130 results about "Tensegrity" patented technology

Embodments of the invention relate to a prosthetic, orthotic, or robotic foot having at least two joints. One joint is located in a position analogous to the human MTP joint, and the other is located in a position analogous to the human subtalar joint. Motions of these two joints are mechanically couples. Furthermore, these joints are created using “tensegrity” design principals, where connections between the compression members are made by a network of tension members. These tension members create axes of motion, and limitations on those axes of motion. Actuators or linear elastic “springs” are use to alter the torque / angular deflection response curve of these joints, so that the rollover profile of the human foot can be duplicated by this invention.

Tensegrity units may be used to form a tensegrity structure. Each tensegrity unit may include n face tension members, n continuous tension members, and n compression members. A bracket for the tensegrity unit may allow for adjustment of position of portions of the tension members when the tensegrity unit is not in a deployed state. The tension members may be coupled to the tensegrity unit so that there are no loose tension member ends. The unit may be deployed from a collapsed state by positioning the compression members and tension members in a proper orientation and adjusting the length of at least one compression member. Adjusting the length of at least the one compression member may allow tension to be applied to each tension member. A tensegrity structure may be formed from tensegrity units by joining a number of tensegrity units together.

A spoked wheel is described that uses flexible spokes having a termination on each end that couple with a rim using nipples. The flexible spokes are supported mid-span by a hub flange cradle that transfers torque from the hub to the rim via two sub-spokes. The hub flange cradle determines whether a sub-spoke is tangential or radial. A plurality of spokes may be used on each side of the wheel. Spoke tensegrity couples the hub to the rim.

The invention discloses a tensegrity deployable antenna, which mainly solves the problems of large folding volume and low deployment reliability in the prior art. It consists of n quadrilateral plane expansion units connected to each other through Hooke hinge joints (3) to form a regular polygonal prism-shaped expansion structure; each quadrilateral plane expansion unit adopts a spring frame structure, and the center adopts four support rods (2) and rotating The pair (4) is a cross-shaped expansion structure formed by fixed connections. The two straight rods of the cross-expansion structure can rotate relatively around the central axis of the planar rotating pair; through the second spring (1-2) of each quadrilateral planar expansion unit and the tensile force of the fourth spring (1-4), causing the overall structure to expand from the collapsed state. The invention has the characteristics of high deployment reliability and small folded volume, is particularly suitable as a deployment structure of a large spaceborne antenna, and can be used in the aerospace field.

The invention provides a four-rod tensegrity robot. The four-rod tensegrity robot comprises a tensegrity structure and a motor control system and further comprises four rods, eight horizontal cables, four oblique cables, four diagonal cables and four stepping drive motors. The four rods are sequentially numbered according to the clockwise sequence, and the upper ends and the lower ends of the four rods are connected through the four horizontal cables; and the upper end of the first rod is connected with the lower end of the fourth rod through the first oblique cable, the upper end of the second rod is connected with the lower end of the first rod through the second oblique cable, the upper end of the third rod is connected with the lower end of the second rod through the third oblique cable, and the upper end of the fourth rod is connected with the lower end of the third rod through the fourth oblique cable. The motors are fixed to the rods through bearing seats. The four-rod tensegrity robot is simple in structure and easy to operate.

A cable-membrane tensegrity structure which is asymmetric, and construction method and design method thereof are provided. The cable-membrane tensegrity structure comprises a central opening and is formed by a ring cable (4) and three layers of radial cables comprising a suspension cable (1), a ridge cable (2) and a valley cable (3), wherein the suspension cable (1) is located above the ridge cable (2), the ridge cable (2) is located above the valley cable (3), wherein one end of each of the suspension cable (1), the ridge cable (2) and the valley cable (3) is connected to the ring cable (4), and the other end of each of the suspension cable (1), the ridge cable (2) and the valley cable (3) is connected to a peripheral supporting structure (7), wherein a coating membrane (5) is tensioned between the ridge cable (2) and the valley cable (3) that are adjacent to each other and function as a skeleton to tension the coating membrane (5). The method of constructing the cable-membrane tensegrity structure comprises steps of: lifting step by step the suspension cable (1), the ridge cable (2) and the valley cable (3) to positions adjacent to respective cable anchor nodes by a traction device, based on a shape of formed cable-membrane tensegrity structure; and tensioning and anchoring synchronously the suspension cable (1), the ridge cable (2) and the valley cable (3) in place by a tensioning device, so as to achieve a final shape of the cable-membrane tensegrity structure. A multi-stage design method, based on the bearing whole-process, of a cable-membrane tensegrity structure of an opening type is also provided.

