JP2019202376A - Linear deformation device and gripper device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a linear deformation device hardly buckling and comparatively wide in a movable range, and a gripper device having the linear deformation device.SOLUTION: A shape variable linear body 11 comprises a slender bag-like body 21, a plurality of string bodies 22 provided in the bag-like body 21 so as to extend up to a rear end from the tip along the lengthwise direction of the bag-like body 21 and fluid 23 stored inside the bag-like body 21. The shape variable linear body 11 is provided so that rigidity can be changed between a low rigidity state deformable by curving and/or bending and a high rigidity state capable of maintaining a deformed shape in one or a plurality of places along the lengthwise direction. Rigidity changing means 12 is constituted so that the fluid 23 can be discharged from the inside of the bag-like body 21 so as ro enhance the rigidity of the shape variable linear body 11 and the fluid 23 can be supplied to the inside of the bag-like body 21 so as to reduce the rigidity of the shape variable linear body 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear deformation device and a gripper device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for use as a support arm, a gripper device, or the like, an elongate structure having a rigidity that can be changed using a jamming transition phenomenon has been developed. For example, by encapsulating powder inside an elongated bag-like structure and pulling out the air inside, the powder is brought into contact with each other to improve rigidity, or by supplying air inside, the rigidity is reduced. (For example, see Non-Patent Documents 1 to 3). In addition, as a layer jamming, a plurality of planar structures are stored in a stacked state inside a bag-like structure on the surface of a cylindrical arm that supports surgical tools, etc., and the same rigidity change as the jamming transition phenomenon occurs. The thing which produces is also developed (for example, refer nonpatent literature 4 or 5).

Brown, Eric, et al. “Universal robotic gripper based on the jamming of granular material”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2010, 107.44, p.18809-18814 Cheng, N., Lobovsky, M., Keating, S., Setapen, A., Gero, K., Hosoi, A. and Iagnemma, K., “Design and Analysis of a Robust, Low-cost, Highly Articulated Manipulator Enabled by Jamming of Granular Media ”, Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2012, p.4328-4333 Allen Jiang, Prokar Dasgupta, Kaspar Althoefer and Thrishantha Nanayakkara, “Robotic Granular Jamming: A New Variable Stiffness Mechanism”, Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan, 2014, Vol.32, No.4, p.333-338 Kim, Y., Cheng, S., Kim, S., and Iagnemma, K., “Design of a Tubular Snake-like Manipulator with Stiffening Capability by Layer Jamming”, Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robots and Systems, 2012 , p.4251-4256 Kim, Y., Cheng, S., Kim, S., and Iagnemma, K., “A Novel Layer Jamming Mechanism with Tunable Stiffness Capability for Minimally Invasive Surgery”, IEEE Transactions on Robotics, August 2013, Vol. 29, No .1, p.1031-1042

  However, in the structure using the powder described in Non-Patent Documents 1 to 3, there is a problem that when the bag-like structure is made to be highly rigid and extended in the horizontal direction, buckling is likely to occur at the base. Further, in the case of using the planar structure described in Non-Patent Documents 4 and 5, the planar structure is stored inside the bag-like structure so that the bag-like structure can be obtained even at low rigidity. There existed a subject that a curvature radius was small and the movable range was limited.

  The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a linear deformation device that is not easily buckled and has a relatively wide movable range, and a gripper device having the linear deformation device. To do.

  In order to achieve the above object, the linear deformation device according to the present invention is elongated and has a deformed low rigidity state and a deformed shape at one or a plurality of locations along the length direction. A variable shape linear body that can be changed in rigidity between a highly rigid state that can be maintained, and a rigidity changing means that changes the rigidity of the variable shape linear body. The body is characterized by having a string body extending from the front end to the rear end along the length direction.

  The linear deformation device according to the present invention changes the rigidity variable means after changing the shape variable linear body to a low rigidity state by the rigidity changing means, and bending and / or bending the shape variable linear body into a desired shape. By making the shape variable linear body into a highly rigid state, the shape variable linear body can be maintained in a desired shape. The linear deformation device according to the present invention can be used as a support member, a gripper device, or the like by using this characteristic.

