Expansible chamber devices – Plural flexible wall working members
Patent
1986-02-12
1988-06-21
Garrett, Robert E.
Expansible chamber devices
Plural flexible wall working members
92 71, 92 92, 91520, 901 22, 901 28, F01B 1900
Patent
active
047518685
ABSTRACT:
The method and system employing double-acting, fluid-driven, twistor-pairs as combined flexural supports, joints, torque motors and linear-response angular deflectors in arms and legs of robots. Thus, the twistor-pairs at each joint advantageously serves as hinge or flexural support for the limb supported by the joint and simultaneously serves as double-acting turning motor for moving the portions of the arm or leg supported by the twistor pair. Various jointed-arm or jointed-leg robots, called "arthrobots" are shown embodying the invention. Controllably varying fluid pressure P.sub.1 and R.sub.2 (usually pressurized air) fed into elastic shells forming respective fluid chambers of a double-acting, twistor-pair at each joint, deflects a limb into predetermined predictable angular positions, depending upon these pressures. Costly friction-producing bearings are eliminated at joints and by eliminating bearings, mass, weight and inertia are substantially reduced, and frictional and torque drag effects are nearly eliminated. These benefits result in signifiant improvements in static and dynamic performance of arthrobots, and reduces costs of manufacture. The term "arthrobots" is used to place equal emphasis upon robots having jointed arms for manipulating objects, for example for light assembly tasks, and upon robots having multiple jointed legs for self-propelled locomotion. A six-legged, insect-like, self-propelled, walking robot ("hexapodal arthrobot") achieves locomotion with three legs always on the ground, providing advantageous, stable tripod support, by programming fluid pressures in twistor-pairs of respective joints varying in predetermined sequences.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4095481 (1978-06-01), Kasai et al.
patent: 4108050 (1978-08-01), Paynter
patent: 4356554 (1982-10-01), Susnjara et al.
Garrett Robert E.
Williamson Mark A.
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