CN214394202U

CN214394202U - Soft actuator

Info

Publication number: CN214394202U
Application number: CN202120370070.1U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 王勇; 武迪; 吕仲明; 张健; 刘正士
Original assignee: Hefei University of Technology
Current assignee: Hefei University of Technology
Priority date: 2021-02-08
Filing date: 2021-02-08
Publication date: 2021-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 2031-02-08

Abstract

The utility model discloses a soft actuator, the soft actuator includes the actuator main part, includes along the protruding unit and the connecting element of the axial direction alternative setting of soft actuator; and the rib plate units are arranged between two adjacent protrusion units, and two ends of each rib plate unit are respectively connected with the two adjacent protrusion units. The utility model discloses soft body actuator can effectively promote the tensile resistance of soft body actuator, improves the bearing capacity of soft body actuator, promotes soft body actuator performance.

Description

Soft actuator

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a flexible robot module technical field especially relates to a software actuator.

Background

In the modern industrialized society, the traditional rigid machinery is ubiquitous, and the market share is high. The technology of the traditional rigid machine is accumulated and perfect, the rigid machine is provided with more manufacturers, and the low-cost rapid deployment can be realized. However, rigid machines have their limitations, due to the low flexibility resulting from the driving inertia of the motor, and are susceptible to breakage when in contact with flexible fragile objects. Researchers begin to seek mechanical solutions except for rigid materials and motor motors, the research direction is rapidly closing to the bionics, most of model designs come from soft organisms in the nature, and soft robot technologies come into play. Unlike traditional rigid construction, such robots usually use soft materials such as silica gel and polymers, and power is supplied from compressed air, magnetic field or temperature change, and is inputted into the soft limbs to drive correspondingly.

The soft actuator is used as a component unit of the soft robot and directly influences the overall performance of the soft robot. The existing soft actuator generally has the problems of small load bearing capacity, easy deviation from an axis, lateral bending, distortion and the like, and when the soft actuator is applied to rehabilitation gloves, the soft actuator has insufficient capacity of driving fingers to straighten. In addition, the bellows element of the existing bellows type soft driver is easy to have the problems of unnecessary lateral bending, overall distortion in an uncertain direction and the like.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a soft actuator, which is used to solve the technical problems of the prior art that the soft actuator has small load-bearing capability, is easy to deviate from the axis to cause lateral bending or twisting, and has insufficient capability of driving the fingers to straighten when the soft actuator is applied to the rehabilitation glove.

To achieve the above and other related objects, the present invention provides a soft actuator, comprising:

the actuator body comprises a convex unit and a connecting unit which are alternately arranged along the axial direction of the soft actuator;

and the rib plate units are arranged between two adjacent protrusion units, and two ends of each rib plate unit are respectively connected with the two adjacent protrusion units.

In an alternative embodiment, the protrusion units are in a wave crest structure, and the connection units are in a wave trough structure.

In an alternative embodiment, the array of webs is arranged on an axial symmetry plane of the actuator body.

In an alternative embodiment, the soft actuator comprises a plurality of rows of ribs, wherein one row of ribs is arranged on the axial symmetry plane of the actuator body, and the other remaining rows of ribs are symmetrically arranged on two sides of the axial symmetry plane of the actuator body.

In an optional embodiment, the soft actuator comprises a plurality of rows of rib plates, and the plurality of rows of rib plates are symmetrically arranged on two sides of an axial symmetry plane of the actuator main body.

In an alternative embodiment, the actuator body has a bellows-like structure, and the soft actuator includes at least one pair of ribs symmetrically disposed on both sides of a plane passing through a center line of the soft actuator.

In an alternative embodiment, the pair of ribs symmetrically disposed on both sides of a plane passing through the center line of the soft actuator are located on the same plane.

In an optional embodiment, the rib plate unit is an elastic soft rib plate unit or a plastic rib plate unit.

In an alternative embodiment, the actuator body and the rib plate are integrally formed or are formed together by being combined after being processed separately.

