Manufacturing method of pneumatic soft structure and pneumatic soft gripper

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of mechanical grippers, and discloses a manufacturing method of a pneumatic soft structure and a pneumatic soft gripper, the manufacturing method comprises the following steps: providing a flexible fabric matrix which has non-stretchable degree and can respond to pneumatic pressure; a cutting pattern with preset geometric parameters is processed on the flexible fabric base body, and the cutting pattern forms specific geometric guiding constraint through the unit size, the cutting distance and the corner angle; providing a flexible material with bidirectional tensile strength, and coupling the flexible material with the flexible fabric matrix by using a hot pressing process to form a flexible member; by means of the disordered deformation inhibiting capacity of the flexible fabric base body and the free expansion characteristic of the flexible material, the flexible component deforms orderly in cooperation with directional constraint of the cutting pattern under the pneumatic pressure effect, and therefore the flexible component is accurately converted into the preset three-dimensional space configuration from the plane state. The manufacturing method is simple in process, the structure is light, and efficient and stable grabbing operation can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical gripper technology, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure and a pneumatic soft gripper. Background Technology

[0002] As a key component in automated production lines, the performance of mechanical grippers directly determines the flexibility and operational capability of the entire system. Mechanical grippers mainly include rigid grippers and flexible grippers. Rigid grippers, as traditional end effectors, are simple in structure and low in cost, but they are difficult to adapt to irregularly shaped, fragile, or soft objects, often leading to slippage, product damage, or positioning deviations. These limitations severely restrict the efficiency and reliability of automated systems, necessitating flexible innovation to meet the modern industrial demands for high precision and strong adaptability.

[0003] Soft grippers, with their excellent adaptability and environmental safety, demonstrate unique advantages in handling irregularly shaped and fragile objects. Pneumatic actuation is widely used due to its direct power and high reliability. However, existing technologies still face certain challenges. Traditional designs rely on complex air channels or embedded mechanisms, resulting in a bulky overall structure that is difficult to achieve lightweighting; cumbersome manufacturing processes also restrict large-scale applications. Therefore, developing a new type of pneumatic soft gripper that is both lightweight and easy to manufacture has become an urgent industry need.

[0004] There are also some existing studies on the fabrication of soft grippers, such as the Chinese invention patent with application number 202110000524.0 entitled "A Method for Fabricating a Multi-Cavity Soft Gripper". It provides a simple and reliable method for fabricating soft grippers, which addresses the problems of complex and time-consuming manufacturing processes of existing soft robot grippers. It can ensure the high performance of the workpiece and save costs in the manufacturing process. However, its fabrication process is a three-dimensional molding technology, which is more complex than the two-dimensional planar manufacturing process and makes it difficult to fabricate complex cavities.

[0005] For example, Chinese invention patent application number 202310647442.4, entitled "A Self-Sensing Soft Actuator, Preparation Method, Gripper System and Recognition Method", also has a three-finger structure, but it mainly focuses on the sensing aspect of the soft gripper, integrating a flexible strain sensor into the soft actuator to achieve the integration of sensing and operation of the soft actuator, enabling self-monitoring. There is relatively little research on the manufacturing of the soft gripper and its structure. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a manufacturing method for a pneumatic soft structure and a pneumatic soft gripper. The manufacturing method has the advantages of simple process and simple preparation process. It uses pneumatic pressure to drive the deformation of the soft structure, which can achieve stable and fast gripping.

[0007] This invention is achieved using the following technical solution: a method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure, the method comprising the following steps:

[0008] Step S100: Provide a flexible fabric matrix that is non-stretchable and responsive to pneumatic pressure;

[0009] Step S200: Process a cutting pattern with preset geometric parameters on the flexible fabric substrate. The cutting pattern forms a specific geometric guiding constraint through unit size, cutting spacing and corner angle.

[0010] Step S300: Provide a flexible material with bidirectional stretchability, and couple the flexible material with a flexible fabric matrix using a hot pressing process to form a flexible component; by utilizing the disorder deformation suppression capability of the flexible fabric matrix and the free expansion characteristics of the flexible material, the flexible component undergoes orderly deformation under the action of aerodynamic pressure in conjunction with the directional constraint of the cutting pattern, thereby accurately converting the flexible component from a planar state into a preset three-dimensional spatial configuration.

[0011] Furthermore, the material of the flexible fabric matrix in step S100 is any one of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film composite fabric, and phase change material.

