JPH0775356A - Mechanochemical actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a mechanochemical actuator which has anisotropy in a change of the shape. CONSTITUTION:A mechanochemical actuator 2 which is formed in the shape of a tube and has anisotropy in a change of the shape is incorporated inside a mechanochemical tube 1. This mechanochemical actuator 2 is constituted of a mechanochemical material which converts chemical energy into mechanical energy. Inside the mechanochemical actuator 2, an inside tube 4 being in close contact therewith, flexible and electrically insulative and forming a hollow hole 3 is provided. On the outer periphery of the mechanochemical actuator 2, paired electrodes 5 and 6 being flexible and formed of a conductive material are disposed. The outermost periphery is covered with a skin tube 7 being insulative electrically.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mechanochemical actuator using a mechanochemical material that is mechanically deformed by a chemical change, and more particularly to a tubular mechanochemical actuator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the fields of medical equipment, industrial robots, micromachines, etc., there is an increasing need for actuators that are small, lightweight and highly flexible. Many of such actuators are based on electromagnetic force, as represented by a motor, for example. And, while this kind of actuator has features such as large generated force, high energy conversion efficiency, and easy engineering control, on the other hand,
There are drawbacks that the structure is complicated, the system becomes large, the output weight ratio is small, and it is not suitable for downsizing. Further, as actuators suitable for miniaturization, there are electrostatic actuators using a silicon material, shape memory alloy actuators, and the like, but there is a problem that they lack flexibility.

Therefore, as a compact, lightweight, and highly flexible actuator, a mechanochemical actuator using a mechanochemical material has been attracting attention. Here, the mechanochemical material refers to a material that causes swelling and contraction and mechanical deformation due to stimuli such as heat change, ion concentration change, electricity, solvent composition change, and light. An actuator using these mechanochemical materials is called a mechanochemical actuator. The mechanochemical actuator is described in detail, for example, in “Toshiro Higuchi, Satoshi Ikuta: Micromechanochemical System Practical Guide, Fuji Techno System, p438-447”.

On the other hand, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-76601, a method of bending the insertion portion of an endoscope insertion portion or a medical tube such as a catheter by using a mechanochemical actuator as an application example of the above mechanochemical actuator. A technique relating to "mechanochemical actuator and medical tube" adopting is disclosed. This is because an actuator formed in a substantially cylindrical shape from a mechanochemical material is provided in the insertion part of a medical tube, and energizing electrodes are provided around each of the inside and outside of the actuator to apply a voltage to cause a mechanochemical reaction. It is an operation for swelling, contracting, and bending a medical tube.

[0005]

However, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-76601 mentioned above,
If the mechanochemical material is simply formed into a tube shape, when the gel swells and contracts, not only the longitudinal direction of the tube but also the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the tube change in shape. Therefore, when the tube is inserted into a thin tube such as a blood vessel or when an endoscope or the like is passed through the tube, it is not preferable to use a mechanochemical material whose shape changes in the circumferential direction.

Conventionally, since the mechanochemical actuator does not have the anisotropy of deformation, the deformation such as swelling or contraction occurs as a three-dimensional volume change. Further, when the energizing electrode is provided inside the tube made of the mechanochemical material, the installation thereof is important, but the prior art described above does not describe anything about the installation of the inner energizing electrode. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a mechanochemical actuator having deformation anisotropy.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in the mechanochemical actuator of the present invention, an actuating means made of a mechanochemical material for converting chemical energy into mechanical energy, and inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the actuating means. A flexible and conductive material provided on the first and second electrodes, and control means for applying a voltage to the actuating means by the first and second electrodes to deform the actuating means. In addition, the main orientation of the polymer constituting the mechanochemical material has regularity, and the actuating means has anisotropy of deformation.

