Wrist joint assembly

US4068763A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• James C. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Fletcher
• Leendert Kersten
• James D. Johnston · Madison, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 26, 1976
• Grant date: Jan 17, 1978
• Expiry date: Jul 26, 1996

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T74/20552
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A wrist joint assembly is provided for use with a mechanical manipulator arm for finely positioning an end-effector carried by the wrist joint on the terminal end of the manipulator arm wherein the wrist joint assembly is pivotable about a first axis to produce a yaw motion, a second axis to produce a pitch motion, and a third axis to produce a roll motion, wherein the three axes are mutually perpendicular and have a common point of origin. The wrist joint assembly includes a disk segment affixed to the terminal end of the manipulator arm and a first housing member rotatably carried on the disk segment about the first axis. A second housing member is rotatably carried on the first housing member and a third housing member is rotatably carried on the second housing member whereby the third housing member and the mechanical end-effector carried thereon are moved in the yaw, pitch, and roll motion. Drive means are provided for rotating each of the housings about their respective axis which includes a cluster of miniature motors having spur gears carried on the output drive shaft thereof which mesh with a center drive gear affixed on the housing to be rotated.