阅读说明：本技术 被配置成用于运动的环-带装置 (Ring-and-band apparatus configured for movement ) 是由 单保祥 于 2018-04-28 设计创作，主要内容包括：公开了一种提供运动的环-带装置。外约束环约束内屈曲环以形成具有一个或多个屈曲部的屈曲模式。用于激活的器件在所述屈曲部中的一者中产生激活力,从而提供引起所述屈曲环的配置变化的应力。这产生所述屈曲环的移动。取决于所述屈曲环的成分,经由加热、冷却、光、电流或电压、磁场或它们的组合产生所述应力。所述约束环是适当薄的相对不能伸展但柔性的材料。所述约束环是在经受适当的激活力时形成应力的适当薄的相对柔性的反应材料。合适的反应材料包括电活性聚合物、电致伸缩材料、磁致伸缩材料,以及具有高线性热膨胀系数的材料。所述运动是线性或旋转的,取决于装置配置。(A ring and belt apparatus is disclosed that provides motion. The outer constraining ring constrains the inner flexure ring to form a flexure pattern having one or more flexures. The means for activating generates an activation force in one of the flexures providing a stress that causes a change in the configuration of the flexure ring. This produces movement of the flexure ring. The stress is generated via heating, cooling, light, current or voltage, magnetic field, or a combination thereof, depending on the composition of the buckling ring. The confinement rings are suitably thin, relatively inextensible, but flexible materials. The confinement rings are suitably thin, relatively flexible, reactive materials that develop stress when subjected to a suitable activation force. Suitable reactive materials include electroactive polymers, electrostrictive materials, magnetostrictive materials, and materials having high linear coefficients of thermal expansion. The motion is linear or rotational depending on the device configuration.)

1. A ring-and-belt exercise device, comprising:

A confinement ring positioned at an initial position, the confinement ring being a strip of uniform thickness and uniform width and no ends, and wherein the width is greater than the thickness, and wherein the confinement ring has a homogenous composition;

A flexure ring constrained within the restraint ring to form a flexure pattern having one or more flexures, the flexure ring being a strip of uniform thickness and uniform width and no ends, and wherein the width is greater than the thickness; and

Means within the flexure ring for generating an activation force that effects a change in shape of the one or more flexures and thereby effects movement of the restraint ring relative to the initial position of the restraint ring.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

A carrying platform supported within the flex ring; and is

Wherein the means for generating an activation force is positioned on the carrying platform, thereby generating the activation force and moving the ring-and-belt arrangement in a first lateral direction parallel to the carrying platform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said flexure ring is secured to said constraining ring at a fixed point outside of said flexure, thereby guiding said movement of said constraining ring around an arc of motion centered on said fixed point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the confinement ring further comprises one or more engagement elements; and the flexure ring further comprises one or more positioning elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexure ring is a dual-layer flexure ring and includes a base layer and an active material layer.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the flexure ring is a dual-layer flexure ring and includes a base layer and an active material layer.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the flexure ring is a dual-layer flexure ring and includes a base layer and an active material layer.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the flexure ring is a dual-layer flexure ring and includes a base layer and an active material layer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the confinement ring is a rigid circular structure; and further includes an internal rigid support structure.

10. The method of claim 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the buckling ring comprises an electroactive polymer.

11. The method of claim 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the means for generating an activation force comprises one or more force generating elements attached to or part of the flexure ring.

12. The method of claim 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the activation force is generated at an inflection point of one of the flexures.

13. The method of claim 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the means for generating an activation force comprises a piezoelectric material.

14. The method of claim 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the buckling ring comprises a bimetallic element; the means for generating an activation force comprises a heat source; and generating the activation force at or near an inflection point of one of the flexures.

15. The method of claim 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the buckling ring comprises a bimetallic element; the means for generating an activation force comprises a cooling source; and generating the activation force at or near an inflection point of one of the flexures.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a structure and a method for making a ring-and-band device configured for generating motion, and more particularly to a ring-and-band device configured to convert thermal, piezoelectric, electrically and magnetically confined stresses into mechanical motion and vice versa.

Background

The technical problem of converting thermal, piezoelectric, electrically and magnetically confined stresses into mechanical motion and vice versa is inherent in the technical field of motion generation and energy harvesting.

