Tendon-Driven Bionic Animal Neck for Balanced Water Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bionic waterfowl neck joint mechanisms using multiple motors result in large gaps, limited rotation angles, and weight imbalances leading to potential overturning and motor damage due to water exposure.
Innovation Solution
A bionic animal design utilizing joint reels, driving wires, and mechanisms to rotate joints, with motors housed in a waterproof body to stabilize the center of gravity and enable flexible neck movements, combined with a propeller and distance sensors for obstacle detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple motors are used to control each joint, then the joint control capability is improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical motor system with a tendon-driven mechanism. Instead of using multiple motors directly at each joint, the invention uses a central driving mechanism that transmits force through flexible driving wires (tendons) to control multiple joints. This substitution reduces the number of motors from multiple to a single central motor, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining joint control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single central driving mechanism serves multiple functions by controlling multiple joints through the tendon-driven system. The driving wires are differentially routed to enable control of different joints, allowing one motor to perform the work of multiple motors while maintaining independent control of each joint.
2Ease of operation
If multiple motors are distributed at different joints, then the joint control is improved, but the weight distribution becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing distributed motors with a centralized driving mechanism and tendon-driven system, the patent consolidates the weight of the actuation system into a single location (the body). This centralization prevents weight distribution imbalances that would occur with multiple motors at different joints, while still enabling effective joint control through the tendon mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If motors are exposed during neck movements, then the joint flexibility is improved, but the reliability decreases due to water exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The tendon-driven mechanism allows the motors to be housed protected within the body while still achieving full neck flexibility. The flexible wires transmit force from the protected motor location to the joints, eliminating the need to expose motors during neck movements. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability through motor protection while preserving adaptability through the flexible wire transmission system.
4Ease of manufacture
If the distance between joints is increased to accommodate motors, then the motor installation is improved, but the structural compactness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By substituting the motor-at-joint configuration with a centralized motor and tendon-driven system, the patent eliminates the need for large gaps between joints. The flexible driving wires can transmit force through small distances, allowing joints to be positioned closely together while still accommodating motor installation in a centralized, protected location.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables stable, flexible neck movements and water navigation without overturning, while protecting motors from moisture, maintaining balance and allowing obstacle avoidance.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of joint driving mechanisms drive the plurality of joint reels to rotate, the plurality of joint reels pull the plurality of joint driving wires
Implementation Method 2
When the propeller rotates in water, water flows into or out of the buttock through the at least one slot
Data Source
AI summary
ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE A bionic animal includes a body, a head, a neck, a plurality of joint reels, a plurality of joint driving wires and a plurality of joint driving mechanisms. The neck includes a base, a plurality of first joints and a second joint. The base is disposed on the body. The first joints are pivotally connected to each other. The second joint is fixed to the head. The joint reels are disposed on the body. The joint driving wires are wound around the joint reels and connected to the first joints and the second joint. The joint driving mechanisms are disposed in the body and connected to the joint reels. The joint driving mechanisms drive the joint reels to rotate, the joint reels pull the joint driving wires, and the joint driving wires drive the first joints and the second joint to rotate.