[0008]

That is, in the mechanochemical actuator of the present invention, the actuating means is made of a mechanochemical material for converting chemical energy into mechanical energy, and the first and second electrodes are made of flexible and conductive material. It is provided on each of the inner and outer peripheral surfaces. The control means applies a voltage to the actuating means by the first and second electrodes to deform the actuating means. Further, in particular, the main orientation of the polymer constituting the mechanochemical material has regularity, and the deformation of the actuating means has anisotropy.

[0009]

EXAMPLES Examples of mechanochemical tubes employing the mechanochemical actuator of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This mechanochemical tube is curved by the deformation of the mechanochemical actuator.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of a mechanochemical tube 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, inside the mechanochemical tube 1, a mechanochemical actuator 2 formed in a tubular shape and having anisotropy of deformation is incorporated. And
Inside the mechanochemical actuator 2, there is provided an inner tube 4 which is in close contact with the mechanochemical actuator 2 and forms a hollow hole 3 which is flexible and electrically insulating. Further, on the outer periphery of the mechanochemical actuator 2, a pair of electrodes 5 and 6 made of a flexible and conductive material is arranged.
Further, the outermost periphery is covered with an electrically insulating outer tube 7.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mechanochemical tube 1, and the electrodes 5 and 6 are the mechanochemical tube 1.
Are arranged in a strip shape in the longitudinal axis direction and are connected by a wiring 8. The wiring 8 is connected to a power source (not shown).

The manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 1 according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, the container 9 is filled with a solution 10 in which a mechanochemical material for forming the mechanochemical actuator 2 is dissolved. Then, the columnar Teflon (trademark) 11 is covered with the inner tube 4, and the solution 10 is placed so that the inner tube 4 contacts the gas-liquid interface of the solution 10.
The Teflon 11 is arranged in parallel with the gas-liquid interface of. Further, the Teflon 11 is rotated around the center of the Teflon 11 to coat the outer circumference of the inner tube 4 with the solution 10 in which the mechanochemical material is dissolved. The mechanochemical material coated on the inner tube 4 is dried to volatilize unnecessary solvent, and if necessary, heated, cross-linked by ultraviolet rays or γ rays,
The mechanochemical actuator 2 is formed by subjecting it to gelation by performing freezing and thawing.

The thickness of the mechanochemical actuator 2 is determined by the concentration of the solution 10, the rotation speed of the Teflon 11 and the number of rotations. The mechanochemical material is a polymer and is oriented in a state where the polymer main chain extends in the pulling direction from the solution 10. Therefore, the mechanochemical actuator 2 formed by this method becomes a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation that is hard to extend in the circumferential direction and low in the longitudinal axis direction. further,
As the inner tube 4, a flexible one such as silicone resin is used. The mechanochemical material includes polyacrylic acid, a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylic acid, poly-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polystyrenesulfonic acid, agar, alginic acid, collagen, gelatin, etc. Selected from polyelectrolyte gels with a charge of. The electrodes 5 and 6 are formed by means of sputtering, vacuum evaporation, plating or the like. As this electrode, a flexible thin film of platinum or gold is preferable, but a conductive rubber sheet or the like may be used. Further, the outer tube 7 is formed by coating silicon resin or the like.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the mechanochemical actuator 2 is actuated and the mechanochemical tube 1 is curvedly driven. As shown in FIG. 4, when a voltage is applied to the electrodes 5 and 6, the ionic molecules of the electrolyte solution contained inside the mechanochemical actuator 2 move and the ion concentrations on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side change. A difference in osmotic pressure occurs. This causes the mechanochemical actuator 2 to swell and contract. For example, when the electrode 5 is a positive electrode, the electrode 6 is a negative electrode, and the electrolyte solution is a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, sodium ions move to the negative electrode side due to the application of a voltage and the osmotic pressure on the negative electrode side increases, so that water molecules permeate. It moves to a place with high pressure, that is, to the negative electrode side. Therefore, the positive electrode side contracts and the negative electrode side swells to bend and drive to the positive electrode side, that is, the electrode 5 side. Furthermore, when the positive and negative of the voltage are reversed, the electrode 6 bends.

