Drive device, manipulator, puppet operating device, and movable base

A drive device that unwinds, in a first direction, a wire connected to an operation target with predetermined tension and pulls the wire in a direction opposite to the first direction to cause the operation target to perform an action, the drive device comprising:

• a motor;
• a rotating member that is able to be rotated by the motor in a second direction and in a direction opposite to the second direction about a rotation axis;
• a coupling member that is provided rotatably coaxially with the rotating member, is coupled with the wire, rotates in the second direction integrally with the rotating member to unwind the wire in the first direction, and rotates in the direction opposite to the second direction integrally with the rotating member to pull the wire in the direction opposite to the first direction;
• and
• a coupling member side urging member that urges the coupling member in the direction opposite to the second direction, wherein,
• when the wire is moved in the direction opposite to the first direction due to an external factor, the coupling member rotates in the direction opposite to the second direction independently of the rotating member due to an urging force of the coupling member side urging member to pull the wire in the direction opposite to the first direction.

A manipulator comprising:

• an arm having a plurality of links bendable relative to each other;
• a wire connected to at least one of the plurality of links;
• and
• a drive device that unwinds, in a first direction, the wire connected to an operation target with predetermined tension and pulls the wire in a direction opposite to the first direction to cause the operation target to perform an action, the drive device comprising:
• a motor;
• a first rotating member that is able to be rotated by the motor in a second direction and in a direction opposite to the second direction about a rotation axis;
• a pulling member that is provided rotatably coaxially with the first rotating member, holds an end of the wire, rotates in the second direction to unwind the wire in the first direction, and rotates in the direction opposite to the second direction to pull the wire in the direction opposite to the first direction;
• and
• a pulling member side urging member that urges the pulling member in the direction opposite to the second direction relative to the first rotating member, wherein,
• when the wire is moved in the first direction due to an external factor, the pulling member rotates in the second direction against an urging force of the pulling member side urging member, to unwind the wire in the first direction.

A puppet operating device that is attached inside a puppet and that causes the puppet to perform an action, the puppet operating device comprising:

• a manipulator comprising:
• an arm having a plurality of links bendable relative to each other;
• a wire connected to at least one of the plurality of links;
• and
• a drive device that unwinds, in a first direction, the wire connected to an operation target with predetermined tension and pulls the wire in a direction opposite to the first direction to cause the operation target to perform an action, the drive device comprising:
• a motor;
• a first rotating member that is able to be rotated by the motor in a second direction and in a direction opposite to the second direction about a rotation axis;
• a pulling member that is provided rotatably coaxially with the first rotating member, holds an end of the wire, rotates in the second direction to unwind the wire in the first direction, and rotates in the direction opposite to the second direction to pull the wire in the direction opposite to the first direction;
• and
• a pulling member side urging member that urges the pulling member in the direction opposite to the second direction relative to the first rotating member, wherein,
• when the wire is moved in the first direction due to an external factor, the pulling member rotates in the second direction against an urging force of the pulling member side urging member, to unwind the wire in the first direction;
• and
• a support member, wherein
• the manipulator includes a plurality of sets of the arm, the wire, and the drive device,
• a plurality of the arms include
• a first arm that is mounted to extend leftward from a left portion of the support member as seen from a front surface side of the support member,
• a second arm that is mounted to extend rightward from a right portion of the support member as seen from the front surface side of the support member, and
• a third arm and a fourth arm that are mounted to extend upward from an upper portion of the support member as seen from the front surface side of the support member, and
• the third arm is arranged to a left of the fourth arm as seen from the front surface side of the support member.

A movable base comprising:

• a first base;
• a second base arranged to face the first base;
• a support mechanism that is provided to the second base and that supports the first base;
• a wire;
• and
• a drive device that unwinds, in a first direction, the wire connected to an operation target with predetermined tension and pulls the wire in a direction opposite to the first direction to cause the operation target to perform an action, the drive device comprising:
• a motor;
• a first rotating member that is able to be rotated by the motor in a second direction and in a direction opposite to the second direction about a rotation axis;
• a pulling member that is provided rotatably coaxially with the first rotating member, holds an end of the wire, rotates in the second direction to unwind the wire in the first direction, and rotates in the direction opposite to the second direction to pull the wire in the direction opposite to the first direction;
• and
• a pulling member side urging member that urges the pulling member in the direction opposite to the second direction relative to the first rotating member, wherein,
• when the wire is moved in the first direction due to an external factor, the pulling member rotates in the second direction against an urging force of the pulling member side urging member, to unwind the wire in the first direction, wherein
• the support mechanism includes a main moving link having a main moving link side mounting section mounted on one base of the first base and the second base and a main moving link side sliding section that is able to slide along the other base of the first base and the second base, and
• the drive device either pulls or unwinds the wire to cause the main moving link side sliding section to slide, thereby inclining the first base relative to the second base.