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US 6,686,717 B2Granted
Modular articulated structure
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorCharles Khairallah
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorCharles Khairallah
Estimating the term…
A modular articulated robot structure (FIG. 4) composed of a series of independent modules (10,100,300) releasably connected to each other to form various configurations. The modules (10,100,300) may be of the rotary (10), linear (100), or wheeled (300) type. The rotary modules (10) are generally formed of first and second substantially U-shaped structural members (12,14) pivotally attached to one another by means of a pair of axles or pivot pins (26) adapted to support a workload exerted on the module (10). An actuator (48) is mounted internally of the module (10) for pivoting the second structural member (14) relative to the first structural member (12). The actuator (48) is connected to the second structural member (14) in such a way that it is not submitted to outside loads exerted on the module (10). Typically, the first and second structural members (12,14) are provided with cooperating abutment surfaces (17,19,74,76,78,80) for increasing the overall structural rigidity of the module (10) in certain positions thereof.
A module of an articulated robot structure, comprising first and second structural members, an axle for pivotally mounting said second structural member to said first structural member, an actuator for pivoting said second structural member relative to said first structural member, a sensor for sensing a position of said second structural member, and a control unit connected to said sensor for controlling movements of said second structural member, wherein said first and second structural members each include a base plate and a pair of spaced-apart side plates extending from said base plate, said base plates of said first and second structural members each including attachment means for releasably attaching said module to respective adjacent modules, and wherein said module is provided with a communication interface for allowing said module to communicate with adjacent modules, said communication interface being connected to said control unit for allowing control commands to be fed through a given number of assembled modules.
A walking robot structure comprising a series of rotary modules assembled in line and having a first terminal module at a first end thereof and a second terminal module at a second opposed end thereof, each rotary module having first and second structural members pivotally connected to one another for rotation about a pivot axis and being operated by an actuator, said first and second terminal modules each having an axle extending generally in parallel to a longitudinal axis of said series, said riding disc mounted on each of said axles laterally outwardly of said series, said riding disc having a circumferential surface adapted to ride on a support surface when said rotary modules are displaced in a rigid axle configuration and a lateral outer surface adapted to serve as a base surface for allowing said walking robot structure to walk on said lateral outer surfaces of said riding discs when said rotary modules are rotated relative to one another.
An article handling/supporting structure comprising a vertical mounting column, a cantilever flexible arm having a first end connected to said vertical column and a second opposed end adapted to carry an article, said cantilever flexible arm being vertically displaceable between fixed positions along said vertical column and including a number of serially interconnected rotary modules, each rotary module including first and second structural members, a vertical axle pivotally connecting said first and second structural members together so that adjacent modules are rotatable with respect to each other in a horizontal plane while being prevented from rotational movement in a vertical plane under gravitational forces, thereby providing for a self supported flexible arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to articulated structures and, more particularly, to a modular articulated structure suited for use as a robot skeleton.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Having thus generally described the nature of the present invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a pair of structural members of a rotary module of an articulated robot structure according to the present invention;
FIGS. 2a to 2c are simplified side elevation views of the rotary module of FIG. 1 shown in different positions, with FIG. 2c illustrating in phantom lines an additional rotary module mounted to the rotary module of FIGS. 2a and 2c;
Now referring to the drawings, a modular, expandable and reconfigurable articulated robot system in accordance with the present invention will be described.
As will be explained in more details hereinafter, the modular articulated robot system is formed of a series of similar or different independent modules that may be configured so as to perform a particular task.
In accordance with the present invention, FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a rotary module 10 of an articulated robot structure. Basically, the rotary module 10 comprises a pair of pivotally connected structural members 12 and 14, and a motor and transmission assembly 16 positioned and configured to impart a rotational movement to the structural member 14 with respect to the structural member 12.
Program-controlled manipulators: characterised by modular constructions
One-dimensional joints: mounted in series
Manipulators
Term ended 2 Aug 2018 (estimated)