Wrist Patents (Class 74/490.06)
  • Patent number: 12251088
    Abstract: A low-friction medical device includes a first link, a second link, and a tension member. The first link is coupled to an instrument shaft and a first guide path is defined in the first link. The second link is rotatable relative to the first link through an angular range. A distal end portion of the second link is rotatably coupled to a tool member. A curved guide path is defined within the second link between the tool member and the first guide path. A curved guide surface of the second link defines a portion of the second guide path. A first portion of the tension member is parallel to a centerline of the first guide path, and a second portion is coupled to the tool member. A third portion of the tension member between the first and second portions is in contact with the curved guide surface throughout a portion of the angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhou Ye, Harsukhdeep Ratia, Alain Sadaka
  • Patent number: 12239393
    Abstract: A medical device includes a shaft, a beam, a hard stop structure, and a link. A proximal end portion of the beam is coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft and a distal end portion of the beam is coupled to the link. A strain sensor is on the beam. A hard stop structure includes a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and first opposing stop surfaces. The proximal end portion of the hard stop structure is coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, and the distal end portion of the hard stop structure is coupled to the link. The first opposing stop surfaces are positioned to limit a lateral range of motion of the distal end of the beam with reference to the proximal end of the beam in a first direction by the first stop surfaces contacting one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhou Ye, Harsukhdeep Ratia, Ashwinram Suresh, Craig Tsuji
  • Patent number: 12208519
    Abstract: A multi-axis robot includes: a robot main body including a head and a movement mechanism that three-dimensionally moves the head; and a work tool attached to the head. The work tool includes: a first link pivotally supported on the head; a second link pivotally supported on a distal end of the first link; a first change mechanism that changes an angle of the first link to a central axis of the head; and a second change mechanism that changes an angle of the second link to the first link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Koyama, Shinsuke Hamatani, Naohiro Otsuki, Daiki Kubo, Takuya Kawamura
  • Patent number: 12191187
    Abstract: An apparatus including a drive; and a movable arm assembly connected to the drive. The movable arm assembly includes a first arm and a second arm, where the first arm includes a first upper arm, a first forearm and a first end effector, and where the second arm includes a second upper arm, a second forearm and a second end effector. The first end effector includes at least two first substrate holding areas. The second end effector includes at least two second substrate holding areas. The drive and the movable arm assembly are configured to prevent the movable arm assembly from passing over top sides of substrates located on the first and second substrate holding areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: PERSIMMON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Scott Wilkas
  • Patent number: 12150631
    Abstract: An articulated arm including: a tubular structure comprising a plurality of coupled longitudinal sections including: at least one rigid portion; and at least one flexible portion comprising a plurality of connected annular portions; wherein the tubular structure includes: a trench formed along a long axis of the tubular structure and extending along the plurality of coupled longitudinal sections; and a cover attached to the tubular structure and covering at least a portion of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Momentis Surgical Ltd.
    Inventors: Dvir Cohen, Yaron Levinson, Yiftah Neta
  • Patent number: 12076855
    Abstract: A wearable cable-driven robotic arm system includes a wearing mechanism, two robotic arms located on two sides of the wearing mechanism, cable driving devices, a load trolley, and a motor controller, where the cable driving devices are divided into driving portions and driven portions, heavy objects, such as electric motors, of the driving portions are arranged in the load trolley, thereby reducing loads born by the wearable robotic arms, the load trolley can travel with a person by means of sleeves or can be controlled by the motor controller to move by means of signals measured by following modules, the driven portions are combined with the robotic arms, and are double-cable driven, thereby reducing weight of the robotic arms, and a brain-computer interface module is used for controlling the driving devices, thereby controlling the robotic arms more accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS
    Inventors: Yaoyao Wang, Hao Fu, Bai Chen
  • Patent number: 12030176
    Abstract: A parallel kinematic manipulator system having three degrees of freedom and a method of controlling and visualizing work objects using force feedback and oscillation algorithms is provided. Three co-planar linear actuators operate symmetrically and parallel to an effector arm and are pivotally connected by three magnetic disc swivel joints to a base plate. The disc swivel joints each include a convex upper and lower swivel member having two dimensional gear patterns structured into their contacting and non-sliding surfaces. A pulsed illumination source consists of an annular LED array and is synchronized to the oscillation frequencies of the system to provide visual filtering capabilities. A control unit includes a method for keeping a work object balanced by force feedback and without the need for angle sensors at the end-effector, as well as methods for rotation of work objects and control of the pulsed illumination source. Sound trap ridges are included as part of the housing to reduce system noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Xenidev AB