The invention discloses a large scale semi-rigid structure airship, and relates to the technical field of floating air vehicles. The large scale semi-rigid structure airship includes a ship body, a vector side thrust, a vector tail thrust, an X-shaped inflatable tail fin, an air cushion and a pod, the ship body includes a pretension capsule and a tensegrity keel, the pretension capsule sleeves theouter surface of the tensegrity keel in a pretensioning mode, the vector side thrust is arranged on the lower-side part of the ship body, the vector tail thrust is arranged on the tail part of the ship body, the X-shaped inflatable tail fin is arranged on the tail part of the ship body in an X shape, the air cushion is arranged on the lower part of the ship body, and the pod is arranged on the lower part of the ship body. The airship adopts the structure of integrated and synergistic force bearing of an integral keel of a tension and compression self-balancing system and the pretension capsule, and has the characteristics of the integral conformity under the zero pressure of the capsule, the integral stiffness under the low pressure, high load bearing, flexible load arrangement and high-efficiency transfer.

The invention discloses a core-penetrating pull-type pedestal for a pre-tensioned pre-stressing U-shaped beam. A stretch-draw hydraulic device is arranged on the outside of a counter-force abutment, the position of an anchoring steel beam is fixed through a steel bar high-strength nut, simultaneously a sensor is installed on the anchoring steel beam and controlled by a controller. A method that signal tensioning, whole tensioning, secondary signal tensioning and charge holding stopping are sequentially carried out is used. The core-penetrating pull-type pedestal has the advantages that a lifting jack allows long operating stroke, the core-penetrating pull-type pedestal is applicable to construction of a long-line pedestal, in particular to a production line with big steel strand elongation value, and the core-penetrating pull-type pedestal brings convenience to repeated stroke tensioning of an inverse top. The core-penetrating pull-type pedestal is fixed on the counter-force abutment by tightly screwing the self-locking steel bar high-strength nut between the lifting jack and the counter-force abutment in a charge holding stage for fixing the position to unload the lifting jack. The core-penetrating pull-type pedestal is safe, high in efficiency and high in stress control accuracy, and effectively solves problems of low efficiency and high consumption of repeated tensioning due to the fact that a traditional process is used when a pre-stressed tendon elongation value is overlarge.

Exercise apparatuses that may be particularly useful or treating and strengthening connective tissue. For example, apparatuses that may have or be reconfigured to have multiple (e.g., three or more) configurations that are suspended from above by a ceiling or stand. The equipment facilitates the stabilization of the body according to the principle of tensegrity, so that the tension in all movements is omni-directionally coherent, thus creating omni-tensional integrity, which may be helpful in treatment and strengthening of muscular connective tissue (fasciae) in musculoskeletal dynamics, to restore, rebuild, strengthen and regain elasticity within the human fascial network. These apparatuses can support the user at an oblique body angle while the user performs various movements.

The invention aims at providing a tensegrity structure similar to a truncated tetrahedron. The shape of the tensegrity structure is obtained by cutting small regular tetrahedrons from four corners of a regular tetrahedron, wherein the edge length of the small regular tetrahedrons accounts for 1 / 3 of the existing edge length. The tensegrity structure is composed of 12 joints, 18 inhaul cables and 6 pressing rods. The 12 joints are located at vertexes of the truncated tetrahedron and distributed on a spherical face, namely, a circumscribed sphere of the truncated tetrahedron, wherein the radius of the circumscribed sphere is 1.1726 times of the cable length. The 18 inhaul cables are distributed on the edges of the truncated tetrahedron, and the 6 pressing rods are located in the truncated tetrahedron. Each joint is connected with the three corresponding inhaul cables and the corresponding pressing rod. All the inhaul cables are equal in length, and all the pressing rods are equal in length. All the joints are hinge points, all the inhaul cables have pretension force, and all the pressing rods have precompression force. The pretension force of the inhaul cables and the precompression force of the pressing rods are balanced. The tensegrity structure is larger in bearing capacity, can bear stuff in multiple directions and can achieve more functions.

The purpose of this invention, which is referred to as a vacuustat, is to generate buoyancy in the atmosphere by means of an evacuated or partially evacuated container, rather than by using a lighter-than-air lifting gas such as hydrogen or helium. This particular vacuustat design comprises a flexible airtight membrane supported by a fractal tensegrity internal structure consisting of a relatively small mass of compressive members forced into higher-order buckling modes through use of tension members. The advantages of such a design over conventional aerostats include superior buoyancy control for ascent and descent, greatly increased flight endurance, and cost-effectiveness in operation. This particular vacuustat design has a much greater lifting efficiency than previous designs, and should also be easier and more cost-effective to manufacture.