  Since the linear deformation device according to the present invention has a string body extending from the front end to the rear end along the length direction of the variable shape linear body, a conventional method in which only powder is enclosed inside the bag-shaped body. It can be configured to be less likely to buckle than In addition, it can be configured to have a larger radius of curvature in a low-rigid state than a conventional bag-like structure with a planar structure stacked and stored, and the movable range should be relatively wide. Can do.

  In the linear deformation device according to the present invention, for example, the shape-variable linear body includes an elongated bag-shaped body and a fluid housed in the bag-shaped body, as it becomes difficult to buckle. The string body is composed of a plurality, and is provided inside the bag-like body so as to extend along the length direction of the bag-like body, and the rigidity changing means is configured to increase the rigidity of the shape-variable linear body. The fluid may be discharged from the inside of the bag-like body so as to be enhanced, and the fluid may be supplied into the bag-like body so as to reduce the rigidity of the variable shape linear body. . In this case, since a jamming transition phenomenon caused by a plurality of string bodies is used, it is difficult to buckle when the variable shape linear body is in a highly rigid state.

  Moreover, in this case, since the plurality of string members are brought into close contact with each other by discharging the fluid from the inside of the bag-like body by the rigidity changing means, the rigidity of the variable shape linear body can be increased. Moreover, since the fluid state is supplied to the inside of the bag-like body by the stiffness changing means, the close state of the plurality of string bodies can be solved, so that the rigidity of the variable shape linear body can be reduced. The fluid is preferably composed of liquid, gas, powder, or a combination of a plurality of these.

  In this case, the fluid may be composed of a functional fluid, and may have a hardness control means capable of imparting a physical action to the fluid so as to change the viscosity of the fluid. In this case, the rigidity of the variable shape linear body can be finely changed by a combination of the change in rigidity by the string body and the rigidity changing means and the change in viscosity by the functional fluid and the hardness control means. For example, the viscosity of the fluid can be arbitrarily changed by using an ER fluid (electroviscous fluid) as the functional fluid and applying an electric field to the ER fluid by the hardness control means. Further, the viscosity of the fluid can be arbitrarily changed by using MR fluid (magnetic viscous fluid) as the functional fluid and applying a magnetic field to the MR fluid by the hardness control means.

  In the linear deformation device according to the present invention, for example, the variable shape linear body includes a plurality of unit materials having a through hole in a central portion, and the string can be relatively widened. The body is inserted into the through hole of each unit material to connect each unit material in a row, each unit material can be slid along the length direction of the string, and the most distal unit material is Each unit material is provided so as not to come off at the front end side of the string body, and the surface on the front end side and the rear end side surface of the string body are different from each other, and the rigidity changing means is a unit adjacent to each other. By pulling the string body relative to each unit material toward the rear end side so as to closely adhere the material, the rigidity of the variable shape linear body is increased, and the tension of the string body is loosened, Configured to reduce the rigidity of variable shape linear bodies It may be. In this case, since the jamming transition phenomenon caused by the plurality of unit materials passed through the string body is used, the interval between the unit materials can be widened when the rigidity is low, and the radius of curvature of the variable shape linear body can be increased. Thereby, a movable range can be widened.

  Further, in this case, by pulling the string body relatively to each unit material with the stiffness changing means, the adjacent unit materials are in close contact with each other, so that the rigidity of the shape variable linear body can be increased. . At this time, since each unit material has a shape in which the surface on the front end side and the surface on the rear end side of the string body are different from each other, the curved and / or bent shape can be maintained. Further, by loosening the tension of the string body by the rigidity changing means, the close contact state of each unit material can be released, so that the rigidity of the variable shape linear body can be reduced.

  The gripper device according to the present invention includes a plurality of linear deformation devices according to the present invention, and each shape-variable linear body is arranged around a predetermined center line from the rear end side to the front end side along the center line. It arrange | positions so that it may extend toward the inside, and it is provided so that a target object can be hold | gripped inside each shape variable linear body.

  In the gripper device according to the present invention, an object is placed inside each shape variable linear body, and each shape variable linear body is bent and / or bent so as to sandwich or cover the object. The object can be gripped by setting the shape variable linear body to a highly rigid state.

