Pinched tubes for reconfigurable robots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017347-B2
Application number	US-202217971062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2022
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A device includes a tube and a sleeve configured to at least partially encircle a portion the tube along its length. The tube is flexible and airtight and defines a longitudinal axis along a center of the tube, and is configured to bend along the longitudinal axis upon at least partial evacuation of the tube to form a joint. The joint defines a joint angle relative to the longitudinal axis, thereby approximating a revolute joint with torsional stiffness. Actuating a joint includes partially evacuating a flexible tube defining a longitudinal axis, thereby forming a bend in the tube at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis at a perimeter of a rigid sleeve at least partially encircling the tube, and restoring a neutral pressure to the tube, thereby removing the bend in the tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a tube, wherein the tube is flexible and defines a longitudinal axis along a center of the tube;
a sleeve configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the tube along a length of the tube, wherein the sleeve defines at least two convex protrusions and is translatable along the length of the tube; and
a cap at each end of the tube, wherein the caps are configured to seal the tube,
wherein the tube is configured to bend along the longitudinal axis upon at least partial evacuation of the tube to form a joint that defines a joint angle relative to the longitudinal axis, thereby approximating a revolute joint with torsional stiffness.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is rigid.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein a location of the sleeve along the length of the tube defines a location of the bend along the longitudinal axis.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is configured to define a pinching angle of the tube.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bend is formed along a cross-section of the tube.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tube, when not subjected to at least partial evacuation, is substantially unbendable until after a threshold yield force is exceeded.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tube is configured to be coupled to a vacuum apparatus, and the vacuum apparatus is configured to achieve the at least partial evacuation of the tube.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the joint is reconfigurable.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a tail of a multi-linkage swimming robot.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the joint demonstrates anisotropic torsional stiffness.

11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuation source coupled to the joint.

12. A robot comprising the device of claim 1 .

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein a position of the sleeve along the length of the tube is selected to form the revolute joint at a desired location along the tube.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein an extent of the at least partial evacuation of the tube is selected to form the revolute joint at a desired angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein a bending stiffness of the revolute joint in an off-axis direction exceeds that along a bending axis of the tube.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least partial evacuation of the tube creates a negative pressure inside the tube.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the tube, when at negative pressure, is bent to a desired joint stiffness at a desired joint angle.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve defines two convex protrusions.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the sleeve defines grooves between the two convex protrusions.

20. The device of claim 18 , wherein the sleeve encircles the portion of the tube and the two convex protrusions are equally spaced around a circumference of the sleeve.

Assignees

• Aukes Daniel
• Sharifzadeh Mohammad
• Jiang Yuhao
• Gravish Nicholas
• Jiang Mingsong
• Univ Arizona State
• Univ California

Inventors

• Aukes Daniel
• Sharifzadeh Mohammad
• Jiang Yuhao
• Gravish Nicholas
• Jiang Mingsong

Classifications

• B25J17/0241

  One-dimensional joints · CPC title

• B25J9/06

  characterised by multi-articulated arms · CPC title

• B25J9/142 Primary

  comprising inflatable bodies · CPC title

• B25J18/06 Primary

  flexible · CPC title