A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved Surfaces
The sliding suction robots designed for wall-climbing functions could have accuracy defects due to suction cup sealing, friction interference, and surface adaptability. Hence, this work develops a biomimetic, flexible, sliding suction cup suitable for crawling on curved surfaces. Inspired by the hyp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Biomimetics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/3/137 |
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| author | Enhua Cui Xiangcong Zhou Yanqiang Liu Jixiao Xue Siyuan Xiong Deyuan Zhang |
| author_facet | Enhua Cui Xiangcong Zhou Yanqiang Liu Jixiao Xue Siyuan Xiong Deyuan Zhang |
| author_sort | Enhua Cui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The sliding suction robots designed for wall-climbing functions could have accuracy defects due to suction cup sealing, friction interference, and surface adaptability. Hence, this work develops a biomimetic, flexible, sliding suction cup suitable for crawling on curved surfaces. Inspired by the hypostomus plecostomus’s mouth, we designed a biomimetic low-contact force flow channel structure and a matrix of friction-reducing protrusions along the lip edge of the sliding suction cup. This design reduces frictional resistance on the sliding interface and the flexible nature of the suction cup, allowing it to be used on curved or vertical surfaces of different materials. Several simulation-based optimization analyses and experimental tests are conducted on the biomimetic low-contact force flow channel structure, and various structural design principles are explored for achieving high adhesion and low-contact force. Additionally, a friction reduction model for the matrix structure is designed to verify the effects of parameters such as load, protrusion size, and quantity on the friction coefficient of the matrix structure surface through friction tests. The sliding suction cup prototype presents an average crawling speed of about 0.4 m/s on a horizontal plane and 0.7 m/s for crawling on vertical walls and the inner surface of a cylindrical rail. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e08a4e487fa64cfab343edfd7192eadf |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2313-7673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomimetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-e08a4e487fa64cfab343edfd7192eadf2025-08-20T02:11:00ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-02-0110313710.3390/biomimetics10030137A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved SurfacesEnhua Cui0Xiangcong Zhou1Yanqiang Liu2Jixiao Xue3Siyuan Xiong4Deyuan Zhang5School of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Beijing 100191, ChinaThe sliding suction robots designed for wall-climbing functions could have accuracy defects due to suction cup sealing, friction interference, and surface adaptability. Hence, this work develops a biomimetic, flexible, sliding suction cup suitable for crawling on curved surfaces. Inspired by the hypostomus plecostomus’s mouth, we designed a biomimetic low-contact force flow channel structure and a matrix of friction-reducing protrusions along the lip edge of the sliding suction cup. This design reduces frictional resistance on the sliding interface and the flexible nature of the suction cup, allowing it to be used on curved or vertical surfaces of different materials. Several simulation-based optimization analyses and experimental tests are conducted on the biomimetic low-contact force flow channel structure, and various structural design principles are explored for achieving high adhesion and low-contact force. Additionally, a friction reduction model for the matrix structure is designed to verify the effects of parameters such as load, protrusion size, and quantity on the friction coefficient of the matrix structure surface through friction tests. The sliding suction cup prototype presents an average crawling speed of about 0.4 m/s on a horizontal plane and 0.7 m/s for crawling on vertical walls and the inner surface of a cylindrical rail.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/3/137wall-crawling robotbiomimetic sliding suction cupcurved surface crawlingfriction-reduced structurebionic flow channel structure |
| spellingShingle | Enhua Cui Xiangcong Zhou Yanqiang Liu Jixiao Xue Siyuan Xiong Deyuan Zhang A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved Surfaces Biomimetics wall-crawling robot biomimetic sliding suction cup curved surface crawling friction-reduced structure bionic flow channel structure |
| title | A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved Surfaces |
| title_full | A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved Surfaces |
| title_fullStr | A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved Surfaces |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved Surfaces |
| title_short | A Biomimetic Flexible Sliding Suction Cup Suitable for Curved Surfaces |
| title_sort | biomimetic flexible sliding suction cup suitable for curved surfaces |
| topic | wall-crawling robot biomimetic sliding suction cup curved surface crawling friction-reduced structure bionic flow channel structure |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/3/137 |
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