Possible related fields may include, but are not limited to, publications such as U.S. patent 6,392,331 and U.S. patent application 20130082427.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to an inventive system and method for providing motion using a loop-and-belt arrangement.

In a preferred embodiment, the loop-and-strap device may comprise a constraining loop that may hold the buckling loop such that the buckling loop assumes or forms a buckling pattern with one or more flexures. The device can then be used to generate an activation force within the flex ring. The activation force may for example be any force that causes a change in stress in the buckling ring. Depending on the composition of the flexure ring, this stress may be generated via devices such as, but not limited to, heat, cold, light, current or voltage, magnetic fields, or some combination thereof. The result of the stress may be a change in the configuration of the flexure ring such that there is movement of the confinement ring and/or the ring-and-strap arrangement.

In a more preferred embodiment, the activation force may be applied at or near the inflection point of one or more of the flexures, as this may cause the activation force to be more efficiently translated into the loop-and-strap device motion.

The confinement rings are preferably continuous strips without end points that may have a uniform thickness and a uniform width. The confinement rings are preferably wider than they are thick, and may have a homogenous composition.

The confinement rings may be made, for example, of a relatively inextensible but flexible material such as, but not limited to, fabric reinforced silicone, fabric reinforced polyurethane, titanium alloy, stainless steel alloy, copper alloy, or aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof.

The flexure loops are preferably continuous strips without end points that may have a uniform thickness and a uniform width. The width of the flexure ring is preferably greater than the thickness of the flexure ring. Although the flexure rings may have a homogenous composition, some embodiments may have multiple layers of flexure rings, and/or flexure rings having patterns of different compositions.

The buckling ring may for example be made of a suitable flexible material which may develop stress when subjected to a suitable activation force. Such materials include, for example, electroactive polymers. Other suitable buckling ring materials include, but are not limited to, metals or metal alloys having suitable linear coefficients of thermal expansion.

Both the confinement rings and the flex rings preferably have a seamless configuration, but if configured appropriately, a joint may be formed.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flexure ring may be a double-layer flexure ring having a base layer and an active material layer. The substrate layer and the active material layer may be joined together, for example. The base layer may be made of materials such as, but not limited to, those that can be made into a cinch ring. Similarly, the active material layer may be made of materials such as, but not limited to, those that can be made into buckling rings.

In another embodiment of the invention, the constraining ring may comprise one or more engaging elements and the buckling ring may comprise one or more complementary positioning elements. Such an arrangement may, for example, allow the flexure ring to exhibit more complex higher eigenvalue modes that may have a greater number of flexures. The complementary engagement and positioning elements may also or instead facilitate the transfer of force and/or motion between the constraining ring and the buckling ring.

Other embodiments may include fixation points that may join the restraint ring to the buckling ring at one or more fixation points. Such a fixed point may, for example, effectively allow the use of a ring-and-belt arrangement to produce lateral motion, which may, for example, be used in applications such as, but not limited to, mechanical arm articulation.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the buckling ring may be provided with one or more discrete force generating elements that may be activated individually or in groups. These force generating elements may be materials such as, but not limited to, ceramic or polymer piezoelectric elements.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that although the ring-and-strap apparatus is described herein primarily in terms of applying stress to the flexure ring to produce motion, many of the embodiments can also be used in another or alternative modes where the ring-and-strap apparatus or elements thereof are subject to motion and the resultant motion-related stress applied to the ring-and-strap apparatus can generate electricity as its flexure ring or elements change shape or assume a varying flexure mode. Thus, the ring-and-band device of the invention can also be used in the following applications: such as, but not limited to, energy harvesting from a source of motion such as, but not limited to, wind or wave motion, or a combination thereof.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-belt device.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-band arrangement driven by means for generating an activation force.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross section of a single flexor ring-belt device with fixing points.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic cross section of a double flex ring-and-band device with engaging and positioning elements.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross section of a double flexor ring-belt device with fixing points.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-band device with a double-layer buckling ring.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic isometric view of a ring-and-band device with means for generating an activation force integrated into or onto the flex ring.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-belt device configured for rotational movement.

Detailed Description

The best mode for carrying out the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like elements in the drawings are identified with like reference numerals.

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto. Indeed, various modifications and alterations will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a review of the associated drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-belt apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention.

