Back to results
US 10,495,171 B1Granted
Torsion springs with changeable stiffness
AssigneeHRL Laboratories, LLC
InventorsAndrew C. Keefe, Geoffrey P. McKnight, Sloan P. Smith, Christopher B. Churchill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In at least one embodiment, a rotational spring is provided with adjustable stiffness and includes at least one beam arranged about an axis between an input tuning port and an output port, wherein the input tuning port is configured to change an effective bending length of at least one beam so as to change a shear stiffness with respect to the input tuning port and the output port.
Claims3
An adjustable rotational spring comprising:
- a) a negative stiffness member having a region of negative stiffness;
- b) a torsional member having torsional output, the torsional member being coupled to the negative stiffness member such that the torsional member and the negative stiffness member have different centers of rotation;
- and
- c) an actuator coupled to the negative stiffness member distal from the coupling of the negative stiffness member with the torsional member.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.