In an alternative embodiment, the bottom of the rib plate unit is in contact with or not in contact with the top surface of the corresponding connecting unit.

The utility model discloses a software actuator through set up the gusset unit between the protruding unit of actuator main part, and the resistance to compression when tensile and the malleation drive when can effectively improve software actuator negative pressure drive promotes software actuator bearing capacity, promotes the rigidity when software actuator bears.

The utility model discloses a soft actuator provides flexible holding power to soft actuator major structure through the gusset, has improved greatly and has snatched stability, and the ability that bears external load is strong, and the object that is applicable to various space occasions snatchs.

The utility model discloses a gusset of software actuator can be connected every crest structure of software actuator, avoids the software actuator to take place the distortion when malleation drive.

The soft actuator of the utility model can be integrated with the soft actuator of the original wave crest and wave trough structure during the manufacturing process, thereby being convenient for manufacturing.

The soft actuator of the utility model is made of elastic material, and has good flexibility and long service life.

The utility model discloses a when software actuator is used for improving the software finger of recovered gloves, can improve the overstretch load capacity of software finger, promote apoplexy patient's hand recovered.

The utility model discloses a soft actuator can add the gusset on the basis of the soft actuator of original bellows structure during manufacturing, can improve the crooked or distorted shortcoming of bellows structure soft actuator to unexpected direction.

The utility model discloses a gusset design thinking of software actuator can combine with the original software actuator of multiple shape, and application scope is wide, has wide market prospect.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a general schematic view of a first soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a partial enlarged view of the area indicated by the circle in fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of a first soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 4 is a radial sectional view taken along a-a direction in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an overall schematic view of a second soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 6 is an axial cross-sectional view of a second soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a radial sectional view taken along the direction B-B in fig. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a third soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 9 is an axial cross-sectional view of a third soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 10 is a radial sectional view taken along the direction C-C in fig. 9.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a fourth soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 12 is an axial cross-sectional view of a fourth soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 13 is a radial cross-sectional view taken along the direction D-D in fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is an overall view of a fifth soft actuator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 15 is an axial cross-sectional view of a fifth soft body actuator provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 16 is a radial cross-sectional view taken along the direction E-E in fig. 15.

Description of the element reference numerals

1 projection unit

2 connecting unit

3 Rib plate unit

4 interface

5 drive the lumen

Detailed Description

The following description of the embodiments of the present invention is provided for illustrative purposes, and other advantages and effects of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in the present specification can be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is to be noted that the features in the following embodiments and examples may be combined with each other without conflict.

It should be noted that the drawings provided in the following embodiments are only for illustrating the basic idea of the present invention, and the drawings only show the components related to the present invention rather than being drawn according to the number, shape and size of the components in actual implementation, and the form, amount and ratio of the components in actual implementation may be changed arbitrarily, and the layout of the components may be more complicated.

The soft actuator aims to solve the problems that the soft actuator in the prior art is small in load bearing capacity and easy to deviate from an axis to generate lateral bending or twisting, and the soft actuator is insufficient in the capacity of driving fingers to straighten when being applied to rehabilitation gloves. The embodiment of the utility model provides a soft actuator is introduced, this soft actuator's actuator main part comprises along its axial direction protruding unit and the connecting element that sets up in turn, through set up the gusset structure between the protruding unit of soft actuator, improves the performance of soft actuator. The technical solution of the present invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments.

Example one

Figures 1-4 show a general schematic, enlarged partial view, axial cross-sectional view, and radial cross-sectional view, respectively, of the soft actuator of the present embodiment. Referring to fig. 1-4, the soft actuator includes an actuator body and an interface 4. The actuator main body comprises wave crest structures (as convex units 1) and wave trough structures (as connecting units 2) which are alternately arranged along the axial direction of the soft actuator, and connecting units 2; the interface 4 is arranged at one end of the actuator body, the other end of the actuator body is sealed, a driving inner cavity 5 distributed along the axial direction of the actuator body is arranged in the actuator body, the interface 4 is communicated with the driving inner cavity 5, an external device can inject fluid (which can be but is not limited to gas, water, hydraulic oil and the like) into the driving inner cavity 5 through the interface 4 to drive the flexible actuator to bend, and the interface 4 can be of a tubular structure such as a cylindrical pipe, an elliptical pipe, a square pipe and the like.