  In the gripper device according to the present invention, the tip portions of the variable shape linear bodies are connected to each other, and when the variable shape linear bodies are in a low-rigidity state, the connecting portions are arranged inside the variable shape linear bodies. It may be configured to be movable toward the rear end side along the center line. In this case, the object can be gripped as follows. That is, first, each variable shape linear body is set in a low rigidity state, and an object is pressed near the connecting portion. Thereby, a connection part moves toward the rear-end side of each shape variable linear body, and it deform | transforms so that each shape variable linear body may adapt to the shape of a target object. If each shape-variable linear body is deformed into a shape capable of gripping an object, each shape-variable linear body is brought into a highly rigid state. Thereby, a target object can be hold | gripped with each shape variable linear body. When separating the object, each shape variable linear body may be in a low rigidity state.

  Further, in this case, it may have a moving means for moving the connecting portion to the tip side of each shape variable linear body. At this time, after releasing the object, the shape variable linear bodies can be returned to the original state by the moving means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a linear deformation device that is difficult to buckle and has a relatively wide movable range, and a gripper device having the linear deformation device.

It is the perspective view which notched a part of (a) sectional drawing and (b) bag-like body which show the linear deformation apparatus of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the linear deformation apparatus shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which (a) shape variable linear body extended straight, and (b) shape variable linear body curved of the linear deformation apparatus of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the use condition which curved at several places of the linear deformation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the 1st modification of the linear deformation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd modification of the linear deformation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the use condition of the gripper apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the gripper apparatus shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show a linear deformation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the linear deformation device 10 includes a variable shape linear body 11 and a stiffness changing means 12.

  The variable shape linear body 11 includes an elongated bag-like body 21, and a plurality of string bodies 22 provided inside the bag-like body 21 so as to extend from the front end to the rear end along the length direction of the bag-like body 21. And a fluid 23 accommodated inside the bag-like body 21. The bag-like body 21 may be made of any material such as a stretchable material, a hardly stretchable material, or an elastic material, depending on the intended use. The string body 22 may be made of any material such as a single wire or a stranded wire, a material having a large surface friction, a stretchable material, a flexible material, or a material having elasticity. The fluid 23 may be made of any material that can flow, such as liquid, gas, and powder, and is made of, for example, water or air.

  The rigidity changing means 12 is provided so that the fluid 23 can be discharged from the inside of the bag-like body 21 and the fluid 23 can be supplied to the inside of the bag-like body 21. The rigidity changing means 12 can be configured using, for example, a cylinder or a pump.

  The linear deformation device 10 is configured to change the rigidity of the variable shape linear body 11 by the rigidity changing means 12. That is, the linear deformation device 10 discharges the fluid 23 from the inside of the bag-like body 21 by the rigidity changing means 12, thereby bringing the plurality of string bodies 22 into close contact with each other inside the bag-like body 21 and performing jamming transition. And the rigidity of the variable shape linear body 11 is increased. Further, by supplying the fluid 23 to the inside of the bag-like body 21 by the stiffness changing means 12, the jamming transition in which the plurality of string bodies 22 are in close contact with each other is eliminated, and the rigidity of the variable shape linear body 11 is reduced. It has become. In this way, the linear deformation device 10 maintains the deformed shape and the low-rigidity state in which the deformable linear body 11 can be deformed by bending and / or bending at one or a plurality of locations along the length direction thereof. It is configured to be deformable between possible high rigidity states.

Next, the operation will be described.
The linear deformation device 10 causes the shape-changing linear body 11 to be in a low-rigidity state by the stiffness changing means 12, and the shape-changing linear body 11 is deformed by bending and / or bending into a desired shape, and then the stiffness changing means. The variable shape linear body 11 can be maintained in a desired shape by setting the variable shape linear body 11 to a highly rigid state at 12. Thereby, the linear deformation apparatus 10 can implement | achieve the variable rigidity of making it contact with high rigidity, when it adapts to a target object and applying force to a target object. The linear deformation device 10 can be used as a support member, a gripper device, or the like by using this characteristic. When used as a gripper device, for example, the object can be gripped by winding the tip of the variable shape linear body 11 around the object in the manner of a lasso.

  Since the linear deformation device 10 uses the jamming transition phenomenon caused by the plurality of string bodies 22 extending from the front end to the rear end of the bag-like body 21 along the length direction of the variable shape linear body 11, the bag-like body 21 is used. Compared to the conventional type in which only the powder is sealed inside, the buckling is less likely to occur when the rigidity is high.