Although the mechanochemical actuator 2 driven by an electric field is shown here, the electrodes 5 and 6 are independent heaters, and the mechanochemical material is isopropylacrylamide or a copolymer of isopropylacrylamide and acrylic acid. When gels or methyl vinyl ether gels obtained from acryloyl or methacryloyl derivatives of various amino acids are used, the mechanochemical actuator 2 contracts by heating the heater, and the tube is bent on the side with the heated heater. The mechanochemical tube 1 can also be used.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the distal end portion of the mechanochemical tube 20 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the mechanochemical tube 20 is
The mechanochemical actuator 2 of the mechanochemical tube 1 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced with a mechanochemical actuator 21. The mechanochemical actuator 21 is composed of a fibrous polymer 22 in which only the outer layer portion is gelled.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the fibrous polymer 22,
The fibrous polymer 22 is a two-layered fibrous polymer having a core composed of a gelled portion 23 and a non-gelled portion 24 of the outer layer. And mechanochemical actuator 2
The fibrous polymer 22 is wound around the tube 1 in the circumferential direction of the tube. Since the non-gelling portion 24 of the fibrous polymer 22 is non-stretchable, the stretching direction of the gelling portion 23 is regulated,
It becomes a mechanochemical actuator with deformation anisotropy. Further, since the structure has a core, the mechanochemical actuator has high material strength.

The manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 20 will be described below with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the columnar Teflon 11 is covered with the inner tube 4, the Teflon 11 is rotated about the center of the Teflon 11, and the fibrous polymer 22 is wound around the inner tube 4 to wind the mechanochemicals. The actuator 21 is formed. The thickness of the mechanochemical actuator 21 is determined by the diameter of the fibrous polymer 22 and the number of rotations of the Teflon 11, that is, the number of windings. Furthermore, the fibrous polymer 22
Since the non-gelling portion 24 of the gel is non-stretchable, the gelling portion 23
Regulate the direction of expansion and contraction. Therefore, the mechanochemical actuator 21 formed by this method is a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation that is difficult to expand in the circumferential direction and inexpensive in the longitudinal axis direction. As the above-mentioned fibrous polymer, there is used one in which fibers of acrylamide or acrylonitrile are heated in an alkaline aqueous solution to be hydrolyzed and the outer layer portion is partially made of acrylic acid. The mechanochemical tube 20 of this embodiment configured as described above is bent and driven in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above.

Next, referring to FIGS. 8 to 10, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Examples will be described. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of the mechanochemical tube according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the mechanochemical tube 30 of the third embodiment is the mechanochemical tube 1 shown in FIG.
The mechanochemical actuator 2 is changed to a mechanochemical actuator 31. The mechanochemical actuator 31 is composed of a fibrous polymer 32 having an outer layer portion coated with a polymer gel.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the fibrous polymer 32.
The fibrous polymer 32 has a mechanochemical material 3 as an outer layer.
It is a fiber composed of the non-stretchable fiber 34 covered with 3. Then, the mechanochemical actuator 31 is
The fibrous polymer 32 is wound in the circumferential direction of the tube. Further, the fibrous polymer 32 is a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation because the expansion / contraction direction of the mechanochemical material 33 is restricted by the non-elastic fiber 34. Further, since it has a core, it becomes a mechanochemical actuator having a strong material strength.

The manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 30 will be described below with reference to FIG. The non-stretchable fiber 34 is immersed in the solution 10 in which the mechanochemical material shown in FIG. 3 is dissolved. The columnar Teflon 11 is covered with the inner tube 4, the Teflon 11 is rotated about the center of the Teflon 11, and the non-stretchable fibers 34 are pulled out of the solution 10, while the fibrous polymer 32 is attached to the outer circumference of the inner tube 4.
Is wound up to cover the inner tube 4. Then, the fibrous polymer 32 covering the inner tube 4 volatilizes a necessary solvent by a drying process, and if necessary, is subjected to heating, crosslinking with an ultraviolet ray or γ ray, freezing and thawing treatment to be gelated, The mechanochemical actuator 32 is formed. Therefore, the thickness of the mechanochemical actuator 31 is determined by the diameter of the non-stretchable fiber 34, the concentration of the solution 10, the rotation speed of the Teflon 11, and the number of rotations of the Teflon 11, that is, the number of windings.