Referring to fig. 1-4, in order to solve the problems of small load-bearing capacity, easy lateral bending or twisting caused by deviating from the axis, and insufficient ability of the soft actuator to drive fingers to straighten when applied to a rehabilitation glove, a row of rib plates may be disposed on the actuator body of the soft actuator, the row of rib plates includes a plurality of rib plate units 3 disposed at intervals along the axial direction of the soft actuator, each rib plate unit 3 is disposed between two adjacent wave crest structures, and two ends of each rib plate unit 3 are respectively connected to two adjacent wave crest structures, and the row of rib plates may be disposed on the axial symmetric surface of the actuator body, for example. The design of the rib plate can effectively improve the bending section coefficient of the soft actuator, namely the tensile resistance during negative pressure driving and the compressive resistance during positive pressure driving, the bearing capacity of the soft actuator is improved, and the rigidity of the soft actuator during bearing is improved. Due to the rib plate design, the distance between adjacent wave crests can not be greatly changed due to the interference of external force under the supporting action of the rib plate structure, the overall shape of the soft actuator is more stable, the rib plate provides flexible supporting force for the main body structure of the soft actuator, the grabbing stability is greatly improved, the external load bearing capacity is high, and the flexible soft actuator is suitable for grabbing objects in various space occasions. The rib plate design can connect each wave crest structure of the soft actuator, and avoids the soft actuator from twisting during positive pressure driving, because of the supporting and drawing effects of the rib plate, the rigidity of the soft actuator near the rib plate and the rib plate is higher, and the actuator is not easy to twist along the axis. The rib plate is simple in design structure and small in influence on the structure of the actuator body.

Referring to fig. 1-4, in the present embodiment, the bottom of each rib unit 3 of the rib plate is in contact with the top surface of the corresponding valley structure. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the base of each rib unit 3 of the rib may not be in contact with the top surface of the corresponding trough structure, as described in more detail below in relation to figures 5-10.

Referring to fig. 1-4, in the present embodiment, the soft actuator is provided with only one row of ribs, but it is understood that in other embodiments, the soft actuator may be provided with a plurality of rows of ribs similar to those shown in fig. 8-10, as described in detail below with respect to fig. 8-10.

In this embodiment, the rib may be a flexible soft rib, for example, the material of the rib may be a flexible soft material or plastic, and the material of the actuator body may be the same flexible soft material or plastic, so that the rib and the actuator body may be integrally formed or may be formed separately and then combined together. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the actuator body may be formed of a different material than the webs, so that the two may be formed separately and then machined separately and then recombined.

Referring to fig. 1-4, in the present embodiment, the arrangement heights (top heights) of rib units 3 are the same in the same row of ribs. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments the rib elements 3 may be arranged at different heights within the same row of ribs, for example, the heights may decrease progressively from the end of the actuator body near the mouthpiece 4 to the end remote from the mouthpiece 4, so as to be arranged at a draft angle to facilitate stripping.

Referring to fig. 1-4, in the present embodiment, the top of each rib unit 3 may be, for example, horizontal (or, of course, curved), and the height of the top of the rib unit 3 is not higher than (lower than or equal to) the height of the top surfaces of the two adjacent wave structures.

Example two

Figures 5-7 show the soft actuator of the present embodiment in an overall schematic view, in an axial cross-sectional view, and in a radial cross-sectional view, respectively. Referring to fig. 5-7, the soft actuator also includes an actuator body and a mouthpiece 4, and unlike the first embodiment, the main difference is that the bottom end of each rib plate unit 3 in the rib plate is not connected to the top of the valley structure, except for the difference between the shapes (external contour shape and internal cavity shape) of the actuator body (as the protrusion unit 1) and the valley structure (as the connection unit 2) of the soft actuator.

