US 4,359,308 A · Counterbalance device for laser knife

Abstract

A counterbalance device for operation with the manipulator of a laser knife in which the moment of the knife is maintained in a balanced state over the entire range of movement of the knife so that the movement of the knife is smooth over its entire range and its operability highly increased. A counterbalance device of the invention is coupled to the manipulator at a fulcrum point. The centers of gravity of the manipulator and counterbalance device are in the same vertical plane. The center of gravity of the counterbalance device is moved in parallel with the movement of the center of gravity of the manipulator. In preferred embodiments, the counterbalance device includes arm sections which are geometrically similar to the arm structure of the manipulator device. A rotatable arm of the counterbalance device is coupled through rotatable links to the corresponding rotatable arm of the manipulator so as to maintain dynamical balance.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A counterbalance device for a laser knife having a manipulator and comprising:

means for counterbalancing said manipulator, said counterbalance means being coupled to said manipulator at a fulcrum, said counterbalance means so arranged that at an initial position thereof, moment balance with respect to said manipulator and said counterbalance means is maintained at said fulcrum and the centers of gravity of said manipulator and counterbalance means being in the same vertical plane wherein said manipulator and said counterbalancing means each comprise a plurality of arms, said arms being joined to one another only with rotary joints, and during operation of said device a plane along which the center of gravity of said manipulator moves is parallel to a plane along which the center of gravity of said counterbalance means moves in such a manner as to eliminate moment unbalance attributed to movement of the center of gravity of said manipulator at all positions within its range of movement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Counterbalance device for laser knife

Life of this patent

Counterbalance device for laser knife

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5