Lamellar covers for use with articulating joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10434664-B2
Application number	US-201615178187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2016
Priority date	Jun 9, 2016
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A lamellar cover for use with an articulating joint is disclosed. The cover includes an annular retainer positionable adjacent a first portion of the articulating joint. A retainer fitting is positionable adjacent a second portion of the articulating joint that is moveable with respect to the first portion. A plurality of overlapping lamellar rings are supported between the annular retainer and the retainer fitting. Each lamellar ring includes a circular support ring, such as an o-ring, and a plurality of lamellas coupled to the circular support ring. One or more connectors extend between adjacent lamellar rings. Each of the plurality of overlapping lamellar rings has a ring diameter. One or more of the ring diameters decrease in size with respect to each other from the annular retainer to the retainer fitting thereby forming a tapered cover around the articulating joint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tapered lamellar cover for use with an articulating joint, the cover comprising:
an annular retainer positionable adjacent a first portion of the articulating joint;
a retainer fitting positionable adjacent a second portion of the articulating joint moveable with respect to the annular retainer;
a plurality of overlapping lamellar rings supported between the annular retainer and the retainer fitting, each lamellar ring including:
a circular support ring; and
a plurality of lamellas coupled to the circular support ring; and

one or more connectors extending between adjacent lamellar rings;
wherein each of the plurality of overlapping lamellar rings has a ring diameter and wherein one or more of the ring diameters decrease in size with respect to each other from the annular retainer to the retainer fitting thereby forming a tapered cover around the articulating joint.

2. The lamellar cover of claim 1 , wherein the circular support rings are flexible.

3. The lamellar cover of claim 1 , wherein the tapered cover is frusto-spherical in shape.

4. The lamellar cover of claim 1 , wherein each lamella includes a pair of hook portions attached to a corresponding circular support ring.

5. The lamellar cover of claim 4 , wherein the hook portions of adjacent lamellas are interleaved with respect to each other.

6. The lamellar cover of claim 5 , wherein the lamellas of each lamellar ring overlap each other.

7. The lamellar cover of claim 1 , wherein the one or more connectors are coupled to corresponding lamellas on adjacent lamellar rings.

8. A lamellar cover, comprising:
first and second spaced apart support rings;
a first row of first protective plates coupled to the first support ring; and
a second row of second protective plates coupled to the second support ring and overlapping the first row of first protective plates;
wherein the first protective plates and the second protective plates each include corresponding hook portions connected to the first and second support rings, respectively; and
one or more connectors movably interconnecting the first row and the second row.

9. The lamellar cover of claim 8 , wherein the first and second spaced apart support rings comprise flexible o-rings.

10. The lamellar cover of claim 8 , wherein the first support ring has a first diameter and the second support ring has a second diameter larger than the first diameter.

11. The lamellar cover of claim 8 , wherein the first protective plates overlap each other and the second protective plates overlap each other.

12. The lamellar cover of claim 8 , wherein the one or more connectors are coupled to corresponding first and second protective plates on the first and second rows.

13. The lamellar cover of claim 12 , wherein the first protective plates and the second protective plates each include a corresponding knuckle positioned between the hook portions and coupled to a corresponding one of the one or more connectors.

14. A lamellar cover, comprising:
first and second spaced apart support elements;
a first row of first protective plates coupled to the first support element; and
a second row of second protective plates coupled to the second support element and overlapping the first row of protective plates;
wherein the first protective plates and the second protective plates each include corresponding opposite facing hook portions configured to engage the first and second support elements, respectively; and
one or more connectors extending between the first row and the second row.

15. The lamellar cover of claim 14 , wherein the first and second support elements comprise rings.

16. The lamellar cover of claim 14 , wherein the first protective plates overlap each other and the second protective plates overlap each other.

17. The lamellar cover of claim 16 , wherein the opposite facing hook portions of adjacent first protective plates are interleaved and the opposite facing hook portions of adjacent second protective plates are interleaved.

18. The lamellar cover of claim 14 , wherein the one or more connectors are coupled to corresponding first and second protective plates on the first and second rows.

19. The lamellar cover of claim 14 , wherein the first protective plates and the second protective plates each include a corresponding knuckle positioned between the opposite facing hook portions and coupled to a corresponding one of the one or more connectors.

Assignees

• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Wiley Scott C

Classifications

• F16C11/0609

  made from two or more parts · CPC title

• B25J19/0075 Primary

  Means for protecting the manipulator from its environment or vice versa · CPC title

• B25J17/0275

  Universal joints, e.g. Hooke, Cardan, ball joints · CPC title

• F16C2322/59

  Manipulators, e.g. robot arms · CPC title

• B25J17/02

  Wrist joints · CPC title