Modular robotic system
AssigneeBlueprint Lab Pty Ltd
InventorsPaul Michael Phillips, Mark Creighton Sproule
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an actuator mechanism for a modular robotic system. The actuator mechanism includes a motor, a carrier configured to be secured to the motor, and an actuating member operable by the motor to cause the actuating member to move relative to the carrier. The motor has a drive shaft which defines an output axis, and a body extending away from the shaft, the body defining a maximum width dimension orthogonal to the output axis. The carrier defines a longitudinal axis parallel to the output axis. The output axis is arranged, by the carrier, to be offset from the longitudinal axis by at least half of the maximum width dimension. Also disclosed is a module for a modular robotic system, and a modular robotic system.
Claims19
An A module for a modular robotic system, the module comprising:
- a pair of actuator mechanisms, each mechanism comprising:
- a motor having a drive shaft, the shaft defining an output axis, and a body extending away from the shaft, the body defining a maximum width dimension orthogonal to the output axis;
- a carrier configured to be secured to the motor, the carrier defining a longitudinal axis parallel to the output axis;
- and
- an actuating member operatively connected to the shaft such that operation of the motor causes the actuating member to move relative to the carrier,
- wherein the output axis is arranged offset from the longitudinal axis by at least half of the maximum width dimension;
- and
- a sleeve sealingly engaged with the carrier of each actuator mechanism such that the sleeve and the carriers define a sealed volume, the sleeve defining a further longitudinal axis arranged coaxially to the longitudinal axis of each carrier.
A modular robotic system comprising at least two modules, each module comprising:
- at least one actuator mechanism, each actuator mechanism comprising:
- a motor having a drive shaft, the shaft defining an output axis, and a body extending away from the shaft, the body defining a maximum width dimension orthogonal to the output axis;
- a carrier configured to be secured to the motor, the carrier defining a longitudinal axis parallel to the output axis;
- and
- an actuating member operatively connected to the shaft such that operation of the motor causes the actuating member to move relative to the carrier,
- wherein the output axis is arranged offset from the longitudinal axis by at least half of the maximum width dimension;
- and
- a sleeve sealingly engaged with each carrier, to define a sealed volume, the sleeve defining a further longitudinal axis arranged coaxially to the longitudinal axis of each carrier,
- wherein the at least two modules are releasably connected to and sealingly engaged with each other, and wherein at least one of the actuators of the at least two modules is arranged such that operation of the at least one actuator moves one of the modules relative to another of the modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.