A pneumatic soft robot air path control system

Abstract

This utility model relates to an air circuit control system for a pneumatic soft robot, comprising an air pump, a first three-way valve, and a second three-way valve. The first air port of the first three-way valve is connected to the atmosphere. The second and third air ports of the first three-way valve are respectively connected to the air inlet and outlet of the air pump. The fourth air port of the second three-way valve is connected to the pneumatic soft robot. The fifth and sixth air ports of the second three-way valve are respectively connected to the air inlet and outlet of the air pump. This utility model's air circuit control system can save one air pump, and each drive unit only requires one valve, simplifying the structure and saving costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of soft robot technology, specifically to an air circuit control system for a pneumatic soft robot. Background Technology

[0002] Stroke is a serious disease that threatens human life. Even after surviving the initial death, many patients experience symptoms such as hemiplegia, severely impacting their quality of life. Therefore, rehabilitation training for hemiplegic patients is particularly important. Currently, the most common technology involves using robots to move the patient's body. Rehabilitation robots are categorized by their materials into rigid robots and soft robots, and by their actuation methods into pneumatic and mechanical drives. Among these, pneumatic soft robots are gaining increasing popularity due to their portability and conformability.

[0003] Pneumatic soft robots achieve forward and reverse rotation by inflating or deflating their internal components. However, modern pneumatic soft robots typically have two air pumps: an inflation pump and a deflating pump. Each air chamber requiring bending has two valves: one connecting the inflation pump to the air chamber, and the other connecting the deflating pump to the air chamber. The inflation and deflating of the air chambers are controlled by opening and closing these two valves. Figure 1 As shown, the pneumatic soft robot used for hand rehabilitation contains five finger actuators, each with two valves. Therefore, the hand rehabilitation robot requires 10 valves, one air pump, and one air pump, making its structure complex and costly.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need in this field for a pneumatic control system that is simple in structure and low in cost. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the defects of the existing technology and provide a pneumatic control system for a pneumatic soft robot.

[0006] To achieve the purpose of this utility model, this application provides the following technical solution.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides an air circuit control system for a pneumatic soft robot. The air circuit control system includes an air pump, a first three-way valve, and a second three-way valve. The first vent of the first three-way valve is connected to the atmosphere. The second and third vents of the first three-way valve are respectively connected to the air pump's inlet and outlet. The fourth vent of the second three-way valve is connected to the pneumatic soft robot. The fifth and sixth vents of the second three-way valve are respectively connected to the air pump's inlet and outlet. In this application, by switching the inlet and outlet of the first and second three-way valves, only one air pump is needed to switch between positive and negative pressure. Each drive unit only requires one valve, thus saving one air pump and multiple valves, simplifying the structure, and reducing costs.

[0008] In one embodiment of the first aspect, the first vent and the fourth vent are normally open, at most one of the second vent and the third vent is in a connected state, and at most one of the fifth vent and the sixth vent is in a connected state.

[0009] In one embodiment of the first aspect, the pneumatic soft robot is provided with a common air passage, the fourth air vent is connected to the common air passage, the drive unit of the soft robot is connected to the common air passage, and a valve is provided on the connecting pipeline.

[0010] In one embodiment of the first aspect, the valve is a pressure regulating valve. The pressure regulating valve is provided primarily because each drive unit requires different air pressures, and even the same drive unit may require different air pressures at different stages of rehabilitation training. However, since the air pressure in the common airway is constant, it is necessary to adjust the air pressure inside the drive unit through the pressure regulating valve to adapt to different rehabilitation training needs.

[0011] In one embodiment of the first aspect, each drive unit includes a cavity, the cavity having an internal air chamber, and a frame located on the surface or within the cavity, the frame being situated outside the air chamber. A limiting layer is provided on one side of the cavity, the air chamber being connected to a common air passage, and a valve is provided on the connecting pipe. The frame can be made of materials such as aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or engineering plastics; the limiting layer is designed to restrict the expansion and contraction of the cavity, therefore a non-expandable material such as engineering plastics can be used; the cavity is made of a flexible material.

[0012] There are many types of pneumatic soft robots on the market, and this application focuses on selecting a preferred solution. When gas is introduced into the air chamber, creating positive pressure, the entire chamber expands outward. However, due to the presence of the skeleton, the chamber cannot expand radially, but can only elongate axially. Because a limiting layer is located on one side of the chamber, the portion of the chamber fixed to the limiting layer cannot elongate. This results in a situation where only part of the chamber can elongate (the portion not fixed to the limiting layer), while the portion cannot (the portion fixed to the limiting layer), causing the chamber to bend. When the gas is removed from the air chamber, creating negative pressure, the entire chamber contracts inward. However, due to the presence of the skeleton, the chamber cannot contract radially, but can only shorten axially. Again, because a limiting layer is located on one side of the chamber, the portion of the chamber fixed to the limiting layer cannot shorten. This results in only part of the chamber can shorten (the portion not fixed to the limiting layer), while the portion cannot (the portion fixed to the limiting layer), causing the chamber to bend, and the bending direction is opposite to the bending direction under positive pressure.

[0013] In one embodiment of the first aspect, the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve are electromagnetic three-way valves, and both operate simultaneously.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: The pneumatic control system of this application can save one air pump, and each drive unit only needs one valve, which simplifies the structure and saves costs. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the existing gas circuit control system connection.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the gas circuit control system connection of this application.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rehabilitation glove in Example 1.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional diagram of each finger.

