Robot Appendage Actuation via Linear Actuators and Rods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gimbals used in robots for actuating pitch and yaw of appendages are often heavy, leading to unbalanced robots susceptible to toppling, and require significant space, making them unsuitable for smaller designs.
Innovation Solution
The use of a system with at least two linear actuators in the robot's neck, coupled with rods that connect the actuators to the appendage, allowing for pitch and yaw movements without the need for actuators at the pivot point, thus reducing weight and space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If gimbals are used to actuate pitch and yaw of appendages, then the appendage can achieve desired movement, but the robot becomes heavy and unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the actuation function from the traditional gimbal assembly and relocates it to the robot's main body. Linear actuators are mounted in the neck region, and their motion is transmitted to the appendage through rods and tracks, separating the heavy actuation mechanism from the appendage itself and reducing overall robot weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces rods and tracks as intermediary elements between the linear actuators and the appendage. The linear actuators move the rods, which then interact with the tracks on the appendage to produce the desired pitch and yaw movements, enabling actuation without direct mounting at the pivot point.
2Ease of operation
If gimbals are placed directly at the pivot point for actuation, then precise control is achieved, but the robot's center of mass shifts and stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation mechanism is extracted from the pivot point location and relocated to the robot's neck or main body. This allows precise control of the appendage through transmitted motion while keeping the heavy actuators away from the pivot, maintaining better balance and stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If gimbals are used for multi-axis actuation, then full freedom of movement is achieved, but significant space is required in the robot housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the actuation system into multiple independent linear actuators, each responsible for a specific degree of freedom. These actuators are distributed in the neck region, and their combined motion through rods and tracks achieves multi-axis appendage movement without requiring a single large gimbal assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Rods and tracks serve as intermediaries that transmit motion from compact linear actuators in the neck to the appendage, enabling full freedom of movement while keeping the actuator housing space requirements minimal.
Data Source
AI summary
In various implementations a removable appendage of a robot can allow for stable pitch and yaw, while mitigating interference with other movements of the robot. A neck of the robot can include at least two linear actuators, each coupled to a rod that is driven to move linearly from the linear actuators. An appendage of the robot can be coupled to the neck. The appendage can include a at least two tracks, where each track receives an end of the rods to slidably engage the rod.