Abstract
An enhanced model is proposed to describe static property of commercial braided pneumatic muscle actuators by including several important influencing factors. Elasticity of elastomer tube is considered and Ogden strain energy function is employed to describe its strain energy density. During pressurized process, small deformation of fiber occurs and is calculated using force balancing principle. Frictional forces within muscles are studied, which consist of friction within braid and that between bladder and braid. Isobaric experiments are performed and results verify the validity of the model.
Highlights
Braided pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs, known as McKibben muscles) have been bringing great changes to pneumatic techniques since they were first developed in the 1950s for an orthotic limb system
From comparison between three type curves, we find that simulation of the new model captures the actual trend of pneumatic actuators much better
The hysteresis is caused by internal friction inside PAM
Summary
Braided pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs, known as McKibben muscles) have been bringing great changes to pneumatic techniques since they were first developed in the 1950s for an orthotic limb system. By numerous researchers’ efforts, many novel fabrication methods have been invented and mechanical properties are studied [1, 2]. In spite of various fabrication methods, the basic construction of different PAMs keeps invariant. McKibben muscles mainly include two components: a flexible inner cylindrical containment layer and an outer cylindrical braided woven layer with end caps to seal the cylinders. By applying pressure to the elastomeric bladder, large force in axial direction is produced. Compared with electric motors and pneumatic cylinders, PAM possesses many advantages, such as high power-toweight ratios, compliance, and low cost of manufacture
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