JP2002103270A - Pneumatic robot and pneumatic joint driving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize the whole device and improve driving efficiency. SOLUTION: A first joint link 15 and a second joint link 16 are turnably connected with a joint part 13. A first pulling device 17 having a first elastic expansion body 19a is arranged between a first link body 11 and a second link body 12 through the first joint link 15. A second pulling device 18 having a second elastic expansion body 19b is arranged between the first link body 11 and the second link body 12 through the second joint link 16. The joint part 13 is driven by a resultant force of pulling forces by the first and second elastic expansion bodies 19a, 19b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pneumatic joint driving device for rotating a robot or a human joint and a pneumatic robot using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a robot using an electric motor, continuous driving cannot be performed for a long time due to heat generated by the motor, and the weight of the motor increases, and the structure supporting the motor also increases in weight. turn into.

[0003] On the other hand, FIG.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a conventional pneumatic manipulator device disclosed in JP-A-771. In the figure, the manipulator device includes a drive pulley 1 provided on a joint, a timing belt 2 wound around the drive pulley 1, and a pair of elastic expansion bodies 3A and 3B connected to both ends of the timing belt 2. Have.

In such a manipulator device, by supplying and discharging air to and from the elastic expanders 3A and 3B, the elastic expanders 3A and 3B expand and contract, and the drive pulley 1 is rotated via the timing belt 2. The joint is driven. For example, when the elastic expansion body 3A expands,
The length of the elastic expansion body 3A is reduced,
Is moved in the direction of arrow A. Thereby, the driving pulley 1
Is rotated in the direction of arrow B.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing how a load of a certain weight is lifted by rotation of a shaft. In the figure, the support arm 4 is rotated about a shaft 5. A load 7 having a weight W1 is suspended from the support arm 4 via a suspension arm 6. From the position of the solid line (initial position), the support arm 4 is rotated clockwise by an angle θ.
Is rotated by only the distance, the load 7 is lifted by ΔH1 (first lifting position). When the support arm 4 is further rotated clockwise from the position by the angle θ, the load 7 is lifted by ΔH2 (second lifting position).

As described above, even if the support arm 4 is rotated by the same angle θ, the lifting amount from the initial position to the first lifting position is ΔH1, and the lifting amount from the first lifting position to the second lifting position is ΔH1. Is a lift amount ΔH2, and a difference occurs in the lift amounts (ΔH1 <ΔH2).

On the other hand, the conventional manipulator device shown in FIG. 8 simply rotates the drive pulley 1 by using an elastic expansion body instead of a motor, and generates a constant torque. Therefore, when performing the work as shown in FIG. 9, even between the initial position and the first lifting position,
The same torque as that between the first lifting position and the second lifting position is generated.

[0008]

The above-described conventional manipulator device always generates a constant torque, and therefore generates a maximum torque even when performing a small-load work. , The elastic expansion bodies 3A and 3B and the air supply / discharge device (not shown) are enlarged, and the driving efficiency is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and has a pneumatic robot and a pneumatic joint driving device that can be downsized as a whole and have improved driving efficiency. The purpose is to obtain.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pneumatic robot having a plurality of links and at least one joint for rotatably connecting the links. The first and second relay portions, which are rotatably connected to the joint portion and are arranged so that one is located inside and the other is located outside when the link connected body is bent at the joint portion, the gas is removed. A first telescopic tension member that expands and contracts by being supplied and discharged, and is connected through a first relay portion between one link body and the other link body that are connected by a joint. 1 tension device, supply gas
It has a second elastic tensile body which expands and contracts by being discharged, and a second elastic body extends between one link body and the other link body.
The second tensioning device, the first
And a gas supply / discharge unit for supplying / discharging gas to / from the second stretchable tensile body, and a control unit for controlling the gas supply / discharge unit, and the resultant force of the tensile force by the first and second stretchable tensile bodies Thus, the joint is driven such that the other link body rotates with respect to the one link body.

