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Excitation of Looped Bistable Bands for High-Speed Linear Actuation

Sareum Kim, Josie Hughes

TL;DR

This work addresses the need for fast, efficient linear actuation in soft robotics by leveraging looped bistable tape springs to achieve resonant amplification of motion. The authors fabricate looped tape springs, each forming two folding joints separated by a central junction, and excite them with a linearly driven slider across a fixed offset $d_{ext}$ while varying the drive frequency $f$. Experimental results reveal a three-phase oscillation with displacement amplification and demonstrate a maximum loop speed of $121.3\ \, ext{cm/s}$ when $L=12.5\ \, ext{cm}$ and $f=7.4\ \, ext{Hz}$, with the optimal $f_{max}$ decreasing as $L$ increases. These findings establish a practical relationship between loop length and resonance and point to looped bistable tape springs as compact, high-speed actuators for adaptive soft robotic systems, offering design guidance for selecting $L$ and $f$ to achieve targeted actuation speeds.

Abstract

Soft robotics increasingly relies on smart materials and innovative structures, with bistable tape springs emerging as a promising option. These structures exhibit intriguing dynamic behaviors, such as oscillation, due to their inherent bistability. This paper explores the high-speed linear amplification of motion achieved through the excitation of a looped bistable tape spring. When looped, the tape spring forms two distinct joints, facilitating smooth oscillation. Mounted on a linear guide and driven by a crank mechanism with varying frequency, the system converts input oscillations into amplified linear motion at resonance. This study highlights the potential of bistable tape springs high speed reciprocating linear motion.

Excitation of Looped Bistable Bands for High-Speed Linear Actuation

TL;DR

This work addresses the need for fast, efficient linear actuation in soft robotics by leveraging looped bistable tape springs to achieve resonant amplification of motion. The authors fabricate looped tape springs, each forming two folding joints separated by a central junction, and excite them with a linearly driven slider across a fixed offset while varying the drive frequency . Experimental results reveal a three-phase oscillation with displacement amplification and demonstrate a maximum loop speed of when and , with the optimal decreasing as increases. These findings establish a practical relationship between loop length and resonance and point to looped bistable tape springs as compact, high-speed actuators for adaptive soft robotic systems, offering design guidance for selecting and to achieve targeted actuation speeds.

Abstract

Soft robotics increasingly relies on smart materials and innovative structures, with bistable tape springs emerging as a promising option. These structures exhibit intriguing dynamic behaviors, such as oscillation, due to their inherent bistability. This paper explores the high-speed linear amplification of motion achieved through the excitation of a looped bistable tape spring. When looped, the tape spring forms two distinct joints, facilitating smooth oscillation. Mounted on a linear guide and driven by a crank mechanism with varying frequency, the system converts input oscillations into amplified linear motion at resonance. This study highlights the potential of bistable tape springs high speed reciprocating linear motion.
Paper Structure (8 sections, 4 figures)

This paper contains 8 sections, 4 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. Oscillation of Looped Bistable Band
  3. Structure of Looped Bistable Band
  4. Excitation Setup
  5. Result
  6. Oscillation Profile
  7. Frequency Effect
  8. CONCLUSIONS

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: Displacement amplification of looped bistable band (a) loop at stationary state (b) excited loop configuration after reaching excited state
  • Figure 2: Experimental setup for loop excitation induced by linear oscillation of crank mechanism
  • Figure 3: Amplified distance and ratio according to excitation frequency for different loop sizes.
  • Figure 4: Amplified distance and ratio according to excitation frequency for different loop sizes.