Design and analysis of flexible bending actuator driven by electrohydrodynamic pumps

doi:10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2023.00.056

Chin J Eng Design

2023, Vol. 30

Issue (4): 467-475 DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2023.00.056

Mechanical Bionic Design

Design and analysis of flexible bending actuator driven by electrohydrodynamic pumps

Tao ZHANG¹(

),Kaisong WANG¹(

),Wei TANG²(

),Kecheng QIN²,Yang LIU¹,Yuhao SHI³,Jun ZOU²

^1.School of Mechanical Engineering, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
^2.State Key Laboratory of Fundamental Components of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
^3.School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066000, China

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Abstract

In response to solve the current issue of requiring external rigid body pump and valve for flexible actuator, a flexible bending actuator driven by an embedded electrohydrodynamic pump was designed based on the motion characteristics of human finger bending and grasping. A electrohydrodynamic pump was designed, and the influence of electrode plate spacing and electrode hole diameter on the output flow and pressure of the electrohydrodynamic pump were analyzed through experiments. The dimensions of the needle electrode, hole electrode and other components of electrohydrodynamic pump were determined, and a prototype of the electrohydrodynamic pump was developed. Multiple electrohydrodynamic pumps were connected in series and parallel, and the relationships between input voltage and output pressure, output flow were obtained. Two electrohydrodynamic pumps in series were determined to drive the flexible actuator; a mechanical model of the flexible actuator was established, and bending simulation and experiments were conducted on the flexible actuator. The relationship between the driving pressure and the bending angle of the flexible actuator was obtained, proving the good bending performance of the flexible actuator. The experimental, simulation, and theoretical values of the bending angle were relatively consistent, and the theoretical and simulation models could accurately describe the bending deformation of the flexible bending actuator. The high integration of the electrohydrodynamic pump and the flexible actuator allows the electrohydrodynamic pump to directly drive the bending deformation of the flexible actuator, achieving the portability of the flexible bending actuator.

Key words： electrohydrodynamic pump flexible bending actuator electrode pair finite element analysis

Received: 23 May 2023 Published: 04 September 2023

CLC:

TH 3

Corresponding Authors: Kaisong WANG,Wei TANG E-mail: 2242770074@qq.com;6668978wks@163.com;weitang@zju.edu.cn

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	Tao ZHANG
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	Yuhao SHI
	Jun ZOU

Cite this article:

Tao ZHANG,Kaisong WANG,Wei TANG,Kecheng QIN,Yang LIU,Yuhao SHI,Jun ZOU. Design and analysis of flexible bending actuator driven by electrohydrodynamic pumps. Chin J Eng Design, 2023, 30(4): 467-475.

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https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2023.00.056 OR https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/Y2023/V30/I4/467

电流体泵驱动的柔性弯曲执行器的设计及分析

针对目前柔性执行器需要外置的刚体泵和阀的问题，基于人手指弯曲抓握的运动特点，设计了一款由内嵌电流体泵驱动的柔性弯曲执行器。设计了电流体泵，通过实验分析了电流体泵的极板间距和电极孔直径对电流体泵输出流量和压强的影响，确定了电流体泵针电极、孔电极等部件的尺寸，研制了电流体泵样机。将多个电流体泵串联及并联，分别得出了输入电压与输出流量、输出压强的关系，确定了以2个电流体泵串联的方式来驱动软体执行器；建立了柔性执行器的力学模型，对柔性执行器进行了弯曲仿真和实验，得到了驱动压强与柔性执行器弯曲角度之间的关系，证明了柔性执行器具有良好的弯曲性能。弯曲角度的实验值、仿真值、理论值较一致，理论模型和仿真模型可以较为准确地描述柔性弯曲执行器的弯曲变形。电流体泵与柔性执行器高度集成，使电流体泵可以直接驱动柔性执行器弯曲变形，实现了柔性弯曲执行器的可携带性。

关键词： 电流体泵, 柔性弯曲执行器, 电极对, 有限元分析

Fig.1 Structure of flexible bending actuator

Table 1 Mass of various components of flexible bending actuator

Fig.2 Structure of flexible actuator

Fig.3 Structure and prototype of electrohydrodynamic pump

Fig.4 Schematic diagram of working principle of electrohydrodynamic pump

Fig.5 Influence of pinhole electrode parameters on the performance of electrohydrodynamic pump

Fig.6 Influence of multiple electrohydrodynamic pumps in series on the output pressure of electrohydrodynamic pump

Fig.7 Influence of multiple electrohydrodynamic pumps in parallel on the output flow of electrohydrodynamic pumps

Table 2 Dimensions of various components of electrohydrodynamic pump

Fig.8 Structural dimensions of flexible actuator

Fig.9 Schematic diagram of single section chamber of flexible actuator after deformation

Fig.10 Bending simulation results of flexible actuator

Fig.11 Preparation process of flexible actuator

Fig.12 Assembly process of flexible bending actuator

Fig.13 Bending state of flexible actuator

Fig.14 Relationship curve between the output pressure of electrohydrodynamic pump and the bending angle of flexible actuator


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