Series elastic actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11639739-B2
Application number	US-202016877763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	Dec 26, 2019
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

An elastic actuator includes a gear transmitting a rotational force; a mounting recess formed in a first side of the gear; a plurality of elastic wedges received in the mounting recess at positions that are spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the mounting recess, each elastic wedge including a non-metal elastic material; a through-hole penetrating an elastic wedge among the plurality of elastic wedges; an output body configured to cover the first side of the gear; and at least one insertion bar protruding from a first side of the output body toward the first side of the gear and configured to be inserted into the through-hole. The elastic actuator further includes a shaft coupled to the output body and penetrating the gear, a protrusion having an inner space through which the shaft passes being formed to extend from the mounting recess toward the output body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elastic actuator, comprising:
a gear configured to transmit a rotational force;
a mounting recess formed in a first side of the gear;
a plurality of elastic wedges configured to be received in the mounting recess at positions that are spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the mounting recess, each elastic wedge including a non-metal elastic material;
a through-hole penetrating an elastic wedge among the plurality of elastic wedges;
an output body configured to cover the first side of the gear; and
at least one insertion bar protruding from a first side of the output body toward the first side of the gear and configured to be inserted into the through-hole,
the elastic actuator further comprising a shaft coupled to the output body and penetrating the gear,
wherein a protrusion having an inner space through which the shaft passes is formed to extend from the mounting recess toward the output body.

2. The elastic actuator of claim 1 , wherein an inner circumference of the gear is defined by the mounting recess, and a plurality of supports protrude radially inward from the inner circumference to support the elastic wedges in the circumferential direction.

3. The elastic actuator of claim 2 , wherein each elastic wedge is compressed between a pair of adjacent supports.

4. The elastic actuator of claim 1 , wherein the elastic wedge has a wedge shape in which a circumferential length increases in a radial direction of the mounting recess from an inner side toward an outer edge.

5. The elastic actuator of claim 1 , wherein an outer circumferential surface of the protrusion is spaced apart from the elastic wedge in the radial direction.

6. The elastic actuator of claim 1 , further comprising a bearing to support the shaft in a radial direction of the shaft, wherein the protrusion includes an inner circumferential surface that defines the inner space and a bearing mounting recess is formed in the inner circumferential surface to receive the bearing.

7. The elastic actuator of claim 1 , wherein at least two elastic wedges are formed with the through-hole, and wherein the at least one insertion bar includes at least two insertion bars configured to be inserted into the through-holes of the at least two elastic wedges, respectively.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Huichang

Classifications

• F16D2200/0056

  Elastomers · CPC title

• F16D2300/18

  Sensors; Details or arrangements thereof · CPC title

• F16D3/68

  the elements being made of rubber or similar material · CPC title

• F16D3/12 Primary

  specially adapted for accumulation of energy to absorb shocks or vibration (by making use of fluid elements F16D3/80) · CPC title

• F16D2200/0034

  non-metallic · CPC title