A pneumatic robot according to a second aspect of the present invention uses, as the first and second relay sections, first and second joint links rotatably connected to a joint section. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pneumatic robot, wherein the first and second pneumatic robots have different degrees of freedom in the rotational direction of the joint.
And a plurality of sets of the relay section and the first and second pulling devices are provided.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the pneumatic robot, the diameter is increased and the length is reduced by supplying gas as the first and second stretchable tensile members. Using an elastic expansion body.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a pneumatic joint drive device is mounted on a link connector having a plurality of link members and at least one joint for rotatably connecting the link members. A flexible cover for covering the link connecting body, wherein the joint is driven so that the other link body rotates with respect to the one link body connected by the joint. A plurality of stretchable tensile members that are provided, expand and contract by supplying and discharging gas, and apply a tensile force to the covering, a gas supply and discharge unit that supplies and discharges gas to and from these stretchable tensile members, and A control unit for controlling the gas supply / discharge unit is provided, and the joint unit is driven by a resultant force of the tensile forces of the plurality of elastic tensile members.

In the pneumatic joint drive device according to the invention of claim 6, a cover is covered on a part of a human body as a link connecting body.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the pneumatic joint drive device, the covering covers at least the lower limb of the human body.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the pneumatic joint drive device, data for expanding and contracting the plurality of elastic tensile members so as to assist the walking of the human body is stored in the control unit.

In the pneumatic joint driving device according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the covering is made of cloth.

The pneumatic joint drive device according to the tenth aspect of the present invention uses an elastic inflatable body whose diameter is increased and whose length is reduced by supplying gas, as the expansion and contraction body. .

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pneumatic robot having a plurality of link bodies and at least one joint for rotatably connecting the link bodies. A flexible covering body to be coated, a plurality of elastic stretching bodies provided on the covering body, which expand and contract by supplying and discharging a gas, and apply a tensile force to the covering body;
A gas supply / discharge unit for supplying / discharging gas to / from these stretchable tension members and a control unit for controlling the gas supply / discharge unit are provided. The joint is driven so that the other link body is rotated with respect to the one link body.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the pneumatic robot, the covering is made of cloth.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the pneumatic robot is provided with a gas as a telescopic tension member,
This uses an elastic expansion body whose diameter is increased and whose length is reduced.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a pneumatic robot according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the figure, a first link body 11 is attached to a base 10. A second link body 12 is connected to a distal end of the first link body 11 via a joint 13. The second link body 12 is connected to the first link body 11 so as to be rotatable around an axis parallel to the Z axis in the figure. The link connector 14 includes a first link 11 as one link, a second link 12 as the other link, and the joint 1.
3.

First and second joint links 15 and 16 as first and second relays are rotatably connected to the joint 13. First and second joint links 15, 1
Numeral 6 is arranged such that one side is located inside and the other is located outside when the link connector 14 is bent at the joint 13.

Between the base end of the first link body 11, the first joint link 15 and the front end of the second link body 12,
A first tensioning device 17 is connected. A second pulling device 18 is connected between the base end of the first link body 11, the second joint link 16, and the front end of the second link body 12.

The first pulling device 17 is provided for the first link 1
A first elastic expansion body 19a and a first connection wire 20a as a first telescopic tension body connected between the first joint link 15 and the first joint link 15; a second link body 12 and a first joint; And a first transmission wire 21a connected between the link 15 and the first transmission wire 21a. The second tensioning device 18 includes a second elastic expansion body 19b as a second telescopic tensioning body connected between the first link body 11 and the second joint link 16 and a second connection wire 20b. And a second transmission wire 21b connected between the second link body 12 and the second joint link 16
And

First and second elastic expansion bodies 19a, 19b
Is made of a material such as rubber which can be expanded and contracted, and the diameter is increased and decreased and the entire length is expanded and contracted by supplying and discharging air as a gas. The first pulling device 17 applies a force for rotating the joint 13 in the clockwise direction in the drawing to the second link body 12. The second pulling device 18 gives a force to rotate the second link body 12 about the joint 13 in the counterclockwise direction in the figure.

