Abstract:
Self-contained rotary actuator provides motive power in automated mechanical systems and includes cross-roller bearing as a structural joint. Outer attachment shell rigidly interfaces the mechanical system and contains motor stator and internal bull gear. Internal bull gear, with internal gear teeth, interfaces cross-roller bearing, and provides stiffness. Output attachment plate mechanism includes internal ring gear and supports drive shaft bearings. Internal ring gear, with internal gear teeth, rigidly interfaces output attachment plate. Drive shaft holds prime mover rotor and eccentric and associates output attachment plate via the drive shaft bearings. Gear train includes circular arc, external teeth meshing gear for meshing with internal teeth of internal bull and internal ring gears and walks minimal external gear teeth per prime mover rotor rotation. Cross-roller bearing, outer attachment shell, drive shaft, and meshing gear train provide a self-contained, integrated, actuation torque transmitting force from the prime mover along shortest-possible transmission path.
Abstract:
A fault-tolerant actuator module, in a single containment shell, containing two actuator subsystems that are either asymmetrically or symmetrically laid out is provided. Fault tolerance in the actuators of the present invention is achieved by the employment of dual sets of equal resources. Dual resources are integrated into single modules, with each having the external appearance and functionality of a single set of resources.
Abstract:
A rotary actuator incorporating a shell, an output plate and a cross-roller bearing retaining the output plate within the shell. A prime mover, disposed within the shell, exerts torque on a gear train within the shell. A pair of gears, disposed on either side of the cross-roller bearing, mesh with one or more gears in the geartrain. Depending on the application, the geartrain may be a planetary epicyclic or an eccentric hypocyclic type.
Abstract:
A remote manipulator for a robotic system has a plurality of intercoupled manipulator links and a principal manipulator drive unit coupled to manipulate the remote position of an end-effector supported by said links in response to a manipulator control signal. Coarse adjustment of the end effector is refined by a precision control subsystem which augments the principal manipulator to achieve a "control-in-the-small" robotic manipulator system. The augmenting precision-achieving subsystem includes a coupling mechanism, coupled with one of the links, for establishing the position of one of the links relative to another link, and a precision adjustment device, associated with the coupling mechanisms for adjusting the position of the one link relative to another link as established by the coupling mechanism, independently of the action of the principal manipulator drive unit and effectively without bearing the load supported by the one of said links. Generally, if the manipulator has N major degrees of freedom, then it will be useful to implement up to N secondary degrees of freedom to adequately establish the control-in-the-small subsystem.