Methods and apparatus for selective rod actuation
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorBenjamin Peters
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In exemplary implementations, a target rod is actuated. The target rod is part of a set of threaded, elongated rods, the longitudinal axes of which are substantially parallel to each other. The set of rods has an interior region and a perimeter region. Actuators induce vibrations in a set of perimeter rods. These vibrations are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes. Furthermore, the vibrations are transmitted to interior rods, causing a target rod in the interior region to rotate about, and translate along, the longitudinal axis of the target rod. The target rod undergoes stick-slip motion relative to adjacent rods.
Claims20
Apparatus comprising:
- (a) a set of threaded rods, the longitudinal axes of which are substantially parallel to each other, which set of rods has an interior region and a perimeter region, and which set of rods includes interior rods that are in the interior region and perimeter rods that are in the perimeter region;
- (b) a set of linear actuators;
- and
- (c) a set of moveable parts, each moveable part, respectively, being an element of or in physical contact with, an actuator in the set of actuators;
- wherein the set of linear actuators are configured to produce linear motions of the moveable parts, which linear motions
- (i) are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes, and
- (ii) induce vibrations in a set of the perimeter rods, which vibrations include components that are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes, and which vibrations are transmitted to the set of the interior rods, causing a target rod in the interior region to rotate about, and translate along, the longitudinal axis of the target rod.
Apparatus comprising, in combination:
- (a) a set of threaded, elongated rods, the longitudinal axes of which are substantially parallel to each other, which set of rods has an interior region and a perimeter region, and which set of rods includes interior rods that are in the interior region and perimeter rods that are in the perimeter region;
- and
- (b) means for inducing vibrations in a set of perimeter rods, which vibrations include components that are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes, and which vibrations are transmitted to interior rods, causing a target rod in the interior region to rotate about, and translate along, the longitudinal axis of the target rod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.