Mechanism with three degrees-of-freedom (DOF) output to provide independent control over roll, pitch, and yaw of output structure

An apparatus comprising:

• a first input member rotatable about a first axis;
• a second input member rotatable about the first axis;
• a third input member rotatable about the first axis;
• a first tubular shaft, the first tubular shaft coupled to rotate about the first axis in response to rotation of the first input member about the first axis;
• a second tubular shaft, the second tubular shaft coupled to rotate about the first axis in response to rotation of the second input member about the first axis;
• and
• a third tubular shaft, the first, the second and the third tubular shafts coupled to rotate about the first axis in response to rotation of the third input member about the first axis;
• wherein the first tubular shaft, the second tubular shaft and the third tubular shaft each include a respective through passage, at least a portion of the first tubular shaft is concentrically rotatably mounted in at least a portion of the through passage of the second tubular shaft, at least a portion of the second tubular shaft is concentrically rotatably mounted in at least a portion of the through passage of the third tubular shaft, and the through passage of the third tubular shaft provides a cable fluid conduit run therethrough.

An apparatus comprising:

• a first input member;
• a second input member;
• a third input member;
• a first output member;
• a second output member;
• a third output member;
• a plurality of gears that drivingly couple the first, the second and the third input members to the first, the second and the third output member, wherein the first input member controls only the first output member, the second input member controls only the second output member, and the third input member controls all of the first, the second and the third output members to concurrently rotate together;
• a first tubular shaft rotatable about a first axis in response to rotation of the first input member;
• and
• a second tubular shaft rotatable about the first axis in response to rotation of the second input member, wherein the third output member includes a third tubular shaft rotatable about the first axis in response to rotation of the third input member, at least a portion of the first tubular shaft at least partially received within at least a portion of the second tubular shaft for rotation with respect thereto and at least a portion of the second tubular shaft at least partially received within at least a portion of the third tubular shaft for rotation with respect thereto.