Patent abstracts

Citation

(2012), "Patent abstracts", Industrial Robot, Vol. 39 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2012.04939faa.009

Patent abstracts

Article Type: Patent abstracts From: Industrial Robot: An International Journal, Volume 39, Issue 6

Title: Gripping and releasing apparatus and methodApplicant: Univ. Cornell (USA); Lipson Hod (USA); Amend JR John R. (USA); Jaeger Heinrich (USA); Brown Eric (USA)Patent number: WO2011130475 (A2)Publication date: 20 October 2011

Abstract: A passive universal gripper includes a mass of granular material encased in an elastic membrane. Using a combination of positive and negative pressure, the gripper can rapidly grip and release a wide range of objects that are typically challenging for conventional universal grippers, such as flat objects, soft objects, or objects with complex geometries. The gripper passively conforms to the shape of a target object, then vacuum-hardens to grip it rigidly; later using positive pressure to reverse this transition – releasing the object and returning to a deformable state. The apparatus and method enable the fast ejection of objects from the gripper, as well as essentially instantaneous reset time between releasing and gripping.

Title: Electroactive materials and electroactive actuators that act as artificial muscle, tendon, and skinApplicant: Rasmussen Lenore (USA)Patent number: US8088453 (B1)Publication date: 3 January 2012

Abstract: This invention describes a method for producing a novel, superior electroactive material and electroactive actuator, which act as artificial muscle, tendon, fascia, perimysium, epimysium, and skin that wrinkles and with the preferred movement of contraction, comprising ion-containing, cross-linked electroactive material(s); solvent(s); electrolyte(s); plasma treated electrode(s); attachments to levers or other objects; and coating(s). The composition and electrode configuration of the electroactive material of the electroactive actuator can be optimized so that contraction occurs when activated by electricity, when allowed to relax back to its original conformation, when the polarity of the electrodes is reversed, or a combination of these movements, such as antagonistic pairs. The electroactive material itself or the electroactive actuator may be used individually or grouped to produce movement when activated by electricity. This invention can provide for human-like motion, durability, toughness, and strength.

Title: Pneumatic driving type exoskeleton mechanical structure of lower limb walking rehabilitation training robotApplicant: Univ. Henan Science & Tech.Patent number: CN201870775 (U)Publication date: 22 June 2011

Abstract: The utility model discloses a pneumatic driving type exoskeleton mechanical structure of a lower limb walking rehabilitation training robot. The structure comprises a bracket, a lower limb and a driving device, wherein a lower limb hip joint and a knee joint are driven through an air cylinder to be bent and stretched, and an ankle joint is driven through a pneumatic artificial muscle to be bent and stretched, so that a 3-degree of freedom (DOF) (the hip joint, the knee joint and the ankle joint) single-leg exoskeleton mechanical structure of a robot is formed. The air cylinder and pneumatic artificial muscle are adopted for driving, the pneumatic driving type exoskeleton mechanical structure of the lower limb walking rehabilitation training robot has the characteristics of simple structure, low price, large power output and the like, and specially due to the compressibility of gas, the safety and the flexibility of a system can be greatly improved, so that not only is the equipment cost reduced but also the human safety and flexibility of the system are improved. The working pressure of a pneumatic system is adjusted, so that the rigidity of the system can be conveniently changed, and the moving strength and speed during the rehabilitation training process are easy to adjust.

Title: Myoelectric control artificial limb capable of realizing finger flexing independentlyApplicant: Zhangyuan LiPatent number: CN201822939 (U)Publication date: 11 May 2011

Abstract: A myoelectric control artificial limb capable of realizing finger flexing independently comprises a micromotor, a tower-shaped gear, a lead screw, finger frames, a computer chip, an arm body, a front palm and a rear palm. The finger frame consists of an upper finger section, a driving bendable plate, a driven bendable plate, a driving pull plate and a driven pull plate, wherein the upper ends of the driving bendable plate and the driven bendable plate are hinged with the upper finger section while lower ends of the driving bendable plate and the driven bendable plate are hinged with the upper end of the driven push plate, the lower end of the driven push plate is connected with each of finger connecting shaft sleeves disposed at the upper end of the front palm, and the upper end of the driving pull plate is hinged with the driving bendable plate while the lower end of the driving pull plate is connected with a finger connecting shaft arranged at the upper end of the rear palm. A thumb frame, a forefinger frame, a middle finger frame, a ring finger frame and a little finger frame are in distribution simulating the hand of a human body. The front palm and the rear palm are fastened together and connected with the arm body, the computer chip, the micromotor and the tower-shaped transmission gear are disposed between the front palm and the rear palm, a key is arranged on the side of the arm body, when muscle touches the key, the computer chip controls the micromotor to drive the lead screw to pull up and down via the tower-shaped transmission gear, and fingers can flex independently. The myoelectric control artificial arm has the advantages of simple structure and convenience in use.

Title: Bionic soft robot based on hydrostatic skeleton mechanism propertyApplicant: Hefei Inst. Physical Sci. CASPatent number: CN102176152 (A)Publication date: 7 September 2011

Abstract: The invention relates to a bionic soft robot, and in particular relates to a bionic soft robot based on the hydrostatic skeleton mechanism property which is applied to non-structuring operation environments, such as pipeline overhauling, medical treatment, ruins searching and rescuing, military reconnaissance, aiming to provide the bionic soft robot based on the hydrostatic skeleton mechanism property which can be deformed continuously, and is convenient to use in non-structuring occasions. The bionic soft robot is provided with an elastic outer shell which is internally provided with an incompressible fluid and a loading device which is used for accomplishing the specific tasks of the robot; the elastic outer shell is composed by the splicing of cell units; each cell unit is provided with an elastic cell outer wall and a cell cavity; the cell cavity is internally provided with a magnet rheological fluid, a micro electromagnetic driving device and a cell unit controller, wherein the micro electromagnetic driving device is used for generating electromagnetic field for promoting the magnet rheological fluid to generate “solid-liquid form conversion”; and the cell unit controller is used for receiving and transmitting instruction signals and controlling the operation of the micro electromagnetic driving device.

Title: Robot joint driving deviceApplicant: Qingdao Siwei Robot Technology Co.Patent number: CN201856250 (U)Publication date: 8 June 2011

Abstract: The utility model belongs to the robot field and especially relates to a robot joint driving device, which comprises a pneumatic artificial muscle driving part, a direct current (DC) servo motor driving part, a robot joint part, a robot joint rotation angle measuring part, a first limb and a second limb. The robot joint driving device is characterized in that the pneumatic artificial muscle driving part is fixed on the second limb through a fixing part. The DC servo motor driving part is fixed on the second limb through a securing sleeve. The robot joint part is fixed on the rear end of the first limb through screws and hinged on the front end of the second limb through a rotary shaft. Robot joint rotation angle measuring part is fixed on the robot joint part by screws through a shoe plate. The first limb performs rotary movement around the robot joint part. The robot joint driving device which can bear a relatively great load has the characteristics of smooth motion, quick response, good compliance, striking similarity to the motion characteristic of human muscles and high positioning precision. The robot joint driving device in the utility model can be widely applied in industries, in the service trade, in the rehabilitation medical field as well as in daily life and is especially suitably applied as a rehabilitation robot and a biomimetic robot.