Buckling beams for underwater and terrestrial autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12240283-B2
Application number	US-202217966550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2022
Priority date	Oct 14, 2021
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

A mechanical system includes a curved beam and a motor coupled to the curved beam. The curved beam is configured to buckle at two different locations along the positive and negative portions of its load/displacement curve, corresponding to opposite and equal sense bending directions. The motor is configured to impart a flapping motion to the curved beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanical system comprising:
a curved beam;
a slider coupled to the curved beam and configured to alter an effective length of the curved beam; and
a motor coupled to the curved beam, wherein the motor is configured to impart a flapping motion to the curved beam.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the curved beam is bistable.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a servomechanism coupled the curved beam and the motor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the motor is configured to activate the servomechanism, and the servomechanism is configured to impart the flapping motion to the curved beam.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the servomechanism is configured to impart the flapping motion by controlling an amount of force exerted on an end of the curved beam.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flapping motion comprises buckling the curved beam only in the equal sense bending direction.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein a larger surface of the curved beam is configured to travel substantially parallel with a direction of motion of the mechanical system.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a motion of the curved beam comprises a power phase and a recovery phase.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein drag forces on the curved beam in the power phase exceed drag forces on the curved beam during the recovery phase.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the difference in drag forces generates nonzero average work over a flapping cycle.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein an input from the motor is symmetric.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the curved beam is coupled to a wing.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the curved beam is coupled to a fin.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical system is a robot.

15. A robot comprising the mechanical system of claim 1 .

16. The robot of claim 15 , wherein the curved beam, is coupled to a wing or a fin.

17. A method of inducing locomotion comprising activating the mechanical system of claim 1 .

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein mechanical system is a robot.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein inducing the locomotion occurs in a fluid.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas or a liquid.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the fluid comprises air.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the fluid comprises water.

Assignees

• Aukes Daniel
• Sharifzadeh Mohammad
• Jiang Yuhao
• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Aukes Daniel
• Sharifzadeh Mohammad
• Jiang Yuhao

Classifications

• B62D57/02

  with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members · CPC title

• B64C33/02

  Wings; Actuating mechanisms therefor · CPC title

• B63H1/32

  Flaps, pistons, or the like, reciprocating in propulsive direction · CPC title

• B60F3/003 Primary

  Parts or details of the vehicle structure; vehicle arrangements not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64U30/10

  Wings · CPC title