Soft Inflatable Robotic Gripper for Low Magnetic Signature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic grippers, primarily made of metallic materials, offer high grip strength but lack compliance and versatility, limiting their ability to pick up objects outside their designed specifications. Additionally, their metallic composition results in a high magnetic signature, making them unsuitable for applications like explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) that require a low footprint and minimal magnetic interference.
Innovation Solution
A soft end effector apparatus with sets of soft actuator designs for wrist and finger assemblies, which provide improved compliance and versatility while reducing size, weight, and magnetic signature. The configuration includes a base, wrist assemblies, and finger assemblies, with each finger assembly featuring a fabric sleeve and a bladder that inflates and deflates to control movement and gripping force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional metallic robotic grippers are used, then high grip strength is achieved, but compliance and versatility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and material properties of the gripper components from rigid metallic materials to soft inflatable materials. By varying the inflation pressure parameter, the gripper can dynamically adjust its compliance and grip strength, enabling it to handle objects with different weights, shapes, and fragility levels while maintaining versatility across multiple object types
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining soft inflatable elements with reinforcing structures. The inflatable fingers are made from flexible materials that can be inflated to desired firmness, creating a composite structure that provides both the compliance needed for versatility and the structural integrity required for effective gripping across various object types
2Strength
If conventional metallic robotic grippers are used, then high grip strength is achieved, but magnetic signature increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the metallic mechanical components of conventional grippers with soft inflatable materials and non-magnetic actuation systems. This substitution eliminates ferromagnetic materials from the gripper structure, thereby reducing or eliminating the magnetic signature that would interfere with sensitive operations such as explosive ordnance disposal, while maintaining grip strength through pneumatic pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic actuation using inflatable elements filled with gas or fluid. This pneumatic system replaces metallic actuators and provides grip strength through internal pressure without requiring magnetic materials, thus eliminating the harmful magnetic signature associated with conventional metallic robotic grippers
3Strength
If conventional metallic robotic grippers are used, then high grip strength is achieved, but size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes flexible shell structures for the gripper fingers, replacing heavy metallic components with thin-walled inflatable elements. These flexible shells provide the necessary structural framework while being significantly lighter than their metallic counterparts, reducing the overall weight of the moving gripper assembly while maintaining adequate strength through inflation pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic actuation with inflatable elements that generate gripping force through internal pressure rather than heavy metallic actuators. This approach achieves the required grip strength using pressurized gas or fluid in lightweight flexible chambers, dramatically reducing the weight of the gripper while maintaining effective gripping capability
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
The soft end effector apparatus achieves a balance of strength and maneuverability, enabling effective gripping of various objects and orientations while maintaining a low magnetic signature and high stowability, making it suitable for dynamic and variable environments such as EOD applications.
Implementation Method 1
controlling delivery of pressurized fluid to the set of finger assemblies and the set of wrist assemblies
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic system which includes a fluid controller, an arm portion, and a soft end effector apparatus coupled with the fluid controller and the arm portion. The soft end effector apparatus includes a base constructed and arranged to mount to the arm portion, a set of wrist assemblies coupled with the base, and a set of finger assemblies coupled with the set of wrist assemblies. Each wrist assembly of the set of wrist assemblies (i) couples with a respective finger assembly and (ii) provides movement to that respective finger assembly relative to the base during actuation of that wrist assembly and during independent actuation of that respective finger assembly in response to control from the fluid controller. Along these lines, the fluid controller may individually provide pressurized fluid to each wrist assembly and each finger assembly when controlling interaction between the soft end effector apparatus and an external object.