Referring to fig. 5-7, in the present embodiment, the rib may be disposed on an axial symmetry plane of the actuator body, for example, the bottom end of each rib unit 3 in the rib is not connected to the top of the valley structure, but a gap is reserved, and the top end of each rib unit 3 is not higher than (lower than or equal to) the top surface height of the two adjacent peak structures. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the bottom of each rib unit 3 of the rib may also be in contact with the top surface of the corresponding valley structure.

Referring to fig. 5-7, in the present embodiment, the arrangement heights (top heights) of rib units 3 are the same in the same row of ribs. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments the rib elements 3 may be arranged at different heights within the same row of ribs, for example, the heights may decrease progressively from the end of the actuator body near the mouthpiece 4 to the end remote from the mouthpiece 4, so as to be arranged at a draft angle to facilitate stripping.

EXAMPLE III

Figures 8-10 show an overall schematic, axial cross-sectional, and radial cross-sectional view, respectively, of the soft actuator of this embodiment. Referring to fig. 8-10, the soft actuator also includes an actuator body and a mouthpiece 4, and unlike the second embodiment, the main difference is that the number of rib rows is different, except that the shapes (the outer contour shape and the inner cavity shape) of the actuator body (as the protrusion unit 1) and the valley structure (as the connection unit 2) of the soft actuator are different.

Referring to fig. 8-10, in this embodiment, the soft actuator includes three rib plates, each rib plate includes a plurality of rib plate units 3 arranged at intervals along an axial direction of the soft actuator, each rib plate unit 3 is located between two adjacent wave crest structures, and two ends of each rib plate unit 3 are respectively connected to two adjacent wave crest structures. In three rows of rib plates, one row of rib plates can be arranged on the axial symmetry plane of the actuator main body, for example, the other two rows of rib plates are symmetrically arranged on two sides of the axial symmetry plane of the actuator main body, so that three rib plate units 3 are connected between two adjacent wave crest structures and belong to different rows of rib plates, and the three rib plate units 3 connected between two adjacent wave crest structures are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the wave trough structure. It is understood that, in other embodiments, the number of rib plates in the soft actuator may be set as required, for example, two, four, five, six, etc., when the number of rib plates is even, it is ensured that each rib plate is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the axial symmetry plane of the actuator main body, when the number of rib plates is odd, one row of rib plates is disposed on the axial symmetry plane of the actuator main body, and the remaining other rows of rib plates are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the axial symmetry plane of the actuator main body.

Referring to fig. 8-10, in the present embodiment, the bottom end of each rib plate unit 3 in each row of rib plates is not connected to the top of the valley structure, but a gap is reserved, and the top end of each rib plate unit 3 is not higher than (lower than or equal to) the height of the top surfaces of two adjacent peak structures. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the bottom of each rib unit 3 of each rib may also be in contact with the top surface of the corresponding valley structure.

Referring to fig. 8-10, in the present embodiment, the arrangement heights (top heights) of rib units 3 are the same in the same row of ribs. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the rib elements 3 may be arranged at different heights within the same row of ribs, for example, the heights may gradually decrease from the end of the actuator body near the interface 4 to the end far from the interface 4, so as to form a draft angle arrangement for facilitating demolding.

Example four

Figures 11-13 show the soft actuator of the present embodiment in an overall schematic view, in an axial cross-sectional view, and in a radial cross-sectional view, respectively. Referring to fig. 11-13, the soft actuator includes an actuator body and an interface 4. The actuator body is of a bellows-shaped structure, the boss units 1 and the connecting units 2 are alternately arranged along the axial direction of the soft actuator, and the outer diameter of each boss unit 1 is larger than that of each connecting unit 2; the interface 4 is arranged at one end of the actuator body, the other end of the actuator body is sealed, a driving inner cavity 5 distributed along the axial direction of the actuator body is arranged in the actuator body, the interface 4 is communicated with the driving inner cavity 5, and external equipment can inject fluid (which can be but is not limited to gas, water, hydraulic oil and the like) into the driving inner cavity 5 through the interface 4 to drive the flexible actuator to bend.

