JP2022180839A - Actuator device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an actuator device that is improved in responsiveness.SOLUTION: An actuator device 1 includes: a heating wire 10; and at least one actuator wire 30 formed while including a crystalline polymer and arranged spirally around the heating wire.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to actuator devices.

Patent Literature 1 discloses an actuator device that includes an actuator wire that contracts when heated by a heating wire and relaxes when heat is released, and operates by contracting and relaxing the actuator wire. The actuator wire is constructed by twisting together a plurality of coiled polymer fibers. Also, the heating wire is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the actuator wire.

WO2019/106944

However, in the actuator device of Patent Document 1, since the heating wire is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the actuator wire, heat radiation from the actuator wire is hindered by the heating wire. In addition, if the area of the heating wire that is not in contact with the actuator wire is larger than the area that is in contact with the actuator wire, the amount of heat released from the heating wire to the outside air is greater than the amount of heat transferred from the heating wire to the actuator wire. become more. Therefore, when the heating wire is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the actuator wire, there is a concern that the responsiveness of the actuator device may be lowered.

An object of the present disclosure is to improve responsiveness in an actuator device.

In order to achieve the above object, the actuator device in the present disclosure includes a heating wire, and at least one actuator wire that includes a crystalline polymer and is spirally arranged around the heating wire. , is equipped with

According to the actuator device of the present disclosure, responsiveness can be improved.

Schematic diagram showing an actuator device of the present disclosure Schematic diagram showing actuator wires Schematic diagram showing wires Schematic diagram showing a coiled wire Diagram showing the manufacturing process of the actuator wire Schematic diagram showing a joint driven by an actuator device

Hereinafter, the actuator device of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an actuator device 1. FIG. The actuator device 1 drives, for example, joints of a robot. The actuator device 1 comprises a heating wire 10 , two connectors 20 and an actuator wire 30 .

The heating wire 10 heats the actuator wire 30 . The heating wire 10 generates heat when electric power is applied.

The two connectors 20 are each formed in a ring shape and connected to both ends of the actuator wire 30 .

The actuator wire 30 contracts when heated and relaxes when heat is released. The actuator device 1 has four actuator wires 30 . Each of the four actuator wires 30 is spirally arranged around the heating wire 10 . The four actuator wires 30 are woven together (details will be described later).

Each actuator wire 30 is composed of two coiled wires 31, as shown in FIG. The two coiled wires 31 are arranged in parallel so as to contact each other on the sides. As a result, the width dimension of the actuator wire 30 can be increased, so that the actuator wire 30 can be made flat in cross section. Therefore, the contact area between the actuator wire 30 and the heating wire 10 and the contact area between the plurality of actuator wires 30 can be increased. Therefore, the heat of the heating wire 10 can be efficiently transferred to the actuator wire 30 .

Also, the two coiled wires 31 are arranged so that they are wound in different directions when arranged in parallel. Specifically, one of the two coiled wires 31 (specifically, the first coiled wire 31a) has a right-handed screw shape. The other one of the two coiled wires 31 (specifically, the second coiled wire 31b) has a left-handed screw shape. This can prevent the two coiled wires 31 from overlapping each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the width dimension of the actuator wire 30 from being reduced due to the overlapping of the two coiled wires 31 .

Each of the two coiled wires 31 is formed using a straight wire 32 shown in FIG. The wire 32 is formed containing a crystalline polymer (for example, nylon). As shown in FIG. 3, the wire 32 is connected to a ring-shaped connecting member 40 at both ends. Further, one of the two connecting members 40 is rotated to twist the wire 32 to form one of the two coiled wires 31 shown in FIG. By reversing the direction of rotation of the connecting member 40, the other one of the two coiled wires 31 is formed. The other one of the two coiled wires 31 may be provided by arranging one of the two coiled wires 31 so that both ends thereof are opposite to each other.