An air supply / discharge unit 23 as a gas supply / discharge unit is connected to the elastic expansion bodies 19a and 19b. The supply / discharge of air to / from the elastic expansion bodies 19a and 19b by the air supply / discharge unit 23 is controlled by the control unit 24. Control unit 2
Reference numeral 4 controls the air supply / discharge unit 23 by the pressure in the elastic expansion bodies 19a and 19b.

Next, the operation will be described. For example, when air is supplied to the first elastic expansion body 19a by the air supply / discharge device 23 and air is discharged from the second elastic expansion body 19b, the diameter of the first elastic expansion body 19a increases. At the same time, the length becomes shorter. Also, the second elastic expansion body 1
9b has a smaller diameter and a longer length.

By the expansion and contraction of the elastic expansion bodies 19a and 19b, the second link body 12 is turned around the joint 13 in the clockwise direction in the figure. Conversely, air is discharged from the first elastic expansion body 19a and the second elastic expansion body 19b
Is supplied to the second link body 12, the second link body 12 is turned around the joint 13 in the counterclockwise direction in the figure. Therefore, the load W can be raised and lowered by the second link body 12. That is, the first and second elastic expansion bodies 19
The joint 13 is driven by the resultant of the pulling forces a and 19b.

In the control method of the air supply / discharge unit 23, a command signal from another control device (not shown) is input to the control unit 24 even if control is performed by data preset in the control unit 24. It may be controlled by the following. in this case,
By using a control device having the same mechanism as that of the link connector 14, it is also possible to perform master-slave control.

In such a pneumatic robot,
For example, when the load W is lifted, the torque around the joint 13 changes according to the amount of displacement of the load W, so that the energy loss is small, the entire driving device can be downsized, and the driving efficiency can be improved. Further, the load W is determined by the pressure difference between the first and second elastic expansion bodies 19a and 19b.
, The device can be reduced in size and weight.

Further, the first and second link bodies 11, 1
2, since it works only as a compression member, the rigidity can be reduced, and the structure of the link connector 14 can be simplified and reduced in weight. For example, the first and second link bodies 11 and 12 may be formed of thin pipes or the like.

Further, the first and second tension devices 1
Since the members 7 and 18 function only as tension members, the structure can be simplified and the weight can be reduced as compared with a hydraulic cylinder or the like that operates both in compression and tension. That is, the first and second connection wires 20a and 20b and the first and second transmission wires 2
Lightweight materials such as 1a and 21b can be used.

The joint 13 is provided with first and second joint links 15 and 16, and the first and second tensioning devices 17 and 18 are provided with the first and second joint links 15 and 1 respectively.
6, the direction of the force acting on the second link body 12 can be stabilized, and the joint 13
The joint portion 13 can be driven stably within the entire range of the rotation angle of.

In the first embodiment, the elastic inflatable body 1 for rotating the second link body 12 clockwise in FIG.
Elastic expansion body 19 for rotating one piece 9a in the opposite direction
Although one b is used, a plurality of b may be used.

Embodiment 2 In the first embodiment,
Although the first and second joint links 15 and 16 are shown as the first and second relay units, for example, as shown in FIG.
Further, a pair of first rollers 61 and a pair of second rollers 62 may be provided in the joint 13 as a second relay section.

In this case, the first and second belts 63a and 63b connect the elastic inflatable bodies 19a and 19b and the distal end of the second link body 12 with each other. And the second belt 63b may be passed between a pair of second rollers 62. Further, the first tension device 64 according to the second embodiment includes a first elastic expansion member 19a and a first belt 63a, and the second tension device 65 includes a second elastic expansion member 19b and a second elastic expansion member 19b. 2
Of the belt 63b.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part of a pneumatic robot according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3. In the figure, a second link body 12 is connected to a distal end of the first link body 11 via a joint 25. The second link body 12 is connected to the first link body 11 so as to be rotatable about two axes parallel to the Z axis and the Y axis in the drawing. The link connecting body 26 includes the first link body 11, the second link body 12, and the joint 25.

The driving of the joint 25 around the Z axis is performed by the first and second tensioning devices 17 and 18 as in the first embodiment. The joint 25 includes third and fourth joint links 27, 27 in addition to the first and second joint links 15, 16.
28 are rotatably connected.