The ring-and-strap apparatus 105 may include a restraint ring 110 and a flex ring 115. The flexure ring may be constrained within the constraint ring in such a way that it assumes or forms a flexure shape or flexure pattern having one or more flexures 120. Each of the flexures 120 may have a first inflection point 135 and a second inflection point 136. The means for generating the activation force may introduce stresses into flexure ring 115 that may cause the flexure ring to change its shape and cause motion in doing so. The movement of the flexure ring to change shape may, for example, cause the ring-and-band device 105 to translate over a surface on which it may rest.

Generating an activation force at or near one of the inflection points of one of the flexures may be the most effective way to translate an applied activation force into motion of the belt-and-loop device. However, there may be advantages to applying the activation force at other locations. The activation force may for example cause a change in the size of the flexure, a bending moment or a change in the angle of a part of the flexure ring or a change in the curvature of a part of the flexure ring, or be the result of these changes. Applying such an activation force near where the buckling ring and the constraining ring start to separate to form the buckle may for example be the position where the movement of the ring-and-band arrangement can be most accurately controlled.

The confinement rings are preferably continuous strips having no end points and may have a uniform thickness and a uniform width. The confinement rings preferably have a width 5 times greater than their thickness, and preferably have a homogenous composition.

The activation force may for example be any force that causes a change in stress in the buckling ring. Depending on the composition of the buckling ring, the stress may be generated via a means for generating an activation force, such as, but not limited to, heat, light, current or voltage, a magnetic field, or a combination thereof. The result of the stress may be a change in the configuration of the flexure ring such that there is movement of or relative to the restraint ring.

In a more preferred embodiment, the activation force may be applied at or near the inflection point of one or more of the flexures, as this may cause the activation force to be effectively translated into the loop-and-strap device motion.

The flexure loops are preferably continuous strips without end points and may have a uniform thickness and a uniform width. The width of the flexure ring is preferably 5 times greater than the thickness of the flexure ring. Although the flex ring may have a homogenous composition, some embodiments may include flex rings having patterns of different compositions. For example, the flex ring may insert a strip or band of activatable elements between more inert elements.

Both the confinement rings and the flexure rings preferably have a seamless configuration, but may allow for manufacturing tolerances at the joint.

fig. 2 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-band arrangement driven by means for generating an activation force.

The driven ring-and-band arrangement shown in fig. 2 may, for example, comprise a buckling ring 115 made of a suitably thin, relatively flexible but resilient material, such as, but not limited to, a suitably thin metal or metal alloy, which may have a suitably high coefficient of linear thermal expansion. Although in theory any material having a positive linear expansion coefficient may be used, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the material used may have a coefficient of linear expansion of more than 5 x 10^-6Linear expansion coefficient of m/m/DEG C. In a more preferred embodiment, it may be desirable for the material to have a thickness greater than 15 x 10^-6Linear expansion coefficient of m/m/DEG C. Suitable metals and metal alloys include, but are not limited to, aluminum bronze, beryllium copper, manganese bronze, nickel-based alloys, S31000 stainless steel, or some combination thereof.

The means for generating an activation force associated with the ring-and-band arrangement of fig. 2 may for example be a temperature variation source 151, which may be a heat source or a refrigeration source. The ring-and-belt apparatus can also include a confinement ring 110 and a carrying platform 145, which can have support rollers 155. A carrying platform 145 may be located within flexure ring 115 and may carry a device 131 for generating an activation force, which device 131 may be a temperature variation source 151. The temperature variation source 151 may be positioned such that a temperature variation of the belt-and-loop assembly may be generated at or near the first inflection point 135. Application of temperature change source 151 to buckling ring 115 may cause local expansion or contraction and therefore stress near first inflection point 135. This stress may cause buckling ring 115 to deform and in so doing cause the ring-and-strap arrangement to move in first lateral direction 160 along a substantially flat surface 165 on which the ring-and-strap arrangement may rest.

The temperature variation source 151 may be, for example, a heat source, which may be any suitable heat source, such as, but not limited to, a flame, a resistive heater, a light bulb, an LED light source, or a focused light source, or some combination thereof.

The temperature change source 151 may be, for example, a cooling source such as, but not limited to, a refrigerant supply, a liquid nitrogen spray, a peltier device, or some combination thereof.

