Compound prismatic platforms for use in robotic systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518372-B2
Application number	US-201715701232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2016
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for use with a robot may couple to or form part of an appendage, for example a wrist. The apparatus can include a base, a first platform, a second platform, a first set of linear actuators that moveably couple the first platform to the base and a second set of linear actuators that moveably couple the second platform to the first platform. The apparatus can take the form of dual prismatic platforms. A controller can provide control signals to operate the linear actuators to cause the first platform to translate and rotate with respect to the base and to cause the second platform to translate and rotate with respect to the first platform. Connectors can couple the base to an appendage and couple an end effector to the second platform.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for robots, comprising:
a base;
a first set of linear actuators, each of the linear actuators of the first set of linear actuators having a respective longitudinal axis, each of the linear actuators of the first set of linear actuators having a respect portion that is selectively operable to translate along the respective longitudinal axis of the respective linear actuator;
a first set of revolute joints, each of the revolute joints of the first set of revolute joints physically couples a respective one of the linear actuators of the first set of linear actuators to the base;
a first platform;
a first set of spherical joints, each of the spherical joints of the first set of spherical joints physically couples a respective one of the linear actuators of the first set of linear actuators to the first platform;
a second set of linear actuators, each of the linear actuators of the second set of linear actuators having a respective longitudinal axis, each of the linear actuators of the second set of linear actuators having a respect portion that is selectively operable to translate along the respective longitudinal axis of the respective linear actuator; and
a second set of revolute joints, each of the revolute joints of the second set of revolute joints physically couples a respective one of the linear actuators of the second set of linear actuators to the first platform.

2. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein a respective direct line distance between each pair of spherical joints of the first set of spherical joints is less than a respective direct line distance between each pair of revolute joints of the first set of revolute joints.

3. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second platform; and
a second set of spherical joints, each of the spherical joints of the second set of spherical joints physically couples a respective one of the linear actuators of the second set of linear actuators to the second platform.

4. The apparatus for robots of claim 3 wherein a second set of spherical joints are angularly arrayed and evenly spaced about a fourth axis.

5. The apparatus for robots of claim 3 wherein a respective direct line distance between each pair of spherical joints of the second set of spherical joints is less than a respective direct line distance between each pair of revolute joints of the second set of revolute joints.

6. The apparatus for robots of claim 5 wherein a respective direct line distance between each pair of spherical joints of the first set of spherical joints is less than a respective direct line distance between each pair of revolute joints of the first set of revolute joints.

7. The apparatus for robots of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first coupler attached to the base, the first coupler sized and dimensioned to physically couple the apparatus to an appendage of a robot.

8. The apparatus for robots of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second coupler attached to the second platform, the second coupler sized and dimensioned to physically couple an end-effector of a robot to the apparatus.

9. The apparatus for robots of claim 3 , further comprising:
a set of one or more links; and
a set of one or more joints, wherein the set of one or more joints couples the set of one or more links together and to:
the base,
the first platform, or
the second platform.

10. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein each of the revolute joints of the first set of revolute joints has a respective axis about which the respective revolute joint pivots, and the axes of all of the revolute joints of the first set of revolute joints reside in a first plane.

11. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein each of the revolute joints of the second set of revolute joints has a respective axis about which the respective revolute joint pivots, and the axes of all of the revolute joints of the second set of revolute joints reside in a second plane.

12. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein each of the revolute joints of the first set of revolute joints has a respective axis about which the respective revolute joint pivots, and the axes of all of the revolute joints of the first set of revolute joints reside in a first plane and each of the revolute joints of the second set of revolute joints has a respective axis about which the respective revolute joint pivots, and the axes of all of the revolute joints of the second set of revolute joints reside in a second plane.

13. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein each of the linear actuators of the first and the second sets of linear actuators includes a respective cylinder and a respective rod, the respective rod which extends at least partially from the respective cylinder and translates with respect thereto.

14. The apparatus for robots of claim 13 wherein each cylinder in each linear actuator of the first and the second sets of linear actuators includes a respective first portion, and further comprising:
a first set of valves, each valve in the first set of valves fluidly coupled to a respective one of the cylinders and selectively operable to control a pressure in a first portion of the respective one of the cylinders to cause the respective rod to translate in a first direction.

15. The apparatus for robots of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first set of valves, each valve in the first set of valves fluidly coupled to a respective one of the cylinders and selectively operable to control a pressure in a first portion of the respective cylinder to cause the respective rod to translate in a first direction.

16. The apparatus for robots of claim 15 , further comprising:
a second set of valves, each valve in the second set of valves fluidly coupled to a respective one of the cylinders and selectively operable to control a pressure in a second portion of the respective cylinder to cause the respective rod to translate in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction.

17. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein there are three linear actuators in the first set of linear actuators.

18. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein there are three linear actuators in the second set of linear actuators.

19. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein there are three linear actuators in the first set of linear actuators, and there are three linear actuators in the second set of linear actuators.

20. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein there are three linear actuators in the first set of linear actuators, there are three linear actuators in the second set of linear actuators, the first set of linear actuators are angularly arrayed and evenly spaced from one another about a first axis, and the second set of linear actuators are angularly arrayed and evenly spaced from one another about a second axis.

21. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of linear actuators, or the second plurality of linear actuators are pneumatic, the apparatus further comprises:
a pressurized reservoir;
a plurality of conduits that fluidically couple the pressurized reservoir to the linear actuators of the first and the second sets of linear actuators; and
a control system communicatively coupled to control a delivery of a pressurized fluid from the pressurized reservoir to the linear actuators of the first and the second sets of linear actuators.

22. The apparatus for robots of claim 1 , furth

Assignees

• Kindred Sys Inc

Inventors

• Bergeron Nicolas Normand
• Hummel Thomas John
• Hallock David Gabriel

Classifications

• B25J19/023

  including video camera means · CPC title

• B25J13/025

  comprising haptic means · CPC title

• B25J9/046

  Revolute coordinate type · CPC title

• H02K7/116 Primary

  with gears · CPC title

• B25J15/103

  for gripping the object in three contact points · CPC title