The base end of the first link body 11 and the third joint link 27 and the front end of the second link body 12 are connected by a third tensioning device 29. The base end of the first link body 11, the fourth joint link 28, and the tip end of the second link body 12 are connected by a fourth pulling device 30.

The third pulling device 29 is provided for the first link 1
A third elastic inflatable body 19c and a third connection wire 20c as a first telescopic tension body connected between the first and third joint links 27; the second link body 12 and the third joint; And a third transmission wire 21c connected to the link 27. The fourth tensioning device 30 includes a fourth elastic expansion body 19d and a fourth connection wire 20d as a second expansion / contraction tension body connected between the first link body 11 and the fourth joint link 28. And a fourth transmission wire 21d connected between the second link body 12 and the fourth joint link 28
And Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In such a pneumatic robot, the first and second elastic expansion bodies 19a and 19b can be used to rotate the second link body 12 about the Z-axis, and to use the third and second elastic expansion bodies. Using the four elastic expansion bodies 19c and 19d, the rotation of the second link body 12 about the Y axis is also possible.

That is, the third and fourth joint links 27, 2
8 and the third and fourth tensioning devices 29, 30
3 corresponds to a second set of first and second relay portions and first and second pulling devices corresponding to driving around the Y axis.

Embodiment 4 FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an arrangement state of an elastic expansion body of a pneumatic robot according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. Around the first link body 11, first to eighth elastic expansion bodies 19a to 19h are arranged. As described above, by increasing the number of the elastic expansion bodies 19a to 19h and configuring the joint portion with a universal joint or the like, the second link 12 can be rotated in any direction.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the link connecting body including one joint has been described. However, by arranging the pulling devices in accordance with the number of the joints and the driving direction, a multi-joint link is provided. The present invention can be applied to a connector. That is, a multi-joint pneumatic robot can be configured.

Further, the second link body 12 is connected to the first link body 11 in a twistable manner, and the tension device is helically arranged on the link connected body, so that the second link body 1 is twisted.
2 can also be rotated in the twisting direction, and the degree of freedom of operation can be increased.

Embodiment 5 FIG. Next, FIG. 6 is a front view showing a pneumatic robot according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. In the figure, a link body 36 imitating a human arm is supported on a support body 60. Link connection 3
Reference numeral 6 denotes an upper arm 31 as a link body, a forearm 32 as a link body rotatably connected to a distal end of the upper arm 31, and a rotatably connected to a distal end of the forearm 32. A hand 33 as a link body, an elbow joint 34 connecting the upper arm 31 and the forearm 32, and a forearm 32
And a wrist joint part 35 connecting the hand part 33 and the hand part 33. In addition, the link connecting body 36 of this example includes an elbow joint 34
And no joint other than the wrist joint 35.

The range of the turning direction and the turning angle of the elbow joint 34 and the wrist joint 35 are respectively limited according to the human arm. At least a part of the support body 60 and the entire link connector 36 are tightly covered with a flexible cloth-like cover 37. Coating 3
7 is made of, for example, a knitted or woven fabric of synthetic fibers or natural fibers. Further, the cover 37 can be made of a nonwoven fabric or a synthetic resin sheet material.

The cover 37 has a plurality of bag-shaped storage portions 37.
a is provided. An elastic expansion body 38 as an expansion and contraction body is housed in each of these housing sections 37a. The elastic expansion body 38 is made of a material such as rubber that can expand and contract, and is expanded and contracted by supplying and discharging air as a gas. The elastic inflatable body 38 is connected to the inside of the housing portion 37a such that the cover 37 is pulled by the elastic inflatable body 38. Therefore, the tensile force applied by the elastic expander 38 to the cover 37 changes due to the expansion and contraction of the elastic expander 38.

