Robotic Hand Actuation With Shared Shafts to Cut Bulk and Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic hands are bulky and heavy, and their actuation systems are complex, making them inefficient and costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
A robotic hand design featuring a base, articulated structures, drive mechanisms, actuators, and intermediate drive shafts connected by flexible drive links, which reduces the number of actuators and synchronizes articulations for compactness and human-like appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a robotic hand uses four actuators per digit with cables and pulleys, then the articulation movement is achieved, but the weight and bulk of the robotic hand increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single actuator is designed to control multiple articulations through intermediate drive shafts and flexible drive links, making the actuator perform multiple functions simultaneously. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of actuators from four per digit to a shared system, thereby reducing weight while maintaining full articulation control capability
Solution Approach 2:
Intermediate drive shafts are introduced as intermediary components between actuators and articulations. These shafts transmit rotational movement through flexible drive links to multiple drive mechanisms, enabling one actuator to control multiple articulations efficiently without increasing overall system weight
2Ease of operation
If a robotic hand uses four actuators per digit, then the articulation control is achieved, but the bulk of the hand increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator system is designed with universal control capability where a single actuator can control multiple articulations across different digits through the intermediate drive shaft mechanism. This reduces the overall volume required for actuator housing while maintaining full control functionality
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple drive functions are merged into a single actuator system with shared intermediate drive shafts and flexible drive links. This consolidation combines what would traditionally require four separate actuator assemblies into a more compact integrated system, reducing overall bulk
3Ease of operation
If a robotic hand uses a system of cables and pulleys with four actuators per digit, then the digit movement is achieved, but the number of actuators and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Intermediate drive shafts serve as intermediary transmission elements that simplify the actuation system by providing a mechanical bridge between actuators and multiple articulations. This intermediary mechanism reduces system complexity compared to direct cable-pulley systems by consolidating control pathways
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates redundant actuators from the system, keeping only the essential number of actuators needed while using intermediate drive shafts to distribute control. This extraction of unnecessary components directly reduces system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A device forming a robotic hand, including a base forming the palm of a hand, at least two articulated structures each forming a robotic finger, each articulated structure being connected to the base by at least one articulation, at least one drive mechanism for each articulation, at least one actuator designed to actuate the at least one drive mechanism at least by a flexible drive connection connecting and driving the at least one drive mechanism, at least one intermediate driveshaft for relaying the movement of the at least one actuator such that the at least one intermediate drive shaft is actuated by an actuator, and the at least one intermediate shaft is connected to at least two distinct drive mechanisms by the at least one flexible drive connection.