Robot Leg Cam-Tendon Mechanism for Coordinated Compliant Motion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot legs fail to mimic human or animal leg movements efficiently with reasonable energy efficiency and computational cost.
Innovation Solution
A robot leg design incorporating at least two joints connected by a common tendon and cams, allowing for synchronized movement and compliant leg behavior, with actuators and tendons that redirect forces to mimic leg functions with lower energy consumption and computational requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a robot leg uses multiple joints with separate actuators for each joint, then the movement control is more precise, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple joint actuators into a single actuator that drives multiple joints through a common tendon system. The actuator is connected to a tendon that spans across multiple joints, allowing one actuator to control the movement of multiple joints simultaneously, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining coordinated movement control
Solution Approach 2:
The single actuator serves multiple functions by controlling different joints through the common tendon. The tendon acts as a universal transmission element that can apply force to multiple joints, enabling one actuator to perform the work that would traditionally require multiple separate actuators
2Measurement precision
If a robot leg uses multiple separate actuators for each joint, then the joint control is more accurate, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple energy-consuming actuators into a single actuator that drives multiple joints through a common tendon. This consolidation reduces the total energy consumption while maintaining the ability to control each joint's movement through the shared tendon mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The common tendon continuously transmits force from the single actuator to multiple joints, ensuring that energy is efficiently transferred throughout the leg structure. The tendon maintains continuous tension and force transmission, reducing energy losses that would occur with multiple separate actuator systems
3Stability of the object's composition
If the robot leg uses a rigid structure for stability, then the structural stability is improved, but the ability to mimic natural leg compliance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a tendon-based flexible transmission system instead of rigid mechanical linkages. The tendon acts as a flexible element that can bend and conform to the leg's natural movements while still transmitting forces effectively, providing both stability and compliance
Solution Approach 2:
The robot leg employs dynamic compliance through the tendon system that can adjust its stiffness and flexibility in response to loading conditions. The tendon maintains tension to provide structural support when needed but allows natural deflection and compliance under load, mimicking the behavior of biological leg structures
4Stability of the object's composition
If the robot leg uses complex cam mechanisms for each joint, then the movement synchronization is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual cam mechanisms into a single cam structure that works in conjunction with the common tendon. This unified cam-tendon system provides coordinated movement control for multiple joints while reducing the overall number of separate mechanical components
Solution Approach 2:
The common tendon acts as an intermediary element that translates the cam's rotational movement into coordinated linear displacement across multiple joints. The tendon mediates the force transmission and movement synchronization, eliminating the need for complex direct mechanical linkages between cams and joints
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves more realistic and efficient leg movements with reduced actuator complexity and energy use, enabling stable and agile locomotion with lower computational costs.
Implementation Method 1
with each joint comprising a cam. The common tendon is thus spanned over all existing joints and is designed to capture tensile forces along with the actuator. The cams can be used to redirect the movement of a joint to the movement of the common tendon, more particularly the cams can translate a rotary joint movement into a linear tendon displacement.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a robot leg comprising at least two joints, each joint connecting two segments one to another, with each joint comprising a cam, the robot leg further comprising at least one actuator and a common tendon interconnecting each cam.