Flexible robot arm
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorWendelin Feiten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Flexible robot arms are required for manipulation in environments having difficult access, for example, areas having restricted environments and areas beset with obstacles. An apparatus having various basic elements which are flat, arranged one on top of the other so as to tilt and are connected to one another by means of joints is provided. Here, the individual basic elements are arranged along a stacking axis. Between the individual basic elements, adjusting members, e.g. air chambers are provided which make it possible to set a precise angle between the respective basic elements. Control logic and a control bus with an electric power supply ensure in each adjusting member that the predetermined position is maintained.
Claims7
A flexible robot arm apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of trunk elements joined on top of each other along an axis to form a trunk, each element being divided, by at least one cutting plane in said axis of said trunk, into segments which can be expanded or compressed independently of one another in the longitudinal direction of said trunk;
- means for controlling said expansion or compression, said control means separated from said arm;
- means for supplying power to said arm apparatus, said power supply means separated from said arm;
- and said trunk elements being oriented in a mutually reversed array in said longitudinal direction of said trunk with respect to said axis so that a tip of said trunk can be comprehensively maneuvered by said separate expansion and compression of various said trunk element segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.