447 results about "Rotational freedom" patented technology

A system and method for effecting multi-level spine stabilization is provided. The system includes a plurality of pedicle screws which are joined relative to each other by elongated members, e.g., rods. At least one of the rods includes a dynamic stabilizing member. The pedicle screw junctions are dynamic, i.e., free relative movement of a socket member is permitted relative to a fixed spherical element. Placement of the spherical element may be facilitated using a guidewire system that includes a guidewire and a tapered guide member. A spine stabilization assembly is also provided that includes an attachment member that includes an opening. At least one spherical element that includes a rod-receiving channel is movably mounted within the opening with three degrees of rotational freedom. The spherical element generally defines an elliptical rod-receiving channel that is deformable to a circular opening to firmly engage a rod positioned therein. Multi-level stabilization systems that combine/mix dynamic and non-dynamic stabilization modalities are also provided. The multi-level spine stabilization system offers efficacious clinical results at least in part due to the inclusion of dynamic stabilizing member(s).

Spinal stabilization devices, systems and methods are provided that include at least one pedicle screw and at least one mechanism that supports three degrees of rotational freedom relative to the pedicle screw. The mechanism may include a universal joint mechanism or a ball and socket mechanism. In the case of the ball and socket mechanism, at least one spherical element is mounted with respect to the at least one pedicle screw and a socket member cooperates with the spherical element. The spherical element and the socket member cooperate to define a dynamic junction that allows the socket member to move relative to the ball element while remaining engaged therewith. The dynamic junction is advantageously incorporated into a spinal stabilization system that includes additional pedicle screw(s), spherical element(s) and socket member(s). The spinal stabilization system may incorporate dynamic stabilizing member(s) to so as to provide clinically efficacious results.

Multi-level spinal stabilization devices, systems and methods are provided that include at least one multi-level connector, one elongated member with an enlarged head, at least one pedicle screw, and at least one mechanism that supports three degrees of rotational freedom relative to both the elongated member and the pedicle screw each. The mechanism may include universal joint mechanisms or ball and socket mechanisms. In the case of the ball and socket mechanisms, the enlarged head of the elongated member cooperates with a first socket member of the multi-level connector to define a dynamic junction that allows the socket member to move relative to the enlarged head of the elongated member while remaining engaged therewith.

Disclosed are fixed solar-electric modules having arrays of solar concentrator assemblies capable of separately tracking movements through one or two degrees of rotational freedom to follow the movement of the sun daily and/or seasonally. The concentrators can include optical elements to direct and concentrate light onto photovoltaic and/or thermoelectric receivers for generation of electric current.

A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure includes a patient support structure incorporating an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot-shift mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base supports and suspends the patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to the support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.

The invention discloses a wearable lower limb exoskeleton device, which comprises a waist supporting frame, a waist object carrier, an adjustable hip mechanism, a connecting rod adjustable knee joint mechanism, a connecting rod adjustable ankle joint mechanism, pressure detection shoes, a leg connecting rod, a constraint part and various connecting pieces. Both lower limbs have twelve rotational freedoms, the single lower limb has six degrees of freedom respectively, a hip has two degrees of freedom which finish bending and stretching as well as adduction and abduction movements of a hip joint, two joint axes always intersects at the center of the hip joint of a human body through the adjustment of the hip mechanism, and a knee joint has one degree of freedom which is coaxial with the knee joint of the human body and corresponds to the bending and stretching movement of the knee joint of the human body; and an ankle joint has three degrees of freedom. The device has good consistency of the movement of the hip joint and the movement of the human body during the walking of people; human-machine knee joints have small coaxality and position deviation; and the ankle joint has a compact structure. The device can be used for strengthening the abilities of walking with load and walking for a long time of wearers and detecting walking information of the wearers, and can also be used for helping people with slight obstacle of lower limb movement to normally walk and gradually rehabilitate.

A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.

