Dual-Joint Mechanical Arm With Base-Mounted Actuators

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional mechanical arms with steering engines at each joint are bulky, inflexible, and heavy, making them unsuitable for small spaces and precise control, and complicate wiring due to the distribution of power elements across multiple joints.

Innovation Solution

A dual-joint multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm design featuring a base with three bidirectional driving components, a big arm module with a spherical elbow joint, and a small arm module with a wrist joint universal plate, allowing for two-degree-of-freedom rotation and compact structure through a dual-purpose cylindrical gear that combines rotary and axial motions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If steering engines are arranged at each joint of the mechanical arm, then each joint can achieve rotational motion, but the spatial structure at each joint becomes larger and bulky

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint rotational capabilityVSAvoidjoint spatial structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the steering engine from each joint and relocates it to the base. Only the drive shaft remains at each joint, while the power-generating steering engine is centralized at the base, reducing joint volume while maintaining rotational capability through transmitted motion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple steering engines are merged and integrated onto the base platform. The base now houses all steering engines that drive multiple joints through shared drive shafts, consolidating what was previously distributed across separate joints into a single integrated location

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If steering engines are arranged at each joint to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom swing, then the mechanical arm can perform complex motions, but the whole mechanical arm becomes inflexible and larger in size

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-degree-of-freedom swing capabilityVSAvoidmechanical arm flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical arm is segmented into modular components: the base containing all steering engines, intermediate drive shafts at each joint, and arm segments. This segmentation allows the power system to be separated from the moving joints, improving flexibility while maintaining multi-degree-of-freedom capability through coordinated rotation of segmented components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Drive shafts serve as intermediaries between the base-mounted steering engines and the arm joints. These shafts transmit rotational motion from the base to multiple joints, enabling complex multi-degree-of-freedom motion without requiring heavy engines at each joint, thus maintaining flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If steering engines are arranged at each joint, then each joint has rotational freedom, but the weight of the moving part of the mechanical arm increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint rotational freedomVSAvoidmoving part weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heavy steering engines are extracted from each joint and relocated to the base. Only lightweight drive shafts remain at the joints to transmit motion, dramatically reducing the weight of moving parts while preserving rotational freedom through base-mounted power sources

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of placing the power source (steering engine) at each joint as in traditional design, the patent inverts the arrangement by placing all power sources at the base and using passive drive shafts at joints. This inversion reduces moving weight while maintaining operational capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of operation

If steering engines are arranged at each joint, then each joint can be independently controlled, but wiring of control lines becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent joint controlVSAvoidcontrol line wiring

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

All control lines are merged and consolidated at the base where the steering engines are located. Since all engines are at the base, control wiring only needs to reach the base platform, eliminating the need for complex wiring through multiple joint locations and simplifying the overall control system architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11951614B1Dual-joint multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm and driving method thereof

Publication Date: 2024.04.09 HANGZHOU DIANZI UNIV

AI summary

A dual-joint multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm and a driving method thereof. The mechanical arm comprises a base, a driving mechanism, a large arm module and a small arm module. The driving mechanism comprises three bidirectional driving components mounted on the base; and the big arm module comprises a big arm push rod, a big arm central rod and an elbow joint universal plate. The comprises a wrist joint universal plate, a universal joint coupler, a small arm central rod, a small arm stretching rod and a wrist joint universal plate. The small arm stretching rod comprises a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod in transmission connection. Two-degree-of-freedom rotation of the big arm module and the small arm module connected in series is independently realized by using three bidirectional driving components fixed on the base, so that movement flexibility of an end executor in a working space is greatly improved.