Actuation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9366324-B2
Application number	US-201313908243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2013
Priority date	Jun 4, 2012
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed is an actuation system for adjusting the rigidity of elastic elements by using two sets of transmission modules together with a link gear and two sets of nonlinear elastic elements. The actuation system actuates an external arm by controlling the two sets of transmission modules to rotate in different directions and adjusts the rigidity of the elastic elements by controlling the two sets of transmission modules to rotate in the same direction, so as to achieve the effects of reducing the number of actuation modules used, minimizing the volume of the actuation system, and reducing production cost.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuation system, comprising:
a first transmission module, comprising:
a first transmission shaft, being a rod structure;
a first transmission part, sheathed on the first transmission shaft, and an external surface of the first transmission part having a threaded structure;
a first actuation part, sheathed on a first adjusting element, and the first adjusting element being sheathed on the first transmission shaft; and
a first elastic element, sheathed on the first transmission shaft, and disposed between the first transmission part and the first actuation part;

a second transmission module, comprising:
a second transmission shaft, being a rod structure;
a second transmission part, sheathed on the second transmission shaft, and an external surface of the second transmission part having a threaded structure;
a second actuation part, sheathed on a second adjusting element, and the second adjusting element being sheathed on the second transmission shaft; and
a second elastic element, sheathed on the second transmission shaft, and disposed between the second transmission part and the second actuation part; and

a linking module, comprising:
a linking element, being a disc structure, pivotally installed to a frame and disposed between the first transmission part and the second transmission part, and having a serrated structure formed at an external periphery of the linking element and corresponding to the threaded structure, and the serrated structure being embedded into the threaded structures of the first transmission part and the second transmission part; and
an external arm, sheathed on a linking shaft, for coupling to the linking element,
wherein the first actuation part is driven to rotate in a first direction while the second actuation part is being driven to rotate in a second direction to drive the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft to rotate in the first direction and the second direction respectively, so that the first transmission part and the second transmission part are rotated in the first direction and the second direction respectively, and the linking element rotated to drive the external arm to rotate synchronously.

2. The actuation system of claim 1 , wherein the first actuation part and the second actuation part are driven to rotate in a first direction or a second direction simultaneously to drive the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft to rotate in the first direction or the second direction, so that the first transmission part and the second transmission part are rotated in the first direction or the second direction simultaneously, and the linking element is not rotated.

3. The actuation system of claim 2 , wherein when the first actuation part and the second actuation part are driven to rotate in the first direction or the second direction simultaneously, so that the linking element, the first transmission part, the second transmission part; the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft are not rotated, and when the first actuation part and the second actuation part are driven to rotate continuously, the first actuation part and the second actuation part are displaced in an axial direction through the first adjusting element and the second adjusting element to compress or stretch the first elastic element and the second elastic element respectively.

4. The actuation system of claim 1 , wherein the first elastic element and the second elastic element are conical springs.

5. The actuation system of claim 1 , wherein when the external arm is pushed by an external force, the linking element is linked to rotate, so that the first transmission part and the second transmission part are displaced in an axial direction along the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft respectively.

6. An actuation system, comprising:
a transmission module, comprising:
a first transmission shaft, being a rod structure;
a first transmission part, sheathed on the first transmission shaft, and an external surface of the first transmission part having a threaded structure;
a first actuation part, sheathed on a first adjusting element, and the first adjusting element being sheathed on the first transmission shaft;
a first elastic element, sheathed on the first transmission shaft, and disposed between the first transmission part and the first actuation part;
a second transmission shaft, being a rod structure;
a second transmission part, sheathed on the second transmission shaft, and an external surface of the second transmission part having a threaded structure;
a second actuation part, sheathed on a second adjusting element, and the second adjusting element being sheathed on the second transmission shaft;
a second elastic element, sheathed on the second transmission shaft, and disposed between the second transmission part and the second actuation part; and
a linking element, being a disc structure, pivotally installed to a frame and coupled to an external arm, and disposed between the first transmission part and the second transmission part, and an external periphery of the linking element being embedded with the threaded structure; and

an actuation module, comprising:
a first actuation unit, coupled to a first actuation gear set, and the first actuation gear set being embedded with the first actuation part; and
a second actuation unit, coupled to a second actuation gear set, and the second actuation gear set being embedded with the second actuation part,
wherein the first actuation part is driven to rotate in a first direction or a second direction, and the second actuation part is driven to rotate in the second direction or the first direction to drive the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft to rotate in the first direction and the second direction respectively, so that the first transmission part and the second transmission part are rotated in the first direction and the second direction respectively, and the linking element is rotated to drive the external arm to rotate synchronously.

7. The actuation system of claim 6 , wherein the first actuation part and the second actuation part are driven to rotate in a first direction or a second direction simultaneously to drive the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft to rotate in the first direction or the second direction, so that the first transmission part and the second transmission part are rotated in the first direction or the second direction simultaneously, and the linking element is not rotated.

8. The actuation system of claim 7 , wherein when the first actuation part and the second actuation part are driven to rotate in the first direction or the second direction simultaneously, so that the linking element, the first transmission part, the second transmission part, the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft are not rotated, and when the first actuation part and the second actuation part are driven to rotate continuously, the first actuation part and the second actuation part are displaced in an axial direction through the first adjusting element and the second adjusting element to compress or stretch the first elastic element and the second elastic element respectively.

9. The actuation system of claim 6 , wherein the first elastic element and the second elastic element are conical springs.

10. The actuation system of claim 6 , wherein when the external arm is pushed by an external force, the linking element is linked to rotate, so that the first transmission part and the second transmission part are displaced in an axial direction along the first transmission shaft and the

Assignees

• Univ Nat Taiwan

Inventors

• Huang Han-Pang
• Wang Ren-Jeng

Classifications

• F16H25/2409

  one of the threads being replaced by elements specially formed for engaging the screw or nut, e.g. pins, racks, toothed belts · CPC title

• F16H19/02 Primary

  for interconverting rotary {or oscillating} motion and reciprocating motion · CPC title

• Y10T74/18792

  including worm · CPC title

• F16H1/225

  with two or more worm and worm-wheel gearings · CPC title

• F16H37/065 Primary

  with a plurality of driving or driven shafts (F16H37/0806 takes precedence) · CPC title