# US 9,039,057 B2 · Orientation controller, mechanical arm, gripper and components thereof

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- Number: US 9,039,057 B2
- Document ID: US9039057B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/497,296
- Filed: 2010-09-21
- Published: 2012-07-26
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2009-09-22
- Assignees: Ariel-University Research and Development Company Ltd.
- Applicants: Nir Schvalb; Boaz Ben Moshe; Alon Vardimon; Barak Shamur
- Inventors: Nir Schvalb; Boaz Ben Moshe; Alon Vardimon; Barak Shamur
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039057B2

## CPC

- B25J 15/0009: {comprising multi-articulated fingers, e.g. resembling a human hand}
- A61F 2/586: {Fingers}
- A61F 2/70: electrical
- B25J 9/104: {with cables, chains or ribbons}
- A61F 2/54: Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof
- A61F 2/741: {using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors or solenoids}
- Y10S 901/31: Gripping jaw
- 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})
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A jointed mechanism including a segment coupled to a joint; and an elongated component coupled to the segment, where applying a pulling force to the elongated component rotates the segment around the joint, elastically deforming the elongated component; wherein the elastic deformation generates an elongated component elastic force sufficient to rotate the segment, in an opposite direction, in absence of the pulling force.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mechanical gripper comprising: an articulated mechanism comprising:
a segment coupled to a joint; and
an elongated component coupled to said segment, where applying a pulling force to said elongated component rotates said segment around said joint elastically deforming by bending said elongated component;
wherein said elastically deforming by bending generates an elongated component elastic force sufficient to rotate said segment, in an opposite direction, in absence of said pulling force.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein said elastic force is a lateral elastic force.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein said elongated component retains a length of said elongated component under said pulling force and in absence of said pulling force.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein the articulated mechanism is used to perform keyhole surgery.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein said pulling force is an axial stretching force.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein said segment comprises an axial void and said elongated component is secured to said segment inside said axial void.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The mechanical gripper of claim 6, wherein said elongated component is secured to said segment off a central axis of said segment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The mechanical gripper of claim 7, wherein said elongated component is secured to a part of said segment and coupled to a different part of said segment.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, comprising:
a second segment coupled to said elongated component and coupled at said joint to said segment.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The mechanical gripper of claim 9, wherein said elongated component rotates said second segment around a second joint;
wherein said elastic force is sufficient to rotate said segment in an opposite direction and said second segment in absence of said pulling force.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The mechanical gripper of claim 10, comprising:
a third segment coupled to a palm at a third joint, coupled to said elongated component and coupled at said second joint to said second segment;
wherein said elastic force is sufficient to rotate said segment and said second segment in a second direction in absence of said pulling force.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The mechanical gripper of claim 9, comprising:
a second elongated component secured to said second segment, where applying a pulling force to said second elongated component rotates said second segment around a second joint elastically deforming said second elongated component;
wherein said elastic deformation generates an elongated component elastic force sufficient to rotate said second segment in an opposite direction in absence of said pulling force.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein said elongated component is in the form of a wire.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein said elongated component comprises superelastic material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The mechanical gripper of claim 14, wherein said superelastic material is nitinol.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper of claim 1, wherein said segment is less than 22 mm wide.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The mechanical gripper, comprising a plurality of articulated mechanisms according to claim 1, said mechanisms arranged so that said rotation of segments brings said rotated segments towards each other.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The mechanical gripper of claim 17, comprising:
a palm to which said plurality of articulated mechanisms are pivotally connected by said joints.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The mechanical gripper of claim 17, wherein said rotation of said segments brings distal ends of said segments towards each other.

### Claim 20

A method of movement of a mechanical gripper comprising an articulated mechanism, the method comprising:
pulling and elastically deforming by bending an elongated component coupled to a segment, where pulling rotates said segment; and
releasing and elastically relaxing said elongated component to rotate said segment in an opposite direction.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein said pulling rotates a second segment, coupled to said elongated component and said segment, curving a long axis of the articulated mechanism; and
wherein said releasing comprises elastically relaxing said elongated component to rotate said second segment in an opposite direction.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein said pulling comprises pulling and elastically deforming a second elongated component coupled to said second segment; and
releasing comprises releasing and elastically relaxing said second elongated component to rotate said second segment in an opposite direction.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20,
wherein said pulling rotates said segment towards a second segment;
wherein said releasing rotates said segment away from said second segment;
the method comprising:
pulling and elastically deforming a second elongated component coupled to said second segment, where pulling said second segment rotates said second segment towards said segment;
releasing and elastically relaxing said second elongated component to rotate said second segment away from said segment.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein said elastic force is a lateral elastic force.