Referring to fig. 11-13, in order to solve the problems that the soft actuator has a small load-bearing capability, is easy to deviate from an axis to generate lateral bending or twisting, and has insufficient capability of driving fingers to straighten when the soft actuator is applied to a rehabilitation glove, at least one pair of rib plates (two rows of rib plates) may be disposed on the actuator body of the bellows-shaped structure, each row of rib plates includes a plurality of rib plate units 3 disposed at intervals along the axial direction of the soft actuator, each rib plate unit 3 is located between two adjacent protrusion units 1, and two ends of each protrusion unit 1 are respectively connected with two adjacent protrusion units 1. The two rows of rib plates are respectively symmetrically arranged on two sides of a certain plane passing through the center line of the soft actuator, and the two rows of rib plates symmetrically arranged on two sides of the certain plane passing through the center line of the soft actuator are positioned on the same plane. The rib plate design can improve the defect that the soft actuator of the corrugated pipe structure bends or twists towards an unexpected direction, because of the supporting and pulling effects of the rib plate, the rigidity of the soft actuator near the rib plate and the rib plate is higher, and the lateral bending rigidity is increased under the condition that the main bending rigidity is approximately unchanged, so that the soft actuator bends along the expected direction, and the lateral bending and twisting phenomena are not easy to occur.

Referring to fig. 11-13, in the present embodiment, the soft actuator is provided with only one pair of rib plates, but it is understood that in other embodiments, the soft actuator may be provided with a plurality of pairs of rib plates, and two rows of the rib plates of each pair of rib plates are symmetrically provided on two sides of a plane passing through the center line of the soft actuator.

Referring to fig. 11 to 13, in the present embodiment, the bottom of each rib plate unit 3 of the rib plate is not in contact with the top surface of the corresponding connecting unit 2. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the bottom of each rib unit 3 of the rib may also be in contact with the top surface of the corresponding attachment unit 2, as described in more detail below in relation to fig. 14-16. When a plurality of rib pairs are included, each rib unit 3 of a part of the rib pairs is in contact with the top surface of the corresponding connecting unit 2, and the rest other rib pairs are not in contact with the top surface of the corresponding connecting unit 2.

In this embodiment, the rib may be, for example, a flexible soft rib, and the material of the rib may be, for example, a flexible soft material or plastic. The material of the actuator body can be the same elastic soft material or plastic, so that the rib plate and the actuator body can be integrally formed or formed together by combining after being manufactured separately. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the actuator body may be formed of a different material than the webs, so that the two may be machined separately and then reassembled.

Referring to fig. 11-13, in the present embodiment, the arrangement heights (top heights) of rib units 3 are the same in the same row of ribs. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments the rib elements 3 may be arranged at different heights within the same row of ribs, for example, the heights may decrease progressively from the end of the actuator body near the mouthpiece 4 to the end remote from the mouthpiece 4, so as to be arranged at a draft angle to facilitate stripping.

Referring to fig. 11-13, in the present embodiment, the top of each rib plate unit 3 may be, for example, horizontal (or may be, of course, arc-shaped), and the height of the top of the rib plate unit 3 is not higher than (lower than or equal to) the height of the top surfaces of two adjacent protrusion units 1.

It should be noted that, in other embodiments, the rib plates disposed on the actuator main body of the bellows-shaped structure may also be asymmetrically disposed, the bending direction of the soft actuator is adjusted by the asymmetric arrangement difference, and the number of the rib plates may be odd or even.

EXAMPLE five

Figures 14-16 show an overall schematic, axial cross-sectional, and radial cross-sectional view, respectively, of the soft actuator of this embodiment. Referring to fig. 14-16, the soft actuator comprises an actuator body and a mouthpiece 4, the actuator body also has a bellows-like structure, and comprises boss units 1 and connection units 2 alternately arranged in the axial direction of the soft actuator. Compared with the fourth embodiment, the structure is basically the same except that the bottom end of each rib plate unit 3 in the rib plate is connected with the top of the connecting unit 2, so the description is not repeated.

