Variable stiffness joint structure and continuum robot including the same
AssigneeKorea Institute of Science and Technology
InventorsDonghyun HWANG, Chang Seob SONG, Tae Rim LEE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a variable stiffness joint structure including a central module, a pressing module that surrounds the central module, and has a grip position in which the central module is radially pressed to block rotation of the central module, and a rotation position in which the central module is released to allow rotation of the central module, and a driving module configured to provide a driving force to move the pressing module from the rotation position to the grip position, wherein the pressing module includes at least one pressing member arranged in a circumferential direction to surround an outer circumferential surface of the central module.
Claims15
A variable stiffness joint structure comprising:
- a central module;
- a pressing module that surrounds the central module, and has a grip position in which the central module is radially pressed to block rotation of the central module, and a rotation position in which the central module is released to allow rotation of the central module;
- and
- a driving module configured to provide a driving force to move the pressing module from the rotation position to the grip position,
- wherein the pressing module comprises at least one pressing member arranged in a circumferential direction to surround an outer circumferential surface of the central module,
- when the pressing module is in the grip position, the at least one pressing member is in a contraction position to be radially retracted, and
- when the pressing module is in the rotation position, the at least one pressing member is in an expansion position to be radially extended.
A continuum robot comprising a plurality of variable stiffness joint structures,
- wherein at least one of the plurality of variable stiffness joint structures comprises:
- a central module;
- a pressing module that surrounds the central module, and has a grip position in which the central module is radially pressed to block rotation of the central module, and a rotation position in which the central module is released to allow rotation of the central module;
- and
- a driving module configured to provide a driving force to move the pressing module from the rotation position to the grip position,
- the pressing module comprises at least one pressing member arranged in a circumferential direction to surround an outer circumferential surface of the central module,
- when the pressing module is in the grip position, the at least one pressing member is in a contraction position to be radially retracted, and
- when the pressing module is in the rotation position, the at least one pressing member is in an expansion position to be radially extended.
An electronic device comprising a plurality of variable stiffness joint structures,
- wherein at least one of the plurality of variable stiffness joint structures comprises:
- a central module;
- a pressing module that surrounds the central module, and has a grip position in which the central module is radially pressed to block rotation of the central module, and a rotation position in which the central module is released to allow rotation of the central module;
- and
- a driving module configured to provide a driving force to move the pressing module from the rotation position to the grip position,
- the pressing module comprises at least one pressing member arranged in a circumferential direction to surround an outer circumferential surface of the central module,
- when the pressing module is in the grip position, the at least one pressing member is in a contraction position to be radially retracted, and
- when the pressing module is in the rotation position, the at least one pressing member is in an expansion position to be radially extended.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.