The confinement ring 110 may be made of any suitably thin, relatively inextensible, but flexible material, such as, but not limited to, fabric reinforced silicone, fabric reinforced polyurethane, titanium alloy, stainless steel alloy, copper alloy, or aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof. Particularly suitable materials may include titanium alloys such as, but not limited to, so-called beta-type titanium alloys, i.e., titanium alloyed in varying amounts with one or more of the following: molybdenum, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, zirconium, manganese, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, and copper. This type of alloy may have a strength/elastic modulus ratio of almost twice that of 18-8 austenitic stainless steel, allowing for greater elastic deflection of the spring and reduced force per unit displacement. Suitable alloys may include, but are not limited to, "BETA III" (Ti-11.5Mo-6.5Zr-4.6Sn), transformation 129(Ti-2Al-11.5V-2Sn-11.3Zr), or Ti-6Al-4V, or some combination thereof.

However, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that while fig. 2 shows ring-and-band arrangements driven by a temperature change source 151, the flexure ring 115 may instead be made of a suitable electroactive polymer (EAP) and the temperature change source may then be replaced by a suitable current or voltage source, resulting in a ring-and-band arrangement driven by an electromagnetic source.

The temperature variation source 151 shown in fig. 2 may then be replaced by a current or voltage supplied by, for example, two separate electrically conductive contact rollers. Suitable materials for such an electroactive buckling ring may for example be electroactive polymers (EAPs) or have more than 1 x 10^-3V/mN/m²Any electrostrictive material of piezoelectric voltage constant. Particularly suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and iodine doped polyacetylene.

Similarly, the buckling rings may be replaced by buckling rings made of a suitable magnetostrictive material, and the heat source may be replaced by a magnetic flux source to create a magnetically driven ring-and-band arrangement. Suitable magnetostrictive materials may be materials having a magnetostriction coefficient greater than 50 micro strain, such as, but not limited to, Terfenol-D or Galfenol. Terfenol-D stands for: ter is terbium, Fe is iron, NOL is naval instruments laboratory and D is dysprosium. This is a material that can exhibit about 2000 micro-strains at room temperature in a field of 2kOe (160 kA/m). A suitable source of magnetic flux may be a magnet, such as, but not limited to, a suitably strong rare earth permanent magnet or electromagnet, or a combination thereof.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross section of a single flexor ring-belt device with fixing points.

The single-flex ring-and-strap apparatus shown in fig. 3 with fixation points 180 may include a constraining ring 110 and a buckling ring 115 held together at fixation points 170. Flex ring 115 is shown having a flex with a first flex point 135. The activation stress may be generated at the first inflection point 135. This activation stress may cause the flexure ring to deform to assume the shape shown as post-motion flexure ring 190 in fig. 3. When assuming a shape change due to the stress induced at the first inflection point 135, the entire belt-and-loop device may be forced to move through an arc of motion 175, which may be centered on the fixed point 170. The result of this motion may be a rotating ring-and-band arrangement, as represented by a post-motion flexure ring 190 and a post-motion constraint ring 185.

when the ring-and-band apparatus is in the post-rotation position, as represented by the post-motion constraining ring 185 and the post-motion buckling ring 190 shown in fig. 3, another activation stress may be created for the second inflection point 136. Application of this activation force or stress may cause the ring-and-strap apparatus to return to its original orientation by rotating about fixed point 170 in arc of motion 175.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic cross section of a double flex ring-and-band device 220 with engaging and positioning elements.

The confinement ring 110 may, for example, have one or more engagement elements 205 that may correspond in position to one or more positioning elements 195 of the flexure ring 115. The engagement elements 205 may be, for example, teeth, and the positioning elements 195 may be holes or spaces into which the teeth may engage. An advantage of having corresponding engagement and positioning elements may be to allow flexure ring 115 to assume and maintain a flexure mode or configuration having two or more flexures. Such a buckling mode with multiple flexures may be referred to as a higher eigenmode buckling configuration.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross section of a double flexor ring-belt device 265 with fixing points.

