JPH0217063A - Artificial muscle actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve simplification structurally and to increase capability by connecting tubular bodies each composed of an elastic member in series and mounting pipelines for allowing a fluid to flow in and out to the tubular bodies and arranging many tubular bodies in parallel. CONSTITUTION:For example, three pulleys 7... are provided to a fixed member 5 at an equal interval and two pulleys 8, 8 are provided to a movable member 6 in opposed relation to said pulley 7... so as to be arranged between the pulleys 7.... The intermediate parts of the wires 4 connecting the respective tubular bodies 1 are alternately stretched over the pulleys 7, 8 and both end parts thereof are connected to both left and right end parts of the movable member 6. Therefore, the respective tubular bodies 1 are arranged in parallel with respect to the extending and contracting direction and, by supplying air as a fluid from a compressor 3, the respective tubular bodies 1... are simultaneously expanded in the diameter direction to be contracted in the axial direction. By discharging air from the respective tubular bodies 1..., they are contracted in the diameter direction to be stretched in the axial direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an artificial muscle actuator that includes a plurality of tubular bodies that expand and contract as fluid enters and exits.

[Conventional technology]

An artificial muscle in which a plurality of tubular bodies made of rubber-like elastic bodies are mechanically arranged in parallel and performs expansion and contraction movements by introducing and extracting air into the tubular bodies is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-220.
This is known as shown in Japanese Patent No. 616. In this system, a plurality of tubular bodies are arranged in parallel between fixed frames, and a pressurizing tube connected to a compressor is connected to each of these tubular bodies. The tubular body is made to expand and contract in the radial direction by simultaneously or individually supplying and discharging air to the tubular body.

Furthermore, the present applicant has provided an elastic actuator consisting of a plurality of expandable and contractible tubular bodies as described above in the insertion section of an industrial endoscope, and selectively supplies air to the elastic actuator. We have developed an artificial muscle actuator that expands in the radial direction and contracts in the axial direction to curve the inserted part, and patent application No. 1982-
No. 25944, Japanese Patent Application No. 62-252398, and Japanese Patent Application No. 62-252399.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, as mentioned above, when multiple tubular bodies are arranged in parallel and pressure tubes are connected to each of these tubular bodies to supply and discharge air, as many pressure tubes as there are tubular bodies are required. It is structurally complex, and especially when used in endoscopes, etc., the diameter of the insertion portion increases.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an artificial muscle actuator that is structurally simple and has a large capacity.

[Means and operations for solving the problem] In order to solve the above object, the present invention connects a plurality of tubular bodies made of elastic members that can be expanded and contracted by taking in and out fluid, and these tubular bodies are connected in series, and a conduit for introducing and discharging fluid into and out of the tubular body, the plurality of tubular bodies are mechanically arranged in parallel, and the conduit is connected to a fluid supply source so that the fluid can be supplied through one conduit. The reason is that each tubular body is pressurized and depressurized.

Figures 1 and 2 show the principle diagram, and 1... is a tubular body as an artificial muscle, and this tubular body 1... is a bag-shaped body formed of an elastic member such as rubber. , both ends are sealed. These tubular bodies 1 are connected in series by a pressure tube 2 serving as a conduit, and the pressure tube 2 allows the tubular bodies 1 to communicate with each other. The distal end of the pressurizing tube 2 communicates with the most advanced tubular body 1, and the proximal end communicates with a compressor 3 as a fluid supply source. Further, the respective tubular bodies 1 are connected at equal intervals by wires 4.

On the other hand, 5 is a fixed member, and 6 is a movable member. The fixed member 5 is provided with, for example, three boos 97 at equal intervals, and the movable member 6 is provided with two pulleys 8.8 facing each other between the pulleys 7. There is. The intermediate portions of the wires 4 connecting the tubular bodies 1 are alternately strung around the pulleys 7 and 8, and both end portions are connected to both left and right end portions of the movable member 6. therefore,
Each tubular body 1... is arranged in parallel with the dynamic direction, that is, the expansion/contraction direction, and by supplying air pressure as a fluid from the compressor 3, each tubular body 1... is simultaneously expanded in the radial direction. and contract in the axial direction, and each tubular body 1.
By expelling the air from ..., it contracts in the radial direction and expands in the axial direction.

