# US 11,999,057 B2 · Continuum arm robot system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,057 B2 - Document ID: US11999057B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/882,816 - Filed: 2022-08-08 - Published: 2023-02-16 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-12 - Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Inventors: Andrew D Norton; Dragos A Axinte; Matteo Russo; Xin Dong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999057B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/009: {being mechanically linked with one another at their distal ends} - B25J 9/065: {Snake robots} - B25J 9/0087: {Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043)} - B25J 9/06: characterised by multi-articulated arms - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 13/088: {with position, velocity or acceleration sensors} - B25J 15/0028: {with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces} - B25J 18/06: flexible - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract A continuum arm robot system comprising at least a first continuum arm robot and a second continuum arm robot, each continuum arm robot being controlled by its own actuator pack, and each actuator pack being coupled to a single control computer, wherein at least the second continuum arm robot comprises a releasable connection mechanism to engage in gripping the first continuum arm robot in a workspace, so as to link the at least two continuum arm robots into a single redundant robotic system with at least the second continuum arm robot providing support for the first continuum arm robot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A continuum arm robot system, comprising: at least a first continuum arm robot and a second continuum arm robot, each continuum arm robot being controlled by its own actuator pack, wherein: at least the first continuum arm robot has a head that is configured to be provided with a tool; at least the second continuum arm robot comprises a releasable connection mechanism to engage in gripping the first continuum arm robot in a workspace, so as to link the at least two continuum arm robots into a single redundant robotic system with at least the second continuum arm robot providing support for the first continuum arm robot, ends of the first continuum arm robot and the second continuum arm robot have different structures; and a processor that is configured to control the first continuum arm robot and the second continuum arm robot such that the second continuum arm robot releasably and directly engages the first continuum arm robot at a distance from the head of the first continuum arm robot, wherein each actuator pack is coupled to the processor that is a single control processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism is positioned at the end of the second continuum arm robot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism is positioned along a continuum arm section and an end of the continuum arm section features a functional head. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 3, wherein the second continuum arm robot features a functional tool at its tip. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism is one of a hydraulic gripper, a pneumatic gripper, a mechanical gripper or an electromagnetic gripper. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 5, wherein the connection mechanism is the electromagnetic gripper. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein each continuum arm robot comprises a plurality of sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 7, wherein some of the sensors are provided to determine the distance and relative position between the first and second continuum arm robots. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein a clamp features an interlock, which prevents movement of the robot system if the interlock is activated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein one of the continuum arm robots is equipped with a camera system and/or an illumination system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism is rigid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism is compliant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism constrains the single redundant robotic system to less than six degrees of freedom. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method of operating the continuum arm robot system according to claim 1, the method comprising: inserting the first continuum arm robot and inserting the second continuum arm robot into the workspace; connecting the first and second continuum arm robots to link the first and second continuum arm robots to form the single redundant robotic system, the second continuum arm robot releasably and directly engaging the first continuum arm robot at the distance from the head of the first continuum arm robot; performing a desired task using at least the first continuum arm robot; disconnecting the first and second continuum arm robots; and extracting the first and second continuum arm robots from the workspace. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the first and second continuum arm robots are moved onto predefined configurations and are controlled through relative positioning and approach each other to connect the first and second continuum arm robots.