Layered bending actuator and method for driving the same

Actuator with pre-designed bending angle and shape

This technology relates to a layered bending actuator and its driving method, utilizing a negative pressure system that determines bending angles and shapes through the combination of layered components.

Existing actuators focus on variable stiffness or linear motion, often resulting in creases during bending, unsmooth operation, and limited bending angles.

By combining curved members with flat layered members and applying negative pressure inside an outer cover, this technology reliably achieves the bending angles and shapes intended during the design phase.

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Key Features:

• An outer shell made of flexible material with an internal space to house the layered structure of the bending actuator
• A negative pressure pump that provides suction within the shell's internal space to trigger the bending motion of the layered structure
• A layered structure installed within the internal space that bends when negative pressure is applied by the pump
• A configuration where the bending angle and shape are determined by the design of the layered structure

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of a human-augmentation hybrid robot suit capable of safe 100m sprints in 7 seconds and comfortable 12-hour wear, and from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the development of core technologies in human-robot interaction-based hybrid control and interface design for safe and efficient collaboration, mobility, and rehabilitation.