Soft Pneumatic Gripper Crease Structure for Controlled Bending
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional soft grippers face challenges in being easily bent in desired directions due to stress concentration from irregular deformation and insufficient design specifications, making them difficult to manufacture and control, especially when deformation restriction elements are added.
Innovation Solution
A soft pneumatic module design featuring a first and second frame with obliquely disposed crease parts that expand as fluid is injected, allowing for controlled bending deformation and connection of multiple modules in series with a coupling module to change bending directions, eliminating the need for separate deformation restriction elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a bellows structure or deformation restriction element is added to enable bending in desired directions, then the soft gripper can be bent in controlled directions, but the manufacturing difficulty increases and stress concentration occurs due to irregular deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The soft pneumatic module is divided into multiple chambers (first and second chambers) separated by a partition wall, with crease parts strategically positioned in each chamber. This segmentation allows independent control of bending in different directions through selective chamber inflation, eliminating the need for complex deformation restriction elements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The module uses dynamic pneumatic pressure control to achieve different bending directions and degrees. By adjusting the pressure in each chamber independently, the module can dynamically change its bending configuration without physical reconfiguration or additional restriction elements, simplifying both manufacturing and control
2Shape
If a bellows structure or deformation restriction element is added to enable bending in desired directions, then the soft gripper can be bent in controlled directions, but the control difficulty increases because expanding shape is not consistent
Solution Approach 1:
The module is segmented into multiple independently controllable chambers with crease parts positioned to guide deformation. This segmentation enables precise control of bending direction and degree by selectively pressurizing specific chambers, ensuring consistent and predictable expanding shapes without requiring complex control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The geometric configuration of crease parts and chambers provides inherent feedback control. As chambers inflate, the crease parts naturally guide the deformation along predetermined paths, ensuring consistent expanding shapes. The structure itself provides the control mechanism, eliminating the need for external deformation restriction elements that would complicate control
3Volume of moving object
If the soft gripper is made small in size, then it can be used for precise operations, but it is difficult to bend and deform effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The module uses curved crease parts and circular chamber configurations to maximize bending deformation within a compact volume. The curved geometry allows the small module to achieve large angular deflections by distributing deformation along curved paths, maintaining effective bending capability despite reduced size
Solution Approach 2:
The module achieves significant bending deformation in a compact form by utilizing three-dimensional chamber expansion. The crease parts are positioned and angled to convert internal pressure into rotational motion, effectively using the third dimension (radial expansion) to produce large bending angles in a small package
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 flexible and controlled bending deformation in desired directions with improved manufacturing ease and consistent expanding shapes, allowing for efficient use in automation operations like sorting and transfer without stress concentration issues.
Implementation Method 1
As a pneumatic pressure is supplied to a soft gripper, the soft gripper is bent to restrict a product
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of first crease parts disposed along a circumference of the first frame at two sides of the retainer and obliquely disposed inward from the first frame, and a plurality of second crease parts connected to the plurality of first crease parts and the second frame
Data Source
AI summary
A soft pneumatic module includes a first frame defining a first path portion, a second frame opposite to the first frame and defining a second path portion, a retainer connected to the first frame and the second frame, a plurality of first crease parts disposed along a circumference of the first frame at two sides of the retainer and obliquely disposed inward from the first frame, and a plurality of second crease parts connected to the plurality of first crease parts and the second frame, disposed along a circumference of the second frame at the two sides of the retainer, and expanded along with the plurality of first crease parts as a fluid is injected into the soft pneumatic module.