Floating joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315316-B2
Application number	US-201715697577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2017
Priority date	Sep 13, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A space-saving floating joint including a locking mechanism that locks a swing of a movable base with respect to a fixed base is provided. A floating joint includes: a fixed base; a movable base; a floating mechanism that floatingly supports the movable base swingably with respect to the fixed base; and a locking mechanism that fixes the movable base in a state of not being swingable with respect to the fixed base. The floating mechanism includes a spherical bearing having a spherical surface, and a spherical washer part that supports the spherical surface slidably. The locking mechanism is provided in an inner part of the spherical bearing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A floating joint comprising:
a fixed base;
a movable base;
a floating mechanism that floatingly supports the movable base swingably with respect to the fixed base; and
a locking mechanism that fixes the movable base in a state of not being swingable with respect to the fixed base,
wherein
the floating mechanism includes
a spherical bearing having a spherical surface, and
a spherical washer part that supports the spherical surface slidably, the locking mechanism is provided in an inner part of the spherical bearing,

the locking mechanism includes
an inner cylinder that is coupled and fixed to the movable base,
an intermediate cylinder that covers an outer periphery of the inner cylinder,
an outer cylinder that covers an outer periphery of the intermediate cylinder and that is coupled to the fixed base, and
an elastic member that couples the intermediate cylinder and the movable base,

the intermediate cylinder is provided in a manner of being relatively movable in an axial direction of the intermediate cylinder with respect to the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and
an outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder and an inner peripheral surface of the intermediate cylinder have step parts engaged with each other.

2. The floating joint according to claim 1 , wherein at least one step part is provided in an axial direction of each of the inner cylinder and the intermediate cylinder in a positional relationship of a center of the spherical bearing being therebetween.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Uchikawa Motoki

Classifications

• B25B7/14

  Locking means {(B25B7/123 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B25J17/0266 Primary

  comprising more than two actuating or connecting rods · CPC title

• B25J17/0283

  Three-dimensional joints · CPC title

• B25J17/0225

  with axial compliance, i.e. parallel to the longitudinal wrist axis · CPC title

• B25J17/0208 Primary

  Compliance devices · CPC title