An Innovative Spiral Pulley that Optimizes Cable Tension Variation for Superior Balancing Performance

Tian Shen; Ken’ichi Yano

doi:10.20965/jrm.2022.p0599

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JRM Vol.34 No.3 pp. 599-606

doi: 10.20965/jrm.2022.p0599

(2022)

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An Innovative Spiral Pulley that Optimizes Cable Tension Variation for Superior Balancing Performance

Tian Shen and Ken’ichi Yano

Intelligent Robotics Lab, Mie University
1577 Kurimamachiya-cho, Tsu city, Mie 514-8507, Japan

Received:

July 27, 2021

Accepted:

January 26, 2022

Published:

June 20, 2022

Keywords:

spiral pulley, gravity compensation, passive mechanism, constant exert torque, assistive robots

Abstract

In modern manufacturing, the long-term handling of heavy objects is a main factor leading to muscle pain in the waist and lower back. Robots play an important role in reducing the burden on workers by compensating for the gravitational force. Energy-conserving passive mechanisms are commonly used in assistive robots because of their reliability and durability. One such mechanism is a spiral pulley and spring couple, which is a compact and reliable solution to provide a constant assistive force. A spiral pulley has a predesigned changing radius to balance the increasing restoring force of the spring as it extends. This allows the mechanism to exert a constant torque within the designed range. A crucial aspect of such a mechanism is the calculation of the shape of the spiral pulley. Accurate calculations enable the mechanism to provide a more optimal balancing ability. In this study, an innovative spiral pulley was designed by considering the cable tension variation along the cable attached to the pulley. The balancing performance of the proposed pulley was evaluated based on its accuracy in providing a balanced torque and an effective range. A comparative experiment using a conventional spiral pulley confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed pulley.

Spiral pulley optimization with an innovative method

Cite this article as:

T. Shen and K. Yano, “An Innovative Spiral Pulley that Optimizes Cable Tension Variation for Superior Balancing Performance,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.34 No.3, pp. 599-606, 2022.

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References

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This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] P. Lin, W. Shieh, and D. Chen, “A theoretical study of weight-balanced mechanisms for design of spring assistive mobile arm support (MAS),” Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol.61, pp. 156-167, 2013.

[2] [2] B. Lenzo, M. Fontana, S. Marcheschi, F. Salsedo, A. Frisoli, and M. Bergamasco, “Trackhold: A Novel Passive Arm-Support Device,” Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, Vol.8, No.2, 2015.

[3] [3] T. Miyoshi, A. Niinuma, K. Terashima, and Y. Miyashita, “Development of industry oriented power-assisted system and comparison with conventional machine,” Int. J. Automation Technol., Vol.3, No.6, pp. 692-699, 2009.

[4] [4] H. Kim and J. Song, “Multi-DOF Counterbalance Mechanism for a Service Robot Arm,” IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, Vol.19, No.6, pp. 1756-1763, 2014.

[5] [5] D. Richiedei and A. Trevisani, “Optimization of the Energy Consumption Through Spring Balancing of Servo-Actuated Mechanisms,” J. of Mechanical Design, Vol.142, No.1, 2019.

[6] [6] J. Kim, J. Moon, J. Ryu, and G. Lee, “CVGC-II: A New Version of a Compact Variable Gravity Compensator (CVGC) with a Wider Range of Variable Torque and Energy-Free Variable Mechanism,” IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, pp. 678-689, 2021.

[7] [7] D. Braun, V. Chalvet, T. Chong, S. Apte, and N. Hogan, “Variable Stiffness Spring Actuators for Low-Energy-Cost Human Augmentation,” IEEE Trans. on Robotics, Vol.35, No.6, pp. 1435-1449, 2019.

[8] [8] Y. Ono and T. Morita, “Vertical Planar Underactuated Manipulation Using a Gravity Compensation Mechanism,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.17, No.5, pp. 553-559, 2005.

[9] [9] N. Takesue, T. Ikematsu, H. Murayama, and H. Fujimoto, “Design and Prototype of Variable Gravity Compensation Mechanism (VGCM),” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.23, No.2, pp. 249-257, 2011.

