Variable-rigidity device, control device, and method for controlling actuator
AssigneeOlympus Corporation
InventorsTomoyuki Kugo, Takeshi Takahashi, Tomohiro Kitanaka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable-rigidity device includes a tubular member including a plurality of high-rigidity portions and low-rigidity portions arranged along a longitudinal axis, a core member arranged on an inner side of the tubular member and including a plurality of high-rigidity core portions and low-rigidity core portions; and an actuator configured to relatively move the core member with respect to the tubular member, in which the actuator is configured to cause a first force to repeatedly fluctuate with a passage of time, the first force causing the core member to relatively move with respect to the tubular member in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis.
Claims11
A variable-rigidity device comprising:
- a tubular member including a plurality of first tube parts and second tube parts arranged along a longitudinal axis, a rigidity of the first tube parts being higher than a rigidity of the second tube parts;
- a core member arranged on an inner side of the tubular member and including a plurality of first core parts and second core parts, a rigidity of the first core parts being higher than a rigidity of the second core parts;
- an actuator configured to relatively move the core member with respect to the tubular member;
- and
- a controller configured to control the relative movement by the actuator;
- wherein the controller is configured to cause a first force to repeatedly fluctuate with a passage of time, the first force causing the core member to relatively move with respect to the tubular member in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis.
A control device comprising a processor including at least one piece of hardware, wherein the processor is configured to, when driving an actuator configured to relatively move a core member with respect to a tubular member in a direction of a longitudinal axis, the core member being arranged on an inner side of the tubular member and including a plurality of first core parts and second core parts, a rigidity of the first core parts being higher than a rigidity of the second core parts, the tubular member including a plurality of first tube parts and second tube parts arranged along the longitudinal axis, a rigidity of the first tube parts being higher than a rigidity of the second tube parts, cause a first force to repeatedly fluctuate with a passage of time, the first force causing the core member to relatively move with respect to the tubular member in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis.
A method for controlling an actuator, comprising:
- detecting a load of h actuator when driving the actuator, the actuator being configured to relatively move a core member with respect to a tubular member in a direction of a longitudinal axis, the core member being arranged on an inner side of the tubular member and including a plurality of first core parts and second core parts, a rigidity of the first core parts being higher than a rigidity of the second core parts, the tubular member including a plurality of first tube parts and second tube parts arranged along the longitudinal axis, a rigidity of the first tube arts being higher than a rigidity of the second tube parts;
- when the load is greater than a predetermined threshold, causing a first force to repeatedly fluctuate with a passage of time, the first force causing the core member to relatively move with respect to the tubular member in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- when the load is not greater than the predetermined threshold, moving the core member at a predetermined constant speed with respect to the passage of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.