    Inventor: Oskar L. Granstrand
  • Patent number: 12007002
    Abstract: A power transmission device is provided including: a base, provided with a pair of left and right drive pulleys; an intermediate member, rotatably supported by the base about a first axis; and a driven member, rotatably supported by the intermediate member about a second axis. A pair of left wires wound in opposite directions are fixed to the left drive pulley and the driven member. A pair of right wires wound in opposite directions to each other are fixed to the right drive pulley and the driven member. By the drive pulleys, when the driven member is rotated in the same direction about the second axis, torque in opposite directions about the first axis is applied to the driven member, and when the driven member is rotated in opposite directions about the second axis, torque in the same direction about the first axis is applied to the driven member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11903572
    Abstract: Medical or surgical devices, instruments, systems, and methods for use in optically sensing loads acting on a patient's anatomy may include a surgical device or instrument configured for insertion to a surgical site and an interrogator coupled to the surgical device or instrument via an optical fiber having a sensing area at a location of the surgical device or instrument at which a load is to be sensed. The measured load may be used as being indicative of a load acting on a patient's anatomy. Such measured or determined load may be used to make decisions before, during, or after a patient procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Nelsen, Michael Serra
  • Patent number: 11779411
    Abstract: An operation system, a surgical system, a control device, a distortion generating body, a surgical instrument and the like for detecting a force acting on an end effector are provided. The surgical system includes an arm including one or more links, an end effector arranged at a tip end of the arm, a first distortion detecting unit that detects distortion generated in the end effector, a second distortion detecting unit that detects distortion generated in the link, and a processing unit that calculates a force acting on the end effector in a living body on the basis of detection results of the first distortion detecting unit and the second distortion detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Kenichiro Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 11610796
    Abstract: A system includes an equipment front end module chamber, alignment pedestals housed within the equipment front end module chamber, and a load/unload robot at least partially housed within the equipment front end module chamber. The alignment pedestals include a first alignment pedestal having a first support surface and a second alignment pedestal having a second support surface, and the first support surface has a vertical offset and an overlap region having at least a partial overlap relative to the second support surface. The load/unload robot includes an arm, and vertically arranged blades attached to the arm. The vertically arranged blades include an upper blade configured to transfer a first substrate to the first alignment pedestal and a lower blade configured to transfer a second substrate to the second alignment pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas Michael Bergantz
  • Patent number: 11590013
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a brace system including an upper portion and a lower portion. The brace system may also include a first pulley rotatably coupling the upper portion to a first intermediate link positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion. The brace system may also include a second pulley rotatably coupling the first intermediate link to a second intermediate link positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion. The brace system may also include a third pulley rotatably coupling the second intermediate link to the lower portion. Further, the brace system may include at least one tension-bearing element substantially encircling each of the first pulley, the second pulley, and the third pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: BOSTON DYNAMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Everett Thorne, Steven D. Potter, Michael Patrick Murphy
  • Patent number: 11586091
    Abstract: An augmented reality (AR) device includes a light source; a light source-moving delta robot on which the light source is mounted, the light source-moving delta robot being configured to change a traveling path of light emitted from the light source by adjusting at least one of a position or a slope of the light source in a three-dimensional (3D) space based on a movement of the light source-moving delta robot; a display device configured to generate a first image by modulating the light emitted from the light source; and a combiner configured to combine the first image generated by the display device with a second image, which is different from the first image and is received from an external source, and output a combined image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bongsu Shin, Hongseok Lee, Changkun Lee
  • Patent number: 11576733
