Rotary actuator utilizing pneumatically actuated elastomeric structures

1. A rotary actuator comprising:

a rotor having a body and defining a plurality of contact surfaces; and

a stator having a body and defining a plurality of inflatable bladders circumferentially spaced about the stator body, the stator positioned relative to the rotor such that upon sequential inflation of the plurality of inflatable bladders, the rotor is caused to rotate,

wherein the rotor is configured to rotate 360°,

wherein the rotor is positioned internally of the stator, and

wherein the body of the internally positioned rotor includes a plurality of ribs that define the plurality of contact surfaces on each side of the ribs such that the internally positioned rotor can be rotated in either direction.

2. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the internally positioned rotor includes a central axis CA and defines a plurality of wells disposed therebetween the plurality of contact surfaces.

3. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the internally positioned rotor includes a connector plate disposed at one end thereof.

4. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the internally positioned rotor includes four ribs such that four contact surfaces are defined in each direction of rotation.

5. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor is fabricated from 3D printed ABS or cast/assembled layers of Mold Star 30 and a layer of PDMS or any suitable elastomeric material and the stator is fabricated from Ecoflex 50 or any suitable elastomeric material.

6. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable bladders are actuated in sets to sequentially rotate the rotor.

7. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable bladders in each set are equal to the plurality of contact surfaces on the rotor such that each contact surface is contacted by a respective inflatable bladder of the set during a specific actuation.

8. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the stator is configured to extend about an internal opening that is variably sized to receive the rotor therein.

9. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein each inflatable bladder is configured to be spaced at a step angle α that is dependent on the number of inflatable bladders.

10. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the stator is sized to be received within a central opening of the rotor.

11. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the stator is formed in a mold having a central portion configured to define an opening and a plurality of fins configured to define the respective plurality of inflatable bladders, and

wherein the plurality of fins are positioned to form the plurality of inflatable bladders proximate a wall of the opening when the stator is positioned externally of the rotor, or wherein the plurality of fins are positioned to form the plurality of inflatable bladders proximate an outer wall of the stator body when the stator is positioned internally of the rotor.

12. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein a pair of rotary actuators is configured for use in a winch device such that the rotor of each actuator is connected to a spindle from which a string extends and fluid tubes are connected to each stator and controlled to cause rotation of the rotor and the spindle.

13. The rotary actuator according to claim 12 , wherein forward rotation causes the spindle to lower a grip that is pneumatically controlled through a line and rearward rotation causes the spindle to raise the grip.

14. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein a pair of rotary actuators is configured for use in a two-wheel vehicle such that the two-wheel vehicle includes an elastomeric body having an elastomeric axle on each end with each elastomeric axle configured to support a respective rotary actuator.

15. The rotary actuator according to claim 14 , wherein a plurality of fluid tubes are connected to each stator and controlled to cause rotation of each rotor which in turn causes the two-wheel vehicle to move forward or backward.

16. The rotary actuator according to claim 14 , wherein a pair of two-wheel vehicles is configured for use in a four-wheel vehicle connected by an elastomeric chassis.

17. The rotary actuator according to claim 16 , wherein a plurality of fluid tubes are connected to each stator and controlled to cause rotation of each rotor which in turn causes the four-wheel vehicle to move forward or backward.

18. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein a contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces is configured to contact more than two bladders.

19. The rotary actuator according to claim 1 , wherein an inflatable bladder, in a deflated state, is located on the stator, removed from an internal opening of the stator, and

wherein the inflatable bladder is removed from an internal opening of the stator so as to not interfere with the rotation of the rotor caused by an adjacent bladder that is in an inflated state.

20. A method of using a rotary actuator comprising:

providing a rotary actuator including a rotor having a body and defining a plurality of contact surfaces and a stator having a body and defining a plurality of inflatable bladders circumferentially spaced about the stator body, the stator positioned relative to the rotor such that upon sequential inflation of the plurality of inflatable bladders, the rotor is caused to rotate, wherein the plurality of inflatable bladders are actuated in sets to sequentially rotate the rotor, the plurality of inflatable bladders in each set is equal to the plurality of contact surfaces on the rotor such that each contact surface is contacted by a respective inflatable bladder of the set during a specific actuation, and wherein the rotor is configured to rotate 360°, wherein the rotor is positioned internally of the stator, and wherein the body of the internally positioned rotor includes a plurality of ribs that define the plurality of contact surfaces on each side of the ribs such that the internally positioned rotor can be rotated in either direction; and

actuating the plurality of inflatable bladders such that they first contact a respective contact surface and expand into a well that is disposed therebetween the contact surface and the body of the rotor and the subsequent inflatable bladder set begins inflation as the previous inflatable bladder set finishes deflation.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the rotor is fabricated from 3D printed ABS or cast/assembled layers of Mold Star 30 and a layer of PDMS or any suitable elastomeric material and the stator is fabricated from Ecoflex 50 or any suitable elastomeric material.

22. A rotary actuator comprising:

a rotor having a body and defining a plurality of contact surfaces; and

a stator having a body and defining a plurality of inflatable bladders circumferentially spaced about the stator body, the stator positioned relative to the rotor such that upon sequential inflation of the plurality of inflatable bladders, the rotor is caused to rotate,

wherein the rotor is configured to rotate 360°,

wherein the rotor is positioned externally of the stator, and

wherein the body of the externally positioned rotor is disposed between a pair of opposed plates and defines a central opening having a configuration that defines a plurality of wells disposed therebetween the plurality of contact surfaces.

23. The rotary actuator according to claim 22 , wherein the plurality of contact surfaces are defined by flat sides of the central opening and the plurality of wells are defined in rounded corners of the central opening.

24. The rotary actuator according to claim 22 , wherein the externally positioned rotor includes four contact surfaces that are contacted on opposite ends thereof to achieve rotation in each direction.

25. A method of using a rotary actuator comprising:

providing a rotary actuator including a rotor having a body and defining a plurality of contact surfaces and a stator having a body and defining a plurality of inflatable bladders circumferentially spaced about the stator body, the stator positioned relative to the rotor such that upon sequential inflation of the plurality of inflatable bladders, the rotor is caused to rotate, wherein the plurality of inflatable bladders are actuated in sets to sequentially rotate the rotor, the plurality of inflatable bladders in each set is equal to the plurality of contact surfaces on the rotor such that each contact surface is contacted by a respective inflatable bladder of the set during a specific actuation, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate 360°, wherein the rotor is positioned externally of the stator, and wherein the body of the externally positioned rotor is disposed between a pair of opposed plates and defines a central opening having a configuration that defines a plurality of wells disposed therebetween the plurality of contact surfaces; and

actuating the plurality of inflatable bladders such that they first contact a respective contact surface and expand into a well that is disposed therebetween the contact surface and the body of the rotor and the subsequent inflatable bladder set begins inflation as the previous inflatable bladder set finishes deflation.