A pump unit and a pump capable of detecting characteristics of a conveyance article and a method for detecting the characteristics of the conveyance article. A pump unit includes an outer cylinder; an inner cylinder disposed on an inner circumference side of the outer cylinder; and a pressure supply chamber provided between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, the pump unit being configured to convey a conveyance article in the inner cylinder by supplying a pressurizing medium into the pressure supply chamber and thereby causing the inner cylinder to expand inwardly in a radial direction, in which the pump unit further includes a conveyance article information acquiring device configured to acquire information on the conveyance article in the inner cylinder at a time when the inner cylinder is expanded.

Systems and methods for grasping and manipulating objects are presented. The systems include a first actuator configured to either contract, expand, or rotate about a first axis. In some cases the actuator acts to deform a structure that is configured to grasp an object. In other cases the actuator directly interacts with an object to grasp the object or aid in the grasping of the object. The entire system may be connected to a robotic arm or other system to allow for picking and placing of objects. The first actuator includes a compliant shell defining an enclosed cavity, a dielectric fluid disposed within the enclosed cavity, a first electrode disposed on a first side of the compliant shell, and a second electrode disposed on a second side of the compliant shell opposite the first side.

A liquid supplying device includes: a first pump and a second pump respectively provided in a liquid supplying path that supplies liquid contained in a liquid accommodating portion to an applicator; a filter passing through the liquid that flows toward the applicator; and a return flow path that returns the liquid passing through the filter to the liquid accommodating portion. In a circulating mode that supplies the liquid to the return flow path and stops supply of the liquid to the applicator, any of the first pump and the second pump continuously supplies the liquid to the return flow path.

A two-stage pump system is provided using electrostatic actuators. The system includes a pair of hydraulically-amplified, self-healing, electrostatic (HASEL) actuators in fluid communication with one another. Each actuator includes a deformable shell defining a working fluid compartment storing a dielectric fluid. Two electrodes are disposed on opposite sides of the deformable shell. A pair of fluid transfer bladders are disposed adjacent the respective pair of HASEL actuators, each including a fluid-impermeable membrane defining a transfer fluid chamber, and a biasing member disposed in the transfer fluid chamber. When individually actuated in an alternating two-stage pattern, the two electrodes of each respective HASEL actuator move from a neutral position to an attracted position, displacing dielectric fluid through the first transfer conduit and between working fluid compartments, thereby pumping the transfer fluid from an inlet to an outlet.

A two-stage pump system is provided using electrostatic actuators. The system includes a pair of hydraulically-amplified, self-healing, electrostatic (HASEL) actuators in fluid communication with one another. Each actuator includes a deformable shell defining a working fluid compartment storing a dielectric fluid. Two electrodes are disposed on opposite sides of the deformable shell. A pair of fluid transfer bladders are disposed adjacent the respective pair of HASEL actuators, each including a fluid-impermeable membrane defining a transfer fluid chamber, and a biasing member disposed in the transfer fluid chamber. When individually actuated in an alternating two-stage pattern, the two electrodes of each respective HASEL actuator move from a neutral position to an attracted position, displacing dielectric fluid through the first transfer conduit and between working fluid compartments, thereby pumping the transfer fluid from an inlet to an outlet.

A peristaltic transport device comprising a tube member having an inner space to receive material, the member includes a series of repeating sections wherein each of the sections includes a plurality of bladders to selectively occlude portions of the inner space according to a defined peristaltic sequence to transport the material through the inner space. An actuator assembly is coupled to the tube member to control the selective occlusion of the inner space by selectively expanding and contracting ones of the plurality of bladders according to the defined peristaltic sequence. The actuator assembly simultaneously controls corresponding ones of the plurality of bladders across the series of repeating sections.

A bellows pump device includes: a first electropneumatic regulator 51 that adjusts a first air pressure of pressurized air in a first discharge-side air chamber 21A of a first air cylinder unit 27; a second electropneumatic regulator 52 that adjusts a second air pressure of pressurized air in a second discharge-side air chamber 21B of a second air cylinder unit 28; and a control unit 6 that controls the first electropneumatic regulator 51 such that the first air pressure is continuously decreased during a period from a time when a second bellows 14 starts contracting until a first bellows 13 comes into a most contracted state, and controls the second electropneumatic regulator 52 such that the second air pressure is continuously decreased during a period from a time when the first bellows 13 starts contracting until the second bellows 14 comes into a most contracted state.

A system is provided. The system includes one or more of a first bellows assembly, which includes a first bellows block, a second bellows block, a first pumping bellow, and first and second seals. The first bellows assembly includes a master fluid inlet port configured to receive a fluid and route the fluid to a first coupling. The second bellows block includes a master fluid outlet port and configured to route the fluid in a pressurized state from a second coupling to the master fluid outlet port. The first pumping bellow includes first and second bellow ports, the first pumping bellow oriented between the first and second couplings and coupled to a pump configured to pressurize the fluid. The first seal is disposed between the first coupling and the first bellow port and the second seal is disposed between the second coupling and the second bellow port.

A liquid supply system in which the generation of twisting of a bellows is prevented. The liquid supply system has a first bellows 130 which is fixed to a shaft 150 and expands or contracts in accordance with the reciprocating motion of the shaft 150 and a second bellows 200 which expands or contracts in accordance with the reciprocating motion of the shaft 150. The second bellows 200 and the first bellows 130 forms a pump chamber therebetween and the second bellows 200 has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the first bellows 130. One end of the second bellows 200 is fixed to one of the shaft 150 and a cylindrical member 161, and the other end of the second bellows 200 is positioned to the other of the shaft 150 and the cylindrical member 161 in a state being allowed to move in a circumferential direction.

A liquid supply system includes first and second bellows 41 and 42 arranged in series in an expanding/contracting direction thereof in a vessel 12 and having first end portions respectively, which are close to each other and fixed to an inner wall of the vessel 12, and also having second end portions respectively, which are distant from each other and movable in the expanding/contracting direction. An inner space of the vessel 12 located outside the first bellows 41 serves as a first pump chamber P1. An inner space of the vessel 12 located outside the second bellows 42 serves as a second pump chamber P2. An inner space of the vessel 12 located inside the first and second bellows 41 and 42 serves as a sealed space R1. A shaft 15 to which the respective second end portions of the first and second bellows 41 and 42 are fixed is reciprocally moved to expand/contract the first and second bellows 41 and 42.