Dielectric elastomer (DE), as a group of electro-active polymers, has been widely used in soft robotics due to its inherent flexibility and large induced deformation. As sustained high voltage is needed to maintain the deformation of DE, it may result in electric breakdown for a long-period actuation. Inspired by the bistable mechanism which has two stable equilibrium positions and can stay at one of them without energy consumption, two bistable dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) including a translational actuator and a rotational actuator are proposed. Both the bistable actuators consist of a double conical DEA and a buckling beam and can switch between two stable positions with voltage. In this paper, the analytical models of the bulking beam and the conical DEA are presented first, and then the design method is demonstrated in terms of force equilibrium and moment equilibrium principle. The experiments of the translational bistable DEA and the rotational bistable DEA are conducted, which show that the design method of the bistable DEA is effective.
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August 2019
Research-Article
Design of Translational and Rotational Bistable Actuators Based on Dielectric Elastomer
Nianfeng Wang,
Nianfeng Wang
1
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: menfwang@scut.edu.cn
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: menfwang@scut.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Chaoyu Cui,
Chaoyu Cui
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: 284479754@qq.com
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: 284479754@qq.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Bicheng Chen,
Bicheng Chen
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: 757822827@qq.com
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: 757822827@qq.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Hao Guo,
Hao Guo
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: 2528311560@qq.com
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: 2528311560@qq.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Xianmin Zhang
Xianmin Zhang
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: zhangxm@scut.edu.cn
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: zhangxm@scut.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Nianfeng Wang
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: menfwang@scut.edu.cn
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: menfwang@scut.edu.cn
Chaoyu Cui
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: 284479754@qq.com
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: 284479754@qq.com
Bicheng Chen
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: 757822827@qq.com
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: 757822827@qq.com
Hao Guo
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: 2528311560@qq.com
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: 2528311560@qq.com
Xianmin Zhang
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology,
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
Guangzhou 510640,
e-mail: zhangxm@scut.edu.cn
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Guangzhou 510640,
China
e-mail: zhangxm@scut.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Mechanisms and Robotics Committee of ASME for publication in the Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics. Manuscript received September 11, 2018; final manuscript received April 10, 2019; published online May 17, 2019. Assoc. Editor: Shaoping Bai.
J. Mechanisms Robotics. Aug 2019, 11(4): 041011 (9 pages)
Published Online: May 17, 2019
Article history
Received:
September 11, 2018
Revision Received:
April 10, 2019
Accepted:
April 11, 2019
Citation
Wang, N., Cui, C., Chen, B., Guo, H., and Zhang, X. (May 17, 2019). "Design of Translational and Rotational Bistable Actuators Based on Dielectric Elastomer." ASME. J. Mechanisms Robotics. August 2019; 11(4): 041011. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4043602
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