Referring to fig. 14 to 16, in the present embodiment, the bottom of each rib plate unit 3 of the rib plate is in contact with the top surface of the corresponding connection unit 2, and only the top of each rib plate unit 3 is exposed.

It should be noted that the rib design concept of the soft actuator of the present invention can be combined with the original soft actuators of various shapes, and is not limited to the soft actuators of the first to fifth embodiments.

To sum up, the utility model discloses a software actuator through set up the gusset unit between the protruding unit of actuator main part, can effectively improve the resistance to tension when software actuator negative pressure drive and the crushing resistance when malleation drive, promotes software actuator bearing capacity, promotes the rigidity when software actuator bears. The utility model discloses a soft actuator provides flexible holding power to soft actuator major structure through the gusset, has improved greatly and has snatched stability, and the ability that bears external load is strong, and the object that is applicable to various space occasions snatchs. The utility model discloses a gusset of software actuator can be connected every crest structure of software actuator, avoids the software actuator to take place the distortion when malleation drive. The soft actuator of the utility model can be integrated with the soft actuator of the original wave crest and wave trough structure during the manufacturing process, thereby being convenient for manufacturing. The utility model discloses a soft actuator can add the gusset on the basis of the soft actuator of original bellows structure during manufacturing, can improve the crooked or distorted shortcoming of bellows structure soft actuator to unexpected direction. The soft actuator of the utility model is made of elastic material, and has good flexibility and long service life. The utility model discloses a when software actuator is used for improving the software finger of recovered gloves, can improve the overstretch load capacity of software finger, promote apoplexy patient's hand recovered. The utility model discloses a gusset design thinking of software actuator can combine with the original software actuator of multiple shape, and application scope is wide, has wide market prospect.

The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Modifications and variations can be made to the above-described embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all equivalent modifications or changes which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical spirit of the present invention be covered by the claims of the present invention.

In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the invention.

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "particular embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention, and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," or "in a specific embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements shown in the figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed for inoperability in some circumstances or provided for usefulness in accordance with a particular application.

Additionally, any reference arrows in the drawings/figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise expressly specified. Further, as used herein, the term "or" is generally intended to mean "and/or" unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless otherwise indicated. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of "in …" includes "in …" and "on …" unless otherwise indicated.

The above description of illustrated embodiments of the invention, including what is described in the abstract of the specification, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As noted, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The system and method have been described herein in general terms as providing details to facilitate the understanding of the invention. Furthermore, various specific details have been given to provide a general understanding of the embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, and/or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the invention.

Thus, although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, freedom of modification, various changes and substitutions are also within the foregoing disclosure, and it should be understood that in some instances some features of the present invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as set forth. Accordingly, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A soft actuator, comprising:

2. The soft actuator of claim 1, wherein the protrusion unit has a wave crest structure and the connection unit has a wave trough structure.

3. The soft actuator of claim 2, wherein the array of ribs is disposed on an axial symmetry plane of the actuator body.

4. The soft actuator according to claim 2, wherein the soft actuator comprises a plurality of rows of ribs, wherein one row of ribs is disposed on the axial symmetry plane of the actuator body, and the remaining other rows of ribs are disposed symmetrically on both sides of the axial symmetry plane of the actuator body.

5. The soft actuator according to claim 2, wherein the soft actuator comprises a plurality of rows of ribs symmetrically arranged on both sides of an axial symmetry plane of the actuator body.

6. The soft actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator body has a bellows-like structure, and the soft actuator comprises at least one pair of ribs symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a plane passing through a center line of the soft actuator.

7. The soft actuator of claim 6, wherein the pair of ribs symmetrically disposed on both sides of a plane passing through a center line of the soft actuator are located on the same plane.

8. The soft actuator of claim 1, wherein the rib unit is a resilient soft rib unit or a plastic rib unit.

9. The soft actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator body and the rib are integrally formed or are formed together by being combined after being separately machined.

10. The soft actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the bottom of the rib unit is in contact with or not in contact with the top surface of the corresponding connection unit.