Abstract: A preload guide system guides, in a horizontal plane, movement of a rotation structure having journals rotating around a rotation axis having a horizontal rotation shaft. At right-side surfaces of the journals, guide bearing components press predetermined positions on the same side with respect to an axial-direction reference plane and rotatably support the journals. At left-side surfaces of the journals, guide bearing components press positions corresponding to the guide bearing components at the right side surfaces, and rotatably support the journals. The support systems adjust displacement amounts of the guide bearing components such that a sum of the displacement amounts becomes zero.

Abstract: A structure having limited supportable portions has been difficult to isolate from vibration in the direction in which a load is applied. A base isolation apparatus includes a Z-axis base isolation unit, an X-axis base isolation unit, and a Y-axis base isolation unit. The base isolation unit includes a vibration-source connector, an isolated-object connector, a lock device disposed between the isolated-object connector and the vibration-source connector for switching between a state of fixing the isolated-object connector and a state of making it movable, a distance recovery device for generating a force to cause an amount of change in distance to approach zero, depending on the amount of change, and a vibration damper for generating a force in an orientation of hindering the change, depending on the rate of change in distance.

Abstract: A base isolation unit includes a vibration-source connector to be connected with a structure subjected to seismic vibration, an isolated-object connector to be connected with an object to be isolated from vibration, and located at a predetermined distance from the vibration-source connector in a predetermined base isolation direction, and a movement regulator. The movement regulator is located between the vibration-source connector and the isolated-object connector and includes an elastic body applied with a preload and subjected to a pressure caused by an external force in the base isolation direction. The movement regulator keeps the distance unchanged when the external force is equal to or less the preload, and changes the distance by making the vibration-source connector movable when the external force exceeds the preload.

Abstract: A three-rotational-degree-of-freedom connection mechanism required for a robot that can make motion similar to a human has a simple structure, and there is no restriction on motion within a movable range. The three-rotational-degree-of-freedom connection mechanism includes a joint connecting a second member rotatably to a first member with three rotational degrees of freedom including rotation around a torsion axis, three actuators each including variable length links having a variable length, and power sources for generating force changing the lengths of variable length links and three first-member-side link attaching units provided in first member and the second-member-side link attaching units provided on the second member such that variable length links having a twisted relationship with respect to a torsion axis exist in each state within a movable range of joint.

Abstract: A preload guide system guides, in a horizontal plane, movement of a rotation structure having journals rotating around a rotation axis having a horizontal rotation shaft. At right-side surfaces of the journals, guide bearing components press predetermined positions on the same side with respect to an axial-direction reference plane and rotatably support the journals. At left-side surfaces of the journals, guide bearing components press positions corresponding to the guide bearing components at the right side surfaces, and rotatably support the journals. The support systems adjust displacement amounts of the guide bearing components such that a sum of the displacement amounts becomes zero.