[10] [10] C. Shao, J. Togashi, K. Mitobe, and G. Capi, “Utilizing the Nonlinearity of Tendon Elasticity for Compensation of Unknown Gravity of Payload,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.30, No.6, pp. 873-879, 2018.

[11] [11] K. Kaneda, H. Yamagata, and T. Morita, “Design Method of Spring Balance Mechanism Through Derivation of General Solution,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.31, No.2, pp. 305-316, 2019.

[12] [12] K. W. Hollander, T. G. Sugar, and D. E. Herring, “Adjustable robotic tendon using a ‘Jack Spring’,” 9th Int. Conf. on Rehabilitation Robotics 2005 (ICORR 2005), pp. 113-118, 2005.

[13] [13] Q. Lu, C. Ortega, and O. Ma, “Passive Gravity Compensation Mechanisms: Technologies and Applications,” Recent Patents on Engineering, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 32-44, 2011.

[14] [14] Y. Moon and S. A. Banks, “Experimental Study on Stand-Alone Assistive Suspension System to Reduce Load on Small Robot Manipulating Heavy Payload,” Int. J. of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing, Vol.16, No.3, pp. 451-457, 2015.

[15] [15] B. Kim and A. D. Deshpande, “Design of Nonlinear Rotational Stiffness Using a Noncircular Pulley-Spring Mechanism,” J. of Mechanisms and Robotics, Vol.6, No.4, Paper No.041009, 2014.

[16] [16] G. Lee, D. Lee, and Y. Oh, “One-Piece Gravity Compensation Mechanism Using Cam Mechanism and Compression Spring,” Int. J. of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, Vol.5, No.3, pp. 415-420, 2018.

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[18] [18] R. Barents, M. Schenk, W. van Dorsser, B. Wisse, and J. Herder, “Spring-to-Spring Balancing as Energy-Free Adjustment Method in Gravity Equilibrators,” J. of Mechanical Design, Vol.133, No.6, 2011.

[19] [19] Y. Chu and C. Kuo, “A Single-Degree-of-Freedom Self-Regulated Gravity Balancer for Adjustable Payload,” J. of Mechanisms and Robotics, Vol.9, No.2, 2017.

[20] [20] B. Woods and M. Friswell, “Spiral pulley negative stiffness mechanism for passive energy balancing,” J. of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, Vol.27, No.12, pp. 1673-1686, 2015.

[21] [21] J. Zhang, A. D. Shaw, A. Mohammadreza, M. I. Friswell, and B. K. S. Woods, “Spiral Pulley Negative Stiffness Mechanism for Morphing Aircraft Actuation,” Proc. of the ASME 2018 Int. Design Engineering Technical Conf. and Computers and Information in Engineering Conf., Vol.5B, 42nd, Mechanisms and Robotics Conf., 2018.

[22] [22] Y. Liang, Z. Du, W. Wang, and L. Sun, “A Novel Position Compensation Scheme for Cable-Pulley Mechanisms Used in Laparoscopic Surgical Robots,” Sensors, Vol.17, No.10, 2257, 2017.

[23] [23] K. Hoetmer, G. Woo, C. Kim, and J. Herder, “Negative Stiffness Building Blocks for Statically Balanced Compliant Mechanisms: Design and Testing,” J. of Mechanisms and Robotics, Vol.2, No.4, 2010.

[24] [24] C. Churchill, D. Shahan, S. Smith, A. Keefe, and G. McKnight, “Dynamically variable negative stiffness structures,” Science Advances, Vol.2, No.2, e1500778, 2016.

[25] [25] J. Zhang, A. Shaw, M. Amoozgar, M. Friswell, and B. Woods, “Bidirectional Spiral Pulley Negative Stiffness Mechanism for Passive Energy Balancing,” J. of Mechanisms and Robotics, Vol.11, No.5, 2019.

[26] [26] B. Woods, M. Friswell, and N. Wereley, “Advanced Kinematic Tailoring for Morphing Aircraft Actuation,” AIAA J., Vol.52, No.4, pp. 788-798, 2014.