Transmission mechanism and robot
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorTetsuya ISHIKAWA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are a transmission mechanism and a robot equipped with the same. The transmission mechanism comprises a flexible shaft having flexibility, with an input side end to which torque is input and an output side end from which torque is output, wherein the flexible shaft has higher torsional stiffness in one rotational direction than in the other rotational direction, and transmits torque such that the joint of the robot flexes when the flexible shaft rotates in the one rotational direction.
Claims5
A transmission mechanism which transmits torque from a drive device to a joint of a robot such that the joint flexes and extends in response to bidirectional torque output by the drive device, the transmission mechanism comprising:
- a flexible shaft having flexibility, with an input side end to which torque is input and an output side end from which torque is output,
- wherein the flexible shaft has lower torsional stiffness in one rotational direction than in the other rotational direction, and transmits torque such that the joint of the robot flexes when the flexible shaft rotates in the one rotational direction.
A robot with a joint, the robot comprising:
- a drive device that outputs bidirectional torque to flex and extend the joint;
- a displacement mechanism that flexes the joint when torque in one rotational direction is input from the drive device;
- and
- a flexible shaft that connects the displacement mechanism to the drive device,
- wherein the flexible shaft comprises a plurality of winding layers formed by the winding of element wires in opposite winding directions alternately in consecutive layers, and
- wherein the element wire forming the outermost layer of the flexible shaft is wound in the same direction as the other rotational direction.
A robot with first and second joints, the robot comprising:
- a first drive device that outputs bidirectional torque to flex and extend the first joint;
- a second drive device that outputs bidirectional torque to flex and extend the second joint;
- a first displacement mechanism that flexes the first joint when torque in one rotational direction is input from the first drive device;
- a second displacement mechanism that flexes the second joint when torque in the other rotational direction is input from the second drive device;
- a first flexible shaft that connects the first displacement mechanism to the first drive device;
- and
- a second flexible shaft that connects the second displacement mechanism to the second drive device,
- wherein each of the first flexible shaft and the second flexible shaft comprises a plurality of winding layers formed by the winding of element wires in opposite winding directions alternately in consecutive layers,
- wherein the element wire forming the outermost layer of the first flexible shaft is wound in the same direction as the other rotational direction, and
- wherein the element wire forming the outermost layer of the second flexible shaft is wound in the same direction as the one rotational direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.