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Flexible actuator

  • US 6,772,673 B2
  • Filed: 11/18/2002
  • Issued: 08/10/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A flexible actuator comprising:

  • a long movable part that is bent by a liquid moving toward a main liquid chamber;

    a reservoir where the liquid moves to and from said main liquid chamber;

    a pump that moves the liquid between the reservoir and said main liquid chamber; and

    a pump driving unit that controls the pump, wherein said movable part includes a long tube that forms said main liquid chamber, a plurality of frame members aligned at predetermined intervals along a length of the tube, and a resilient core member that holds the alignment of the frame members, said tube is made of a flexible elastic material, and includes a plurality of flat expanded hollow portions provided at predetermined intervals along the length and a narrow hollow portion that communicates between the expanded hollow portions, said plurality of frame members are formed by flat members and longitudinally hold said plurality of expanded hollow portions by the narrow hollow portion of said tube inserted into recesses or holes provided on sides abutting said core member, said movable part has a first bending portion that produces a large bending force and a second bending portion that produces a small bending force, said expanded hollow portion placed in said first bending portion has a large transverse cross sectional area, and said expanded hollow portion placed in said second bending portion has a small transverse cross sectional area.

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