A rotary heat engine including a central crankshaft and a plurality of cylinder assemblies and a heat exchanger assembly. At least one of the plurality of cylinders, and preferably all of the plurality of cylinders includes a cylinder member, a piston member slidably positionable within the cylinder member, a connecting rod and a rolling diaphragm. The rolling diaphragm is positioned between the piston and the cylinder assembly to define a working volume which is in fluid communication with an opening that is in communication with the heat exchanger body.

A rotary heat engine including a central crankshaft and a plurality of cylinder assemblies and a heat exchanger assembly. At least one of the plurality of cylinders, and preferably all of the plurality of cylinders includes a cylinder member, a piston member slidably positionable within the cylinder member, a connecting rod and a rolling diaphragm. The rolling diaphragm is positioned between the piston and the cylinder assembly to define a working volume which is in fluid communication with an opening that is in communication with the heat exchanger body.

A fiber reinforced actuator includes first and second sets of fibers coupled with and arranged along a control volume to controllably constrain mobility of an actuator body. Fibers of the first set can be arranged with respect to fibers of the second set and with respect to a central axis to impart the actuator with various combinations of torsional and axial force responses. A third fiber may be included to form a helical actuator. A plurality of actuators can be coupled together for coordinated movement, thereby providing additional mobility directions, such as trans-actuator bending. The fiber-reinforced actuators and actuator assemblies are potential low cost, low energy consumption, lightweight, and simple replacements for existing motion devices such as servo-motor driven robots.

A flexible pneumatic actuator assembly includes a front base, a rear base, a length of flexible tubing having a front end secured to the front base and a rear end secured to the rear base, a flexible piston rod extending through an aperture in the front base and into an internal volume of the length of flexible tubing, and a piston secured to the piston rod within the internal volume of the length of flexible tubing. The piston is configured to maintain an air tight seal against an inner wall of the tubing upon bending of the tubing in a region including the piston.

A flexible pneumatic actuator assembly includes a front base, a rear base, a length of flexible tubing having a front end secured to the front base and a rear end secured to the rear base, a flexible piston rod extending through an aperture in the front base and into an internal volume of the length of flexible tubing, and a piston secured to the piston rod within the internal volume of the length of flexible tubing. The piston is configured to maintain an air tight seal against an inner wall of the tubing upon bending of the tubing in a region including the piston.

The following description pertains to flexure structures, apparatuses comprising flexure structures, systems comprising flexure structures, methods of using flexure structures, methods of using apparatuses comprising flexure structures, and methods of using systems comprising flexure structures. The following description also pertains to methods, systems, and apparatuses for linear to rotary motion converters.

The following description pertains to flexure structures, apparatuses comprising flexure structures, systems comprising flexure structures, methods of using flexure structures, methods of using apparatuses comprising flexure structures, and methods of using systems comprising flexure structures. The following description also pertains to methods, systems, and apparatuses for linear to rotary motion converters.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an actuator having even better durability than the conventional actuator. Specifically, an actuator has an actuator main body constituted of a cylindrical tube capable of expanding/contracting by hydraulic pressure and a sleeve for covering an outer peripheral surface of the tube, the sleeve having a cylindrical structure formed by cords woven to be disposed in predetermined directions, wherein: the inner diameter r.sub.0 (mm) of the tube, the thickness t (mm) of the tube, the storage elastic modulus E′ (MPa) of the tube at 25° C., and the mesh aperture ratio A of the cords constituting the sleeve in a pressurized state satisfy the following formula (1):

50≤E′×(t/r.sub.0)/A≤600   (1)

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an actuator having even better durability than the conventional actuator. Specifically, an actuator has an actuator main body constituted of a cylindrical tube capable of expanding/contracting by hydraulic pressure and a sleeve for covering an outer peripheral surface of the tube, the sleeve having a cylindrical structure formed by cords woven to be disposed in predetermined directions, wherein: the inner diameter r.sub.0 (mm) of the tube, the thickness t (mm) of the tube, the storage elastic modulus E′ (MPa) of the tube at 25° C., and the mesh aperture ratio A of the cords constituting the sleeve in a pressurized state satisfy the following formula (1):
50≤E′×(t/r.sub.0)/A≤600  (1).

A rotary heat engine including a central crankshaft and a plurality of cylinder assemblies and a heat exchanger assembly. At least one of the plurality of cylinders, and preferably all of the plurality of cylinders includes a cylinder member, a piston member slidably positionable within the cylinder member, a connecting rod and a rolling diaphragm. The rolling diaphragm is positioned between the piston and the cylinder assembly to define a working volume which is in fluid communication with an opening that is in communication with the heat exchanger body.