Mechanical element with varying shape and rigidity owing to internal vacuum pressure

-Improvement of wrapping motions through addition of sponges with different degrees of hardness-

Abstract

In this study, a mechanical element is proposed that contains sponges within an element having variable stiffness by employing the process of particle jamming. The proposed mechanical element can change its shape and stiffness through internal vacuum pressure. A mattress comprising the said mechanical elements wraps itself around an object and simultaneously hardens by evacuating the internal air. To eliminate gaps between the mattress and a wrapped object, the hardness of the sponges can be varied according to their corresponding locations inside the mattress. Evacuation of the internal air compresses the sponges according to their associated degree of hardness. Hence, the mattress can serially bend around an object’s surface without leaving any gaps.