  As a specific example, the bag-shaped body 21 is made of natural rubber, and 19 heat-resistant insulated vinyl electric wires (UL1007AWG28) having a diameter of 1.2 mm are used as the string body 22, a diameter of 6 mm, a length of 260 mm, and a weight of 15.5 g. The shape variable linear body 11 was produced. This variable shape linear body 11 was made into a highly rigid state and extended in the horizontal direction, and a load was applied from the top to the bottom at a position 50 mm from the base, and the displacement there was measured. For comparison, the same measurement was performed on a linear body using the same bag-like body 21 and encapsulating only powder (coffee powder) to make it highly rigid. As a result, the shape variable linear body 11 had a shear rigidity of 3.5 times or more as compared with the comparative sample. It was also confirmed that buckling was difficult.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the linear deformation apparatus 10 may be comprised so that the bag-shaped body 21 can be wound up from the terminal side. In this case, the shape-variable linear body 11 is shortened by winding up the bag-shaped body 21 by shortening the shape-variable linear body 11 or pushing the string body 22 toward the distal end to extend the wound bag-shaped body 21. The variable shape linear body 11 can be expanded and contracted.

  Further, the linear deformation device 10 may include a hardness control unit that can impart a physical action to the fluid 23 so that the fluid 23 is made of a functional fluid and changes the viscosity of the fluid 23. . In this case, the rigidity of the variable shape linear body 11 can be finely changed by a combination of the change in rigidity by the string body 22 and the rigidity changing means 12 and the change in viscosity by the functional fluid and the hardness control means. For example, the viscosity of the fluid 23 can be arbitrarily changed by using an ER fluid (electroviscous fluid) as the functional fluid and applying an electric field to the ER fluid by the hardness control means. Moreover, the viscosity of the fluid 23 can be arbitrarily changed by using MR fluid (magnetorheological fluid) as the functional fluid and applying a magnetic field to the MR fluid by the hardness control means.

  Further, the linear deformation device 10 may be used by being attached to an elongated cord-like moving body configured to be movable by being inserted into a pipe or a narrow gap. In this case, at the time of movement, it can be flexibly deformed and moved together with the moving body by attaching along the moving body in a low rigidity state. At the time of work, the object can be grasped or force can be exerted on the object by extending from the moving body and making it in a highly rigid state according to the object and the work content.

3 to 6 show a linear deformation apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 3, the linear deformation device 30 includes a variable shape linear body 31 and a stiffness changing means 32.

  The variable shape linear body 31 includes a plurality of unit members 41 having a through hole in the central portion, and is inserted into the through holes of the unit members 41 so as to connect the unit members 41 in a row, along the length direction. And a string body 42 extending from the front end to the rear end. Each unit material 41 has a non-concave symmetrical shape, and the front end side surface and the rear end side surface of the string 42 have different shapes. The variable shape linear body 31 is elongated and can slide each unit material 41 along the length direction of the string body 42, and the unit material 41 on the most distal end side does not come out to the distal end side of the string body 42. Thus, a stopper 42 a is provided at the tip of the string body 42. Each unit material 41 may be any material, but is preferably hard. The string 42 may be made of any material, but is preferably hardly stretchable.

  The rigidity changing means 32 is configured to pull the string body 42 toward the rear end side relative to each unit member 41 to increase or loosen the tension of the string body 42. The stiffness changing means 32 can be configured using, for example, a winding device using a motor.

  The linear deformation device 30 is configured to change the rigidity of the variable shape linear body 31 by means of the rigidity changing means 32. That is, the linear deformation device 30 pulls the string body 42 to the rear end side by the stiffness changing means 32 to increase the tension of the string body 42, thereby bringing the adjacent unit members 41 into close contact with each other to generate a jamming transition, The rigidity of the shape variable linear body 31 is increased. Further, by loosening the tension of the string body 42 by the rigidity changing means 32, the jamming transition in which the adjacent unit members 41 are in close contact with each other is eliminated, and the rigidity of the variable shape linear body 31 is reduced. Thus, the linear deformation device 30 maintains a deformed shape and a low-rigidity state in which the deformable linear body 31 can be deformed by bending and / or bending at one or a plurality of locations along the length direction thereof. It is configured to be deformable between possible high rigidity states.