An insertion guide is shown that includes at least one insertion point adjustment device. A user such as a surgeon is able to adjust a lateral position of an insertion point to more precisely center the insertion point within an opening in a subject, such as a burr hole. Selected insertion guide devices further include a centering guide that easily indicates to a user when the insertion point is substantially centered within the opening in the subject. Selected insertion guide devices include adjustability of multiple degrees of rotational freedom of an insertion axis. Selected insertion guide devices further permit a user to fix multiple degrees of rotational freedom of an insertion axis using a single locking device. Tissue damage due to an attachment procedure of an insertion guide device is reduced using selected configurations described herein.

A spinal rod implantation system may be used with pedicle screws to be secured to respective pedicles of a patient's spine, each pedicle screw having a spinal rod channel therethrough. The system may include extenders each including an inner member having a distal end, and an outer member surrounding the inner member and being slidable relative thereto to permit removable coupling of the distal end to a respective pedicle screw. The inner and outer members may include respective features defining a first joint permitting at least partial relative rotation to provide a first degree of rotational freedom. The system may further include extender heads each pivotally coupled to a proximal end of a respective outer member to define a second joint providing a second degree of rotational freedom. A spinal rod insertion assembly may be coupled to the extender heads for guiding the spinal rod through the spinal rod channels.

A 4-freedom robot with series-parallel connection is composed of the parallel mechanism for two translational freedoms, the rotation mechanism for two rotational freedoms, which is serially connected to said parallel mechanism, and the executing mechanism installed to said rotation mechanism. Its advantages are modular design, effective generation of dominant feed direction, and wide job range.

Disclosed is a magnetic-absorption wall-creeping robot with a self-adaptive capability to curved face, which belongs to the art of robot. Said robot comprises a wheeled shifter and a plural of permanent-magnet absorption devices, the wheeled shifter containing an undercarriage, a drive gear, a traction wheel and an auxiliary balancing wheel; one end of the permanent-magnet absorption device being equipped with the magnetic conduction wall surface by auxiliary balancing wheel, and the other end equipped with the undercarriage or other permanent-magnet absorption device by curved face self-adaptive device with rotational freedom degree of among one to three; the traction wheel being laid out symmetrically and driven by differential drive, and the differential of the traction wheel realizing the deflecting on the magnetic conduction wall surface. The wall-creeping robot having a strong loading power, a flexible motility and a super self-adaptive capability to curved face, has a perfect prospect.

A weatherproof sliding door assembly for opening and closing a boat cabin companionway wherein upper and lower aluminum track C-channel rails are supported to extend generally horizontally above and below the companionway. Each rail has a hollow interior slideway and a longitudinally extending slot opening thereto. A flexible plastic door panel has upper and lower edges respectively juxtaposed to the upper and lower rails and slidably mounted therein by upper and lower slide and cap panel-clamping sub-assemblies respectively that are secured by clamping to the door panel upper and lower edges and that extend the full length thereof. Each sub-assembly has a first leg wall extending therefrom into the associated rail slideway via the rail slot opening and terminating therein in a glide carrier portion. A pair of glides are mounted on each glide carrier portion adjacent its longitudinally opposite ends and bear slidably on the rail slideway for supporting the door panel for sliding motion along the rails. Each said door slide glide has limited rotational freedom around the rail slideway axis so that, if either said slide sub-assembly or rail is twisted during installation or operation, such rotational freedom will compensate for either such twist, thereby enabling the door assembly to be mounted with the rails allowed to twist within certain limits when fastened down to conform to non-parallel or non-level boat hull surfaces to which they are mounted, either as manufactured or as distorted in operation by loading or wave motion causing structural twisting, without thereby inhibiting sliding motion of said door along said rails.

