Host: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
Name : [in Japanese]
Date : March 14, 2022 - March 15, 2022
Recently, soft growing robot have attracted interest. They can extent from its tip and make various shape with many bends. Hence, they are expected to be used in clutter environments and narrow spaces. However, geometric modeling of their bending shape is very difficult due to their highly complex deformation. In this paper, we introduce the finite element analysis model of an inflatable tube bent by heat welding. The bending angle is simulated by changing welding shape, and the relationship between them is investigated. The result of analysis is compared with actual measured bending angle, and it shows that the analytical model is good agree with an actual bending inflatable tube. Moreover, we confirm that the bending angle increases as the height of welding shape increases, but it is not affected by the width of the welding shape. This analytical model enables us to obtain the bending angle by simulation and assists in determining the parameters of welding.