Each elastic inflatable body 38 is connected to an air supply / discharge unit 40 as a gas supply / discharge unit via a flexible air supply / discharge pipe 39. The supply / discharge of air to / from the elastic inflatable body 38 by the air supply / discharge unit 40 is individually controlled by the control unit 41. The control unit 41 controls the air supply / discharge unit 40 based on the pressure in the elastic expansion body 38. Embodiment 5
Of the pneumatic joint drive device of
8, an air supply / discharge pipe 39, an air supply / discharge unit 40, and a control unit 41. Further, a pneumatic robot is constituted by the pneumatic joint drive device and the link connector 36.

In the method of controlling the air supply / discharge unit 40, a command signal from another control device (not shown) is input to the control unit 41 even if control is performed by data preset in the control unit 41. It may be controlled by the following. in this case,
By using a control device having a mechanism similar to that of the link connector 36, it is also possible to perform master-slave control.

In such a pneumatic robot, the corresponding joints 34 and 35 are driven by the resultant of the tensile forces of the plurality of elastic expansion bodies 38. That is, each elastic expansion body 38
By adjusting the amount of expansion and contraction, the tensile force applied to the cover 37 changes for each part, and the forearm 32
Thus, the hands 33 are rotated by the wrist joints 35, respectively.
Therefore, it is possible to raise and lower the load by the hand portion 33.

The basic operation principle is the same as that of the first to third embodiments, the loss of energy is small, the whole driving device can be downsized, and the driving efficiency can be improved. Further, since the joints 34 and 35 are driven by the pressure difference between the plurality of elastic expansion bodies 38, the size and weight of the device can be reduced.

Further, the upper arm 31, the forearm 32, and the hand 33 work only as compression members, so that the rigidity can be reduced, and the structure of the link connecting body 36 can be simplified and reduced in weight.

Here, in the first embodiment, the wire 20
a, 20b, 21a, and 21b are used as tension members, so that these wires 20a, 20b, 21a, and 2
The force acts intensively on the connection portion 1b. On the other hand, in the fifth embodiment, since the cover 37 that covers the link connector 36 is used as a tension member, the tensile force of the elastic expansion member 38 can be dispersed and received over a wide area, and the link connection can be achieved. The configuration of the body 36 can be simplified.

In the fifth embodiment, the pneumatic joint driving device for driving the elbow joint 34 and the wrist joint 35 is shown. However, the shoulder joint and the finger joint of the link connector 36 can be rotated. And an elastic inflatable body corresponding to each joint may be added to drive the shoulder joint and the finger joint.

Further, the arrangement position, number, size, etc. of the elastic inflatable body can be variously changed in accordance with the movement of the joint and the required force. Further, the shape of the elastic inflatable body is not limited to a tubular shape, and may be a disk shape, a spherical shape, or the like as necessary.

Further, in the fifth embodiment, the pneumatic robot is constituted by combining the pneumatic joint driving device and the link connector 36, but it is also possible to use only the pneumatic joint driving device. For example, a person with weakened arm strength or the like can move the arm by wearing the pneumatic joint drive device of the fifth embodiment.

Further, for example, by arranging the elastic expansion body in a spiral shape on the link connecting body, it is possible to rotate the link body in the twisting direction.

The allowable amount of elongation and the direction of elongation of the cover 37 are appropriately set for each part.

Embodiment 6 FIG. Next, FIG. 7 is a front view showing a pneumatic joint driving apparatus according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. The pneumatic joint driving device according to the sixth embodiment is of a type worn on a human body 50 which is a link connecting body.
However, it is also possible to make it move as a pneumatic robot by wearing it on a human-shaped link connector having a link structure similar to that of the human body 50.

The human body 50, except for the upper limb and the head, is tightly covered with a cloth-like covering body 51. Coating 5
1 is made of the same material as that of the cover 37 of the fifth embodiment. The covering body 51 includes a plurality of bag-shaped accommodation portions 51a.
Is provided. The elastic expansion bodies 38 as expansion and contraction bodies are housed in these housing sections 51a, respectively. The cover 51 is pulled by the elastic expansion body 38. The tensile force applied by the elastic expander 38 to the cover 51 changes due to the expansion and contraction of the elastic expander 38.

