The Effect of Pressure on the Bending Characteristics of an Actuator System

Abstract

The effect of internal or external pressure on the bending of a cantilevered bellows, the movable end of which is permitted only to rotate about a fixed point on the longitudinal axis of the beam, is investigated. It is found that the bending characteristics of the system vary considerably with changes in pressure and pivot-point location and that instability of the system may occur. The experimental results given lend to confirm the behavior predicted by the theory.