Next, the process of weaving the four actuator wires 30 together will be described with reference to FIG. First, the four actuator wires 30 are arranged so as to be approximately parallel to each other on the same plane (hereinafter referred to as a working plane).

Subsequently, the first ends of the four actuator wires 30 are connected to one connecting member 40 respectively. Furthermore, the second ends of the four actuator wires 30 are each connected to one of the four connecting members 40 different from each other. The four actuator wires 30 arranged on the working surface are, in order from the left, a first actuator wire 30a, a second actuator wire 30b, a third actuator wire 30c, and a fourth actuator wire 30d. distinguish as

Then, the heating wire 10 is placed between the second actuator wire 30b and the third actuator wire 30c on the working surface.

Next, procedures (1) to (6) for weaving the four actuator wires 30 together will be described. Note that the front side of the work surface and the front side of FIG. 5 match, and the back side of the work surface and the back side of FIG. 5 match. The four actuator wires 30 and the heating wire 10 are arranged on the work surface (on the near side of the work surface). Note that the four actuator wires 30 shown in FIG. 5 are in a state in which procedures (1) to (6) have been repeated multiple times.

Procedure (1) Turn the second end of the first actuator wire 30a to the back side of the work surface, and pass it between the third actuator wire 30c and the fourth actuator wire 30d and move it to the front side of the work surface. .

Procedure (2) Turn the second end of the third actuator wire 30c to the back side of the work surface, and pass it between the first actuator wire 30a and the second actuator wire 30b and move it to the front side of the work surface. .

Step (3) Turn the second end of the second actuator wire 30b toward the back side of the work surface, and pass it between the third actuator wire 30c and the fourth actuator wire 30d and move it toward the front side of the work surface. .

Step (4) Turn the second end of the fourth actuator wire 30d to the back side of the work surface, and pass it between the first actuator wire 30a and the second actuator wire 30b and move it to the front side of the work surface. .

Procedure (5) The four actuator wires 30 are again distinguished. Specifically, on the work surface, the four actuator wires 30 are arranged in order from the left with the second ends of the actuator wires 30 as marks: the first actuator wire 30a, the second actuator wire 30b, and the second actuator wire 30b. They are distinguished as a third actuator wire 30c and a fourth actuator wire 30d.

Procedure (6) Repeat the above procedures (1) to (5). The thick arrow shown in FIG. 5 indicates the procedure (1).

The knitting of the four actuator wires 30 is finished when the number of repetitions reaches a predetermined number or when the length of the mutually knitted actuator wires 30 reaches a predetermined length.

Since the four actuator wires 30 are woven together as described above, each of the four actuator wires 30 is spirally arranged around the heating wire 10 . That is, the heating wire 10 is arranged so as to pass through the centers of the four actuator wires 30 that are woven together.

Finally, the actuator device 1 is completed by connecting both ends of the four actuator wires 30 that are woven together to one of the two connectors 20, respectively.

In the actuator device 1, when the heating wire 10 is applied, heat is transferred from the heating wire 10 to the four actuator wires 30, causing the four actuator wires 30 to contract. When the application to the heating wire 10 is stopped, the four actuator wires 30 relax by releasing heat.

Since the heating wire 10 is arranged in the center of the four actuator wires 30 that are interwoven with each other, the heating wire 10 is arranged at the outer periphery of the four actuator wires 30. Heat dissipation to the outside air can be suppressed. Further, the heating wire 10 does not hinder the heat dissipation of the actuator wire 30 when the application of the heating wire 10 is stopped. Therefore, the responsiveness of the actuator device 1 can be improved.

Further, when the heating wire 10 is arranged around the four actuator wires 30 , in order to uniformly conduct heat to the four actuator wires 30 , It is necessary to arrange the heating wire 10 . As described above, the heating wire 10 is arranged inside the four actuator wires 30 . Therefore, the size of the actuator device 1 can be reduced.