A spinal disc prosthetic for replacement of cervical and/or lumber discs, that in each case allows a limited degree of rotational articulation, as well as durability and resistance to fatigue. The prosthetic is formed with three primary layers, including a superior (upper) plate, inferior (lower) plate, and intermediate layer, in a sandwiched configuration. The superior plate member is adapted to be secured on one side to an upper vertebra in a spinal column, and has a formed concave side exposed downwardly. The inferior plate member is adapted to be secured on one side to a lower vertebra in the spinal column, and has a substantially flat side exposed upwardly. The intermediate member is sandwiched between the superior and inferior plate members with conforming sides, and a short cylindrical post protrudes downward from the intermediate member and is seated inside a circular recess in the inferior plate member to center it and to maintain a predetermined spacing there between. This allows a degree of rotational freedom. A variety of locking assemblies lock the post in the recess to prevent withdrawal, thereby increasing durability without obstructing the degree of freedom.

An improved lens mount and related lens and lens barrel positioning methods are provided. In one example, a lens mount for use with a miniature camera can include a ring member having a substantially cylindrical interior surface defining a substantially cylindrical interior space. A plurality of elongate ribs are disposed on the interior surface of the ring member and are adapted to exert pressure against an external surface of a lens barrel received by the ring member. In another example, a method of positioning a lens barrel includes inserting a lens barrel into a ring member having a substantially cylindrical interior surface. Pressure can be exerted against an external surface of the lens barrel from a plurality of elongate ribs disposed on the interior surface of the ring member. The pressure can prevent rotation of the lens barrel along at least three axes of rotational freedom.

The invention relates to a pneumatic single tow rope multi-joint flexible manipulator with damping. The manipulator comprises two or more flexible fingers and has a simple structure, convenience for maintenance and low requirement on operating environments. Each flexible finger is provided with a cylinder, a single tow rope and a triple cascade hinge with two rotational freedoms. The manipulator can generate and retain force to grab objects only depending on twisted springs on two hinge spindles of the triple cascade hinge, and enable triple cascade hinge to stretch to an initial position by the driving force of the cylinder and the effect of the tow rope for loosening the objects. The manipulator is actively driven to loosen the objects, passively grabs the objects under the action of the twisted springs, and has the characteristics of flexible freedom and acting force buffer, can realize flexible self-adaption to shapes and sizes of objects and grab force, can be applied to grabbingfragile objects and objects deforming in shape and size, and belongs to the application technology field of robots and mechatronics.

The invention discloses a three dimensional force feedback main operator used for assisting a minimally invasive surgery robot. A base mechanism comprises a base and an upright post, wherein, a fan-shaped bottom plate is arranged on the top surface of the upright post; a four-bar mechanism comprises an arc support arranged on an arc bottom plate and a parallelogram mechanism formed by an upper near rod, a lower near rod, an upper distant rod and a lower distant rod; a wrist mechanism comprises a wrist body, a fifth projecting shaft is arranged at the upper part of the wrist body, one end of a knuckle is sheathed on the fifth projecting shaft, the other end of the knuckle is sheathed on a sixth projecting shaft arranged on a handle base by a bearing; two handle shafts are connected to the handle base by the bearing, the two handle shafts are engaged together by a gear, and a handle is stuck on each handle shaft. In the device of the invention, rotating centres of three rotational freedom of the wrist mechanism intersect at one point, and the working point is arranged at the intersection; the design eliminates pose compensation when the pose is adjusted and can realize six-shaft linkage.

A system, method, and computer program product for automatically providing a haptic stylus based interface for enhanced user interaction with touch screen devices are disclosed. The stylus communicates with the touch screen device to report stylus operating information from onboard sensors, and to receive application program instructions defining feedback and friction forces to be applied by onboard actuators. The applied feedback and friction forces may be independently controlled. Friction forces are provided via a rolling contact ball gripping mechanism that mimics varying physical engagement between the contact ball and a touch screen display surface by controlling the relative rotational freedom of the contact ball. Embodiments of the invention enable a haptic stylus to mimic three-dimensional interactions for gaming, object manipulation and sculpting, and non-contact proximity-based stylus operation scenarios.