The invention discloses a compression bar contact type tensegrity structure and an integration and tension exertion method, and relates to the technical field of engineering structure. The compressionbar contact type tensegrity structure comprises stiffening ring triangular trusses, core shaft triangular trusses and longitudinal pulling rods. The stiffening ring triangular trusses are pressed inan isolation mode; the core shaft triangular trusses bear pressure in a contact mode; and the longitudinal pulling rods are constantly pulled, and a plurality of paralleled outer rings of the stiffening ring triangular trusses in the heat-to-tail sequence and are closed to tails. The compression bar contact type tensegrity structure is a self-balance and self-bearing structure, segmented assemblage is adopted, the compression bar contact type tensegrity structure symmetrically extends, modules are integrated in an assembly mode, the longitudinal pulling rods are enabled to exert uniform tension through the graded and symmetric synchronized push of ends of the core shaft triangular trusses. The compression bar contact type tensegrity structure and the integration and tension exertion methodhave the characteristics of light weight, high stiffness, high geometric stability, and high practicability; the installation integration method is simple, convenient and safe, and has a high expandability; and the tension exertion method is effective, the tension exertion equipment is less, control is easy, the tension is uniform and precise, and the structural joint is simple and neat.

A tensegrity structure with one or more tensegrity units formed by a membrane in combination with three or more elongate compression members obliquely disposed in a spiral relationship in compression within the membrane. The ends of the compression members within each tensegrity unit and in adjacent tensegrity units are spaced from one another, and the compression members of adjacent tensegrity units overlap along a longitudinal dimension. The membrane forms anticlastic curves and has variable double curvature between ends of compression members. Multiple tensegrity units can form a column, which can be tapered, curved, or otherwise constructed.

A method of carrying out an opening wedge osteotomy, the method including forming a cut in the bone, locating inserts in guide holes formed in the cut, and applying a closing force to either side of the cut using a screw, plate or tension bands extending across the opening of the cut, to ensure compressive and tensile forces are developed across the cut.

A marine structure like a fish cage (0) for aquaculture, with a net (90) spanned by a tensegrity structure, i.e. a structure comprising compressive elements (1), and tension elements (2).

The invention aims to provide a quasi-cuboctahedron tensegrity structure. The shape of the quasi-cuboctahedron tensegrity structure is obtained by connecting midpoints of every two adjacent edges and removing eight corners on the basis of a cube. The quasi-cuboctahedron tensegrity structure is formed by twelve nodes, twenty-four pulling cables and twelve pressing rods, wherein the twelve nodes are respectively positioned on vertexes of a cuboctahedron and are distributed on one spherical surface, i.e., a circumscribed sphere of the cuboctahedron; the radius of the circumscribed sphere is equal to the length of each pulling cable, namely, the side length; four equilateral triangles are formed by distributing the twenty-four pulling cables on edges of the cuboctahedron and the twelve pressing rods in the cuboctahedron and are nested to one another. The quasi-cuboctahedron tensegrity structure provided by the invention has the characteristics of a regular tetrahedron and a regular hexahedron and is symmetrical and attractive in structure; compared with a first-order tensegrity structure, rods of a second-order tensegrity structure are in contact with each other, the rigidity is larger, and the requirement on larger rigidity can be met; compared with the first-order tensegrity structure, the bearing capacity is also larger.

An exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a user includes a plurality of interconnected support elements constituted by rigid compression members interconnected through a tensegrity joint. The joint includes a tensile member having a first end and a second end coupled to first and second ones of the support elements respectively.

The invention discloses a dynamic response analyzing method of an aggregation type tensegrity structure based on a sliding rope unit of a multi-body system. The method comprises the following steps that firstly, a traditional tensegrity structure system is transformed into the multi-body system; secondly, based on a traditional rope unit of the multi-body system, the sliding rope unit of the multi-body system is built; thirdly, a multi-body dynamical system equivalence model of the aggregation type tensegrity structure is built by using the sliding rope unit in the second step; fourthly, a differential algebra equation set of multi-body dynamics is solved so as to get the dynamic response of the aggregation type tensegrity structure. In the dynamic response analyzing method, a new strategyof statics and dynamics analysis of the aggregation type tensegrity structure is provided. Compared with an existing non-linear finite element method, the multi-body dynamics modeling analysis is adopted, the modeling process is simple and universal, the operation is simple, and the modeling process is more suitable for the objective physical motion properties of the tensegrity structure system.

