关键词: 软体可折展致动器, 驱动特性, 收缩比, 真空驱动, 仿生

Abstract: To study the actuation characteristics of soft actuators and their bionic applications, a soft foldable actuator was designed based on Kresling crease pattern by using a symmetrical structural form, which could achieve fast actuation, generate only axial contraction without torsion(single-degree-of-freedom linear motion), and had the features of large contraction ratio and strong load capacity. Based on the principle of work equilibrium and combined with the geometric theory, theoretical modeling and experimental research of the soft foldable actuators were carried out to explore its deformation characteristics. The results show that the theoretical and experimental results are basically in good agreement. The contraction ratio increases with the increase of vacuum pressure. Under the same vacuum pressure, the larger the load, the smaller the contraction ratio. At the same contraction ratio, the heavier the load, the greater the vacuum pressure required by the actuator. The influences of different parameters on the actuation performance of the actuators were further analyzed, within the adjustment range of different parameters, the smaller the wall thickness, the smaller the relative angle and the larger the side length of the actuators, the better its performance including the contraction ratio and the bearing capacity. Based on the above results, a tandem soft foldable actuators were optimally designed and was mounted on a bionic humanoid leg, which may realize different functions such as flexion and extension, running, kicking a ball, and adsorbing.

Key words: soft foldable actuator, actuation characteristics, contraction ratio, vacuum-driven, bionic