HASEL Actuator Conveyor Control for Granular Roller Speed
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems face inefficiencies due to high operating costs and maintenance issues with pneumatic actuators, and high upfront costs with motor-driven systems, lacking granular control and flexibility in managing conveyor zones and object movement.
Innovation Solution
The use of Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing Electrostatic (HASEL) actuators, which provide electrical control, eliminate the need for external pressurized air, offer analog force or displacement control, and provide feedback for precise control of conveyor systems and object movement by selectively adjusting the rotational speed of rollers and positioning of objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pneumatic actuators are used to control conveyor systems, then ease of operation is improved, but operating costs increase and reliability deteriorates due to maintenance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pneumatic actuators (mechanical system using compressed air) with HASEL actuators that use electrostatic forces and hydraulic amplification. This substitution eliminates the need for compressed air infrastructure, reducing operating costs and maintenance while improving reliability through a sealed, self-contained design with no moving parts to wear or leak.
Solution Approach 2:
The HASEL actuator uses hydraulic amplification internally - a dielectric fluid within the compliant capsule amplifies the electrostatic force generated by the electrodes. This internal hydraulic mechanism provides the necessary force output without requiring external pneumatic systems, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
2Power
If motor-driven systems are used to control conveyor systems, then power is improved, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates due to lack of granular control
Solution Approach 1:
The HASEL actuator provides dynamic, analog control of force output by varying the voltage applied to the electrodes. This continuous range of control enables granular adjustment of conveyor zone speeds and object manipulation, eliminating the complexity of motor control systems while maintaining ease of operation through simple voltage modulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator changes its output force by changing the electrical parameter (voltage) applied to the electrodes. This parameter change directly controls the electrostatic force and subsequently the hydraulic amplification, providing precise, granular control without complex mechanical or electrical control systems.
3Device complexity
If traditional actuators are used in conveyor systems, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates due to lack of flexibility in managing conveyor zones and object movement
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is divided into multiple independently controlled zones, each equipped with HASEL actuators. This segmentation allows different sections of the conveyor to be controlled independently, enabling flexible management of object flow, speed variation, and zone isolation while maintaining relatively simple individual actuator designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The HASEL actuator serves multiple functions: it can push objects, control roller speed, position items, and manipulate objects in various orientations. This multi-functionality provides high adaptability across different conveyor applications without requiring complex specialized mechanisms for each function.
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
HASEL actuators reduce operating costs, enhance maintenance efficiency, and offer granular control over conveyor systems, enabling flexible and precise management of conveyor zones and object movement without the need for compressed air, improving system reliability and control.
Implementation Method 1
When a voltage is applied to a first electrode, an electrostatic attraction draws a dielectric fluid toward the first electrode
Implementation Method 2
the incompressibility of the dielectric fluid acts to amplify the force produced by the electrostatic attraction
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes new systems and methods for influencing the rotational speed of a roller or other conveying systems and for controlling the speed, orientation or position of objects on a conveyor through the use of hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators. HASEL actuators for such systems provide distinct benefits over traditional braking systems including: electrical control, eliminated need for an external source of pressurized air or fluid to allow use in certain environments, analog control of force or displacement in order to provide variable control of speed of objects on the conveyor system, and feedback to infer information about the state of the actuators as well as the state of objects being conveyed and/or state of the conveyor rollers.