Next, the operation will be described.
The linear deformation device 30 can be used as follows. That is, the shape changing linear body 31 is brought into a low rigidity state by the rigidity changing means 32, and the shape changing linear body 31 is deformed by being bent and / or bent into a desired shape, and then the shape changing line is changed by the rigidity changing means 32. The body 31 is brought into a highly rigid state. At this time, when each unit material 41 is spherical, each unit material 41 is arranged straight due to the tension of the string body 42. However, in the linear deformation device 30, each unit material 41 is arranged at the tip side of the string body 42. Since the surface and the rear end surface have different non-concave symmetrical shapes, the concave and convex portions of adjacent units contact irregularly, and a curved and / or bent shape can be maintained. Thereby, the shape variable linear body 31 can be maintained in a desired shape in a highly rigid state.

  In this manner, the linear deformation device 30 can realize a variable stiffness that is soft when it is adapted to the object and that contacts with high rigidity when a force is applied to the object. The linear deformation device 30 can be used as a support member, a gripper device, or the like by utilizing this characteristic. In addition, since the linear deformation device 30 uses the jamming transition phenomenon caused by the plurality of unit members 41 passed through the string body 42, the interval between the unit members 41 can be increased at the time of low rigidity, and the variable shape linear body 31 is obtained. The radius of curvature can be increased. Thereby, a movable range can be widened.

  As shown in FIG. 4, each unit member 41 may have a convex shape with a surface on the front end side having a small curvature, and a concave shape with a surface on the rear end side having a large curvature. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of operation strings 43 may be provided at a plurality of peripheral portions of each unit material 41 so as to penetrate each unit material 41 and allow each unit to slide. . In this case, when the operation string 43 is pulled or loosened in the low rigidity state, the variable shape linear body 31 can be bent in an arbitrary direction and maintained in a desired shape in the high rigidity state. As shown in FIG. 6, each unit member 41 may have a hook-shaped convex surface on the front surface side and a U-shaped groove-shaped concave surface on the rear end side. In this case, it is possible to bend and / or bend only in one direction such as the vertical direction and the left-right direction by aligning the extending direction of the convex and concave shapes. Further, by making the extending direction of the convex and concave shapes vertical, it can be bent and / or bent in any direction.

7 and 8 show a gripper device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 7, the gripper device 50 includes a support member 51 and a plurality of linear deformation devices 30.

  The support member 51 includes a disk-shaped attachment plate 51a and a support body 51b extending vertically from one surface of the attachment plate 51a. Each linear deformation device 30 is attached to the peripheral portion of the other surface of the attachment plate 51a at a predetermined interval along the outer periphery. Each linear deformation device 30 is attached to the attachment plate 51 a at the rear end of the variable shape linear body 31. Thereby, each shape variable linear body 31 is attached around the center line of the attachment plate 51a so as to extend from the rear end side toward the front end side along the center line.

Next, the operation will be described.
As shown in FIG. 7, when the gripper device 50 is in the low rigidity state, each shape variable linear shape is arranged so that the target object 1 is inserted inside each shape variable linear body 31 and the target object 1 is sandwiched or covered. The object 1 can be gripped by bending and / or bending the body 31 and making each shape-variable linear body 31 in a highly rigid state in that state.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the gripper device 50 includes a connecting member 52 that connects the distal ends of the variable shape linear bodies 31, and when each variable shape linear body 31 is in a low rigidity state, the connecting member 52 may be configured to be movable toward the rear end side along the center line of the mounting plate 51a inside each variable shape linear body 31.

  The gripper device 50 shown in FIG. 8 can grip an object as follows. That is, first, each variable shape linear body 31 is set in a low rigidity state, and an object is pressed near the connecting member 52. Thereby, the connection member 52 moves toward the rear end side of each shape variable linear body 31, and each shape variable linear body 31 is deformed so as to conform to the shape of the object. If each shape variable linear body 31 is deformed into a shape capable of gripping an object, each shape variable linear body 31 is brought into a highly rigid state. Thereby, it is possible to hold the object with each shape variable linear body 31. When separating the object, each shape variable linear body 31 may be in a low rigidity state.

