Flexure mechanism for interface device

An interface device manipulated by a user and providing input signals to a host computer, the interface device comprising:

• a manipulandum physically contacted by said user and moveable in at least two rotary degrees of freedom;
• a mechanism coupled to said manipulandum, said mechanism providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom, wherein said mechanism includes five members forming a unitary piece, each of said members flexibly coupled to two other members by a flexure coupling such that flex provided by said flexure coupling allows said manipulandum to move in said rotary degrees of freedom;
• and
• a sensor coupled to said mechanism that senses a position of said manipulandum in at least one of said degrees of freedom and outputs a sensor signal, wherein a representation of said sensor signal is provided to said host computer.

An interface device manipulated by a user and providing input signals to a host computer, the interface device comprising:

• a manipulandum physically contacted by said user and moveable in at least two rotary degrees of freedom;
• a mechanism coupled to said manipulandum, said mechanism providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom about two axes of rotation, wherein said mechanism is a closed loop five-bar linkage including five members, one of said five members being a ground, wherein at least two flexure couplings are provided to couple at least some of said five members to each other to provide flex between said flexibly coupled members to allow said flexibly coupled members to bend with respect to each other, and wherein said flexibly coupled members form a unitary member;
• a sensor coupled to said mechanism that senses a position of said manipulandum in at least one of said degrees of freedom and outputs a sensor signal, wherein a representation of said sensor signal is provided to said host computer;
• and
• two actuators coupled to said mechanism and providing an output force on said manipulandum in said at least two rotary degrees of freedom.

A mechanism for providing two degrees of freedom to a manipulandum manipulated by a user, said mechanism included in a force feedback interface device in communication with a host computer, said force feedback interface device providing input signals to said host computer based on said manipulation and outputting forces on said manipulandum, the mechanism comprising:

• a ground member coupled to a ground;
• a first extension member flexibly coupled to said ground member by a first flexible coupling at a first end of said first extension member, said first extension member rotatable about a first axis of rotation extending through said first flexible coupling;
• a second extension member flexibly coupled to said ground member by a second flexible coupling at a first end of said second extension member, said second extension member rotatable about a second axis of rotation extending through said second flexible coupling;
• a first central member flexibly coupled to a second end of said first extension member by a third flexible coupling at a first end of said first central member;
• and
• a second central member flexibly coupled to a second end of said second extension member by a fourth flexible coupling at a first end of said second central member, wherein a second end of said second central member is rotationally coupled to a second end of said first central member.