Since the mechanochemical material is a polymer and the main chain of the polymer is oriented in a state where the polymer main chain extends in the pulling direction from the solution 10, it has a characteristic that it is difficult to stretch in the pulling direction. Further, in the fibrous polymer 32, the stretch direction of the mechanochemical material 33 is restricted by the non-stretch fibers 34.
Therefore, the mechanochemical actuator 31 formed by this method is a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation that is hard to extend in the circumferential direction and easy to extend in the longitudinal axis direction.

Further, as the non-stretchable fibers 34, low elastic fibers such as Kevlar (trademark), Teflon, or the like, or those obtained by knitting these into a twisted yarn is used. The material is not limited as long as it is a non-stretchable fiber. The mechanochemical material may be polyacrylic acid, a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylic acid, or poly-2-acrylamide-2.
-Methyl propane sulfonic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polystyrene sulfonic acid, agar, alginic acid, collagen,
It is selected from charged polyelectrolyte gels such as gelatin. The mechanochemical tube 30 configured in this manner is bent and driven as in the first embodiment.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the tip portion of the mechanochemical tube 40 according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the mechanochemical tube 40 of the fourth embodiment is obtained by changing the mechanochemical actuator 2 of the mechanochemical tube 1 shown in FIG. 1 into a mechanochemical actuator 41.
The mechanochemical actuator 41 is provided with a mesh 42 having deformation anisotropy inside the mechanochemical actuator 2.

As shown in FIG. 12, the mesh 42 is a mesh in which rubber fibers 43 and non-stretchable fibers 44 are alternately exchanged and knitted by crossing each other vertically. And
The mesh 42 has anisotropy of deformation that expands and contracts in the direction parallel to the direction in which the rubber fibers 43 are woven, but does not expand and contract in the vertical direction. Therefore, the mechanochemical actuator 41 having the mesh 42 therein is a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation. Further, since the structure has a core, the mechanochemical actuator has high material strength. Further, as the rubber fiber 43, a fiber of synthetic rubber or natural rubber such as butadiene rubber or isoprene rubber is used, and as the non-stretchable fiber 44, a low elastic fiber such as Kevlar (trademark) or Teflon, or a knitted string thereof is formed into a strand. Use the one that you made.

The manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 40 will be described below with reference to FIG. The mesh 42 is immersed in the solution 10 in which the mechanochemical material shown in FIG. 3 is dissolved. Then, the columnar Teflon 11 is covered with the inner tube 4, the Teflon 11 is rotated about the center of the Teflon 11, and the mesh 42 is pulled up from the solution 10 in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the rubber fibers 43 are woven, The inner tube 4 is covered by winding a mesh 42 around the outer circumference of 4. Further, the mesh 42 covering the inner tube 4 volatilizes a necessary solvent by a drying process, heats, cross-links by ultraviolet rays or γ rays, freezes and thaws the gel to make it a mechanochemical actuator. 41 is formed.

Therefore, the thickness of the mechanochemical actuator 41 is determined by the thickness of the mesh 42, the concentration of the solution 10, the rotation speed of the Teflon 11, and the number of rotations of the Teflon 11, that is, the number of windings. Further, since the mechanochemical material is a polymer and the main chain of the polymer is oriented in a state where the polymer main chain extends in the pulling direction from the solution 10, it has a property that it is difficult to stretch in the pulling direction. Also, the mesh 42
The non-stretchable fiber 44 regulates the stretch direction of the mechanochemical material. Therefore, the mechanochemical actuator 41 formed by this method is a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation that is hard to extend in the circumferential direction and low in the longitudinal direction.