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument for use in a robotic surgical system includes an electrosurgical end effector, a housing configured to be operably coupled to an instrument drive unit, a shaft extending distally from the housing, and a wrist assembly coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft. The wrist assembly includes a first pivot member and a second pivot member having a proximal end portion movably coupled to the first pivot member, and a distal end portion configured to be coupled to the end effector. The first pivot member has a pair of first and second distally-extending arms each defining a first groove configured to receive and guide a cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Kurt J. Anglese
  • Patent number: 11485025
    Abstract: In order to extend a life span of a flexible cable passing through a movable portion, provided is a hand mechanism which has a plurality of fingers and grips an object with the fingers, including: a flexible cable; a joint which flexes or extends with the grip of the object, has a path for the flexible cable, and has a first surface and a second surface that is a surface bending from the first surface at a bending portion in the path; and a sheet which is provided between the first surface and the flexible cable to have flexibility and is formed such that a gap is provided between the second surface and the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Endo, Kenji Hidaka
  • Patent number: 11465278
    Abstract: A robotic manipulator, comprising: a platform (302); a first pair of pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM) devices (112,114) coupled to the platform (302) at a first end of the first pair of PAM devices; a second pair of PAM devices (116, 118) coupled to the platform (302) at a first end of the second pair of PAM devices; a first pulley (342) coupling the first pair of PAM devices via a first belt (132) at a second end of the first pair of PAM devices; a second pulley (344) coupling the second pair of PAM devices via a second belt (134) at a second end of the second pair of PAM devices; a U-joint (160) positioned between the first and second pulleys, wherein the first pulley (342), the second pulley (344), and the U-joint (160) are rotatable along a pitch axis (P1), a yaw axis (Y1), and a roll axis (R1); and an actuated object (170) coupled to the U-joint (160), wherein motion of one of the first belt (132) of the first pair of PAM devices, the second belt (134) of the second pair of PAM devices, and both the fir
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: OZYEGIN UNIVERSITESI
    Inventors: Mehmet Can Yildirim, Ozkan Bebek, Regaip Barkan Ugurlu
  • Patent number: 11439376
    Abstract: A low-friction medical device includes a first link, a second link, and a tension member. The first link is coupled to an instrument shaft and a first guide path is defined in the first link. The second link is rotatable relative to the first link through an angular range. A distal end portion of the second link is rotatably coupled to a tool member. A curved guide path is defined within the second link between the tool member and the first guide path. A curved guide surface of the second link defines a portion of the second guide path. A first portion of the tension member is parallel to a centerline of the first guide path, and a second portion is coupled to the tool member. A third portion of the tension member between the first and second portions is in contact with the curved guide surface throughout a portion of the angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Harsukhdeep Ratia, Alain Sadaka, Zhou Ye
  • Patent number: 11267141
    Abstract: A surgical robotic component comprising an articulated terminal portion, the terminal portion comprising: a distal segment having an attachment for a surgical tool; a basal segment for attaching the terminal portion to the remainder of the surgical robotic component; and an intermediate compound joint between the distal segment and the basal segment, the intermediate compound joint permitting relative rotation of the distal segment and the basal segment about first, second and third axes; the terminal portion being arranged such that, in at least one configuration of the intermediate compound joint: (i) the axial direction of the basal segment is parallel to the axial direction of the distal segment, and (ii) the first, second and third axes are transverse to the axial directions of the basal and distal segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CMR Surgical Limited
    Inventor: Steven James Randle
  • Patent number: 11156896
    Abstract: An augmented reality (AR) device includes a light source; a light source-moving delta robot on which the light source is mounted, the light source-moving delta robot being configured to change a traveling path of light emitted from the light source by adjusting at least one of a position or a slope of the light source in a three-dimensional (3D) space based on a movement of the light source-moving delta robot; a display device configured to generate a first image by modulating the light emitted from the light source; and a combiner configured to combine the first image generated by the display device with a second image, which is different from the first image and is received from an external source, and output a combined image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bongsu Shin, Hongseok Lee, Changkun Lee
  • Patent number: 11130229
    Abstract: An operation command generator includes: an area division unit configured to divide a line on a flat work surface of a target workpiece W into a straight area and a corner area, using a sharp boundary surface; a straight area operation command generation unit configured to generate a command for operating only the linear motion mechanism while keeping the posture of the parallel link mechanism fixed, in the straight area; and a corner area operation command generation unit configured to generate a command so that an acting point of the end effector passes on the boundary surface at a substantially constant speed by the linear motion mechanism and the parallel link mechanism performing coordinated operations in the corner area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seigo Sakata, Yuuki Shimura, Hiroshi Isobe, Naoki Marui
