4D PRINTED GRIPPER WITH FLEXIBLE FINGER JOINTS AND TRAJECTORY TRACKING CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints and a trajectory tracking control method thereof. The 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints includes: a palm unit and five finger units connected to the palm unit, where each finger unit includes two flexible finger joints and two phalanges; each flexible finger joint is divided into one upper layer and one lower layer of liquid crystal elastomer (LCE), and each LCE is used to implement a bidirectional bending movement of the finger unit. The present disclosure can precisely control the gripper with flexible finger joints.

Claims

1. A 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints, comprising: a palm unit and five finger units connected to the palm unit, wherein each finger unit comprises two flexible finger joints and two phalanges; each flexible finger joint is divided into one upper layer and one lower layer of liquid crystal elastomer (LCE), and each LCE is used to implement a bidirectional bending movement of the finger unit.

2. The 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 1, wherein the palm unit is made by 3D printing.

3. The 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 1, wherein printing materials of the flexible finger joints of all finger units are the same, and printing materials of the phalanges of all finger units are the same, the flexible finger joints are separately connected to the palm unit and the phalanges in a smooth manner, the phalanges are made of a fixed hard material, and the hard material moves with the bending of the flexible finger joints.

4. The 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 1, wherein each phalanx is made of a resin material by 3D printing; and each flexible finger joint is made of a 4D printed LCE composite material.

5. The 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 1, wherein a bending curvature detection sensor and a polyimide electrothermal film aw attached to a surface of each LCE; the bending curvature detection sensor is used to monitor a bending angle of the flexible finger joint; and when an electric current is applied, the polyimide electrothermal film generates heat, so that the LCE is heated and deformed.

6. The 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 1, wherein when the flexible finger joint is energized and heated externally, one layer of LCE contracts, the other layer of LCE expands, and the finger unit bends to a contracted side; and when the power is off, the finger unit slowly returns to an original state.

7. A trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints, wherein the method is applied to the 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 1, and the method comprises: establishing a dynamic model of a finger unit; designing a sliding mode control rate according to the dynamic model and Lyapunov function stability theory; and controlling a bending angle of each flexible finger joint based on the sliding mode control rate to implement trajectory tracking control.

8. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 7, wherein the palm unit is made by 3D printing.

9. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 7, wherein printing materials of the flexible finger joints of all finger units are the same, and printing materials of the phalanges of all finger units are the same, the flexible finger joints are separately connected to the palm unit and the phalanges in a smooth manner, the phalanges are made of a fixed hard material, and the hard material moves with the bending of the flexible finger joints.

10. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 7, wherein each phalanx is made of a resin material by 3D printing, and each flexible finger joint is made of a 4D printed LCE composite material.

11. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 7, wherein a bending curvature detection sensor and a polyimide electrothermal film are attached to a surface of each LCE; the bending curvature detection sensor is used to monitor a bending angle of the flexible finger joint; and when an electric current is applied, the polyamide electrothermal film generates heat, so that the LCE is heated and deformed.

12. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 7, wherein when the flexible finger joint is energized and heated externally, one laver of LCE contracts, the other layer of LCE expands, and the finger unit bends to a contracted side; and when the power is off, the finger unit slowly returns to an original state.

13. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 7, wherein the establishing a dynamic model of a finger unit specifically comprises: establishing a global reference coordinate system along a horizontal plane on which a metacarpal bone of a palm unit is located and a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and constructing a dynamic model of a phalanx; establishing a natural coordinate system along a neutral curve of each flexible finger joint, and constructing a dynamic model of the flexible finger joint; determining a coordinate transformation matrix between the global reference coordinate system and the natural coordinate system; determining a position expression of each phalanx and a velocity expression of each phalanx based on the global reference coordinate system; obtaining a position expression of a corresponding flexible finger joint and a velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint according to the coordinate transformation matrix, the position expression of each phalanx, and the velocity expression of each phalanx; determining kinetic energy E.sub.k and potential energy E.sub.p corresponding to each finger unit according to the position expression of each flexible finger joint and the velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint; calculating a Laplace function of each finger unit based on the kinetic energy and the potential energy corresponding to each finger unit by using a formula L=E.sub.k−E.sub.p; and obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit.

14. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 8, wherein the establishing a dynamic model of a finger unit specifically comprises: establishing a global reference coordinate system along a horizontal plane on which a metacarpal bone of a palm unit is located and a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and constructing a dynamic model of a phalanx; establishing a natural coordinate system along a neutral curve of each flexible finger joint, and constructing a dynamic model of the flexible finger joint; determining a coordinate transformation matrix between the global reference coordinate system and the natural coordinate system; determining a position expression of each phalanx and a velocity expression of each phalanx based on the global reference coordinate system; obtaining a position expression of a corresponding flexible finger joint and a velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint according to the coordinate transformation matrix, the position expression of each phalanx, and the velocity expression of each phalanx; determining kinetic energy E.sub.k and potential energy E.sub.p corresponding to each finger unit according to the position expression of each flexible finger joint and the velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint; calculating a Laplace function of each finger unit based on the kinetic energy and the potential energy corresponding to each finger unit by using a formula L=E.sub.k−E.sub.p; and obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit.

15. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 9, wherein the establishing a dynamic model of a finger unit specifically comprises: establishing a global reference coordinate system along a horizontal plane on which a metacarpal bone of a palm unit is located and a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and constructing a dynamic model of a phalanx; establishing a natural coordinate system along a neutral curve of each flexible finger joint, and constructing a dynamic model of the flexible finger joint; determining a coordinate transformation matrix between the global reference coordinate system and the natural coordinate system; determining a position expression of each phalanx and a velocity expression of each phalanx based on the global reference coordinate system; obtaining a position expression of a corresponding flexible finger joint and a velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint according to the coordinate transformation matrix, the position expression of each phalanx, and the velocity expression of each phalanx; determining kinetic energy E.sub.k and potential energy E.sub.p corresponding to each finger unit according to the position expression of each flexible finger joint and the velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint; calculating a Laplace function of each finger unit based on the kinetic energy and the potential energy corresponding to each finger unit by using a formula L=E.sub.k−E.sub.p; and obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit.

16. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 10, wherein the establishing a dynamic model of a finger unit specifically comprises: establishing a global reference coordinate system along a horizontal plane on which a metacarpal bone of a palm unit is located and a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and constructing a dynamic model of a phalanx; establishing a natural coordinate system along a neutral cure of each flexible finger joint, and constructing a dynamic model of the flexible finger joint; determining a coordinate transformation matrix between the global reference coordinate system and the natural coordinate system; determining a positron expression of each phalanx and a velocity expression of each phalanx based on the global reference coordinate system; obtaining a position expression of a corresponding flexible finger joint and a velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint according to the coordinate transformation matrix, the position expression of each phalanx, and the velocity expression of each phalanx; determining kinetic energy E.sub.k and potential energy E.sub.p corresponding to each finger unit according to the position expression of each flexible finger joint and the velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint; calculating a Laplace function of each finger unit based on the kinetic energy and the potential energy corresponding to each finger unit by using a formula L=E.sub.k−E.sub.p; and obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit.

17. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 11, wherein the establishing a dynamic model of a finger unit specifically comprises: establishing a global reference coordinate system along a horizontal plane on which a metacarpal bone of a palm unit is located and a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and constructing a dynamic model of a phalanx; establishing a natural coordinate system along a neutral curve of each flexible finger joint, and constructing a dynamic model of the flexible finger joint; determining a coordinate transformation matrix between the global reference coordinate system and the natural coordinate system; determining a position expression of each phalanx and a velocity expression of each phalanx based on the global reference coordinate system; obtaining a position expression of a corresponding flexible finger joint and a velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint according to the coordinate transformation matrix, the position expression of each phalanx, and the velocity expression of each phalanx; determining kinetic energy E.sub.k and potential energy E.sub.p corresponding to each finger unit according to the position expression of each flexible finger unit and the velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint; calculating a Laplace function of each finger unit based on the kinetic energy and the potential energy corresponding to each finger unit by using a formula L=E.sub.k−E.sub.p; and obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit.

18. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 12, wherein the establishing a dynamic model of a finger unit specifically comprises: establishing a global reference coordinate system along a horizontal plane on which a metacarpal bone of a palm unit is located and a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and constructing a dynamic model of a phalanx; establishing a natural coordinate system along a neutral curve of each flexible finger joint, and constructing a dynamic model of the flexible finger joint; determining a coordinate transformation matrix between the global reference coordinate system and the natural coordinate system; determining a position expression of each phalanx and a velocity expression of each phalanx based on the global reference coordinate system; obtaining a position expression of a corresponding flexible finger joint and a velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint according to the coordinate transformation matrix, the position expression of each phalanx, and the velocity expression of each phalanx; determining kinetic energy E.sub.k and potential energy E.sub.p corresponding to each finger unit according to the position expression of each flexible finger joint and the velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint; calculating a Laplace function of each finger unit based on the kinetic energy and the potential energy corresponding to each finger unit by using a formula L=E.sub.k−E.sub.p; and obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit.

19. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 8, wherein the obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit specifically comprises: obtaining a motion equation of each finger unit according to the Laplace function of each finger unit by using a Lagrangian formula; and obtaining the dynamic model of each finger unit with flexible finger joints according to the motion equation of each finger unit.

20. The trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to claim 9, wherein the obtaining a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of the finger unit specifically comprises: obtaining a motion equation of each finger according to the Laplace function of each finger unit by using a Lagrangian formula; and obtaining the dynamic model of each finger unit with flexible finger joints according to the motion equation of each finger unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The present disclosure will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a coordinate system established for each finger unit according to the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a flexible finger joint according to the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a basic principle diagram of sliding mode control according to the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a simulation diagram of trajectory tracking of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 7 is a simulation diagram of trajectory tracking errors of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing changes of input torques for bending control of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The technical solutions in embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments derived from the embodiments in the present disclosure by a person of ordinary skill in the art without creative work shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] The present disclosure aims to provide a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints and a trajectory tracking control method thereof, which can implement precise control of the gripper with flexible finger joints.

[0046] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of the present disclosure more obvious and comprehensive, the following further describes in detail the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementations.

[0047] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints includes: a palm unit 1 and five finger units 2 connected to the palm unit 1. Each finger unit 2 includes two flexible finger joints 3 and two phalanges 4, and all phalanges 4 are smoothly connected to the flexible finger joints 3, without deformation of themselves, and will move with the bending of the flexible finger joints 3. Each flexible finger joint 3 is divided into one upper layer and one lower layer of liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) 5. Each LCE 5 is used to implement a bidirectional bending movement of the finger unit 2.

[0048] The palm unit 1 is made by 3D printing. Printing materials of the flexible finger joints 3 of all finger units 2 are the same, and printing materials of the phalanges 4 of all finger units 2 are the same. The flexible finger joints 3 are separately connected to the palm unit 1 and the phalanges 4 in a smooth manner, the phalanges 4 are made of a fixed hard material, and the hard material moves with the bending of the flexible finger joints 3. Each phalange 4 is made of a resin material by 3D printing; and each flexible finger joint 3 is made of a 4D printed LCE 5 composite material.

[0049] Each flexible finger joint 3 is divided into one upper layer and one lower layer of LCE 5, and a bending curvature detection sensor and a polyimide electrothermal film are attached to a surface of each layer of LCE 5. The bending curvature detection sensor is used to monitor a bending angle of the flexible finger joint 3. When an electric current is applied, the polyimide electrothermal film generates heat, so that the LCE 5 is heated and deformed.

[0050] When the flexible finger joint 3 is energized and heated externally, one layer of LCE 5 contracts, the other layer of LCE 5 expands, and the finger unit 2 bends to a contracted side. When the power is off, the finger unit 2 slowly returns to an original state.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a coordinate system established for each finger unit 2 according to the present disclosure. θ.sub.1 and θ.sub.2 are bending angles of two flexible finger joints 3, and q.sub.1 and q.sub.2 are rotation angles of two phalanges 4.