Examples of the mechanochemical material include polyacrylic acid, a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylic acid, poly-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polystyrenesulfonic acid, agar, alginic acid, collagen, gelatin. Is selected from polyelectrolyte gels having an electric charge such as. The mechanochemical tube 40 configured as described above is bent and driven as in the first embodiment.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the tip portion of the mechanochemical tube 50 according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14, the mechanochemical tube 50 is provided with a plurality of internal electrodes 51 on the outer circumference of the inner tube 4 of the mechanochemical tube 1 shown in FIG. The formed external electrode 52 is provided.

The manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 50 will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in FIG. 15, internal electrodes 51 are formed on the outer circumference of the inner tube 4. The internal electrodes 51 are independent electrodes each having a wiring 53. Using the inner tube 4 on which the internal electrode 51 is installed, the mechanochemical actuator 2 is formed by the method described in the first embodiment, and the state shown in FIG. 16 is obtained. Further, as shown in FIG. 17, an external electrode 52 is formed on the entire outer peripheral portion of the mechanochemical actuator 2. Finally, the outer tube 7 is formed by coating a silicone resin or the like. The internal electrode 51 and the external electrode 52 are connected to a power source (not shown),
The voltage can be selectively applied between the external electrodes 52. The internal electrode 51 and the external electrode 52 are formed by means of sputtering, vacuum evaporation, plating or the like. As the electrode, a flexible thin film of platinum or gold is preferable, but a conductive rubber sheet or the like may be used. The mechanochemical actuator 2 is not limited to the method described in the first embodiment, but may be formed by the method described in the second to fourth embodiments. Further, the mechanochemical tube 50 has a narrower electrode interval than the mechanochemical tubes 1, 20, 30, 40 shown in the first to fourth embodiments, and therefore can be driven at high speed. Also,
The electrode formed inside the tube can be easily formed by the above procedure.

When the mechanochemical tube 50 is driven to bend, the energizing internal electrode 51 is selected and a voltage is applied between it and the external electrode 52. Then, the ionic molecules of the electrolyte solution contained in the mechanochemical material in the portion interposed between the selected internal electrode 51 and external electrode 52 move, and the ion concentrations on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side change. As a result, a difference in osmotic pressure occurs. As a result, the positive electrode side of the mechanochemical actuator swells and the negative electrode side contracts, and the mechanochemical actuator is bent. When a voltage is applied to all of the inner electrodes 51 or a plurality of selected electrodes at the same time, the inner electrodes 51 can be bent in different directions at each position and meandered as shown in FIG.

Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the tip portion of the mechanochemical tube 60 according to the sixth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 19, the mechanochemical tube 60 is the same as the mechanochemical tube 5 shown in FIG.
The internal electrode 51 of 0 is changed to the internal electrode 61.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the inner tube 4 on which the internal electrode 61 is formed, and the internal electrode 61 is a meandering electrode. Using this inner tube 4, a mechanochemical tube is prepared by the procedure shown in the fifth embodiment. By making the electrode shape like the internal electrode 61, the distortion of the electrode during bending is reduced and the durability of the electrode is improved.

Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the tip portion of the mechanochemical tube 70 according to the seventh embodiment.
A plurality of heaters 71 are provided on the outer circumference of the inner tube 4 of the mechanochemical tube 1 shown in FIG. 1, and the electrodes 5 and 6 are removed.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the inner tube 4 on which the heater 71 is formed. The heater 71 is formed on the outer circumference of the inner tube 4. This heater 71 has a wiring 72
Are independent heaters. Using the inner tube 4 provided with this heater 71, the mechanochemical actuator 2 is formed by the method described in the first embodiment. Finally, the outer tube 7 is coated with silicon resin or the like to form the mechanochemical tube 70.