  • Patent number: 11123861
    Abstract: A robot system including a robot body and a control device. The robot body includes wrist elements at a distal end of an arm; a wired wire body connected to an end effector fixed to the third wrist element. The control-device includes an angle calculation unit that calculates, in a Cartesian coordinate system of which the origin is the wire-body outlet and which has one coordinate axis extending in a direction along the first axis, angles of straight lines connecting the wire-body outlet and specific points of the wire body, with the straight lines projected onto a plane perpendicular to the coordinate axis, about the coordinate axis, with reference to a position where a load acting on the wire body is the least; and a determination unit that determines whether the absolute values of the angles calculated by the angle calculation unit have exceeded predetermined angle thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Toshikatsu Kuroki, Naoki Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11059166
    Abstract: A linear delta system includes a frame, rails secured to the frame, linear actuators, each linear actuator coupled to a respective rail and configured to translate along a longitudinal length of the respective rail, pairs of parallel rods each operably coupled to a respective linear actuator, a platform coupled to the pairs of parallel rods, structure configured to movable couple an object to the platform; and at least one degree of freedom imparting assembly including a profiled rod extending in a direction parallel to the rails and a drive unit configured to rotate the profiled rod, wherein the at least one degree of freedom imparting assembly is configured to impart a degree of freedom to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony L. Crawford
  • Patent number: 11049410
    Abstract: A device includes a frame having a plurality of rails, each rail including a slider. A first rail support member is connected to a first end of the plurality of rails, and a second rail support member is connected to a second end of the plurality of rails. The second end is opposite the first end. A plurality of arms is connected to the sliders. Each arm includes a ball joint at one end connected to one of the sliders. Each arm includes another end, opposite the one end, connected to a platform via a hinge joint. The platform is configured to roll and pitch via changing positions of the sliders along the plurality of rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kurt A Talke, Nicholas C Stroumtsos, Dylan T. J. Drotman
  • Patent number: 10837405
    Abstract: A gimbal assembly comprises a body, comprising at least one pivot boss projecting radially outwards along a first pivot axis (V) from an outer surface of the body; a gimbal, comprising an outer case surrounding the body and at least one hole projecting radially outwards along a second pivot axis (H) to receive a pivot pin to pivotally couple the gimbal to a fixed structure. The second pivot axis (H) is perpendicular to the first pivot axis (V) and the outer case is formed at least partially from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer matrix composite material. The outer case comprises at least one cavity on its inner surface in which the at least one pivot boss is located to pivotally couple the gimbal to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventor: Andrew Hawksworth
  • Patent number: 10821598
    Abstract: A robot is provided which has: a first arm portion to which an end effector is attached, a second arm portion configured to support, at a tip portion thereof, the first arm portion swingably about a first axis, a third arm portion configured to support a base end portion of the second arm portion rotatably about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, a tube arranged from the base end portion side toward the tip portion side of the second arm portion and connected to the end effector; and a first recess portion and a second recess portion, which are formed along an arrangement direction of the tube between the base end portion and the tip portion on one side and the other side in a direction orthogonal to both of the first and second axes, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Naoyuki Ohtsubo, Tsuyoshi Ito, Tsuyoshi Konno, Yuji Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 10807247
    Abstract: A present robot operation apparatus operates a robot including a plurality of joints, and includes an operation unit that transmits a signal corresponding to an operation by an operator to a control unit of the robot, and the operation unit is configured to be detachably attached to an attachment member fixed to an arm member of the robot arranged closer to a base than the joint closest to a tip among the plurality of joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru Murakami
  • Patent number: 10427294
    Abstract: There is provided a parallel link robot that includes a movable section, a plurality of first links, a plurality of connection sections, a plurality of second links, a plurality of first shaft sections, a plurality of third links, a plurality of second shaft sections, and a fixation unit including a plurality of driving sources. The plurality of first links are connected to the plurality of driving sources. The plurality of connection sections are connected to the plurality of first links. The plurality of second links are connected to the plurality of first links via the plurality of connection sections. The plurality of first shaft sections are connected to the plurality of second links. The plurality of third links are connected to the plurality of second links via the plurality of first shaft sections, and to the movable section through the plurality of second shaft sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 10363164
