Pump-integrated flexible actuator

Abstract

A pair of flexible actuators (4) according to the present invention is supported by a fixture (2) made of a hard rubber at base ends of the flexible actuators (4). Each flexible actuator (4) includes a movable unit (6) capable of bending, a pump unit (8) integrally connected to the movable unit (6) at an end thereof, for controlling transfer of work fluid sealed in the movable unit, and a pump driver (10) for controlling driving of the pump unit (8). The movable unit (6) includes two long and narrow tubes (12) and (14) each having an accordion wall, a core (16) maintaining the tubes in parallel to each other, and a thin-film-bag-like cover (18) covering the tubes (12) and (14). The tube (12), which comes into contact with a subject (B), is made of a soft material. The movable unit (6) provided with the tube (12) softly comes into contact with the subject at a plurality of plane-contact portions of action of the movable unit (6), thereby holding the subject without scratching the same.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.