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US 10,371,128 B2Granted
Compliant actuator
AssigneeUniversity of Dundee
InventorsLuigi Manfredi, Alfred Cuschieri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator (12) includes a moving member (18) pivotally connected to a base unit (14) for rotation about an axis. The driving force for rotation of the moving member (18) relative to the base unit (14) is provided by a pair of antagonistically operating shape memory alloy (SMA) wires (48, 50) and transmitted via a torsional spring (56). An endoscope, or a snake-like robot (66), may include one or more of the actuators (12).
Claims30
An actuator comprising:
- a moving member pivotally connected to a base unit for rotation about an axis;
- wherein the driving force for rotation of the moving member relative to the base unit is provided by a pair of antagonistically operating shape memory alloy (SMA) wires and transmitted via a torsional spring.
An endoscope or a snake-like robot comprising at least one actuators;
- the actuator comprising a moving member pivotally connected to a base unit for rotation about an axis;
- wherein the driving force for rotation of the moving member relative to the base unit is provided by a pair of antagonistically operating shape memory alloy (SMA) wires and transmitted via a torsional spring.
An endoscope or a snake-like robot comprising a plurality of actuators, connected together;
- each actuator of the plurality of actuators comprising a moving member pivotally connected to a base unit for rotation about an axis;
- wherein the driving force for rotation of the moving member relative to the base unit is provided by a pair of antagonistically operating shape memory alloy (SMA) wires and transmitted via a torsional spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.