US 12,746,660 B2Granted

Motile tensile truss tendon static attachment

OwnerThomas Patrick Moyerinventor

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Abstract

Static tendon attachments for motile tensile truss appliances are described which are simultaneously economic and support full undiminished service lifespans. These attachments impose compliant tendon bending over a substantial curvature, wherein the bending of a tendon follows an in-plane changing direction aligned to a tendon paired non-static pulley or sheave attachment. Attachments for trusses which have platforms which move extensively in three dimensions are described which have only a single rotating axis. Attachments for trusses which have platforms which move linearly, or in a plane, are described which have no moving parts other than the tendon itself. Attachments are presented for trussed platforms having 6 Degrees Of Freedom (6DOF), such as those useful for house 3D cement printers. Alternate attachments are presented for trussed platforms constrained to planar motion such as drop plotters, and in linear movement trusses such as semiconductor FOUP hoists, anti-sway cranes, and elevators.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A tensile truss assembly comprising:

a frame;
a plurality of tendons;
a plurality of sheaves installed on the frame, the plurality of sheaves for attaching the plurality of tendons to the frame;
a platform moveable relative to the frame;
a plurality of tendon attachments fixed at locations on the platform, the plurality of tendon attachments for attaching the tendons to the platform;
wherein each sheave and each tendon attachment is directly connected to exactly one tendon, forming a plurality of pairs, each pair comprising a sheave and a respective tendon attachment, wherein the sheave and respective tendon attachment of each pair are connected via a single tendon;
wherein each sheave is configured to selectively:
extend a respective tendon length,
hold static the respective tendon length, and
reduce the respective tendon length;
wherein extending or reducing a respective tendon length moves or reorients the platform relative to the frame;
wherein each of the tendon attachments is fixed rotationally relative to the platform, and comprises a curved surface for guiding the respective tendon;
wherein the respective tendon is configured to engage a longer extent of the curved surface in a first position, and to engage a shorter extent of the curved surface in a second position;
wherein the respective tendon is configured to disengage the tendon attachment within the arc length of the curve.

11 more elements

A planar motion tensile truss assembly comprising:

a frame;
a plurality of tendons;
a plurality of sheaves installed on the frame, the plurality of sheaves for attaching the plurality of tendons to the frame;
a platform moveable relative to the frame;
a plurality of tendon attachments fixed at locations on the platform, the plurality of tendon attachments for attaching the tendons to the platform;
wherein each sheave and each tendon attachment is directly connected to exactly one tendon, forming a plurality of pairs, each pair comprising a sheave and a respective tendon attachment, wherein the sheave and respective tendon attachment of each pair are connected via a single tendon;
wherein each sheave is configured to selectively extend a respective tendon length, hold static the respective tendon length, and reduce the respective tendon length;
wherein extending or reducing a respective tendon length moves the platform relative to the frame;
wherein each of the tendon attachments is fixed rotationally relative to the platform, and comprises a curved surface for guiding the respective tendon;
wherein the respective tendon is configured to engage a longer extent of the curved surface in a first position, and to engage a shorter extent of the curved surface in a second position;
wherein the respective tendon is configured to disengage the tendon attachment within the arc length of the curve;
a restraining body configured to guide the platform in planar motion, or to guide the platform in planar reorientation.

9 more elements

A tensile truss assembly comprising:

a frame;
a plurality of tendons;
a plurality of sheaves installed on the frame, the plurality of sheaves for attaching the plurality of tendons to the frame;
a platform moveable relative to the frame;
a plurality of tendon attachments fixed at locations on the platform, the plurality of tendon attachments for attaching the tendons to the platform;
wherein each sheave and each tendon attachment is directly connected to exactly one tendon, forming a plurality of pairs, each pair comprising a sheave and a respective tendon attachment, wherein the sheave and respective tendon attachment of each pair are connected via a single tendon;
wherein each sheave is configured to selectively extend a respective tendon length, hold static the respective tendon length, and reduce the respective tendon length;
wherein extending or reducing a respective tendon length moves the platform relative to the frame;
wherein each of the tendon attachments is fixed rotationally relative to the platform, and comprises a curved surface for guiding the respective tendon;
wherein the respective tendon is configured to engage a longer extent of the curved surface in a first position, and to engage a shorter extent of the curved surface in a second position;
wherein the respective tendon is configured to disengage the tendon attachment within the arc length of the curve;
the sheaves configured to hold the platform:
in a static position and static orientation relative to the frame, or
to cause movement of the platform relative to the frame within a three dimensional volume with constant orientation, or
to cause orientation change of the platform relative to the frame, or
to cause both movement within a three dimensional volume and orientation change of the platform relative to the frame.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.