According to this principle, by suspending the weight 9 from the movable member 6 and supplying and discharging air to and from each tubular body 1,
The weight 9 can be raised and lowered, and each tubular body 1 can be expanded and contracted using one pressure tube 2 without having to connect the pressure tube 2 to each tubular body 1 independently. , and can generate a large force by mechanically arranging them in parallel.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

3 to 5 show a first embodiment in which an artificial muscle actuator is applied to a bending aid for an endoscope, where 11 is a first slider and 12 is a second slider. The first and second sliders 11.12 are disk-shaped, and have an insertion hole 15.16 in the center thereof through which an insertion portion 14 of an endoscope 13 (described later) is inserted. Further, the first and second sliders 11.12 are connected by a coil 17, and this coil 17 also has a diameter sufficient for the insertion portion 14 of the endoscope 13 to be inserted therethrough. Furthermore, first to fourth artificial muscle units 18a are provided between the first and second sliders 11.12.
18d are arranged at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction of the first and second sliders 11.12. The first to fourth artificial muscle units 18a to 18d have the same structure, so to explain one of them, 19.19 is a tubular body, which is a bag-shaped body formed of an elastic member such as rubber, Both ends are sealed. These tubular bodies 19.19 are connected in series by a pressurizing tube 20 serving as a conduit, and the tubular bodies 19.19 are communicated with each other through the pressurizing tube 20, and are also connected by a connecting wire 21a. The connecting wire 21a between the tubular bodies 19 is wrapped around a first pulley 22 provided on the first slider 11, and the fixed wire 21b connected to one tubular body 1 is connected to a second pulley 22. is connected to the slider 12 of.

Furthermore, the base end of the pressurizing tube 19 extends through the second slider 12 and communicates with a compressor (not shown) as a fluid supply source. The tubular body 19.19 thus connects the first and second slider 11.12.
In between, the first to fourth artificial muscle units 18a to 18d are arranged mechanically, that is, in parallel to the stretching direction.
By supplying air pressure as a fluid from the compressor, each tubular body 19... expands in the radial direction and contracts in the axial direction, and by discharging the air from each tubular body 19..., the diameter increases. It contracts in the direction and expands in the axial direction.

In order to be able to bend the insertion section 14 of the endoscope 13 by incorporating the bending aid configured as described above into the endoscope 13, as shown in FIG. Insertion part 1
4 is inserted into the insertion hole 16 of the second slider 12, further inserted into the coil 17, and then inserted into the insertion hole 15 of the first slider 11. Then, the second slider 12 is fixed to the insertion section 14 with a fixture (not shown) with the distal end component 24 at the distal end of the insertion section 14 protruding from the first slider 11. In this state, the pressurizing tubes 20 of the first to fourth artificial muscle units 18a to 18d of the bending aid are converged and placed along the longitudinal direction of the insertion section 14 of the endoscope 13. It is connected to a compressor provided on the hand control unit (not shown) of No. 13.

Next, the operation of the endoscope m13 incorporating the bending aid will be explained. 1st to 4th artificial muscles 22) 18a to 18
When air is not supplied to any of the tubular bodies 19...d, the restoring force of the coil 17 causes each tubular body 19 to
... contracts in the radial direction, expands in the axial direction, and is in a straight state. Therefore, each tubular body 19... is in a parallel state, the insertion section 14 of the endoscope 13 is also kept straight, and the insertion section 14 of the endoscope 13 is inserted into the inspection target site a, and as needed. The insertion portion 14 can be bent. That is, when it is desired to curve the insertion section 14 and to curve the distal end component 24 upward within the inspection target area a,
Air is supplied only to the artificial muscle unit located at the top of the insertion section 14, but if the artificial muscle unit currently located at the top is the first artificial muscle unit) 18a, the first
" communicates with the tubular body 19.19 of the artificial muscle unit 18a"
Air is supplied from a compressor to the pressurized tube 20. When air is simultaneously supplied to the tubular body 19.19 of the first artificial muscle unit 18a, the tubular body 19.19 expands in the radial direction and contracts in the axial direction. Therefore, the tubular body 19.19 of the first artificial muscle unit 18a is connected to the first slider 11.
The upper part of the insertion part 14 is pulled in the direction of the second slider 12.
curve upward. At this time, axial tension is applied to the tubular body 19.19 of the third artificial muscle unit 18c located on the opposite side of the curved direction of the insertion portion 14;
Since the numeral 19 is an elastic member, it expands, and no large resistance is applied when the insertion portion 14 is bent. Note that at this time, pressure may be applied simultaneously to the second and fourth artificial muscle units 18b and 18d adjacent to the first artificial muscle unit 18a located in the bending direction.

