Hybrid adhesion system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10130846-B2
Application number	US-201615183266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2016
Priority date	Apr 21, 2016
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A hybrid adhesion system includes an adhesion head including at least one suction cup and a handle and a vacuum generator mechanically coupled to the adhesion head. The vacuum generator includes at least one pneumatic cylinder having an internal volume in fluid communication with the at least one suction cup and a piston having a piston rod mechanically coupled to a manual actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid adhesion system comprising:
an adhesion head including a plurality of suction cups mounted on a common cup plate, each of the plurality of suction cups including a plurality of dry adhesion microstructures disposed on an internal surface thereof; and
a vacuum generator including a plurality of pneumatic cylinders arranged in side-by-side relationships, each of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders having an internal volume in fluid communication with a respective one of the plurality of suction cups, each of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders having a piston having a piston rod mechanically coupled to an actuator, the vacuum generator being hingedly coupled to the adhesion head via a pivot having an axis of rotation parallel to a plane defined by front surfaces of the plurality of suction cups, each of the plurality of suction cups in fluid communication with a single respective pneumatic cylinder of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders and each of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders is in fluid communication with a single suction cup of the plurality of suction cups, bodies of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders being mounted to a cylinder connection plate including a plurality of apertures through which each piston rod of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders pass, each piston rod of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders passing through a different one of the plurality of apertures; and
at least one spring configured to bias the piston rod of each of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders into internal volumes of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders, the at least one spring being disposed about a spring return rod distinct from each piston rod of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders and having a first end mechanically coupled to a piston link to which an end of each piston rod opposite an end of each piston rod including a piston head is mechanically coupled, the end of each piston rod opposite the end of each piston rod including the piston head and the first end of the spring return rod being mechanically coupled to the piston link at the piston link, the spring return rod passing through an aperture in the cylinder connection plate, the at least one spring including an end mechanically engaging a surface of the cylinder connection plate.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a stirrup.

3. The system of claim 2 , configured to be powered entirely by a person utilizing the system, the system lacking any motor or engine.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a handle mounted on the cup plate.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of suction cups are in fluid communication with the respective pneumatic cylinders via pneumatic tubes.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the spring is retained about the spring return rod between the cylinder connection plate and a retention nut coupled to a second end of the spring return rod, a second end of the spring mechanically engaging a surface of the retention nut facing toward the cylinder connection plate.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a tension member coupling the cylinder connection plate to the adhesion head, the tension member extending between the cylinder connection plate and the pivot and having an end portion coupled to the cylinder connection plate at a surface of the cylinder connection plate and a second end portion forming a portion of the pivot.

8. A climbing system comprising a pair of the systems of claim 1 .

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the spring return rod is disposed external to the plurality of pneumatic cylinders.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dry adhesion microstructures includes an array of microwedges.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein microwedges in the array of microwedges have heights of between 80 μm and 120 μm and bases with widths of between 20 μm and 40 μm.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dry adhesion microstructures includes an array of micropillars.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pivot includes a portion disposed on one of the cup plate or a handle mount that secures the handle to the cup plate.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein each piston rod is mechanically coupled to the actuator with a mechanical force transfer element including one of a rope or a cable extending between a loading point disposed on the piston link and the actuator.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pivot provides for both pivoting and swiveling of the vacuum generator relative to the adhesion head.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of suction cups are coupled to the common cup plate by fasteners passing through each of the plurality of suction cups.

17. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a separate mounting insert disposed between each of the plurality of suction cups and the common cup plate.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pneumatic cylinders includes a lower cylinder cap that passes through an aperture in the cylinder connection plate.

Assignees

• Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc
• The Charles Stark Drapper Laboratory Inc

Inventors

• Carter David J
• Mcfarland William W
• Ogrodnik Glenn
• Arrick Graham
• Bushmelov Maxim

Classifications

• A63B2225/055

  used for fixing · CPC title

• A63B23/03541

  Moving independently from each other (A63B22/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63B27/00 Primary

  Apparatus for climbing poles, trees, or the like ({ropes A63B29/02;} safety belts for climbers A62B35/00) · CPC title

• A63B29/08

  Hand equipment for climbers · CPC title

• F16B47/003

  using adhesives for attaching purposes (using adhesives for connecting constructional elements F16B11/006) · CPC title