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US 11,027,423 B2Granted
Soft robotic actuators utilizing asymmetric surfaces
AssigneeSoft Robotics, Inc.
InventorsJoshua Aaron Lessing, Ryan Richard Knopf, Noel McLellan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A soft robotic actuator is disclosed. The actuator includes a first portion with a substantially constant profile and a second portion with a regularly varying profile, and bends in a pressure-dependent fashion as the internal pressure within the actuator is increased or decreased.
Claims19
A soft robotic actuator, comprising:
- an elongate body having a first wall portion having a first profile and a second wall portion disposed opposite the first wall portion, the second wall portion having a repeating variable profile such that a height of the elongate body varies over its length, wherein
- (a) the elongate body defines a sealed void which is capable of being pressurized relative to the environment around the actuator, and
- (b) a distal end-of the elongate body is configured to exhibit angular displacement under pressurization, due at least in part to the repeating variable profile of the second wall portion, wherein the angular displacement increases in direct proportion to the pressure applied from an ambient pressure to a pressure according to a final curve profile.
A device, comprising:
- a plurality of soft robotic actuators arranged to define a grasping member, each soft robotic actuator including a flexible elongate body, each elongate body comprising a first wall portion having a substantially constant profile and a second wall portion disposed opposite the first wall portion, the second wall portion having a repeating variable profile such that a height of the elongate body varies over its length, wherein
- (a) each elongate body defines a sealed void which is capable of being pressurized relative to the environment around the corresponding actuator, and
- (b) each elongate body is configured to exhibit angular displacement of its distal end under pressurization, due at least in part to the repeating variable profile of the second wall portion, wherein the angular displacement increases in direct proportion to the pressure applied from an ambient pressure to a pressure according to a final curve profile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.