As shown in fig. 5, the loop-and-strap arrangement may initially have the form shown by the restraint loop 110 and the flex loop 115, which may be constrained to form a flex mode with two flexures. The confinement rings 110 and the flexure rings 115 may also be secured together at fixation points 170, which may be located outside the area of flexure of the flexure rings.

the means for generating an activation force may generate an activation force at or near the first inflection point 225 of the first inflection portion. Such an activation force may cause the buckling ring to change shape and in so doing cause the ring-and-strap arrangement to move in a first rotational direction 230, which may be an arc centered on a fixed point. The result of the movement may be represented by confinement ring 235 after movement in the first rotational direction and flexure ring 240 after movement in the first rotational direction.

The activation force may instead be generated at or near the first inflection point 260 of the second inflection portion. Such forces may cause the flexure ring to change shape and in so doing cause the ring-and-strap arrangement to move in a second rotational direction 245, which may be an arc centered on a fixed point. The result of the movement may be represented by confinement rings 250 after movement in the second rotational direction and flexure rings 255 after movement in the second rotational direction.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-band device 305 with a double-layer buckling ring.

The bi-layer buckling ring 285 may be composed of a base layer 290 and an active material layer 295.

The bilayer flex ring base layer may be made, for example, of materials such as, but not limited to: fabric reinforced silicone, fabric reinforced polyurethane, titanium alloy, stainless steel alloy, copper alloy or aluminum alloy, or combinations thereof.

The dual layer buckling ring active material layer may be made of materials such as, but not limited to: selected from the group having a molecular weight of greater than 1X 10^-3An electroactive material with a piezoelectric voltage constant of Vm/N, a magnetostrictive material with a magnetostrictive coefficient greater than 50 micro strain, or an electroactive polymer (EAP) of a combination thereof; or have a size greater than 5 x 10^-6A metal or metal alloy having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of m/m/DEG C.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic isometric view of a ring-and-band device 280 with means 131 for generating an activation force integrated into or onto the force generating element of the flexure ring 115.

The means 131 for generating an activation force may for example be a force generating element 270 provided on the inner or outer surface of the flexure ring 115 or incorporated into the body of the flexure ring. The force-generating elements 270 may be flexible in nature, or they may be rigid or semi-rigid tiles, thus allowing the use of, for example, ceramic piezoelectric elements as force-generating elements. Thus, a change in shape of flexure ring 115 may be achieved by activating one or more of force-producing elements 270, which may be positioned at or near the inflection point of flexure ring 115. This change in shape of the flexure ring 115 may then cause relative movement of the flexure ring with respect to the constraining ring and/or movement of the entire ring-and-strap apparatus relative to the support surface.

Suitable materials for the force-generating element 270 include electroactive polymers (EAPs) such as, but not limited to, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and iodine-doped polyacetylene, or some combination thereof. Ceramics electrostriction, known as relaxed ferroelectrics, such as, but not limited to, lead magnesium niobate (PMN), lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT), and lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT), have relatively high electrostrictive constants and, therefore, may also be suitable for use as the force generating element 270.

For a band-and-ring device having a force-producing element 280 that can act by magnetostriction, suitable materials include, but are not limited to Terfenol-D^TM、Galfenol^TM、Metglas^TMOr some combination thereof.

since force-generating element 270 may be a solid, piezoelectric materials such as, but not limited to, quartz, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and barium titanate may also be used as polymers such as, but not limited to, polyvinyl carbonate (PVC), nylon 11, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

Fig. 8 shows a schematic cross section of a ring-and-band device 310 configured for rotational movement.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 8, the constraining ring may be configured as an outer circular rigid support structure 320, as this may provide a well-defined axis of rotation for the flexure ring.

In another embodiment, the ring-and-band device 310 configured for rotational motion may include an inner circular rigid support structure 315 having an axis of rotation 325 that coincides with the axis of the outer circular rigid support structure 320. Such an arrangement may be used, for example, to provide higher eigenmode buckling of the buckling ring.

In such a configuration, application of the activation force 130 at, for example, the first inflection point 135 of the flexure ring may cause rotational movement of the outer circular rigid support structure 320 relative to the inner circular rigid support structure 315 about the rotational axis 325.

Although the present invention has been described to a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of components may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention is applicable to providing controlled motion in, for example, robotic mechanisms, as used in, for example, the manufacturing industry. Additionally, the present invention may be applied to harvesting energy from moving sources such as, but not limited to, wind or flowing water, as used in, for example, the power generation industry.