Dexterous humanoid robotic wrist

US8498741B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC · US
• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Chris A. Ihrke · Hartland, US
• Lyndon Bridgwater · Houston, US
• David Reich · Ödernhardt, DE
• Charles W. Wampler, II · Birmingham, US
• Scott R. Askew · Houston, US
• Myron A. Diftler · Houston, US
• Vienny Nguyen · Columbus, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 22, 2009
• Grant date: Jul 30, 2013
• Expiry date: Mar 22, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T74/20335
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A humanoid robot includes a torso, a pair of arms, a neck, a head, a wrist joint assembly, and a control system. The arms and the neck movably extend from the torso. Each of the arms includes a lower arm and a hand that is rotatable relative to the lower arm. The wrist joint assembly is operatively defined between the lower arm and the hand. The wrist joint assembly includes a yaw axis and a pitch axis. The pitch axis is disposed in a spaced relationship to the yaw axis such that the axes are generally perpendicular. The pitch axis extends between the yaw axis and the lower arm. The hand is rotatable relative to the lower arm about each of the yaw axis and the pitch axis. The control system is configured for determining a yaw angle and a pitch angle of the wrist joint assembly.