Articulated device, for use in particular in robotics
AssigneeInria Institut National de Recherche en Information et en Automotique
InventorJean-Pierre Merlet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An articulated device includes two plates (PI, PS) interconnected by six k members (OLij) disposed in a closed latticework structure, and a control assembly for controlling the relative positions of these two plates. Each link member is of substantially constant length and the control assembly also includes six slider members (OCij) respectively connected to the six link members (OLij) and to the bottom plate (PI), each slider member being suitable for sliding relative to the bottom plate (PI) along a predetermined sliding direction under drive from a motor (MOTij, TFij).
Claims17
An articulated device comprising a bottom plate (PI), a top plate (PS), and a control assembly for controlling the relative positions of the two plates (PI, PS), said control assembly comprising:
- three pairs (EAi) of close-together articulation locations (EAij) situated on the top plate (PS);
- three pairs (PLi) of close-together link locations (PLij) situated on the bottom plate (PI);
- six link members (OLij) each having a top end articulated on a respective one of the articulation locations (EAij) and a bottom end connected via a bottom articulation (AIij) to a respective one of the link locations (PLij) such that the two articulation locations (EAij.sub.1, EAij.sub.2) in a same pair (EAi) are connected by two link members (OLi.sub.1 j.sub.2, OLi.sub.2 j.sub.1) to the two consecutive link locations (PLi.sub.1 j.sub.2, PLi.sub.2 j.sub.1) which are the closest to said two articulation locations (EAij.sub.1, EAij.sub.2), and which belong to two different pairs of link locations (PLi.sub.1, PLi.sub.2);
- and
- motor means (MOTij, TFij) for independently varying on command the position of an articulation location (EAij) relative to the bottom plate (PI);
- wherein the improvement comprises that each link member (OLij) is of substantially constant length, and wherein the control assembly further includes six slider member (OCij) respectively connected firstly to the six link locations (PLij) and secondly via the six bottom articulations (AIij) to the bottom ends of the six link members (OLij), each slider member (OCij) being suitable for sliding relative to the bottom plate (PI) in a predetermined sliding direction (DC) under the drive from the motor means (MOTij, TFij).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.