Abstract: An attachment for an injection pen or syringe, the attachment being attachable to the needle or needle end of an injector pen (7) or syringe, the attachment comprising a circumferential array of inwardly pointing flexible fingers (9) configured such that when the flexible finger tips are pressed against the injection site the flexible fingers are capable of flexing axially and inwardly to promote the gathering of a pucker of subcutaneous tissue in the vicinity of a needle insertion point.

Abstract: A hexapod machine is disclosed in which six adjustable length struts couple to a controllably moveable platform at three triangularly spaced locations at each of which a pair of struts couple together and to the platform at a bifurcated universal joint. The struts extend away from the platform and through machine nodes defined at triangularly spaced-apart locations in a machine sub-frame, and at each such node a strut extending from one platform location and the next adjacent strut from the next adjacent platform location come together and cross each other in respective hemispheres of a bifurcated sphere journalled for multidirectional pivotal movement in a socket in the sub-frame. The hemispheres each contain a motor which is frictionally engaged with the respective strut so as to enable it to be driven through the hemisphere to adjust its effective length. By control of the motors, the platform position and orientation can be adjusted in space.

Abstract: A haptic input device comprises a hexapod or pentapod parallel linkage mechanism with force feedback effected by proportional control of magneto-restrictive fluid brakes constraining the measurement of the struts of the mechanism, through their base nodes. In the pentapod version of the haptic data input device, a haptic stylus is employed which includes an annular compliant feature that can be squeezed and whose squeeze pressure can be monitored.

Abstract: A powered mechanism able to articulate about two orthogonal tilt axes, the powered mechanism having a sphere pivotally mounted in a ring or band and driven by a first pivotally mounted motor to articulate the sphere about the first axis, and a second pivotally mounted motor mounted to a fixed reference to drive the sphere about the second axis through ring or band.

Abstract: A hexapod machine is disclosed in which six adjustable length struts couple to a controllably moveable platform at three triangularly spaced locations at each of which a pair of struts couple together and to the platform at a bifurcated universal joint. The struts extend away from the platform and through machine nodes defined at triangularly spaced-apart locations in a machine sub-frame, and at each such node a strut extending from one platform location and the next adjacent strut from the next adjacent platform location come together and cross each other in respective hemispheres of a bifurcated sphere journalled for multidirectional pivotal movement in a socket in the sub-frame. The hemispheres each contain a motor which is frictionally engaged with the respective strut so as to enable it to be driven through the hemisphere to adjust its effective length. By control of the motors, the platform position and orientation can be adjusted in space.

Abstract: A haptic input device comprises a hexapod or pentapod parallel linkage mechanism with force feedback effected by proportional control of magneto-restrictive fluid brakes constraining the measurement of the struts of the mechanism, through their base nodes. In the pentapod version of the haptic data input device, a haptic stylus is employed which includes an annular compliant feature that can be squeezed and whose squeeze pressure can be monitored.

Abstract: A multi-axis spindle head for a machine tool has a spindle drive motor mounted in a sphere (4) with the motor axis extending radially and the sphere (4) is articulated to move about two orthogonal axes by virtue of being mounted in a gimbal ring (10) providing for pivotal movement of the sphere about one axis, and by virtue of the gimbal ring (10) being mounted in a mounting ring (1) providing for pivotal movement of the gimbal ring about an orthogonal axis. Ball screw drive motors (3, 5) provide for controlled movement of the sphere relative to the gimbal ring and of the gimbal ring relative to the mounting ring so as to provide the spindle drive motor with all five degrees of freedom of movement.

Abstract: A structural framework system for the construction of exhibition display stands and the like makes use of a beam extrusions having dovetail shaped edge formations which enable panel frames to be hung therefrom and locked in position by virtue of coupling frames incorporating therein a locking element which can be retracted into a recess of the coupling frame for initial location of the coupling frame relative to a beam and can then be moved to project from the recess and to clamp the beam dovetail by insertion of actuating pins into bores provide in the coupling frame and communicating with the recess. A beam end fitting enables a beam to be secured to a transversely-extending second beam by a similar process and a 4-way node fitting enable nodes to be formed at the intersection of a plurality of orthogonal beams. A leg length adjustment provides for the adjustment of the lengths of structural support legs.

Abstract: Several improvements relating to hexapods are described. The improvements relate to universal joints and ball and socket joints where two struts meet at a common focal point, two axis gimbals which are used for ballscrew drives in universal joints and a micro positioning device incorporating a hexapod structure. The universal joint (1) includes two part spheres (13, 14) connected to one strut (12) and a rotatable ring (15) connected to another strut (11). The two part spheres (13, 14) are secured together by fasteners (25) with the ring (15) secured therebetween so as to form a sphere. The ring (15) is preloaded and rotatable about a common axis (17) of the sphere.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer aided design and manufacturing system. The system comprises a platform suspended by means of three pairs of supportive legs which are coupled at triangularly spaced-apart locations by means of three universal joints, each of which couples to one end of each of the two legs of a respective pair.