As described above, the plurality of tubular bodies 19, 19 are connected in parallel to the bending aid as artificial muscles, and in series as an air supply system, so that the four tubes can be used for bending operations in four directions. The provision of the pressurizing tube 2o makes it possible to operate, and since two tubular bodies 19, 19 are provided for one bending direction, greater force can be exerted. Furthermore, the outer diameter of the bending aid can be made smaller than when using the tubular body 19, which is capable of ejecting the force of two in one, and is particularly effective as an industrial endoscope.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which two artificial muscle units are provided in series.

That is, a first slider 25, a second slider 26, and a third slider 27 are provided, and these sliders 25-
First to fourth artificial muscle units 28 to 31 are provided between 27 and 27. First to fourth artificial muscle units 28 to 31
Since they have the same structure, to explain the first artificial muscle unit 28, a first tubular body 32 and a second tubular body 33 are arranged in parallel between the second slider 26 and the third slider 27. has been done. The first tubular body 32 and the second tubular body 3
3 by a connecting wire 34a, and this connecting wire 34a is stretched around a pulley 35 provided on the third slider 27. Further, a third tubular body 36 and a fourth tubular body 37 are provided between the first slider 25 and the second slider 26.
are arranged in parallel. The third tubular body 36 and the fourth tubular body 37 are connected by a connecting wire 38a, and this connecting wire 38a is connected to a pulley 39 provided on the first slider 25.
It is handed over to. Furthermore, the first tubular body 32 and the second
The other end of the tubular body 33 is fixed to the second slider 26 by a fixed wire 34b, and the other ends of the third tubular body 36 and the fourth tubular body 37 are fixed to the second slider 26 by a fixed wire 38b. ing. Further, the pressurizing tube 40 communicating with the compressor includes the first tubular body 32 and the third tubular body 32.
The tubular body 36, the fourth tubular body 37, and the second tubular body 33 are connected in this order, and air can be supplied to and discharged from each tubular body 32, 33, 36, and 37. Also,
Coils 41 are provided between the first slider 25 and the second slider 26 and between the second slider 26 and the third slider 27, respectively, as in the first embodiment. The first to third sliders 25 to 27 are provided with insertion holes (not shown) through which the insertion section of the endoscope can be inserted, and the second slider 26 has a hole fixed to the insertion section. A fixing device (not shown) is provided to do so.

According to this embodiment, the insertion portion of the endoscope can be curved around the second slider 26 by supplying air to the tubular body of the artificial muscle unit in the direction in which the insertion portion of the endoscope is desired to be curved. In addition, since the amount of contraction in the axial direction of the tubular body is about 20% of the total length, a large amount of curvature cannot be obtained in the first example, but in this example, two artificial muscle uni-soto are used. By doing so, it is possible to obtain approximately twice the amount of curvature.

The present invention is not limited to a bending aid in the insertion section of an endoscope, but can be applied to various devices such as a robot arm and a drive system for a medical bed. You can.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a plurality of tubular bodies made of stretchable elastic bodies are connected in series by a conduit through which fluid enters and exits, and these tubular bodies are mechanically arranged in parallel. Therefore, even if a plurality of tubular bodies are arranged, there is no need to provide independent pipe lines, and the structure can be simplified and downsized. Moreover, not only can a large amount of force be obtained, but also the operation system for supplying and discharging fluid can be simplified, resulting in improved operability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams of the principle of the artificial muscle actuator of the present invention, FIGS. 3 to 5 show the first embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 shows the bending of the endoscope. A partially cutaway side view of the auxiliary device, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of a bending aid showing a second embodiment of the invention. 19.32.33.36.37...Tubular body, 20.4
0...Pressure tube (pipe line).

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of tubular bodies made of elastic members that can be expanded and contracted by taking fluid in and out, and a pipe line that connects these tubular bodies in series and allows fluid to be taken in and out of the tubular bodies, and the plurality of tubular bodies are An artificial muscle actuator characterized by being mechanically arranged in parallel.