The elastic inflatable body 38 is arranged, for example, around the waist, the back, the abdomen, the side, the buttocks, the thighs, the shin, and the like. The size and number of the elastic inflatable members 38 in each part are appropriately set according to the movement of the corresponding joint and the required tensile force. Further, the shape of the elastic inflatable body 38 is not limited to a tube-like one, and may be a disk-like shape, a spherical shape, or the like, if necessary. Is set.

Each elastic expansion body 38 is connected to an air supply / discharge unit 40 via a flexible air supply / discharge pipe (not shown). Elastic expansion body 38 by air supply / discharge unit 40
The supply and discharge of air to and from the air are individually controlled by the control unit 41. The control unit 41 controls the air supply / discharge unit 40 by the pressure of the elastic expansion body 38. The pneumatic joint drive device according to the sixth embodiment includes a cover 51, an elastic expansion body 38, an air supply / discharge pipe, an air supply / discharge unit 40, and a control unit 41.

Next, the operation will be described. By supplying air from the air supply / discharge unit 40 to the elastic inflatable body 38, the tensile force applied by the elastic inflatable body 38 to the cover 51 increases. Conversely, when air is discharged from the elastic expansion body 38, the tensile force applied by the elastic expansion body 38 to the cover 51 decreases. The joints of the human body 50, that is, the joints such as the hips, hips, knees, and ankles, are driven in accordance with the resultant force of these tensile forces.

Therefore, by wearing the pneumatic joint drive device of the sixth embodiment, for example, a person with weak muscles of the foot can walk without using a wheelchair, get up from a bed, and stand or sit. Or you can.
That is, each elastic inflatable body 38 functions as a substitute for a healthy muscle, and assists the operation.

At this time, since the human body 50 is covered with the covering body 37 as a tension member, the tensile force of the elastic expansion body 38 can be dispersed and received over a wide area, and the human body 5 can be received.
The concentration of force acting on a part of zero is suppressed, and the human body 5
The operation can be smoothly performed without imposing a burden on zero.

The control method of the air supply / discharge unit 40 is, for example, that a command signal from another control device (not shown) is input to the control unit 41 even if control is performed by data preset in the control unit 41. May be controlled by For example, an elastic inflatable body 38 for realizing the movement of each joint when walking.
If the expansion / contraction operation is preset as data, the elastic inflatable body 38 expands / contracts according to the data, and the human body 50 can walk. For example, a variety of operations can be performed by presetting a plurality of data such as walking, stopping, sitting, standing up, and the like, and selecting the data by the user.

The air supply / discharge unit 40 and the control unit 41
A belt may be attached to the waist or the like from the outside of 1. Further, the air supply / discharge unit 40 and the control unit 41 may be separately provided, and a usage method in which a user moves within the range of the length of the air supply / discharge pipe may be used. In this case, the controller 41 can be operated wirelessly using a remote controller.

In the sixth embodiment, the pneumatic joint driving device is worn on the human body 50. However, for example, a doll imitating the structure of the human body 50 may be worn on the human body 50 to provide a walkable pneumatic robot. it can. Also, the pneumatic joint drive device of the type to be worn on the arm as in the fifth embodiment is combined with the drive device of the sixth embodiment to be worn on a doll, so that the pneumatic joint drive capable of performing any operation using the arms and legs is possible. It can be a robot.

In the first to sixth embodiments, air is used as the gas. However, for example, when used in a special environment, the elastic expansion body may be expanded and contracted by a gas other than air.

Further, in the first to sixth embodiments, the elastic inflatable body whose diameter is increased and its length is reduced by supplying air is shown as the stretchable tensile body. It is also possible to use a stretchable tensile body of a type in which the length is reduced and the length is reduced by sucking the air inside.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a pneumatic robot according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a main part of a pneumatic robot according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part of a pneumatic robot according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an arrangement state of an elastic expansion body of a pneumatic robot according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a pneumatic robot according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a pneumatic joint drive device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional pneumatic manipulator device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a load of a certain weight is lifted by rotation of a shaft.