    Abstract: A force-sensing tool includes a tool shaft that has a proximal end and a distal end, a flexure section attached at a first end to the distal end of the tool shaft, a tool tip operatively connected to the flexure section such that axial forces applied to the tool tip are coupled primarily to a first portion of the flexure section and transverse forces applied to the tool tip are coupled primarily to a second portion of the flexure section, an axial force sensor coupled to the first portion of the flexure section, and a transverse force sensor coupled to the second portion of the flexure section. The axial force sensor responds to axial forces applied to the tool tip substantially independently of the transverse forces applied to the tool tip under a designed operating range of forces, and the transverse force sensor responds to transverse forces applied to the tool tip substantially independently of the axial forces applied to the tool tip under the designed operating range of forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Xingchi He, Iulian Iordachita, Russell H. Taylor, James T. Handa, Peter L. Gehlbach
  • Patent number: 10232518
    Abstract: Provided is a robot pivot shaft structure that includes a revolving drum rotatably supported at an upper portion of a base and that has a hollow portion, a drive motor rotating the revolving drum, and a speed reduction mechanism reducing the rotational speed of the drive motor. The speed reduction mechanism has a small gear fixed to a shaft of the drive motor, a large gear meshed with the small gear, an input hypoid gear fixed to the large gear, and an output hypoid gear meshed with the input hypoid gear. The output hypoid gear is fixed to the revolving drum and is disposed in the base. The input hypoid gear and the large gear are rotatably supported at the base. The drive motor is fixed to the base and disposed below the revolving drum, the position being horizontally shifted from vertically below the hollow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Masayoshi Mori
  • Patent number: 9746422
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system is provided and includes a processor and a memory accessible by the processor, with the system being configured to measure light performance properties of a gemstone and generate an objective grade for the gemstone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: GEMOLOGICAL APPRAISAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
    Inventors: Angelo W. Palmieri, Donald A. Palmieri, Yu Sun
  • Patent number: 9694455
    Abstract: A precision tripod motion system is provided. The tripod motion system in one example includes a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge portions, a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint portions, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece, three linear actuators pivotally coupled to the three bottom SDOF hinge portions of the bottom plate and coupled to the three top TDOF joint portions of the top plate, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators configured to change length over a linear actuation span, and a rotator component and/or a positioning table affixed to the top plate and the bottom plate. The tripod motion system is additionally coupled to a rotator component and a positioning table to provide six degrees of freedom of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Alio Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Lyons Brown, Clement William Hennessey, Daniel Fording Crews
  • Patent number: 9346172
    Abstract: A parallel robot includes a plurality of actuators, a wrist portion, and a plurality of arms that respectively connect the wrist portion to the plurality of actuators. The wrist portion includes a base portion that includes a plurality of connection portions respectively connected to the plurality of arms and a rotation member that rotates about a rotation axis located outside an area surrounded by the plurality of connection portions. The rotation member is provided with a through-hole that is formed along the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Mihara, Takashi Sanada, Ryuichiro Tominaga
  • Patent number: 9289900
    Abstract: A jig for calibrating a Delta robot fixes the longitudinal axes of drive arms to be parallel. With this configuration, the jig always fixes the drive arms at the same reference angle no matter what the drive arm length is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Technology Ltd
    Inventor: Gustav Eliasson
  • Patent number: 9028468
    Abstract: A robotic arm especially suited for laparoscopic surgery, having a torsional joint and a flexural joint forming serially arranged joints is described. The joints provide respective degrees of freedom for the arm, which further receives drive means for such joints. The robotic arm also has transmission means placed between the drive means have and the joints. The transmission means a first and a second assembly of three gear wheels, preferably conical gear wheels, and a train of three additional gear wheels, preferably straight-cut gear wheels, which couple the first and second assembly to form a differential mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant'anna
    Inventors: Umberto Scarfogliero, Claudio Quaglia, Marco Piccigallo, Selene Tognarelli, Pietro Valdastri, Arianna Menciassi, Paolo Dario