[0012] Furthermore, in step S200, the cutting pattern is set as a plurality of strips perpendicular to the first extension direction of the instretchable flexible fabric substrate, so that the instretchable flexible fabric substrate is converted into a curved three-dimensional state under pneumatic pressure.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexible fabric matrix is ​​configured by reducing the spacing of the elongated patterns perpendicular to its first extension direction. This can increase the curvature of the curved three-dimensional state of the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix; by increasing the length of the elongated pattern perpendicular to the first extension direction along the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix. It can increase the curvature of the curved three-dimensional state of the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix.

[0014] Furthermore, in step S200, the cutting pattern is set as several patterns that are at an angle to the length direction. The long strip shape allows the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix to be transformed into a three-dimensional state with curvature torsion characteristics under aerodynamic pressure.

[0015] Furthermore, in step S200, the cutting pattern is set into a serial pattern of vertical strips and inclined strips to achieve bending-torsional coupling deformation under pneumatic pressure.

[0016] Furthermore, in step S200, the cutting pattern is set to a parallel pattern of vertical strips and inclined strips to achieve bending-torsional coupling deformation under aerodynamic pressure.

[0017] Furthermore, the flexible material with bidirectional stretchability can be any of silicone rubber, polyacrylamide, and phase change materials.

[0018] Furthermore, the first extension direction of the biaxially stretchable flexible material can be the length direction, and the second extension direction can be the width direction; when aerodynamic pressure is applied to the flexible member along the first extension direction, it can be transformed from an initial two-dimensional planar state into a three-dimensional cylindrical shape with a certain curvature feature.

[0019] A three-finger pneumatic soft gripper, using a manufacturing method for the aforementioned pneumatic soft structure, includes the following steps:

[0020] Step S410: Provide a gripper base and three integrated flexible fabric substrates. The material is thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film composite fabric to ensure that the whole has non-stretchability and pneumatic pressure response capability. The three flexible fabric substrates are used as three flexible gripper units. The three gripper units are centrally symmetrically distributed at the bottom of the gripper base to form a three-finger flexible gripper. The included angle between two adjacent gripper units is 120°.

[0021] Step S420: The above-mentioned combined cutting pattern is processed on three flexible fabric substrates using laser cutting technology;

[0022] Step S430: Select silicone rubber with a Shore hardness of 20A as a bidirectional stretchable flexible material, cut it into a shape that matches the flexible fabric matrix, and couple it using a hot pressing process: so that the silicone rubber and the flexible fabric matrix are tightly bonded to form an integrated flexible component; at the same time, a pneumatic interface is reserved in the center of the gripper base to realize the synchronous air supply of the three gripper units.

[0023] Step S440: Perform airtightness testing on the coupled three-finger flexible component, and then apply pneumatic pressure through the pneumatic interface to make the three gripper units bend and deform synchronously under the guidance and constraint of the cutting pattern, thus completing the transformation from a planar state to a preset three-dimensional gripping posture.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0025] 1. The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure and a pneumatic soft gripper. The soft gripper has a simple structure and features versatility, high efficiency and durability. It is capable of gripping extremely soft or fragile objects, such as eggs, tofu, pudding, flower petals, and even live silkworms.

[0026] 2. When faced with objects of complex shape, varying size, or irregular height, this gripper demonstrates excellent adaptability and stable gripping performance, significantly enhancing its application potential in unstructured environments. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a two-dimensional structural diagram of the deformable soft structure in the first embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a two-dimensional structural diagram of the deformable soft structure in the second embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a two-dimensional structural diagram of the deformable soft structure in the third embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a two-dimensional structural diagram of the deformable soft structure in the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the deformable soft structure in the first embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the deformable soft structure in the first embodiment of this application, showing its deformation state.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a front view of the three-finger pneumatic soft gripper of the fifth embodiment in this application;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the grasping action of the three-finger pneumatic soft gripper in the fifth embodiment of this application.

[0035] In the diagram: Flexible fabric substrate-1; Flexible layer-2; Cutting pattern-3; Inflatable tube-4; Grip base-5; Grip unit-6. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described objects changes.

[0038] Example 1

[0039] The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure, the method comprising the following steps:

[0040] Step S100: Provide a flexible fabric matrix 1 that is non-stretchable and responsive to pneumatic pressure;

[0041] Step S200: Process a cutting pattern 3 with preset geometric parameters on the flexible fabric substrate 1. The cutting pattern 3 forms a specific geometric guiding constraint through unit size, cutting spacing and corner angle.

