论文标题
可控的机械域能量累积器
Controllable Mechanical-domain Energy Accumulators
论文作者
论文摘要
弹簧在存储和返回弹性势能方面有效，但在没有外部负载的情况下无法保持其存储的能量。可锁弹簧使用离合器在没有外部负载的情况下使用弹性势能，但尚未在应用中广泛采用，部分原因是离合器引入了设计的复杂性，降低能源效率，并且通常无法对弹簧存储的能源的高保真度控制。在这里，我们介绍了一种新型可锁定压缩弹簧的设计，该弹簧使用小型Capstan离合器被动地锁定机械弹簧。 Capstan离合器可以在任何任意偏转下锁定超过1000 n的力，在少于10 ms的弹簧中，对照力少于最大弹簧力的1％，并提供80％的能量存储和返回效率（可与以恒定标称速度运行的高效电动机相当）。通过保留常规弹簧的外形，同时即使在大型弹簧力下也提供高保真锁定能力，拟议的设计可以促进能节能的基于弹簧的执行器和机器人的发展。
Springs are efficient in storing and returning elastic potential energy but are unable to hold the energy they store in the absence of an external load. Lockable springs use clutches to hold elastic potential energy in the absence of an external load, but have not yet been widely adopted in applications, partly because clutches introduce design complexity, reduce energy efficiency, and typically do not afford high fidelity control over the energy stored by the spring. Here, we present the design of a novel lockable compression spring that uses a small capstan clutch to passively lock a mechanical spring. The capstan clutch can lock over 1000 N force at any arbitrary deflection, unlock the spring in less than 10 ms with a control force less than 1 % of the maximal spring force, and provide an 80 % energy storage and return efficiency (comparable to a highly efficient electric motor operated at constant nominal speed). By retaining the form factor of a regular spring while providing high-fidelity locking capability even under large spring forces, the proposed design could facilitate the development of energy-efficient spring-based actuators and robots.
