Apparatus and methods for loading soft materials
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
InventorsStephanie Bryant, Garret Nicodemus, Idalis Villanueva, Dana S. Hauschulz, Dragan Mejic
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Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus for loading soft materials and methods for using the same. In some embodiments, the apparatus is a gearless mechanical loading apparatus which converts a rotational movement of one end of a first element into an arc of a circle movement of the other end of the first element; and converts the arc of a circle movement of the other end of the first element into a precision two-dimensional lateral movement of a second element.
Claims12
A gearless mechanical loading apparatus comprising:
- a motor;
- a crank element operatively connected to said motor and comprising:
- a crank arm, and
- a driver link comprising:
- a proximal end that is operatively connected to said crank arm by a driver link connector, and
- a distal end, whereby when said motor rotationally moves said crank arm, the rotational movement of said crank arm causes the distal end of said driver link to move in an arc;
- a joint element operatively connected to said driver link and comprising:
- a first compression element comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of said first compression element is configured such that there is no lateral movement of the distal end of said first compression element,
- a second compression element comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and
- a main knuckle comprising a hinge that interconnects the proximal ends of said first and second compression elements with the distal end of said driver link;
- and
- a linear displacement element comprising:
- a displacement arm comprising:
- a proximal end that is operatively connected to the distal end of said second compression element;
- and
- a distal end;
- and
- a guide element operatively connected to said displacement arm such that said guide element causes a substantially pure linear movement of said displacement arm when the distal end of said second compression creates movement of said displacement arm.
A method for providing a precision two-dimensional lateral movement of an element comprising:
- converting a rotational movement of one end of a first element into an arc of a circle movement of the other end of the first element;
- and
- converting the arc of a circle movement of the other end of the first element into a precision two-dimensional lateral movement of a second element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.