The present invention provides a Monte Carlo method based tensegrity structure form-finding method, and belongs to the field of tensegrity structure statics analysis. Aiming at the problems of lack of corresponding programs, a relatively low calculation speed, and lack of definitions for basic concepts and a processing method for particular cases, the steps adopted by the method of the present invention are as follows: step 1. setting an initial condition; step 2. randomly generating an initial configuration; step 3. randomly generating a new configuration and determining whether to accept the new configuration; step 4. checking whether a system is balanced; and step 5. obtaining a form-finding result. According to the Monte Carlo method based tensegrity structure form-finding method provided by the present invention, the particular case and technical problem in form-finding calculation of a tensegrity structure are solved, so that a speed of form-finding calculation is quickened; and a form-finding calculation process of the tensegrity structure by a Monte Carlo method is implemented by using MATLAB programming, so that a self-balanced configuration can be obtained rapidly and accurately, and the effects are significant.

The invention relates to a modularized robot based on a tensioned integral structure. The modularized robot is characterized in that six pressing rods are arranged and are divided into three groups, the two pressing rods in each group are parallel to each other, the plane where the axial center line of the two pressing rods in each of the three groups is located is perpendicular to the plane wherethe axial center line of the two pressing rods of each of the other two groups is located, each pressing rod is divided into two sections with the same structures, a support is arranged between the every two sections, two rotating motors for correspondingly controlling the two sections of each pressing rod to stretch and retract are mounted in the corresponding support, output shafts of the rotating motors are connected with ball screws, lead screw nuts are in threaded connection with the ball screws to form spiral pairs, one ends of extension rods are connected with the lead screw nuts, theother ends of the extension rods are connected with rubber end covers, and the other end of the extension rod of any pressing rod of each group is connected with the other ends of the extension rods in the other two groups through four elastic inhaul cables. According to the modularized robot, the service life of the robot can be prolonged, the two sections of each pressing rod can stretch out anddraw back, and the movement stability of the modularized robot can be improved when rolling is carried out; and the robot can be used in a complex environment in the ground, and particularly relatesto the fields of field rescue, planet detection and the like.

Employing the known “tensegrity” principle, a female condom is configured such that when the condom is inserted into a woman's vagina, the woman's introitus acts on a proximal section of an elongated pouch extending between internal and external biasing members (e.g., rings) of the condom. Inward compressive forces exerted by the introitus on the inner ring of the condom cause the inner ring to be pushed distally within the vaginal canal, and the proximal pouch section to become a tension member pulling against the external ring. This causes a “tenting” of the proximal pouch section against the introitus. The resulting interaction of compression and tensile forces (a tensegrity effect) serves to provide the condom with a high degree of internal and external stability, including resistance to twisting and slippage.

The invention discloses a tensegrity structure unit based on hexahedron geometry. The unit is composed of 8 hinging joints, 4 pressure bars and 12 stay cables. The 8 hinging joints are respectively located at the 8 vertexes of a hexahedron. The 4 pressure bars are disposed inside the hexahedron and coincide with the 4 body diagonals of the hexahedron. The two ends of each of the 12 stay cables are respectively connected to the two opposite vertexes on the quadrangle of each face of the hexahedron. Each hinging point is connected to one pressure bar and three stay cables. The stay cables have pretension forces, the pressure bars have precompression forces, and the structure unit is a stable self-balancing cable-bar system, has relatively high structural rigidity, and has a good application prospect in establishing large prestressed cable-bar structural systems.

The invention discloses a bionic four-foot robot hind limb with a tensegrity structure. The hind limb comprises a knee joint, an ankle joint, a first leg component, a second leg component, a third leg component and the like. A first inhaul cable, a second inhaul cable, a first torsion spring, a second torsion spring, a third inhaul cable and a fourth inhaul cable form a tensioned part of the tensegrity structure of the robot hind limb together, and the tension part and stressed parts including the first leg component, the second leg component, the third leg component and the like complete movement of the robot hind limb together. The third inhaul cable and the fourth inhaul cable are matched with the first inhaul cable, the second inhaul cable, the first torsion spring and the second torsion spring to achieve movement of the knee joint and the ankle joint, and abrasion and impact between the first leg component and the second leg component and between the second leg component and the third leg component are avoided. Meanwhile, shearing stress concentrated distribution of the leg components of the robot hind limb in the earth contacting impact process is effectively avoided due to the third inhaul cable and the fourth inhaul cable, and accordingly the leg components of the robot hind limb are protected against shear failure.