[0042] Step S300: Provide a flexible layer 2 with bidirectional stretchability, and couple the flexible layer 2 to the flexible fabric matrix 1 using a hot pressing process to form a flexible component; with the help of the disorder deformation suppression capability of the flexible fabric matrix 1 and the free expansion characteristics of the flexible layer 2, the flexible component undergoes orderly deformation under the action of aerodynamic pressure in conjunction with the directional constraint of the cutting pattern 3, thereby accurately converting the flexible component from a planar state into a preset three-dimensional spatial configuration.

[0043] The flexible fabric substrate 1 mentioned in step S100 is made of any one of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film composite fabric, and phase change material.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 , Figures 5-6 As shown, in step S200, the cutting pattern 3 is set as a plurality of elongated strips perpendicular to the first extension direction of the non-stretchable flexible fabric substrate 1, so that the non-stretchable flexible fabric substrate 1 is transformed into a curved three-dimensional state under pneumatic pressure. This is achieved by reducing the spacing of the elongated patterns perpendicular to the first extension direction of the non-stretchable flexible fabric substrate 1. This can increase the curvature of the curved three-dimensional state of the non-stretchable flexible fabric substrate 1. This is achieved by increasing the length of the elongated pattern perpendicular to the first extension direction along the non-stretchable flexible fabric substrate 1. This can increase the curvature of the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix 1 in its curved three-dimensional state.

[0045] In step S300, the flexible layer 2 and the flexible fabric substrate 1 are connected by a hot-pressing process, which makes the connection between the flexible layer 2 and the flexible fabric substrate 1 more convenient. The flexible layer 2 with bidirectional stretchability can be any of silicone rubber, polyacrylamide, and phase change materials. The first extension direction of the bidirectional stretchable flexible layer 2 can be the length direction, and the second extension direction can be the width direction; when pneumatic pressure is applied to the flexible component along the first extension direction, it can be transformed from an initial two-dimensional planar state into a three-dimensional cylindrical shape with a certain curvature characteristic.

[0046] Example 2

[0047] A method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to the present invention, referring to Figure 2 As shown, in step S200, the cutting pattern 3 is set as several patterns that are at an angle to the length direction. The long strip shape is used to transform the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix 1 into a three-dimensional state with curvature torsion characteristics under pneumatic pressure.

[0048] Example 3

[0049] A method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to the present invention, referring to Figure 3 As shown, in step S200, the cutting pattern 3 is set to a serial pattern of vertical strips and inclined strips to achieve bending-torsion coupling deformation under aerodynamic pressure.

[0050] Example 4

[0051] A method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to the present invention, referring to Figure 4 As shown, in step S200, the cutting pattern 3 is set to a parallel pattern of vertical strips and inclined strips to achieve bending-torsional coupling deformation under aerodynamic pressure.

[0052] Example 5

[0053] Based on the above-described manufacturing method of the pneumatic soft structure, this embodiment uses a three-finger pneumatic soft gripper as a typical application scenario for detailed explanation. (Refer to...) Figures 7-8As shown, the three-finger pneumatic soft gripper adopts an integrated manufacturing concept. The three gripper units 6 are centrally symmetrically distributed at the bottom of the gripper base 5 to form a three-finger flexible gripper. The included angle between two adjacent gripper units 6 is 120°, which is suitable for the gripping posture of most conventional objects. At the same time, it has the core advantages mentioned above, such as flexible gripping, efficient operation and waterproof stability.

[0054] The manufacturing method of this three-finger pneumatic soft gripper includes the following steps:

[0055] Step S410: Provide a gripper base 5 and three integrated flexible fabric substrates 1. The material is thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film composite fabric to ensure that the whole has non-stretchability and pneumatic pressure response capability; the three flexible fabric substrates 1 are used as three flexible gripper units 6.

[0056] Step S420: The above-mentioned combined cutting pattern 3 is processed on the three flexible fabric substrates 1 using laser cutting technology;

[0057] Step S430: Select silicone rubber with a Shore hardness of 20A as the bidirectional stretchable flexible layer 2, cut it into a shape that matches the flexible fabric substrate 1, and couple it using a hot pressing process: so that the silicone rubber and the flexible fabric substrate 1 are tightly bonded to form an integrated flexible component; at the same time, an air inlet pipe 4 is reserved in the center of the gripper base as a pneumatic interface to realize the synchronous air supply of the three gripper units 6.