  The gripper device 50 shown in FIG. 8 moves the connecting member 52 toward the distal end side of each variable shape linear body 31 so that each variable shape linear body 31 can be returned to its original state after releasing the object. It is preferable to have. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 8, the support body 51b may be rotatably attached centering on the axis | shaft 51c parallel to one surface of the attachment plate 51a so that the direction of the attachment plate 51a can be changed.

  Further, the gripper device 50 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 has an air cylinder, an elastic body, and the like for pulling or loosening each string 42 when changing the rigidity of each shape variable linear body 31. It may be. Further, in order to increase the frictional force when the object is gripped, the surface of each shape variable linear body 31 may be covered with a rubber film. 7 and 8, the linear deformation device 30 is used, but the linear deformation device 10 may be used.

  Using the gripper device 50 shown in FIG. 8, an experiment was conducted in which a bottle, a tape, a box, a scissor, a valve, a vise, or the like was gripped as an object. As a result, all the objects could be grasped and lifted. In particular, in the case of scissors, the cutting edge could be directly gripped. Since each shape variable linear body 31 is arranged at a predetermined interval, the gripper device 50 can be reliably gripped by entering the gap when gripping a rod-shaped object. In addition, when gripping an object having a sharp portion such as scissors, glass pieces, and rubble, the gripper device 50 using the linear deformation device 30 can be used for safe and reliable gripping.

  The gripper device 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. For example, the shape variable linear bodies 31 are arranged in a comb shape, and the shape variable linear bodies 31 are arranged in a low rigidity state. The object may be sandwiched between them, and the object may be held in a highly rigid state. In addition, a plurality of linear deformation devices 30 are hung from a drone or the like, and each shape-variable linear body 31 is adapted to an object on the ground in a low rigidity state, and then the object is gripped and lifted in a high rigidity state. It may be configured. Moreover, the some shape variable linear body 31 may be braided in planar shape, and it may be comprised so that it can hold | grip so that subjects, such as a biological body and a fruit, may be covered.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Target object 10 Linear deformation apparatus 11 Shape variable linear body 21 Bag-shaped body 22 String body 23 Fluid 12 Stiffness change means

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 30 Linear deformation apparatus 31 Shape variable linear body 41 Unit material 42 String body 42a Stopper 43 Operation string 32 Stiffness change means

50 Gripper device 51 Support member 51a Mounting plate 51b Support body 51c Shaft 52 Connecting member

Claims (5)

Elongated, at one or more points along the length direction, the rigidity can be changed between a low rigidity state that can be deformed by bending and / or bending and a high rigidity state that can maintain the deformed shape. Variable shape linear body,
Rigidity changing means for changing the rigidity of the shape variable linear body,
The linearly deformable device, wherein the variable shape linear body includes a string body extending from the front end to the rear end along the length direction. The shape variable linear body has an elongated bag-like body and a fluid housed inside the bag-like body,
The string is composed of a plurality, and is provided inside the bag-like body so as to extend along the length direction of the bag-like body,
The rigidity changing means can discharge the fluid from the inside of the bag-like body so as to increase the rigidity of the shape-variable linear body, and the bag-like body can reduce the rigidity of the shape-variable linear body. The linear deformation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is configured to be supplied therein. The variable shape linear body includes a plurality of unit materials having a through hole in a central portion, and the string body is inserted into the through hole of each unit material to connect the unit materials in a row. Each unit material can be slid along the length direction of the body, and the unit material on the most distal end side is provided so as not to come out to the distal end side of the string body, and each unit material is a surface on the distal end side of the string body And the rear end surface have different shapes,
The rigidity changing means increases the rigidity of the variable shape linear body by pulling the string body relatively to each unit material toward the rear end side so that adjacent unit materials are in close contact with each other. The linear deformation device according to claim 1, wherein the linear deformation device is configured to reduce rigidity of the variable shape linear body by loosening a body tension.   A plurality of the linear deformation devices according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the shape variable linear bodies is arranged around a predetermined center line from the rear end side to the front end side along the center line. The gripper device is arranged so as to extend toward the object, and is provided so as to be able to grip an object inside each variable shape linear body. The leading end of each variable shape linear body is connected, and the connecting portion is a rear end along the center line inside each variable shape linear body when each variable shape linear body is in a low rigidity state. The gripper device according to claim 4, wherein the gripper device is movable toward the side.