Parallel link manipulators
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsSamuel E. Landsberger, Thomas B. Sheridan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention is embodied in a manipulator for supporting and transmitting movement to a tool or the like comprising a base 10, a movable tripod tip 16 or plate 60 spaced from the base to which a tool may be attached, an elongated central spine 12, one end of which is attached to the tripod tip and the other pivotally mounted on the base, variable tension applying means comprising at least three cables 18 extending from the tripod tip to the base in a tripod configuration, and means 22, 24 at the base to continuously vary the length of each cable to vary its length.
Claims19
A manipulator for supporting and transmitting six degrees of freedom to a tool or the like comprising:
- a base,
- a movable tripod tip spaced from the base and to which a tool or the like may be attached,
- a passive, compressible, central spine, one end of which is attached to the tripod tip and the other pivotally mounted on the base,
- means to provide a preset, compressive force in the spine,
- variable tension applying means comprising six cables extending from the tripod tip to the base in a tripod configuration for constraining the six degrees of freedom,
- one end of each cable being fixed to the tripod tip and the opposite end being accumulated at the base to permit the length of each cable to be varied, and
- means at the base to control the length of each cable while applying a compressive force to the central spine and and a tensile force to the other cables,
- whereby the tripod tip may be moved through six degrees of freedom by varying the length of the cables.
A manipulator for supporting and transmitting six degrees of freedom to a tool or the like comprising:
- a base,
- a tripod tip spaced from the base and to which a tool or the like may be attached,
- a passive, compressible, central, telescoping spine, the opposite ends of which are pivotally attached to the base and the tripod tip respectively,
- variable tension applying means comprising six cables extending from the tripod tip to the base in a tripod configuration for constraining the six degrees of freedom,
- one end of each cable being fixed to the tripod tip and the opposite end being accumulated at the base to permit the length of each cable to be varied,
- means at the base to control the length of each cable while applying a compressive force to the central spine and a tensile force to the other cables, and
- means to continuously apply a constant pressure within the spind to telescope it outwardly in opposition to the tension in the cables,
- whereby the tripod tip may be moved within six degrees of freedom by varying the length of the cables,
A manipulator for supporting and transmitting six degrees of freedom to a tool or the like comprising:
- a base,
- a movable plate spaced from the base and to which a tool or the like may be attached,
- an elongated, passive, compressible, central telescoping spine, the opposite ends of which are pivotally attached to the base and the movable plate respectively,
- variable tension applying means comprising six cables extending from the base to the movable plate in a tripod configuration,
- one end of each cable being fixed to the movable plate and the opposite end being accumulated at the base to permit the length of each cable to be varied,
- means at the base to control the length of each cable and apply a compressive force to the telescoping spine and a tensile force to the other cables, and
- means to continuously apply a constant pressure within the spine to telescoping it outwardly in opposition to the tension in the cables,
- whereby the plate may be moved within six degrees of freedom by varying the length of the cables.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.