Robot with spring pivot balancing mechanism
US4753128A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 9, 1987 |
| Grant date | Jun 28, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 9, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T403/32704
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A robot including a balancing mechanism or balancer with a compression spring which flexes to compensate for the gravitational moment between an arm assembly and a base of the robot. The compression spring is chosen to have a force-deflection characteristic to account for the gravitational moment and the geometry of the mechanism. The arm assembly has a pivotal connection which pivotally supports the arm assembly on the base of the robot for movement about a pivotal axis. The mechanism can be adjusted for various arm assembly lengths and/or payloads. The mechanism includes a spring support, a connecting rod having a longitudinal axis and connected to the spring support for communicating motion of the spring support to the arm assembly at an attachment point offset from the pivotal axis. The resulting balancing mechanism is relatively compact, which lends itself to robotics applications where space is limited.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.