[0019] In the attached diagram, 1 is an air pump, 2 is a first three-way valve, 3 is a second three-way valve, 4 is a common air passage, 5 is a valve, 6 is a drive unit, 7 is a cavity, 8 is an air chamber, 9 is a frame, 10 is a confinement layer, a is a first air inlet, b is a second air inlet, c is a third air inlet, m is an air outlet, n is an air inlet, x is a fourth air inlet, y is a fifth air inlet, and z is a sixth air inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this specification and claims shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. All values ​​listed herein, ranging from the minimum to the maximum, refer to all values ​​obtained by incrementing the minimum and maximum values ​​by one unit when the difference between the minimum and maximum values ​​is more than two units.

[0021] The following describes specific embodiments of this utility model. It should be noted that, in order to provide a concise description, this specification cannot provide a detailed description of all features of the actual embodiments. Without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model, those skilled in the art can modify and substitute the embodiments of this utility model, and the resulting embodiments are also within the protection scope of this utility model. Example

[0022] The embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below. These embodiments are implemented based on the technical solution of this utility model and provide detailed implementation methods and specific operation processes. However, the protection scope of this utility model is not limited to the following embodiments. Example

[0023] A pneumatic control system, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, it includes an air pump 1 and two three-way valves, namely a first three-way valve 2 and a second three-way valve 3. The first air port a of the first three-way valve 2 is connected to the atmosphere. The second air port b and the third air port c of the first three-way valve 2 are connected to the air outlet m and the air inlet n of the air pump 1, respectively. The fourth air port x of the second three-way valve 3 is connected to the common air passage 4 of the pneumatic soft robot. The fifth air port y and the sixth air port z of the second three-way valve 3 are connected to the air outlet m and the air inlet n of the air pump 1, respectively.

[0024] The pneumatic soft robot in this embodiment is a rehabilitation glove. This rehabilitation glove includes five drive units 6, each drive unit 6 including a cavity 7. The cavity 7 is hollow, forming an air chamber 8. The air chamber 8 is connected to a common airway 4, and a valve 5, which is a pressure regulating valve, is connected to the connecting pipe. A skeleton 9 is provided axially inside the cavity 7, and a restraining layer 10 is provided on one side of the bottom of the cavity 7. Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown.

[0025] The working principle of this gas circuit control system is as follows: Open the first vent a and the third vent c of the first three-way valve 2, close the second vent b, and simultaneously open the fourth vent x and the fifth vent y of the second three-way valve 3, close the sixth vent z, and turn on the air pump 1. At this time, air passes sequentially through the first vent a, the third vent c, the inlet n, the air pump 1, the outlet m, the fifth vent y, and the sixth vent z, finally entering the common air passage 4. Then open the valve 5 and adjust the pressure entering the air chamber 8. When gas is introduced into the air chamber 8, creating positive pressure, the entire chamber 7 will expand outward. However, due to the presence of the frame 9, the chamber 7 cannot expand radially, but can only extend axially. However, because there is a limiting layer 10 on one side of the chamber 7, the part of the chamber 7 fixed to the limiting layer 10 cannot extend. This results in part of the chamber 7 being able to extend (the part of the chamber 7 not fixed to the limiting layer 10) and part not being able to extend (the part of the chamber 7 fixed to the limiting layer 10), causing the chamber 7 to bend.

[0026] Open the first vent a and the second vent b of the first three-way valve 2, close the third vent c, and simultaneously open the fourth vent x and the sixth vent z of the second three-way valve 3, close the fifth vent y, and turn on the air pump 1. At this time, air passes sequentially through the air chamber 8, the common air passage 4, the sixth vent z, the fourth vent x, the air inlet n, the air pump 1, the air outlet m, the second vent b, and the first vent a, thus drawing the gas out of the air chamber 8 and creating a negative pressure. At this time, the entire cavity 7 will contract inward, but due to the presence of the frame 9, the cavity 7 cannot contract radially, but can only shorten axially. However, since there is a limiting layer 10 on one side of the cavity 7, the cavity 7 fixed to the limiting layer 10 cannot shorten. This results in part of the cavity 7 being able to shorten (the cavity 7 not fixed to the limiting layer 10), and part not being able to shorten (the cavity 7 fixed to the limiting layer 10). The cavity 7 will then bend, and the bending direction is opposite to the bending direction under positive pressure.

[0027] The above description of the embodiments is intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand and apply this application. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be easily made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without creative effort. Therefore, this application is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of this application without departing from the scope and spirit of this application are within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A pneumatic circuit control system of a pneumatic soft robot, characterized by, The pneumatic control system includes an air pump, a first three-way valve, and a second three-way valve. The first vent of the first three-way valve is connected to the atmosphere. The second and third vents of the first three-way valve are connected to the air inlet and outlet of the air pump, respectively. The fourth vent of the second three-way valve is connected to a pneumatic soft robot. The fifth and sixth vents of the second three-way valve are connected to the air inlet and outlet of the air pump, respectively.

2. The pneumatic soft robot of claim 1, wherein, The first and fourth vents are normally open, and at most one of the second and third vents is in a connected state, and at most one of the fifth and sixth vents is in a connected state.

3. The pneumatic soft robot of claim 1, wherein, The pneumatic soft robot is equipped with a common air passage, the fourth air vent is connected to the common air passage, the drive unit of the soft robot is connected to the common air passage, and a valve is installed on the connecting pipeline.

4. The pneumatic soft robot of claim 3, wherein, The valve is a pressure regulating valve.

5. The pneumatic soft robot of claim 3, wherein, Each of the drive units includes a cavity, the interior of which is provided with an air chamber, and a skeleton is provided on the surface of the cavity or in the cavity. The skeleton is located outside the air chamber, and a limiting layer is provided on one side of the cavity. The air chamber is connected to a common airway.

6. The pneumatic soft robot of claim 1, wherein, Both the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve are electromagnetic three-way valves, and both operate simultaneously.

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