A two-rotation two-motion four-freedom-degree parallel excitation platform comprises a movable platform, a fixed platform, four driving branches of the same structure and a middle restraint branch, wherein the four driving branches and the middle restraint branch are used for connecting the two platforms. The four driving branches are respectively of a PSS structure. In each driving branch, a linear module (in an electric driven mode) is fixed to the fixed platform and connected with a sliding block through a sliding pair, one end of a connecting rod is connected with the sliding block through a first ball pair, and the other end of the connecting rod is connected with the movable platform through a second ball pair. The middle restraint branch is of a PPU structure. A guide rail in the middle restraint branch is fixed to the fixed platform, one end of a lower connecting rod is connected with the guide rail through a first sliding pair, the other end of the lower connecting rod is connected with one end of an upper connecting rod through a second sliding pair, and the other end of the upper connecting rod is connected with the movable platform through a universal hinge. The two-rotation two-motion four-freedom-degree parallel excitation platform can achieve the space two-dimensional independent rotational freedom degree and the two-dimensional independent movement freedom degree and has the advantages of being simple and compact in structure, rapid in dynamic response, easy to install and maintain and the like.

The invention relates to a three-rotational-freedom parallel mechanism driven by a rope, which comprises a static platform, a dynamic platform, three driving branch chains and a fixed-length branch chain. Each driving branch chain consists of a lower revolute pair, a lower hooke joint, a rope hook, a motor, a rotating wheel, the rope, a pulley, an upper hooke joint and an upper revolute pair. The fixed-length branch chain consists of a hooke joint, a revolute pair and a supporting rod. The hooke joint is connected with the dynamic platform. The revolute pair is connected with the hooke joint. A rotating shaft of the revolute pair is connected with one end of the supporting rod. The other end of the supporting rod is fixedly combined with the static platform. The three-rotational-freedom parallel mechanism has the characteristics of large working space, simple structure, low manufacturing cost and easy installation. The fixed-length branch chain fixedly combined with the static platform plays a supporting role so as to provide enough rigidity for the mechanism. The three-rotational-freedom parallel mechanism can be applied to a large-scale attitude regulating and tracking device.

Provided is a six-freedom-degree self-adaptive wrist joint rehabilitation device. The device uses a serial-parallel structure form, and has three active rotational freedom degrees and three passive rotational freedom degrees. The device is formed by a pedestal, an arm rotating platform, active supporting chains, an arc connecting rod, a passive moving structure on an X direction, a passive moving structure on a Y direction, and a passive moving structure on a Z direction. The arm rotating platform is connected with a motor through external gearing of a gear, and rotation on the pedestal (that is, rotation around an X-axis direction) is realized. The arc connecting rod is connected with the left arm and the right arm of the arm rotating platform through bearings, and rotation around a Y-axis direction is realized. The passive moving structure on an X direction is connected with the arc connecting rod through a bearing, and rotation around a Z-axis direction is realized. The device makes a person more natural and comfortable in a rehabilitation training process. The device is advantaged by simple structure, stable driving, convenient use, small volume occupation, and low manufacturing cost.

An auto-alignable knob for a home appliance includes an offspring box self-connectable with a valve shaft. A mobile box has at least one lateral face including a pin. The mobile box is coupled to the offspring box to allow a free movement relative to one another along a first axis. A fixed box includes an indentation and a groove. The mobile box is insertable to the fixed box by insertion of the pin of the lateral face through the groove. The pin of the mobile box provides a respective degree of freedom to the mobile box relative to the indentation of the fixed box along at least a second axis normal to the first axis. A mechanical coupling established between the indentation of the fixed box and the pin of the mobile box is configured to provide a degree of rotational freedom about one of the axes, and a combined mechanical coupling established between the offspring box, the mobile box and the fixed box is configured to provide a respective degree of freedom along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes.