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US 2022/0032481 A1Published application
Preloaded strut
AssigneeEtegent Technologies, Ltd.
InventorsStuart J. Shelley, Richard Allan Roth, II, Kevin Joseph Sigmund
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strut suitable for use in parallel manipulator and other applications utilizes an actuation member that is subjected to a quasi-static axial tensioning force to effectively preload the strut to provide axial stiffness and bending flexibility at one or more ends of the strut.
Claims26
A strut, comprising:
- a rigid tensioning member;
- a compression spring disposed proximate a first end of the rigid tensioning member;
- and
- an actuation member extending through the rigid tensioning member and the compression spring, the actuation member being substantially axially rigid under tension and at least a portion of the actuation member extending through the compression spring being substantially flexible in bending or compression, wherein the actuation member is preloaded through the compression spring and the rigid tensioning member with a quasi-static axial tensioning force such that the actuation member remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
1 more element
A strut, comprising:
- a rigid tensioning member;
- a first and second compression springs respectively disposed proximate first and second ends of the rigid tensioning member;
- and
- an actuation member extending through the rigid tensioning member and the first and second compression springs, the actuation member being substantially axially rigid under tension and at least first and second portions of the actuation member extending respectively through the first and second compression springs being substantially flexible in bending or compression, wherein the actuation member is preloaded through the first and second compression springs and the rigid tensioning member with a quasi-static axial tensioning force such that the actuation member remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
1 more element
A strut, comprising:
- a strut mount;
- a rigid tensioning tube having a first end;
- a compression spring disposed intermediate the strut mount and the rigid tensioning tube;
- a flexible braided metal cable having a threaded end and extending through the rigid tensioning tube and through each of the compression spring and the strut mount;
- and
- a fastener secured to the threaded end of the flexible braided metal cable and tensioned to apply a quasi-static tensioning force to the flexible braided metal cable through the rigid tensioning tube, the compression spring and the strut mount such that the flexible braided metal cable remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
3 more elements
A strut, comprising:
- first and second strut mounts;
- a rigid tensioning tube disposed intermediate the first and second strut mounts and having first and second ends respectively disposed proximate the first and second strut mounts;
- first and second compression springs respectively disposed intermediate the first and second strut mounts and the rigid tensioning tube;
- a flexible braided metal cable having first and second threaded ends and extending through the rigid tensioning tube and through each of the first and second compression springs and the first and second strut mounts;
- and
- first and second fasteners respectively secured to the first and second threaded ends of the flexible braided metal cable and tensioned to apply a quasi-static tensioning force to the flexible braided metal cable through the rigid tensioning tube, the first and second compression springs and the first and second strut mounts such that the flexible braided metal cable remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
3 more elements
A parallel manipulator, comprising:
- a base;
- a platform;
- and
- a plurality of platform supports supporting the platform on the base for movement of the platform with multiple degrees of freedom, each of the plurality of platform supports including a linear actuator and a strut coupling the platform to the base, each strut comprising:
- a rigid tensioning member;
- a compression spring disposed proximate a first end of the rigid tensioning member;
- and
- an actuation member extending through the rigid tensioning member and the compression spring, the actuation member being substantially axially rigid under tension and at least a portion of the actuation member extending through the compression spring being substantially flexible in bending or compression, wherein the actuation member is preloaded through the compression spring and the rigid tensioning member with a quasi-static axial tensioning force such that the actuation member remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
5 more elements
A parallel manipulator, comprising:
- a base;
- a platform;
- a plurality of platform supports supporting the platform on the base for movement of the platform with multiple degrees of freedom, each of the plurality of platform supports including a linear actuator;
- and
- one or more struts anchoring the platform to the base to restrict motion of the platform in at least one degree of freedom, each strut comprising:
- a rigid tensioning member;
- a compression spring disposed proximate a first end of the rigid tensioning member;
- and
- an actuation member extending through the rigid tensioning member and the compression spring, the actuation member being substantially axially rigid under tension and at least a portion of the actuation member extending through the compression spring being substantially flexible in bending or compression, wherein the actuation member is preloaded through the compression spring and the rigid tensioning member with a quasi-static axial tensioning force such that the actuation member remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
6 more elements
A strut, comprising:
- a strut mount;
- a rigid tensioning member;
- a compression spring disposed intermediate the strut mount and the rigid tensioning member;
- and
- an actuation member extending in parallel with the compression spring between the strut mount and the rigid tensioning member, the actuation member being substantially axially rigid under tension and at least a portion of the actuation member that extends between the strut mount and the rigid tensioning member being substantially flexible in bending or compression, wherein the actuation member is preloaded across the compression spring and between the strut mount and the rigid tensioning member with a quasi-static axial tensioning force such that the actuation member remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
2 more elements
A strut, comprising:
- a strut mount;
- an actuation member including flexible and rigid portions;
- and
- a compression spring disposed intermediate the strut mount and the rigid portion of the actuation member;
- wherein the flexible portion of the actuation member extends between the rigid portion of the actuation member and the strut mount;
- wherein the flexible portion is substantially axially rigid under tension and substantially flexible in bending or compression;
- and
- wherein the flexible portion of the actuation member is preloaded through the compression spring with a quasi-static axial tensioning force such that the flexible portion of the actuation member remains substantially axially rigid in response to application of an axial compressive force to the strut that is less than the quasi-static tensioning force.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.