Robotic member

• US 20050099254A1
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Youngner, Daniel W., Horning, Robert D., Ohnstein, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,154,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/220
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/045 the cleaning devices being rotated while moved , e.g. flexible rotating shaft or "snake"B08B9/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 18/06 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/06 characterised by multi-articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/065 Snake robots
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/006 of the gap-closing type H02N1/004 takes precedence

Abstract

An elongated robotic member that is simple in design and structure, relatively inexpensive and consumes little power. In one illustrative embodiment, one or more linear actuators are used in conjunction with two or more plates that are fixed at spaced locations along a spine member. Fixed between each pair of plates is one or more actuators, which when activated, pull or push corresponding portions of the plates towards or away from each other. This changes the relative orientation of the plate pairs, thus providing a bending movement. The spine preferably is flexible at least in the lateral direction, and bends in response to the relative movement of the plates. A number of plate pairs may be provided to create an arbitrarily long robotic member.

Claims

1. An actuator device comprising:

a spine member having a length;

a first plate and a second plate, the first plate fixed to the spine member at a first location along the length of the spine member and the second plate fixed to the spine member at a second location along the length of the spine member, wherein the second location is spaced from the first location;

a first actuator positioned between the first plate and the second plate for selectively creating a push and/or pull force between the first plate and the second plate to change the orientation of the first plate relative to the second plate.

2. The actuator device of claim 1 further comprising a second actuator positioned between the first plate and the second plate for selectively creating a push and/or pull force between the first plate and the second plate to change the orientation of the first plate relative to the second plate.

3. The actuator device of claim 2 wherein the first actuator is positioned in a first region between the first plate and the second plate, and the second actuator is positioned in a second region between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the first region is separate from the second region.

4. The actuator device of claim 3 wherein the spine member passed between the first region and the second region.

5. The actuator device of claim 2 further comprising:

a third actuator positioned between the first plate and the second plate for selectively creating a push and/or pull force between the first plate and the second plate to change the orientation of the first plate relative to the second plate;

a fourth actuator positioned between the first plate and the second plate for selectively creating a push and/or pull force between the first plate and the second plate to change the orientation of the first plate relative to the second plate.

6. The actuator device of claim 5 wherein the first actuator, the second actuator, the third actuator and the fourth actuator are positioned in separate regions between the first plate and the second plate.

7. The actuator device of claim 6 wherein the separate regions are selectively spaced around the spine member.

8. The actuator device of claim 7 wherein the separate regions are disposed symmetrically about the spine member.

9. The actuator device of claim 8 wherein each of the separate regions correspond to one of four quadrants about the spine member.

10. The actuator device of claim 1 wherein the spine member bends when the orientation of the first plate is changed relative to the second plate.

11. The actuator device of claim 1 wherein the first actuator includes a first array of electrostatically actuated unit cells.

12. The actuator device of claim 11 wherein at least some of the electrostatically actuated unit cells are actuated from an expanded state to a closed state in response to an applied electric potential.

13. The actuator device of claim 11 wherein at least some of the electrostatically actuated unit cells include a through hole for reducing fluidic dampening of movement of the unit cells.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein at least some of the electrostatically actuated unit cells include:

a first flexible member having a first electrode;

a second flexible member having a second electrode, wherein the first flexible member is attached to the second flexible member at selected spaced locations, wherein the first flexible member is pulled toward the second flexible member when the electric potential is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

15. A flexible member comprising:

a spine member having a length;

two or more plates attached at spaced locations along the length of the spine member, selected plates forming a plate pair; and

one or more actuators positioned between and fixed to at least selected plate pairs for creating a push and/or pull force between the corresponding plate pair and to change the relative orientation of the plate pair.

16. The flexible arm of claim 15 wherein each of the one or more actuators includes an array of flexible unit cells capable of actuating from an expanded state to a closed state in response to an applied electric potential.

17. The flexible arm of claim 16 further comprising a controller for selectively controlling the actuation of the one or more actuators to create a desired motion of the flexible arm.

18. The flexible member of claim 15 further comprising an outer sheath sized to fit over the two or more plates, the outer sheath being adapted so that in a first direction along the length of the spine member the outer sheath has a first resistance to sliding motion, and in an opposite direction along the length of the spine member the outer sheath has a second resistance to sliding motion, the first resistance to sliding motion being greater than the second resistance to sliding motion.

19. The flexible member of claim 15 further comprising one or more sensors for sensing one or more environmental conditions in the vicinity of the flexible member.

20. The flexible member of claim 19 further comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit signals related to data captured by the one or more sensors.

21. The flexible member of claim 17 further comprising a receiver for receiving commands and for providing the commands to the controller.

22. The flexible member of claim 16 wherein at least selected plates are printed circuit boards.

23. The flexible member of claim 15 further comprising one or more intervening plates positioned between a selected plate pair.

24. The flexible member of claim 23 wherein the one or more intervening plates include one or more relief structures that provide a path for the one or more actuators that extend between the selected plate pair.

25. The flexible member according to claim 15 wherein each of the two or more plates define a major surface, wherein the spine member intersects and is attached to the two or more plates near the center of the major surface.

26. The flexible member according to claim 15 wherein each of the two or more plates define a major surface, wherein the spine member intersects and is attached to the two or more plates at a location that is offset from the center of the major surface.

27. The flexible member according to claim 15 wherein each of the two or more plates define a major surface, wherein the spine member intersects and is attached to the two or more plates at or near an edge of the major surface.

28. A flexible member, comprising:

an elongated body;

one or more electrostatically actuated actuators positioned at selected locations along the length of the elongated body, the one or more electrostatically actuated actuators, when activated, change the shape of the flexible member; and

a controller for controlling the one or more electrostatically actuated actuators.