Articulated mechanism
AssigneeNorman M Cameron
InventorTERRANCE J. FIDLER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A joint for an articulated mechanism includes a housing and a rotatable member within the housing. There is a friction member mounted on the housing between the housing and the rotatable member. There is a spring normally biasing the friction member against the rotatable member to inhibit the rotation of the rotatable member. There is an actuator within the housing operatively coupled to the housing. The actuator member moves the friction member away from the rotatable member when actuated to facilitate rotation of the rotatable member. A plurality of joints are used to connect together a series of shafts, some of which may be equipped with clamps or other tools for securing workpieces.
Claims20
A joint for an articulated mechanism, comprising:
- a housing;
- a rotatable member within the housing;
- a friction member mounted in the housing between the housing and the rotatable member;
- a biasing member normally biasing the friction member against the rotatable member to inhibit rotation of the rotatable member;
- and
- an actuator within the housing operatively coupled to the housing which moves the friction member away from the rotatable member when actuated to facilitate rotation of the rotatable member.
An articulated apparatus comprising a shaft and an articulated joint, the articulated joint including a spherical member connected to the shaft and a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing having a hollow interior with a semi-spherical recess at the first end thereof, the spherical member being within the housing adjacent to the semi-spherical recess, a ferromagnetic member within the housing on a side of the spherical member opposite the semi-spherical recess and adjacent to the spherical member, a spring biased between the second end of the housing and the ferromagnetic member to bias the ferromagnetic member against the spherical member and thereby bias the spherical member against the semi-spherical recess to resist movement of the spherical member and the arm, and a solenoid mounted on the housing within the hollow interior between the second end of the housing and the ferromagnetic member to attract the ferromagnetic member when actuated to free the spherical member and the shaft for movement.
An articulated apparatus including a plurality of shafts and articulated joints between the shafts, each said joint including a housing, a rotatable member within the housing, a friction member mounted on the housing between the housing and the rotatable member, a biasing member normally biasing the friction member against the rotatable member to inhibit rotation of the rotatable member, and an actuator within the housing operatively coupled to the housing which moves the friction member away from the rotatable member when actuated to facilitate rotation of the rotatable member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.