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US 11,633,849 B2Granted
Soft robotic device with fluid emission for burrowing and cleaning
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsElliot Hawkes, Nicholas Naclerio
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A soft robot includes a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body. A fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip.
Claims18
A soft robot, comprising:
- a flexible and airtight main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body;
- a fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip.
A soft robot, comprising:
- a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body;
- a fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip, wherein the fluidization tube comprises a coil spring with a tube inside, and the coil spring is sewn to the main body.
A soft robot, comprising:
- a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body;
- a fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip, wherein the main body comprises aramid fibers.
A soft robot, comprising:
- a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body;
- a fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip, wherein the fluidization tube is split lengthwise and attached to opposite sides of the main body such that the fluidization tube splits and follows opposite sides of the main body during growth.
A soft robot, comprising:
- a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body;
- a fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip, wherein the fluidization tube comprises a coil spring with a tube inside, and the coil spring is sewn to the main body, wherein the fluidization tube comprises a hook shaped member and an opening in the fluidization tube that is positioned by the hook shaped member.
A soft robot, comprising:
- a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body;
- a fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip, wherein the main body comprises a fabric and further comprising a bladder within the main body to seal the pressure channel that causes the main body to evert.
A soft robot, comprising:
- a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body;
- a fluidization tube for passing air or other fluid through a core of the main body in the fluidization tube, wherein the fluidization tube engages the main body such that the fluidization tube is ejected as the distal end as the main body everts and joins part of the side of the main body as the main body everts and extends its distal tip, further comprising a head at a distal end of the robot, wherein the head comprises opposing rollers that engage the main body and rotate in response to eversion of the main body, the head further comprising a microchip that conducts processes to measure rotation of the rollers and determine position of the head by dead reckoning.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.