Compact cable transmission with cable differential
US5046375A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 17, 1989 |
| Grant date | Sep 10, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 17, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/18848
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A pretensioned cable transmits power along a first support member (link) from a rotary actuator to a rotating output joint, typically an output pulley fixed to a second link arm but rotatable in a coupling between the first and second links. A reducer, typically two sets of coupled idler pulleys of different diameter, is mounted at a point removed from the actuator, and preferably as close as possible to the output joint. An axially split spool mounted on the actuator output wraps the outgoing and returning cable sections on different halves of the spool in opposite directions to provide pretensioning of the cable in the entire cable circuit at one point. The links and pulleys of the transmission are long and narrow. This high aspect ratio provides a compact configuration that is conductive to whole arm manipulations where any exterior surface of the links can engage an object. A low inertia, low friction brushless D.C. motor operating under the control of a pulse width modulated controller responsive to the current drawn by the motor, in combination with the cable transmission of this invention, provide excellent force control.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.