[0058] Step S440: Perform airtightness testing on the coupled three-finger flexible component, and then apply pneumatic pressure through the air inflator 4 to make the three gripper units 6 bend and deform synchronously under the guidance and constraint of the cutting pattern, thus completing the transformation from a planar state to a preset three-dimensional gripping posture.

[0059] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure, characterized in that, The manufacturing method includes the following steps: Step S100: Provide a flexible fabric matrix (1) that is non-stretchable and responsive to pneumatic pressure. Step S200: Process a cutting pattern (3) with preset geometric parameters on the flexible fabric substrate (1). The cutting pattern (3) forms a specific geometric guiding constraint through unit size, cutting spacing and corner angle. Step S300: Provide a flexible layer (2) with bidirectional stretchability, and couple the flexible layer (2) with the flexible fabric matrix (1) using a hot pressing process to form a flexible component; By utilizing the disorder deformation suppression capability of the flexible fabric matrix (1) and the free expansion characteristics of the flexible layer (2), the flexible component undergoes orderly deformation under the action of aerodynamic pressure in conjunction with the directional constraint of the cutting pattern (3), thereby accurately converting the flexible component from a planar state into a preset three-dimensional spatial configuration.

2. The manufacturing method of the pneumatic soft structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible fabric matrix (1) mentioned in step S100 is made of any one of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film composite fabric and phase change material.

3. The manufacturing method of the pneumatic soft structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step S200, the cutting pattern (3) is set as a plurality of strips perpendicular to the first extension direction of the non-stretchable flexible fabric substrate (1) so that the non-stretchable flexible fabric substrate (1) is converted into a curved three-dimensional state under pneumatic pressure.

4. The manufacturing method of the pneumatic soft structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible fabric matrix (1) is configured by reducing the spacing of the strip-shaped patterns perpendicular to its first extension direction. This can increase the curvature of the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix (1) in its curved three-dimensional state; By increasing the length of the strip pattern perpendicular to the first extension direction along the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix (1) This can increase the curvature of the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix (1) in its curved three-dimensional state.

5. The method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step S200, the cutting pattern (3) is set into several points that are at an angle to the length direction. The long strip shape is used to transform the non-stretchable flexible fabric matrix (1) into a three-dimensional state with curvature torsion characteristics under aerodynamic pressure.

6. The method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step S200, the cutting pattern (3) is set to a serial pattern of vertical strip and inclined strip to achieve bending-torsion coupling deformation under pneumatic pressure.

7. The method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step S200, the cutting pattern (3) is set to a parallel pattern of vertical strip and inclined strip to achieve bending-torsion coupling deformation under aerodynamic pressure.

8. The method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that: The flexible layer (2) with bidirectional stretchability is any one of silicone rubber, polyacrylamide and phase change material.

9. The method for manufacturing a pneumatic soft structure according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that: The first extension direction of the bidirectional stretchable flexible layer (2) can be the length direction, and the second extension direction can be the width direction. When aerodynamic pressure is applied to the flexible member along the first extension direction, it can be transformed from the initial two-dimensional planar state into a three-dimensional cylindrical shape with a certain curvature feature.

10. A three-finger pneumatic soft gripper, using the manufacturing method of the pneumatic soft structure described in claim 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S410: Provide a gripper base (5) and three integrated pneumatic soft structures. The flexible fabric matrix 1 of the pneumatic soft structure is made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer film composite fabric to ensure that the whole has non-stretchability and pneumatic pressure response capability. The three pneumatic soft structures are used as three flexible gripper units. The three gripper units (6) are centrally symmetrically distributed at the bottom of the gripper base (5) to form a three-finger flexible gripper. The included angle between two adjacent gripper units (6) is 120°. Step S420: The above-mentioned combined cutting pattern (3) is processed on the three pneumatic soft structures using laser cutting technology; Step S430: Select silicone rubber with a Shore hardness of 20A as the bidirectional stretchable flexible layer (2), cut it into a shape that matches the flexible fabric substrate (1), and couple it using a hot pressing process: make the silicone rubber and the flexible fabric substrate (1) fit tightly together to form an integrated flexible component; at the same time, reserve an air inlet pipe (4) in the center of the gripper base as a pneumatic interface to realize the synchronous air supply of the three gripper units (6); Step S440: Perform airtightness testing on the three coupled flexible pneumatic structures, and then apply pneumatic pressure through the pneumatic interface to make the three gripper units (6) bend and deform synchronously under the guidance and constraint of the cutting pattern, thus completing the transformation from the planar state to the preset three-dimensional gripping posture.

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