A compressed fluid energy storage system includes a submersible fluid containment subsystem charged with a compressed working fluid and submerged and ballasted in a body of water, with the fluid containment subsystem having a substantially flat portion closing a domed portion. The system also includes a compressor and an expander disposed to compress and expand the working fluid. The fluid containment subsystem is at least in part flexible, and includes an upper portion for storing compressed energy fluid and a lower portion for ballast material. The lower portion may be tapered proximate the flat portion to prevent it from being collapsed by ballast materials. The region between the fluid and the ballast has exchange ports to communicate water between the inside and outside of the containment subsystem. In other embodiments, an open-bottomed fluid containment system is held in position underneath a ballast system by a tensegrity structure.

The invention discloses a 30-rod spherical tension whole movable structure. A main structure is an outer frame in a tensegrity manner, and composed of 30 pressing rods, 90 inhaul cables and 60 hinge joints, each joint is connected with three inhaul cables and one pressing rod, each joint is equivalent, the structure has the good spatial symmetry, after the main structure exerts prestress, self balance can be achieved, stress can be kept free of losing without external force effect, a similarly-spherical polyhedron space is supported, according to the 30-rod spherical tension whole movable structure, through adjusting the length of a pulling and pressing part of the main structure, the opposite position of the ground projection of the whole center mass of the structure and the bottom contact ground can be changed, and the advancing motion of the structure is achieved.

The invention is concerned with the produce technology of bridge type of crane main girder. Seal the box of tensegrity ware and the added transition box of tensegrity ware into a whole and seal at one end of cover board under the main girder, and seal the branch seat of rope connecting ream and the added transition box to branch seat of connecting ream into a whole and seal at the other end of cover board under the main girder. Mould the end of rope into the cone-shaped lumen with Sn-based babbit alloy. This technology is fit for producing the bridge type of crane main girder when the loading-capacity is less than 100 tons. The main girder is always in the range of national technology standard and increases the shear surface to enhance the intensity, static rigidity and loading-capacity. It saves steels and reduces the cost about 20 percent and extends the work time at the same time.

The invention concerns a method for assembling a set of foldable / unfoldable tensegrity modules, each comprising a plurality of bars (10), a plurality of nodes (40) allowing the articulation of the bars (10), the method being characterised in that it comprises: juxtaposing the modules such that two adjacent modules comprise nodes positioned one over the other in a vertical plane; linking said nodes of the two adjacent modules by means of a tension cable and support beam link; positioning cover elements extending between successive modules.

The invention provides a frequency-adjustable tensegrity vibration isolator, and belongs to the technical field of vibration control. The vibrator is formed by connecting multiple X-shaped tensegritystructures in different pre-stretched state in series. Each X-shaped tensegrity structure is formed by two beams, two springs and two rods, wherein the beams and the springs are alternately connectedin the horizontal direction and the vertical direction respectively to form a rectangular frame, and the rods are arranged in the diagonal direction of the rectangular frame. The springs and the rodsare connected with the upper beams and the lower beams through spherical hinges. The different X-shaped tensegrity structures are connected in series through the upper beams and the lower beams. According to the vibration isolator, the number and pre-stretched state of the X-shaped tensegrity structures can be set according to actual needs, different stretching force functions are exerted to turnon and off a vibration isolating function, and the vibration isolating frequency range is adjusted when the vibration isolating function is turned on. The frequency-adjustable tensegrity vibration isolator is simple and reasonable in structure, and the special mechanical property of the tensegrity structures is utilized for achieving turning on of the vibration isolating function and frequency adjustment.

The invention aims to provide a quasi-regular ten-angular prism tensegrity deployable mechanism. The quasi-regular ten-angular prism tensegrity deployable mechanism is formed by twenty nodes, two pulling cables, ten springs and ten pressing rods, wherein the two pulling cables are respectively positioned on twenty vertexes of a similar-regular ten-angular prism of which the bottom surface and the top surface are oppositely twisted by 30 degrees; each pulling cable penetrates through a sleeve ring arranged at the section part of a surface where each pulling cable is located; the ten springs are coincided with ten vertical edges of a twisted regular six-prism frustum; the ten pressing rods are positioned in the similar ten-angular prism; each pressing rod is respectively connected with one bottom surface node and a top surface node; each node is connected with one pulling cable, one spring and one pressing rod; the pulling cables and the springs have pre-tension forces; the pressing rods have pre-compression forces; the pre-tension forces of the pulling cables and the springs and the pre-compression forces of the pressing rods are in mutual balance. According to the quasi-regular ten-angular prism tensegrity deployable mechanism disclosed by the invention, the problems of the prior art that the folding volume is large and the unfolding reliability is low can be solved; the quasi-regular ten-angular prism tensegrity deployable mechanism is large in deployable space, light in weight and small in folding volume.