Basic Characteristics on New Type Actuator that an Antagonized Bellows is Connected to Tip of a Pneumatic Cylinder Rod and Application to a Care Machinery

在本研究中，我们提出了一种新型的驱动器（一个反波纹管驱动器）的对抗波纹管驱动器连接到一个气动缸杆的尖端。通过实验研究，进一步阐明了波纹管驱动器的基本特性。关于致动器的定位控制，我们确认致动器可以容易地实现精细定位。这是因为波纹管执行器没有滑动部件。因此，即使气缸由于滑动部件处的摩擦力而停止，波纹管也可以驱动。此外，致动器可以通过使用波纹管的力感测能力来实现柔性运动。因此，我们将该致动器应用于老年人人体转移机的直接驱动机构。传送机的机构由两个机械部分构成。即采用双波纹管作动器的旋转运动部分和采用圆柱-波纹管作动器的直线运动部分。此外，用于人的支撑部件附接到缸-波纹管致动器的对抗的波纹管致动器的输出杆。使用机器的转移过程分为三种模式。第一个过程是手动设置模式，第二个过程是转印辅助模式。三是静态停止模式。在手动设置模式下，我们可以通过使用波纹管执行器的力传感能力来自由调整支撑部分的位置。在转移辅助模式下，当使用机器的人向前弯曲同时滴下支撑物时，转移机器开始自动驱动。此外，当人移动支撑件时，机器可以自身生成自适应转移轨迹。在静态停止模式中，转移机器可以通过切换转移辅助模式而停止在任意位置。

In this study, we suggested a new type actuator (a Cylinder-Bellows Actuator) which an antagonized bellows actuator is connected to tip of a pneumatic cylinder rod. Furthermore, the basic characteristics of the Cylinder-Bellows actuator was made clear from some experimental results. With respect to the positioning control of the actuator, we confirmed that the actuator can easily realize fine positioning. This is because that the bellows actuator has no sliding parts. Therefore, the bellows can drive even if the cylinder stop because of friction forces at the sliding parts. Moreover, it is possible for the actuator to realize a flexible motion by using force sensing ability of the bellows. Thus, we applied the actuator to a direct drive mechanism of a human transfer machine for elderly people. The mechanism of the transfer machine is constructed with two mechanical parts. Those are a rotational part by using two bellows actrators and a straight line motion part by using the cylinder-bellows actuator. Moreover, a support part for a person is attached to the output bar of the antagonized bellows actuator of the cylinder-bellows actuator. The transfer process by using the machine is divided into three mode. The first process is manual setting mode and the second is transfer assist mode. The third is static stop mode. In the manual setting mode, we can adjust the position of the support part freely by using force sensing ability of the bellows actuator. In the transfer assist mode, when the person who use the machine bend forward while dripping the supporter, the transfer machine start to drive automatically. Furthermore, the machine can generate an adaptive transfer trajectory by itself as the person move the supporter, In the static stop mode, the transfer machine can stop at an arbitrary position by swiching off the transfer assist mode.