[0052] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a flexible finger joint according to the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the flexible finger joint 3 is made of one upper layer and one lower layer of LCE 5 composite smart materials. A bending curvature detection sensor 6 and a polyimide electrothermal film 7 are attached on a surface of the LCE 5. When power or heating is applied, the flexible finger joint 3 bends. The palm unit 1 is used as a base, and a gripper system with the flexible finger joints 3 can bend flexibly with multiple degrees of freedom, which is convenient for grasping objects and bending like a “human hand”.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a basic principle diagram of sliding mode control according to the present disclosure. s(x)=0 is a defined sliding mode surface. Sliding mode control can be described as follows: under the action of a controller, a system continuously approaches the sliding mode surface s(x)=0 from a space position far away from the sliding mode surface; once reaching a position of the sliding mode surface, the system slides to an equilibrium point along a designed sliding mode surface direction, so that the system gradually stabilizes at a position of the equilibrium point O finally.

[0054] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints according to the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 5, the trajectory tracking control method for a 4D printed gripper with flexible finger joints includes the following steps.

[0055] Step 101: Establish a dynamic model of a finger unit, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0056] Step 101-1: Establish a global reference coordinate system along a horizontal plane on which a metacarpal bone of a palm unit is located and a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and construct a dynamic model of a phalange.

[0057] Step 101-2: Establish a natural coordinate system along a neutral curve of each flexible finger joint, and construct a dynamic model of the flexible finger joint.

[0058] Step 101-3: Determine a coordinate transformation matrix between the global reference coordinate system and the natural coordinate system, where the coordinate transformation matrix between the two coordinate systems is:

[0059] where θ.sub.i is a

[00001]$R=\left[\begin{array}{cc}\cos {\theta }_i& -\sin {\theta }_i\\ \sin {\theta }_i& \cos {\theta }_i\end{array}\right]$

bending angle of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint.

[0060] Step 101-4: Determine a position expression of each phalange and a velocity expression of each phalange based on the global reference coordinate system.

[0061] Step 101-5: Obtain a position expression of a corresponding flexible finger joint and a velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint according to the coordinate transformation matrix, the position expression of each phalange, and the velocity expression of each phalange.

[0062] Step 101-6: Determine kinetic energy E.sub.k and potential energy E.sub.p corresponding to each finger unit according to the position expression of each flexible finger joint and the velocity expression of the corresponding flexible finger joint.

[0063] Step 101-7: Calculate a Laplace function of each finger unit based on the kinetic energy and the potential energy corresponding to each finger unit by using a formula L=E.sub.k−E.sub.p.

[0064] Step 101-8: Obtain a dynamic model of each finger unit with the flexible finger joints according to the Laplace function of each finger unit, which specifically includes:

[0065] obtaining a motion equation of each finger unit according to the Laplace function of each finger unit by using a Lagrangian formula, where specifically, the motion equation of each finger unit can be expressed as follows according to the Lagrangian formula:

[00002]$\frac{d}{\mathrm{dt}}\left[\frac{\partial L}{\partial {\stackrel{.}{\theta }}_i}\right]-\left[\frac{\partial L}{\partial {\theta }_i}\right]={\tau }_i$

[0066] where τ.sub.i∈R.sup.P represents an input or a control torque of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint; θ.sub.i represents a bending angle of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint; L represents the Laplace function of the finger unit; and t represents time; and

[0067] obtaining the dynamic model of each finger unit with flexible finger joints according to the motion equation of each finger unit, where specifically, the dynamic model of each finger unit with flexible finger joints may be described as follows:

M(q.sub.i){umlaut over (q)}.sub.i+C(q.sub.i,{dot over (q)}.sub.i){dot over (q)}.sub.i+g(q.sub.i)=τ.sub.i, i=1,2

[0068] where q.sub.i∈R.sup.p represents a generalized coordinate vector of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint; C(q.sub.i,q.sub.i)∈R.sup.p×p represents a symmetrical inertia matrix of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint; M(q.sub.i)∈R.sup.n×n represents a Coriolis torque of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint; g(θ.sub.i) represents a generalized potential torque of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint; and τ.sub.i∈R.sup.P represents an input or a control torque of the i.sup.th flexible finger joint.

