Orientation preserving angular swivel joint
OwnerHowie Choset, Elie Shammasinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An orientation preserving angular swivel joint suitable for mechanical robotic arms and in particular snake robots, the joint comprising two members and an angular bevel gear train that connects the two members of the joint. The gear train allows an actuator to be positioned along the axis of the joint while transferring forces to the periphery of the mechanism, thus creating a high mechanical advantage proportional to the radius of the robot. The gear train is capable of transferring rotational motion between the two members with a constant ratio. Relative rotation between two bays of the joint does not take place, thereby preventing electrical wires running through the body of the snake from being twisted, and thus avoiding failure.
Claims16
A robotic joint comprising:
- a first bay having a first bay rotation axis;
- a first cup having a first cup rotation axis, the first cup being rotatably connected to the first bay;
- a second cup having a second cup rotation axis, the second cup being rotatably connected to the first cup
- a second bay having a second bay rotation axis, the second bay being rotatably connected to the second cup;
- and
- a gear train connected to the first bay and the second bay
- wherein
- the first bay rotation axis is aligned with the second bay rotation axis;
- the first cup rotation axis and the second cup rotation axis are aligned when the joint is in a straight position;
- and
- the relative orientation of the first and second bay is preserved when the first cup rotates relative to the second cup.
A robotic joint comprising:
- a first bay;
- a first rotatable cup, connected with the first bay;
- a second rotatable cup, connected with the first cup;
- and
- a second bay connected with the second cup,
- wherein:
- rotation of the first cup without a corresponding rotation of the second cup allows movement of the first bay around a cone;
- rotation of the second cup without a corresponding rotation of the first cup allows movement of the second bay around a cone;
- rotation of the first cup in a first direction and of the second cup in a second direction same as the first direction allows bending in a plane of the first and second bay;
- and
- rotation of the first cup in a first direction and of the second cup in a second direction opposite the first direction allows rotation of the second bay in one direction and corresponding rotation of the first bay in another direction opposite the one direction, thus preserving orientation of the first bay upon rotation of the second bay.
A robotic joint comprising:
- a first half assembly including:
- a first bay having a first bay rotation axis;
- and
- a first cup having a first cup rotation axis, the first cup being rotatably connected with the first bay;
- a second half assembly including
- a second bay having a second bay rotation axis;
- and
- a second cup having a second cup rotation axis, the second cup being rotatably connected with the second bay;
- the second half assembly meeting the first half assembly on a inclined plane which is inclined with respect to a perpendicular plane perpendicular to the first and second bay rotation axis,
- wherein:
- the first bay rotation axis is aligned with the second bay rotation axis;
- the first cup rotation axis and second cup rotation axis are aligned when the joint is in straight position;
- and
- a combined rotation of the first half assembly around the first bay rotation axis and the second half assembly around the second bay rotation axis defines either a rotation, in opposite directions, of the first bay and the second bay in a location distal to the inclined plane, or bending in a plane of the first and second bay.
A robot including a robotic joint, the robotic joint comprising:
- a first bay;
- a first rotatable cup, connected with the first bay;
- a second rotatable cup, connected with the first cup;
- and
- a second bay connected with the second cup,
- wherein:
- rotation of the first cup without a corresponding rotation of the second cup allows movement of the first bay around a cone;
- rotation of the second cup without a corresponding rotation of the first cup allows movement of the second bay around a cone;
- rotation of the first cup in a first direction and of the second cup in a second direction same as the first direction allows bending in a plane of the first and second bay;
- and
- rotation of the first cup in a first direction and of the second cup in a second direction opposite the first direction allows rotation of the second bay in one direction and corresponding rotation of the first bay in another direction opposite the one direction, thus preserving orientation of the first bay upon rotation of the second bay.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.