Since the four actuator wires 30 are woven together as described above, the four actuator wires 30 are difficult to untie. Therefore, a member for fixing the four actuator wires 30 to prevent the actuator wires 30 from unraveling is unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the size of the actuator device 1 . Needless to say, the number of actuator wires 30 is not limited to four, but the number of actuator wires 30 is preferably three or more in order to prevent the actuator wires 30 from unraveling.

Further, since the number of actuator wires 30 is four, that is, an even number, the actuator wires 30 can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the heating wire 10 . Further, by interweaving the four actuator wires 30 as described above, the interweaved actuator wires 30 can have a circular cross section. Therefore, the heat of the heating wire 10 can be uniformly transferred to each actuator wire 30 . In other words, the number of actuator wires 30 is preferably an even number rather than an odd number.

Next, operation of the actuator device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The actuator device 1 operates joints 2d of a robot 2 (for example, a manipulator).

The robot 2 comprises a base 2a, first and second links 2b, 2c, a joint 2d, and first and second actuator devices 1a, 1b.

A first end of the first link 2b is fixed to the base 2a. A second end of the first link 2b is connected to the joint 2d. A first end of the second link 2c is connected to the joint 2d. The joint 2d connects the first link 2b and the second link 2c so as to be relatively rotatable about the axis A. As shown in FIG.

The first and second actuator devices 1a and 1b are arranged so as to be substantially parallel to the first link 2b across the first link 2b. The first ends of the first and second actuator devices 1a, 1b are respectively connected to the base 2a. The second ends of the first and second actuator devices 1a and 1b are arranged on the circumferential side of the joint 2d so as to sandwich the axis A, and the second ends of the first and second actuator devices 1a and 1b are connected to each other. The connecting line and the axis A are arranged so as to be orthogonal to each other.

When operating the joint 2d, electric power is applied to each heating wire 10 so that the heating wires 10 of the first and second actuator devices 1a and 1b generate heat with different heat generation amounts. As a result, the actuator wires 30 of the first and second actuator devices 1a and 1b are contracted in different contraction amounts. As a result, a torque about the axis A is generated at the joint 2d, so that the joint 2d and the two links relatively rotate about the axis A. FIG.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, if the amount of contraction of the first actuator device 1a is larger than that of the second actuator device 1b, the tensile force F1 of the first actuator device 1a is greater than that of the second actuator device 1a. greater than the pulling force F2 of the device 1b. The tensile force is a force acting on the peripheral side surface of the joint 2d due to contraction of the first and second actuator devices 1a and 1b. As a result, a torque T is generated around the axis A in the clockwise direction in FIG. clockwise direction. The electric power applied to the heating wire 10 is adjusted according to the desired amount of rotation of the second link 2c.

The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications to the present embodiment are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure.

For example, the actuator device 1 may have a plurality of heating wires 10 . Also, the actuator device 1 may include one or two actuator wires 30 .

Also, the two coiled wires 31 forming the actuator wire 30 may be arranged so that they are wound in the same direction when arranged in parallel. Needless to say, the number of coiled wires 31 forming the actuator wire 30 is not limited to two.

Also, the actuator wire 30 may be composed of one or a plurality of wires 32 instead of the two coiled wires 31 .

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is widely applicable to actuator devices.

Reference Signs List 1 actuator device 10 heating wire 30 actuator wire 31 coiled wire 32 wire

Claims (5)

heating wire and
at least one actuator wire made of a crystalline polymer and spirally arranged around the heating wire;
Actuator device. the at least one actuator wire comprises three or more actuator wires;
the three or more actuator wires are woven together;
The actuator device according to claim 1. the at least one actuator wire comprises an even number of actuator wires;
The actuator device according to claim 2. The actuator wire is composed of two coiled wires,
The two coiled wires are arranged in parallel so as to contact each other on the sides.
The actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. One of the two coiled wires has a right-handed screw shape, and the other one of the two coiled wires has a left-handed screw shape.
The actuator device according to claim 4.

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