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US 12,703,084 B2Granted
Variable-stiffness mechanism
AssigneeNUtech Ventures
InventorCarl Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable-stiffness mechanism may include racks, pinion gears, spring elements, a cable, and a pulley. The variable-stiffness mechanism may be based on a variable-lever principal using the racks as a lever and the pinion gears as a variable pivot point. The pinion gears may be fixed in position relative to the pulley and coupled together by a gear-to-gear mesh. Alternatively, the pinion gears may be configured to translate relative to the pulley using a central drive rack and drive motor.
Claims23
A variable-stiffness mechanism comprising:
- a first rack and a second rack;
- a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear, wherein the first rack and the second rack are coupled with the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear by a first gear-to-rack mesh and a second gear-to-rack mesh, respectively, wherein the first rack and the second rack are configured to pivot about the first gear-to-rack mesh and the second gear-to-rack mesh, respectively, wherein rotation of the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear adjusts positions of the first gear-to-rack mesh and the second gear-to-rack mesh along the first rack and the second rack, respectively;
- a first spring element and a second spring element, wherein the first spring element and the second spring element couple to the first rack and the second rack, respectively;
- a cable, wherein the cable is coupled between the first rack and the second rack, wherein the first gear-to-rack mesh and the first pinion gear are laterally disposed between the first spring element and the cable, wherein the second gear-to-rack mesh and the second pinion gear are laterally disposed between the second spring element and the cable;
- and
- a pulley, wherein the cable is coupled with the pulley, wherein the first pinion gear, the second pinion gear, the pulley, and the cable are vertically disposed between the first rack and the second rack.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a variable-stiffness mechanism comprising:
- a first rack and a second rack;
- a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear, wherein the first rack and the second rack are coupled with the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear by a first gear-to-rack mesh and a second gear-to-rack mesh, respectively, wherein the first rack and the second rack are configured to pivot about the first gear-to-rack mesh and the second gear-to-rack mesh, respectively, wherein rotation of the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear adjusts positions of the first gear-to-rack mesh and the second gear-to-rack mesh along the first rack and the second rack, respectively;
- a first spring element and a second spring element, wherein the first spring element and the second spring element couple to the first rack and the second rack, respectively;
- a cable, wherein the cable is coupled between the first rack and the second rack, wherein the first gear-to-rack mesh and the first pinion gear are laterally disposed between the first spring element and the cable, wherein the second gear-to-rack mesh and the second pinion gear are laterally disposed between the second spring element and the cable;
- and
- a pulley, wherein the cable is coupled with the pulley, wherein the first pinion gear, the second pinion gear, the pulley, and the cable are vertically disposed between the first rack and the second rack;
- a local ground, wherein the first spring element is coupled between the first rack and the local ground, wherein the second spring element is coupled between the second rack and the local ground;
- and
- an actuator, wherein the pulley is coupled to the actuator.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.