[0069] Step 102: Design a sliding mode control rate according to the dynamic model and Lyapunov function stability theory.

[0070] In trajectory tracking control of the gripper with flexible finger joints, sliding mode control is used to design a sliding mode surface:

s=ė+λe

[0071] s is the designed sliding mode surface, e is a trajectory tracking error, a value of λ can adjust a speed at which the trajectory tracking error approaches 0. Then the dynamic model of the finger unit in step 1018 is used to design the following sliding mode control rate based on the Lyapunov function stability:

[0072] where M.sub.0 and C.sub.0 are nominal values of M and C respectively, M is a Coriolis torque, C is a symmetrical inertia matrix, λ is a real number, and a value of λ can adjust a speed at which a trajectory tracking error approaches 0, e is the trajectory tracking error, q.sub.d is an expected position, sgn(s) is a symbolic function, and Γ is a real number.

[0073] Let Γ=diag(γ.sub.1, γ.sub.2, . . . , γ.sub.n), (γ.sub.i>0). According to the Lyapunov function stability theory, to make the system stable, then:

γ.sub.i>|dC|.sub.max|{dot over (q)}.sub.d+λe|+dM|.sub.max|{umlaut over (q)}.sub.d+λė|

[0074] where dM=M−M.sub.0, dC=C−C.sub.0, M is the Coriolis torque, C is the symmetrical inertia matrix, M.sub.0 and C.sub.0 are nominal values of M and C respectively, λ is a real number, and a value of λ can adjust a speed at which a trajectory tracking error approaches 0, e is the τ=M.sub.0({umlaut over (q)}.sub.d+λė)+C.sub.0({dot over (q)}.sub.d+λe)+Γsgn(s) trajectory tracking error, q.sub.d is an expected position, and γ.sub.i is a real number.

[0075] Step 103: Control a bending angle of each flexible finger joint based on the sliding mode control rate to implement trajectory tracking control.

[0076] The designed sliding mode control rate is used to control each finger unit so that bending angles of its flexible finger joints change along a desired angle, thereby implementing trajectory tracking control. A final goal achieved by the control may be expressed as: s.fwdarw.0.

[0077] FIGS. 6-8 show simulation implementation of the trajectory tracking control of the gripper with flexible finger joints. Specifically, FIG. 6 is a simulation diagram of trajectory tracking of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a simulation diagram of trajectory tracking errors of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing changes of input torques for bending control of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure.

[0078] The present disclosure applies the idea and method of sliding mode control to a 4D printing intelligent structure, tests the feasibility of the mentioned sliding mode control rate for trajectory tracking through specific simulation experiments, and applies a control algorithm to one finger unit of the 4D printed gripper system with flexible finger joints. The finger unit includes two flexible finger joints and two phalanges, and expected trajectories of the two flexible finger joints are preset as sin(πt) and cos(πt). FIG. 6 is a simulation diagram of trajectory tracking of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure. In FIG. 6, a dashed-dotted line represents an expected trajectory of the flexible finger joint, and a solid line represents a tracking trajectory of the flexible finger joint. A simulation result shows that a trajectory at a first flexible finger joint is close to the expected trajectory after 1 s, and a trajectory at a second flexible finger joint is close to the expected trajectory after 0.6 s. FIG. 7 is a simulation diagram of trajectory tracking errors of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing changes of input torques for bending control of two flexible finger joints on a finger unit used in the present disclosure. According to a relationship equation between a control input torques and a position of the flexible finger joint, the gripper with flexible finger joints can be controlled to implement trajectory tracking. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the trajectory tracking control method of the gripper with flexible finger joints.

[0079] While the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments, and various variations can be made by those of ordinary skill in the art in the context of their knowledge without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.