Linear magnetorheological brake with serpentine flux path as a high force and low off-state friction actuator for haptics

Abstract

In robotics and haptics, actuators that are capable of high force output with compact size are desired for stable and stiff interfaces. Magnetorheological brakes are viable options for such implementations since they have large force-to-volume ratios. Existing linear magnetorheological brakes have limited strokes, are relatively large, and have high off-state friction forces mainly due to the piston-cylinder internal design. The main contribution of this research is a new alternative internal design for linear magnetorheological brakes. The proposed approach uses the serpentine flux path concept to eliminate the piston-cylinder arrangement. It leads to significantly less off-state friction and infinite stroke. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such linear magnetorheological brake. Our new brake can produce 173-N force. In comparison, a conventional linear magnetorheological brake with the same size can only produce about 27-N force. Our results showed that the ratio of the off-state friction force to the maximum force output in the prototype linear brake is about 3% compared with more than 10% for most similar devices in the literature and 27% for a commercial brake. At the same time, the compactness was improved as our prototype is about half the size of a commercially available product.

Keywords

Linear magnetorheological brake magnetorheological damper magnetorheological fluid haptics serpentine flux path off-state friction

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Kwon

(2002) Haptic experimentation on a hybrid active/passive force feedback device. In: Proceedings of the IEEE international conference on robotics and automation, Washington, DC, 11–15 May 2002.

Kwon

(2006) Stability and performance of haptic interfaces with active/passive actuators—theory and experiments. International Journal of Robotics Research 25: 1121–1136.

Kwon

(2008) Five-bar linkage haptic device with DC motors and MR brakes. Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 20: 1–12.

Blake

Gurocak

(2009) Haptic glove with MR-brakes for virtual reality. IEEE–ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 14: 606–615.

Dominguez

Sedaghati

Stiharu

(2006) A new dynamic hysteresis model for magnetorheological dampers. Smart Materials and Structures 15: 1179–1189.

Erol

Gurocak

(2011) Interactive design optimization of magnetorheological-brake actuators using the Taguchi method. Smart Materials and Structures 20: 105027.

Erol

Gonenc

Senkal

. (2012) Magnetic induction control with embedded sensor for elimination of hysteresis in magnetorheological brakes. Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 23(4): 427–440.

Gavin

Hoagg

Dobossy

(2001) Optimal design of MR dampers. In: Proceedings of U.S.–Japan workshop on smart structures for improved seismic performance in urban regions, Seattle, WA, 14 August 2001.

Furusho

Morimoto

. (2006) Research and development of the intelligent prosthetic ankle joint with a MR linear brake. In: Proceedings of the 2006 IEEE international conference on electrorheological fluids and magnetorheological suspensions, Lake Tahoe, NV, 26–28 June 2006, pp. 534–540. US: IEEE.

10.

Kamath

Wereley

(1998) Analysis and testing of a linear magnetorheological damper. In: Proceedings of the 39th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC structures, structural dynamics, and materials conference and exhibit and AIAA/ASME/AHS adaptive structures forum—Part 4, Long Beach, CA, 20–23 April 1998.

11.

Yao

Chen

. (2000) Testing and steady state modeling of a linear MR damper under sinusoidal loading. Smart Materials and Structures 9: 95–102.

12.

Milecki

(2001) Investigation and control of magneto-rheological fluid dampers. International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture 41(3): 379–391.

13.

Nam

Park

(2007) A hybrid haptic device for wide-ranged force reflection and improved transparency. In: Proceedings of the international conference on control, automation and systems, Seoul, Korea, 17–20 October 2007.

14.

Reed

Book

(2004) Modeling and control of an improved dissipative passive haptic display. In: Proceedings of the international conference on robotics and automation, New Orleans, LA, 26 April–1 May 2004.

15.

Rosenfield

Wereley

(2004) Volume-constrained optimization of magnetorheological and electrorheological valves and dampers. Smart Materials and Structures 13: 1303–1313.

16.

Senkal

Gurocak

(2010) Serpentine flux path for high torque MRF brakes in haptics applications. Mechatronics 20: 377–383.

17.

Xiang

Fang

Gong

. (2008) Experimental investigation into magnetorheological damper subjected to impact loads. Transactions of Tianjin University 14: 540–544.