Variable Stiffness Structures Utilizing Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) can offer excellent force-to-weight ratios and act as shape-changing actuator under injecting the actuation fluid into their bladders. PAMs could be easily utilized for morphing structures due to their millimeter-scale diameter. The pressurized PAM can serve not o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMATEC Web of Conferences Vol. 256; p. 1005
Main Authors Ning, Feng, Chang, Yingli, Wang, Jingze
Format Journal Article Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published Les Ulis EDP Sciences 2019
Subjects
Actuation
Actuators
Artificial muscles
Circularity
Deformation
Morphing
Permutations
Static models
Stiffness
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Summary:Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) can offer excellent force-to-weight ratios and act as shape-changing actuator under injecting the actuation fluid into their bladders. PAMs could be easily utilized for morphing structures due to their millimeter-scale diameter. The pressurized PAM can serve not only as artificial muscle actuator which obtains contraction deformation capability but also as a spring system with variable stiffness. In this study, the stiffness behaviors of pressurized PAMs and a variable stiffness structure are investigated. By taking advantage of the designed PAMs which was conducted by the non- linear quasi-static model, significant changes in the spring stiffness can be achieved by air pressure control. A case study is presented to explore the potential behavior of a structure with circular permutation PAMs. The structure used in this case consists of sixteen PAMs with circular homogeneous distribution and a circular supporter with sixteen slide way runners. The stiffness of presented structure can vary flexibly in wide range through controlling the air pressure levels and slide deformation respectively.
ISSN:2261-236X
2274-7214
2261-236X
DOI:10.1051/matecconf/201925601005