  • Patent number: 9003918
    Abstract: The invention relates to a robot arm of an industrial robot. The robot arm includes a flange provided to secure an end effector and several sequentially-positioned members connected by means of links, of which one of the members is mounted immediately before the flange, and the flange is mounted to rotate with respect to an axis relative to this member. To adjust the flange with respect to the member mounted immediately before the flange, the robot arm comprises an adjustment device that includes a base carrier is detachably attachable to the flange particularly by means of screws, with an adjustment means disposed on the base carrier that interacts with a counter-adjustment means disposed on the member mounted immediately before the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Liebl, Gernot Nitz
  • Patent number: 8997599
    Abstract: A motorized joint having two degrees of freedom in rotation connecting two elements is provided. The joint includes two pivot connections such that a first one of the pivot connections establishes a first pivot axis, and a second one of the pivot connections establishes a second pivot axis. The first pivot axis is not parallel to the second pivot axis. A first motor is disposed in fixed relation to a first one of the two elements and has a drive shaft aligned with a first drive axis so as to cause by means of a first speed reducer with parallel axes the two elements to rotate about the first pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Aldebaran Robotics
    Inventors: Bruno Maisonnier, Pascal Lafourcade, Romain Fischesser
  • Patent number: 8978508
    Abstract: A shaft member (12) has a hollow pipe (13) extending coaxially with its axis of center of rotation and a tool mounting surface (12c) positioned at the front end of the shaft member. An umbilical member guide mechanism (10) includes an umbilical member fastening part (20) attached to a tool mounting surface side of the shaft member, a plurality of umbilical members (30) are guided from the arm side of the robot through the hollow pipe of the shaft member and fastened at the end of the hollow pipe at the tool mounting surface side by an umbilical member fastening part in parallel with the axis of center of rotation, and attaching parts (48a to 48d) which attach the umbilical member fastening part to the front end of the shaft member at one phase of at least two predetermined phases around the axis of center of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kume
  • Publication number: 20150059511
    Abstract: A wrist includes a wrist housing including a wrist driving structural portion to which rotation is transmitted from a wrist driving pulley, a cylindrical portion arranged coaxially with a rotational axis of the wrist driving structural portion and penetrated by a first hand driving shaft to which rotation is transmitted from a hand driving pulley, a cable introducing portion forming an annular gap with the cylindrical portion, and a hand-driving-shaft penetrating portion penetrated by a second hand driving shaft rotating a hand interface by rotation of the first hand driving shaft being transmitted thereto, and a cable, which comes out of a second arm from a wrist supporting portion, is drawn into the wrist housing from the annular gap and is routed to a hand interface supporting portion in a slackened state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kimihito Mushikami, Haruo Ito, Keisuke Sadao, Junji Takehara, Hisato Uda
  • Patent number: 8964351
    Abstract: A robotic arm includes: an arm having one or more joints; an arm securing unit provided at at least one of the one or more joints and configured to secure, by electrostatic adhesion, a positional relationship between two parts coupled by each of the at least one of the one or more joints; and a control unit configured to turn on and off the electrostatic adhesion of the arm securing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Horinouchi
  • Publication number: 20150047454
    Abstract: A force transmission transmits forces received by three levers to an input gimbal plate having three support points. The input gimbal play may in turn transmit the force to a wrist assembly coupled to a surgical tool. A first gimbal support point is supported by a first lever having a fulcrum with one degree of rotational freedom. Second and third gimbal support points may be supported by second and third levers having fulcrums with two degrees of rotational freedom. These fulcrums may include a first axle coupled to the lever and a second axle that supports the first axle and provides the fulcrum for the supported lever. A spring may draw the second and third levers toward one another. The force transmission may include a parallelogram linkage that includes a rocker link pivotally coupled to the first lever and having a flat surface that supports the first gimbal support point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cooper, S. Christopher Anderson
  • Patent number: 8950065
    Abstract: A combination component handling and connecting device connectable to a multi-axis robot for use in moving and connecting components and subassemblies includes a housing and an actuator fixedly connected to the housing. The actuator includes an actuating link movable from a first position to a second position. Connected to the actuating link is an end effector for concurrent movement with the actuating link. The component handling and connecting device includes a clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw. The second jaw is connected to the actuating link for selectively moving the second jaw toward the first jaw operative to engage a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Comau, Inc.