[Description of Signs] 11 First link body, 12 Second link body, 13
Joint, 14, 36 linked body, 15 First joint link (first relay), 16 Second joint link (Second link)
, 17, 64 First pulling device, 18, 65
2nd tension device, 19a 1st elastic expansion body (1st expansion and contraction body), 19b 2nd elastic expansion body (2nd expansion and contraction body), 23, 40 Air supply / discharge part (gas supply / discharge part) ), 2
4, 41 control part, 31 upper arm part (link body), 32
Forearm (link), 33 Hand (link), 34
Elbow joint, 35 Wrist joint, 37, 51 sheath, 3
8 Elastic expansion body (expandable and stretched body), 50 human body (link connection body), 61 first roller (first relay section), 62
Second roller (second relay section), 63a first belt, 63b second belt.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A link connector having a plurality of link members and at least one joint for rotatably connecting the link members, the link connector being provided at the joint, and connecting the link connector to a joint. First and second relay portions, one of which is arranged so that one is located inside and the other is located outside when folded, and has a first stretchable tensile member which expands and contracts by supplying and discharging gas. And a first pulling device connected between the one link body and the other link body connected by the joint through the first relay portion, which expands and contracts by supplying and discharging gas. A second tension device having a second telescopic tension member, and connected between the one link member and the other link member through the second relay portion; the first and second tension members; Supply and discharge gas to and from the stretchable tensile body A gas supply / discharge unit; and a control unit for controlling the gas supply / discharge unit. The other link body is connected to the one link body by a combined force of the first and second stretchable tensile bodies. A pneumatic robot, wherein the joint is driven to rotate. 2. The pneumatic robot according to claim 1, wherein the first and second relay sections are first and second joint links rotatably connected to the joint section. 3. A plurality of sets of the first and second relay sections and the first and second tension devices are provided according to the degree of freedom of the rotation direction of the joint section. The pneumatic robot according to claim 1. 4. The first and second elastic expansion bodies are first and second elastic expansion bodies whose diameter is increased and whose length is reduced by supplying gas. The pneumatic robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein 5. A link connecting body having a plurality of link bodies and at least one joint section rotatably connecting the link bodies, and is attached to one of the link bodies connected by the joint sections. A pneumatic joint driving device that drives the joint so that the other link body rotates, and a flexible covering body that covers the link connecting body. A plurality of stretchable tension members that expand and contract by being supplied and discharged, and apply a tensile force to the cover; a gas supply and discharge portion that supplies and discharges gas to and from these stretchable tension members; A control unit for controlling the tensile force by the resultant tensile force of the plurality of stretchable tensile bodies,
A pneumatic joint drive device wherein the joint is driven. 6. The pneumatic joint drive device according to claim 5, wherein a cover is coated on a part of a human body as a link connecting body. 7. The pneumatic joint drive device according to claim 6, wherein the covering is configured to cover at least a lower leg of a human body. 8. The pneumatic joint drive device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit stores data for expanding and contracting the plurality of expansion and contraction tension bodies so as to assist walking of the human body. 9. The pneumatic joint drive device according to claim 5, wherein the cover is made of cloth. 10. The elastic expansion body according to claim 5, wherein the expansion and contraction body is an elastic expansion body whose diameter is increased and whose length is reduced when gas is supplied. A pneumatic joint drive as described. 11. A link connector having a plurality of link members and at least one joint for rotatably connecting the link members, a flexible covering member covering the link connector, A plurality of stretchable tension members provided on the cover and expanded and contracted by supplying and discharging gas to apply a tensile force to the cover, and gas supply and discharge for supplying and discharging gas to and from these stretchable tension members Unit, and a control unit for controlling the gas supply and discharge unit, by the combined force of the tensile force by the plurality of stretchable tensile members,
A pneumatic robot wherein the joint is driven such that the other link is rotated with respect to one link connected by the joint. 12. The pneumatic robot according to claim 11, wherein the covering is made of cloth. 13. The pneumatic device according to claim 11, wherein the expansion / contraction member is an elastic expansion member whose diameter is increased and whose length is reduced when gas is supplied. Expression robot.