Fluidic artificial muscle actuator and swaging process therefor

摘要

A fluidic artificial muscle actuator consisting of an inner elastic bladder surrounded by a braided filament sleeve and sealed off on either end with end fittings. Pressurization of the actuator produces force and/or motion through radial movement of the bladder and sleeve which forces the sleeve to move axially. Both contractile and extensile motions are possible depending on the geometry of the braided sleeve. The fluidic artificial muscle actuator is manufactured using a swaging process which plastically deforms swage tubes around the end fittings, braided sleeve, and pressure bladder, creating a strong mechanical clamping action that may be augmented with adhesive bonding of the components. The swaging system includes the swaging die and associated components which are used to plastically deform the swage tube during assembly of the actuator.

主权项

1. A method for manufacturing a fluidic artificial muscle actuator comprised of a tubular pressure bladder with braided sleeve, an annular end fitting having a larger diameter first section and a smaller-diameter second section, the second section being inserted into said pressure bladder, and a length of tubular cylindrical swage tube compressed about said tubular pressure bladder, braided sleeve, and both first and second sections of said end fitting inserted therein, comprising the steps of:
inserting the second section of said end fitting into the pressure bladder and braided sleeve; inserting said length of swage tube over said end fitting including over a portion of said pressure bladder in which the second section of said end fitting is inserted, said length of swage tube having a substantially constant and uniform cross section along its entire length; extruding the swage tube resident on said end fitting and pressure bladder longitudinally through a swaging die in a radial swaging process to compress said swage tube about said pressure bladder, braided sleeve, and end fitting and plastically deform said swage tube there about to define a smooth, substantially cylindrical surface, said length swage tube maintaining a substantially constant and uniform cross section along its entire length after passing completely through said swaging die during said extruding step.