    Inventor: Velibor Kilibarda
  • Patent number: 8950286
    Abstract: A structure with six degrees of freedom for a robot or haptic interface including a base, two branches in parallel, and a wrist joint. The branches are installed articulated between the base and the wrist joint, the branches including a shoulder, an arm, and a forearm supporting the wrist joint. The wrist joint includes a connecting segment onto which a handle holder is articulated about a first rotation axis. A handle is articulated in rotation on the handle holder about a second rotation axis, the handle capable of being moved in rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and a third axis, and a mechanism gears down the rotation of the handle holder about at least the first rotation axis relative to rotation of the connecting segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Florian Gosselin, Fabien Ferlay
  • Publication number: 20150033898
    Abstract: In order to reduce the cost of robotic arm, the invention provides a robotic arm, which includes an arm member having a first pivot connection portion, a locating member affixed to the arm member, a sliding member movably mounted at the locating member, a stop member affixed to the sliding member, a wrist member having a second pivot connection portion pivoted to the sliding member and a third pivot connection portion movable relative to the second pivot connection portion, and a driving device including a body member pivoted to the first pivot connection portion and an extension member pivoted to the third pivot connection portion of the wrist member and movable relative to the body member. Using the locating member, the sliding member, the stop member and the wrist member to match with the driving device, the robotic arm achieves the effect of moving and swinging and cost reduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: HIWIN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventor: Wu-Teng HSIEH
  • Publication number: 20140366646
    Abstract: A force detector includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a circuit board provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an element mounted on the circuit board and outputting a signal in response to an external force, wherein a hole is formed in the circuit board at a location where the element is placed, and a first convex part inserted into the hole and protruding toward the element is provided on the first substrate. Further, the element is placed within a periphery of the first convex part as seen from a direction perpendicular to the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Matsuzawa, Hiroki Kawai, Toshiyuki Kamiya
  • Patent number: 8911429
    Abstract: A cooperative-control robot includes a base component, a mobile platform arranged proximate the base component, a translation assembly operatively connected to the base component and the mobile platform and configured to move the mobile platform with translational degrees of freedom substantially without rotation with respect to said the component, a tool assembly connected to the mobile platform, and a control system configured to communicate with the translation assembly to control motion of the mobile platform in response to forces by a user applied to at least a portion of the cooperative-control robot. The translation assembly includes at least three independently operable actuator arms, each connected to a separate position of the mobile platform. A robotic system includes two or more the cooperative-control robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Kevin C. Olds, Russell H. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8893578
    Abstract: A parallel robot includes a movable-section drive mechanism, and a wrist-section drive mechanism. The wrist section includes a first rotary member supported on the movable section and rotatable about a fourth rotation axis different from axes of the three-axis translational motion of the movable section, a second rotary member connected to the first rotary member and rotatable about a fifth rotation axis orthogonal to the fourth rotation axis, and a third rotary member connected to the second rotary member and rotatable about a sixth rotation axis orthogonal to the fifth rotation axis. The third rotary member is provided with an attachment surface to which a tool is attached. The attachment surface is inclined with respect to the sixth rotation axis at a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinoshita, Hikaru Yamashiro
  • Patent number: 8875593
    Abstract: A robot, such as a painting robot for painting components such as motor vehicle body components, is disclosed having a plurality of robot elements that are pivotable relative to each other. At least one flexible supply line may run from a proximal robot element to a distal robot element. The supply line may be axially displaceable in the proximal robot element relative to the longitudinal axis of the supply line, so that the supply line can perform an axial compensating motion during a pivot motion of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Duerr Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Collmer
  • Patent number: 8869644
    Abstract: An articulated robot wrist includes a first body comprising a first and a second end, said first end being intended to be mounted on a robot component that is rotatable around a first axis; a second body comprising a first and a second end, said first end being rotatably mounted on said second end of said first body, around a second axis inclined with respect to said first axis; and a third body comprising a first and a second end, said first end being rotatably mounted on said second end of said second body, around a third axis inclined with respect to said second axis. The first and third axes are both substantially orthogonal to said second axis, and wherein in at least one position of said robot wrist said first and third axes result substantially aligned with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Comau S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Amparore, Giorgio Pernechele, Giuseppe Paparella
  • Patent number: 8863606
    Abstract: A robot wrist structure includes a first wrist arm rotatable about a first axis, a second wrist arm provided in a tip end portion of the first wrist arm and configured to swing about a second axis substantially intersecting the first axis, a wrist flange provided in a tip end portion of the second wrist arm and configured to rotate about a third axis in a skew position with respect to the second axis, an intermediate member fixed to the wrist flange, and a cable bundle connected to an end effector fixed to the intermediate member. The cable bundle extends through the second wrist arm, the wrist flange and the intermediate member and drawn out from the intermediate member to reach the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Atsushi Ichibangase, Takashi Sanada, Kei Kamohara
  • Patent number: 8855817
    Abstract: A method for operating a system including at least two robots for handling parts and a robot control unit arranged for control of said at least two robots. Each of the robots is arranged with a parts handler device including a rigid arm with one end connected to the end element of an arm of the robot by a first swivel arranged for radial movement of the rigid arm in relation to the end element. Each of the robots is also arranged with a gripper connected to the rigid arm by a second swivel arranged for free, passive rotation of the gripper in relation to the rigid arm. The method includes generating instructions for the at least two robots to pick and/or move and/or place a part and sending the instructions to each robot simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Ramon Casanelles, Francisco Cortés Grau