossing ability of crawling and swimming robots by increasing the energy barrier of bistable actuators.

[0104] The main advantages of this invention are as follows:

[0105] 1. This invention develops a programmable energy barrier, rigid-flexible coupled, modular bistable actuator with adjustable transient burst power.

[0106] 2. Based on the modularity of this bistable actuator, two robots were developed, providing an ideal mechanism for new robots that require high-speed movement and rapid energy release.

[0107] 3. By endowing the robot with high transient power, it has achieved variable speed motion (the driving speed slows down when the energy barrier is lowered, and vice versa) and enhanced obstacle crossing ability.

[0108] 4. The cylindrical electric push rod serves as a limit switch and a means of switching back to a steady state.

[0109] 5. A design of a bellows with rigid-flexible coupling is proposed, which avoids the buckling phenomenon of the soft actuator, can improve the output force of the bellows, and thus effectively change the energy barrier.

[0110] 6. A method for fabricating soft skin for corrugated pipe structures was proposed.

[0111] 7. One-way wheels were designed for the robot, which improved its forward movement efficiency.

[0112] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the apparatus disclosed in the embodiments, since they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the method section.

[0113] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A modular bistable driver with online programmable high transient power, characterized in that, include: A base plate (1) has a guide tube (2) in the middle; Two elastic plates (3) are provided, and their bottoms are respectively fixed to the two sides of the base plate (1). Telescopic air tube (4), which is connected between the two elastic plates (3), can program the energy barrier of the bistable structure by programming the air pressure of the telescopic air tube (4) online; Connecting side plate (5), there are two connecting side plates (5), one end of which is respectively hinged to the top of the two elastic plates (3); The push plate (6) is hinged to the other ends of the two connecting side plates (5) on both sides. The electric push rod (7) is a cylindrical structure and is fixed on the push plate (6). The cylindrical shell of the electric push rod (7) is slidably inserted into the guide cylinder (2). in, Initially, the end of the first telescopic rod (71) abuts against the bottom of the guide cylinder (2), and the two connecting side plates (5) are in a "<" shape. This state is defined as the closed state of the driver. By applying negative pressure to the telescopic air tube (4), the telescopic air tube (4) contracts, causing the two elastic plates (3) to bend inward. At the same time, the first telescopic rod (71) of the push electric push rod (7) extends and pushes the push plate (6) upward, making the connecting side plate (5) parallel to the bottom plate (1). At this time, the state is a critical state. If the push plate (6) is pushed upward, the push plate (6) can undergo a transient transition. At this time, the two connecting side plates (5) form a ">" shape. This state is defined as the open state of the driver.

2. The modular bistable driver with online programmable high transient power according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic plate (3) is an FR4 fiberglass board.

3. The modular bistable driver with online programmable high transient power according to claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic air tube (4) is a rigid-flexible coupling tube, which includes: A bellows (41) is provided with end caps (42) at both ends of the bellows (41), and the end caps (42) are rotatably connected to the elastic plate (3) through a rotating shaft assembly (8). A rigid telescopic shaft (43) is located inside the bellows (41), and both ends of the rigid telescopic shaft (43) are fixedly connected to the two end caps (42) respectively. One of the end caps (42) is provided with an air nozzle (44), through which positive or negative pressure can be applied to the bellows (41).

4. The modular bistable driver with online programmable high transient power according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotating shaft assembly (8) includes: The first clamping plate (81) is fixedly connected to the end cap (42) by bolts; A rotating shaft (82), one end of which is fixedly connected to the first clamping plate (81); The second clamping plate (83) is fixedly connected to one side of the elastic plate (3), and a bearing (84) is fixed on the second clamping plate (83). The other end of the rotating shaft (82) is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the bearing (84).

5. The online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rigid telescopic shaft (43) includes: A rigid cylinder (431) is provided, one end of which is fixedly connected to one of the end caps (42), and a first linear bearing (432) is fixed inside the other end of the rigid cylinder (431). A rigid rod (433) is provided, one end of which is fixedly connected to another end cap (42), and the other end of which is slidably inserted into the first linear bearing (432).

6. The online programmable high transient power modular bistable driver according to claim 3, characterized in that, The corrugated tube (41) is made by silicone injection molding. Specifically, silicone is poured into the mold (9) to obtain an injection molded part (11) with a corrugated PVA inner core (10). The injection molded part (11) is placed in a warm water bath to melt the PVA inner core (10) to obtain the corrugated tube (41).

7. A modular bistable driver with online programmable high transient power according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The guide cylinder (2) is fixed with a second linear bearing (12), and the cylindrical housing of the push electric push rod (7) is slidably inserted into the second linear bearing (12).

8. An application of a modular bistable actuator, characterized in that, The modular bistable actuator can be applied to a crawling robot, comprising: a modular bistable actuator as described in any one of claims 1-7, a front wheel frame (13), a rear wheel frame (14), a front wheel (15), and a rear wheel (16), wherein the front wheel frame (13) is fixed on the push plate (6), and the front wheel (15) is mounted on both sides of the front wheel frame (13); the rear wheel frame (14) is fixed on the base plate (1), and the rear wheel (16) is mounted on both sides of the rear wheel frame (14); The base plate (1) is fixed with a first reset electric push rod (17), and the second telescopic rod (171) of the first reset electric push rod (17) is connected to the connecting side plate (5) through a first pull rope (18).

9. The application of the modular bistable actuator according to claim 8, characterized in that, One-way bearings (19) are installed between the front wheel frame (13) and the front wheel (15), and between the rear wheel frame (14) and the rear wheel (16), allowing the front wheel (15) and the rear wheel (16) to move only forward.

10. An application of a modular bistable actuator, characterized in that, The modular bistable actuator can be applied to a swimming robot, which includes: the modular bistable actuator as described in any one of claims 1-7, two swimming paddles (20), the two swimming paddles (20) being fixedly connected to the two connecting side plates (5) respectively; The base plate (1) is fixed with a second reset electric push rod (21), and the third telescopic rod (211) of the second reset electric push rod (21) is connected to the connecting side plate (5) through a second pull rope (22).

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