Micro in-pipe mobile machines by making use of an electro-rheological fluid

Author

Kondoh, Yutaka ; Yokota, Shinichi

Author_Institution

Precision & Intelligence Lab., Tokyo Inst. of Technol., Yokohama, Japan

Volume

3

fYear

1997

fDate

7-11 Sep 1997

Firstpage

1672

Abstract

In this paper, first, a three-port micro ER valve (φ9.8 mm) is fabricated. Static characteristics of the micro ER valve are examined. The valve can produce load pressure change of 0.25 MPa at maximum electric field strength of 5 kV/mm. Secondly, a micro in-pipe mobile machine with the microvalves is fabricated, whose diameter and length are φ9.8 mm and 34.5 mm respectively. The microvalves control bellows-type microactuators and the in-pipe mobile machine moves like an inchworm. Performances of the in-pipe mobile machine are examined. The maximum average velocity obtained without a load is 0.9 mm/s

Keywords

electrohydraulic control equipment; electrorheology; hydraulic systems; microactuators; valves; 0.25 MPa; 0.9 mm/s; 34.5 mm; 9.8 mm; bellows-type microactuators; electro-rheological fluid; micro in-pipe mobile machines; microvalves; three-port micro ER valve; Bridge circuits; Electrodes; Erbium; Microvalves; Petroleum; Polymers; Power systems; Size control; Valves; Viscosity;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Intelligent Robots and Systems, 1997. IROS '97., Proceedings of the 1997 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on

Conference_Location

Grenoble

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4119-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IROS.1997.656582

Filename

656582