US 2019/0337166 A1Published application

Robot neck mechanism

AssigneeMisty Robotics, Inc.

InventorMiles Keeney-Ritchie

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A robotic apparatus includes a neck housing and a head housing. The head housing defines a sagittal axis, a frontal axis, and a vertical axis. A drive assembly is disposed at least partially within the neck housing and the head housing. The drive assembly is configured to move the head housing relative to the neck housing independently about the sagittal axis, the frontal axis, and the vertical axis such that the head housing has a range of motion that substantially corresponds to a human or animal head. The drive assembly includes a sagittal axle extending along the sagittal axis, a frontal axle rotatable about the frontal axis, and a vertical axle rotatable about the vertical axis. The vertical axle is disposed at least partially within the neck housing and offset from both the sagittal axle and the frontal axle along the vertical axis.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A robotic apparatus comprising:

a neck housing;
a head housing extending from the neck housing, wherein the head housing comprises:
a front section and an opposite rear section, wherein a sagittal axis extends substantially horizontally from the front section towards the rear section;
a right section and an opposite left section, wherein a frontal axis extends substantially horizontally from the right section towards the left section;
and
an upper section and an opposite lower section, wherein a vertical axis extends substantially vertically from the upper section towards the lower section;
and
a drive assembly disposed at least partially within the neck housing and the head housing, wherein the drive assembly is configured to move the head housing relative to the neck housing independently about the sagittal axis, the frontal axis, and the vertical axis such that the head housing has a range of motion that substantially corresponds to a human or animal head, and wherein the drive assembly comprises:
a sagittal axle extending along the sagittal axis;
a frontal axle rotatable about the frontal axis;
and
a vertical axle rotatable about the vertical axis, wherein the vertical axle is disposed at least partially within the neck housing and offset from both the sagittal axle and the frontal axle along the vertical axis.

9 more elements

A method of moving a head housing in relation to a neck housing of a robotic apparatus relative to three separate axes, the method comprising:

selectively rotating the head housing about a sagittal axle that defines a sagittal axis by driving rotation of an arm structure coupled to the sagittal axle, wherein the arm structure supports the head housing, and wherein the sagittal axle is disposed at least partially within the head housing;
selectively rotating the head housing about a frontal axle that defines a frontal axis by driving rotation of the frontal axle, wherein the sagittal axle is coupled to the frontal axle, and wherein the frontal axle is disposed at least partially within the head housing;
and
selectively rotating the head housing about a vertical axle that defines a vertical axis by driving rotation of the vertical axle, wherein the vertical axle is disposed at least partially within the neck housing and supports the frontal axle, and wherein the vertical axle is offset from the sagittal axle and the frontal axle along the vertical axis.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.