FLUIDIC ACTUATOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
First Claim
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1. A multi-directional fluidic actuator comprising:
- a first actuator member comprising;
a first fluid channel embedded in a first elastically extensible material;
a first substantially inextensible and flexible backbone member attached to the first elastically extensible material adjacent to the first fluid channel;
wherein said first backbone member extends substantially parallel to a first longitudinal axis of the actuator to provide actuation in a first plane; and
a second actuator member comprising;
a second fluid channel embedded in a second elastically extensible material;
a second substantially inextensible and flexible backbone member attached to the second elastically extensible material adjacent to the second fluid channel;
wherein said second backbone member extends substantially parallel to a second longitudinal axis of the actuator to provide actuation in a second plane.
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Abstract
A small, flexible fluidic actuator is presented which may be of millimeter scale in size and made of suitable flexible materials such as silicone. A manufacturing method and two analytical models for the device along with experimental test results are also disclosed. The flexible fluidic actuator devices disclosed include multidirectional fluidic actuator joints providing independently controllable multi-directional actuation movement. The dynamic behaviour of the joints for various pressure loads was also characterized and described herein.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A multi-directional fluidic actuator comprising:
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a first actuator member comprising;
a first fluid channel embedded in a first elastically extensible material;
a first substantially inextensible and flexible backbone member attached to the first elastically extensible material adjacent to the first fluid channel;
wherein said first backbone member extends substantially parallel to a first longitudinal axis of the actuator to provide actuation in a first plane; anda second actuator member comprising;
a second fluid channel embedded in a second elastically extensible material;
a second substantially inextensible and flexible backbone member attached to the second elastically extensible material adjacent to the second fluid channel;
wherein said second backbone member extends substantially parallel to a second longitudinal axis of the actuator to provide actuation in a second plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A multi-directional fluidic actuator comprising:
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a first actuator member comprising a first fluid channel embedded in a first elastically extensible material; a second actuator member comprising a second fluid channel embedded in a second elastically extensible material; and a substantially inextensible and flexible backbone member extending along a longitudinal axis of said fluidic actuator and attached to said first and second elastically extensible material adjacent to said first and second fluid channels of said first and second actuator members to provide actuation in each of first and second planes. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of manufacturing a fluidic actuator comprising:
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producing a lithographic mold of at least one fluidic actuator member comprising at least one fluidic channel; casting at least one elastically extensible material into said lithographic mold to form at least one elastically extensible fluidic channel; demolding said elastically extensible material from said mold; attaching at least one substantially inextensible backbone member to at least one surface of said elastically extensible material; and enclosing said elastically extensible material and said backbone member to seal said at least one fluidic channel and enclose said fluidic actuator member. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification