| 摘要 |
985.006-CANADA GKP S P E C I F I C A T I O N METHOD AND SYSTEM EMPLOYING STRINGS OF OPPOSED AIR-INFLATABLE TENSION ACTUATORS IN JOINTED ARMS, LEGS, BEAMS and COLUMNS FOR CONTROLLING THEIR MOVEMENTS Inventor : Henry M. Paynter The method and system employ strings of tension actuator in opposed relationship for controlling motions or deflections of jointed members: for example, for controlling the motions of arms, legs and elephant trunks or flexible antennae in robots and for controlling the deflections of beams and columns in frames and structures. There opposed tension actuators are inflated with controlled air pressures which are oppositely varied from a predetermined common-mode pressure Po (initial fluid pressure level Po). In other words, as one tension actuator is being inflated with pressure increasing above Po, the opposed tension actuator is being inflated with pressure decreasing below Po for producing motion or deflection of the jointed member in one direction, and conversely for producing motion or deflection in the other direction. The opposed tension actuators have their ends anchored to rigid movable plates or struts containing sockets for the respective joints. By virtue of controlling the opposed actuators with a common-mode pressure level Po, their are always exerting a net compressive force on each joint, so advantageously permitting usage of simple, inexpensive, lightweight, non-capturing joints as shown. Moreover, the jointed member automatically returns to a predetermined midrange rest position whenever air pressures are returned to Po. A nearly uniform stiffness (or mechanical output impedance) is provided at all positions by controlling the opposed pressures to be Po + .DELTA.P and Po -.DELTA.P, where .DELTA.P is a corresponding increment above and below the initial (common-mode) level Po. In this way, precision open-loop proportional control is achieved.
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