# US 8,414,246 B2 · Modular hybrid snake arm > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,414,246 B2 - Document ID: US8414246B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/134,936 - Filed: 2008-06-06 - Published: 2008-12-11 - Granted: 2013-04-09 - Earliest claimed: 2007-06-06 - Assignees: Cycogs, LLC - Applicants: Wayland E. Tobey - Inventors: Wayland E. Tobey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8414246B2 ## CPC - B25J 18/06: flexible - B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels} - B25J 13/084: {Tactile sensors (in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22)} - B25J 19/0029: {arranged within the different robot elements} - Y10T 74/20305: Robotic arm - Y10T 74/20311: including power cable or connector - Y10T 74/20323: including flaccid drive element - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An intelligent modular hybrid robot arm system is usable with mobile robots, and is applicable to stationary industrial arms. The intelligent modular hybrid robot arm system provides a large work envelope and a controlled and directed rotational movement for a flexible snake robot arm. The intelligent modular hybrid robot arm system has the ability to change end effector tools and sensors. The platform computers have the ability to interact with other subsystems for coordinated as well as independent tasks. The flexibly snake robot arm can be covered with a flexible sensor network, or “skin”. The intelligent modular hybrid robot arm system can manage its energy use, stores the arm in a compact shape and uses a central support tube offering unobstructed arm access to all sectors of its working envelope. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic arm assembly adapted for use with a mobile robot chassis, comprising: an arm platform rotatably connectable to a mobile robot chassis; at least one robotic snake arm attached to the arm platform; a rotary drive capable of applying force between the are platform and the mobile robot chassis to rotate the robotic arm assembly relative to the mobile robot chassis; and a circumferential storage space on the arm platform wherein the at least one robotic snake arm is capable of coiling around the circumference of the arm platform for storage in the circumferential storage space. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robotic arm assembly of claim 1, further comprising a slip ring electrical connection locatable between the arm platform and the mobile robot chassis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robotic arm assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one robotic snake arm comprises a plurality of robotic snake arms. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robotic arm assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor attached to the robotic arm assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robotic arm assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one robotic snake arm comprises at least one replaceable end effector. ### Claim 6 A mobile robot, comprising: a mobile robot chassis with a vertical support member; and at least one rotatable arm platform mounted on the vertical support member, comprising: an arm platform rotatably connected to the vertical support member; and at least one robotic snake arm attached to the arm platform; and a rotary drive capable of applying force between the arm platform and the mobile robot chassis to rotate the robotic arm assembly about the vertical support member; and a circumferential storage space on the arm platform wherein the at least one robotic snake arm is capable of coiling around the circumference of the arm platform for storage in the circumferential storage space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mobile robot of claim 6, wherein the robotic arm assembly further comprises a slip ring electrical connection between the rotatably-connected arm platform and the chassis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The mobile robot of claim 6, wherein the at least one robotic snake arm comprises a plurality of robotic snake arms. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The mobile robot of claim 6, further comprising at least one sensor attached to the robotic arm assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The mobile robot of claim 6, further comprising at least one replaceable end effector attachable to an effector end of at least one of the at least one robotic snake arm. ### Claim 11 A modular mobile robot, comprising: a mobile chassis adapted to accept at least one modular robotic assembly rotatably connectable to the mobile chassis; at least one modular robotic assembly connected to the mobile chassis and rotatable about a rotational axis; at least one robotic snake arm attached to the at least one modular robotic assembly; and a circumferential storage space on the modular robotic assembly wherein the at least one robotic snake arm is capable of coiling around the modular robotic assembly for storage in the circumferential storage space; wherein the at least one snake arm is capable of making a variety of arm movements by rotating the modular robotic assembly and actuating the at least one robotic snake arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A The modular mobile robot of claim 11, wherein the at least one rotatable modular robotic assembly has continuous unobstructed 360 degree rotation relative to the mobile chassis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The modular mobile robot of claim 11, wherein each of the at least one rotatable modular robotic assembly further comprises a slip ring electrical connection between that modular robotic assembly and the mobile chassis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The modular mobile robot of claim 11, wherein the at least one robotic snake arm comprises a plurality of robotic snake arms. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The modular mobile robot of claim 11, further comprising at least one sensor attached to the at least one modular robotic arm assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The modular mobile robot of claim 15, further comprising a flexible sensor network, the flexible sensor network including a plurality of sensors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The modular mobile robot of claim 11, wherein the at least one modular robotic arm assembly further comprises actuators and controls for the at least one robotic arm attached to that modular robotic arm assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The modular mobile robot of claim 11, further comprising at least one replaceable end effector attachable to an effector end of at least one of the at least one robotic snake arm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The modular robot of claim 11, wherein the at least one robotic snake-arm is attached to the at least one robotic arm assembly tangentially to the rotational axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The robotic arm assembly adapted for use with a mobile robot chassis of claim 1 wherein the at least one robotic snake arm comprises a plurality of ribs actuated by one or more cables. ### Claim 21 (depends on 6) The mobile robot of claim 6 wherein the at least one robotic snake arm comprises a plurality of ribs actuated by one or more cables. ### Claim 22 (depends on 6) The mobile robot of claim 6 further comprising a plurality of rotatable robotic snake arm assemblies mounted on the vertical support member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 11) The modular mobile robot of claim 11 wherein the at least one robotic snake arm comprises a plurality of ribs actuated by one or more cables. ### Claim 24 (depends on 11) The modular mobile robot of claim 11 wherein the variety of arm movements comprises circular movements, tangential movements, and swinging arc movements. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The modular mobile robot of claim 16 wherein the flexible sensor network further comprises a flexible covering. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The modular mobile robot of claim 16 wherein the flexible covering further comprises embedded components, padding, or visual treatments.