The heater 71 is connected to a power source (not shown) by a wire 72 so that it can be electrically heated. The heater 71 is used for sputtering,
It is formed by using a method such as vacuum deposition or plating. The material is a thin film of nickel, platinum, gold, copper or the like or a thin film of an alloy of nickel and chromium. Further, as the mechanochemical material, a gel obtained from acryloyl or methacryloyl derivative of various amino acids such as isopropyl acrylamide, a copolymer of isopropyl acrylamide and acrylic acid, or methyl vinyl ether gel is used.

The manufacturing process of the mechanochemical actuator 2 is not limited to the method described in the first embodiment, but may be formed by the method described in the second to fourth embodiments. When the mechanochemical tube 70 is driven to bend, a heater 71 to be energized is selected and an electric current is passed through the heater 71 to electrically heat the heater 71. Then, the mechanochemical material existing on the outer peripheral portion of the selected heater 71 releases the internal solution and contracts, whereby the mechanochemical material is curvedly driven toward the selected heater. When all of the heating heaters 71 or a plurality of selected heaters are simultaneously energized and heated, the heaters 71 can be bent in different directions at each position to meander as shown in FIG. Therefore, the structure of the mechanochemical tube 70 in this embodiment can be simplified as compared with a mechanochemical tube 70 that requires a pair of electrodes and is driven by an electric field.

As described above, only the tubular mechanochemical actuator has been described as the embodiment of the present invention, but the shape of the mechanochemical actuator of the present invention is not limited to the tubular shape, and a thin film or a structure formed by stacking the thin films may be used. It goes without saying that a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation can be provided.

As described above, according to the present invention, a mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation can be provided. Further, it is possible to provide a tubular mechanochemical actuator having anisotropy of deformation that expands and contracts in the longitudinal axis direction. Further, it is possible to provide a means for easily installing an operating means for causing the mechanochemical actuator to contract or swell inside the tubular mechanochemical actuator.

[0040]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mechanochemical actuator having deformation anisotropy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tip portion of a mechanochemical tube 1 according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mechanochemical tube 1 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 1 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing bending driving of the mechanochemical tube 1 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the mechanochemical tube 20 of the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a fibrous polymer that constitutes the mechanochemical tube 20 of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 20 of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the mechanochemical tube 30 of the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a fibrous polymer that constitutes the mechanochemical tube 30 of the third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 30 of the third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the mechanochemical tube 40 of the fourth embodiment.

12 is a perspective view of the mesh shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 40 of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 14: 50 of the mechanochemical tube of the fifth embodiment
It is sectional drawing of a front-end | tip part.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 50 of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 50 of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 50 of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing bending drive of the mechanochemical tube 50 of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the mechanochemical tube 60 of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 60 of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the mechanochemical tube 70 of the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the mechanochemical tube 70 of the seventh embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 ... Mechanochemical tube, 2, 21, 31, 41 ... Mechanochemical actuator, 3 ... Hollow hole, 4 ... Inner tube, 5,
6 ... Electrode, 7 ... Skin tube, 8, 53, 72 ... Wiring,
9 ... Container, 10 ... Solution, 11 ... Teflon, 22, 32 ...
Fibrous polymer, 23 ... gelled part, 24 ... non-gelled part, 3
3 ... Mechanochemical material, 34, 44 ... Non-stretchable fiber,
42 ... Mesh, 43 ... Rubber fiber, 51, 61 ... Internal electrode, 52 ... External electrode, 71 ... Heater.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An actuating means made of mechanochemical material for converting chemical energy into mechanical energy, and first and second electrodes made of flexible and electrically conductive material provided on inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the actuating means. And a control means for applying a voltage to the actuating means by the first and second electrodes to deform the actuating means, and the main orientation of the polymer constituting the mechanochemical material has regularity. And a mechanochemical actuator characterized in that the actuating means has anisotropy of deformation.