Patent ID: 7337691
Filing Date: 2008-03-04
Classification: B23Q,B25J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A mechanism for positioning and orienting an end component in space with at least five degrees of freedom, the mechanism comprising: a base; a first actuator limb comprising at least a platform connected to said base by a revolute joint allowing one rotational degree of freedom about a central axis, a first limb member movably connected to said platform with a single actuated degree of freedom relative to said platform, and one and only one second limb member movably connected to said first limb member, said second limb member having at least three degrees of freedom relative to said base, wherein at least one of said degrees of freedom of said second limb member is actuatable relative to said base; at least second, third, fourth, and fifth actuator limbs, each of the actuator limbs comprising at least an actuator arm rotatably connected to said base by an actuated revolute joint allowing rotation about a respective actuator axis, each of said second, third, fourth, and fifth actuator limbs further comprising one and only one forearm movably connected to said actuator arm of the respective actuator limb, wherein said forearm has at least three degrees of freedom relative to said actuator arm including one free rotational degree of freedom about a respective forearm axis; a first joint body, wherein said second limb member is rotatably connected to said first joint body and allowed to rotate relative to said first joint body about a first joint axis, and wherein each of the forearms of said second and third actuator limbs is rotatably connected to said first joint body and allowed to rotate relative to said first joint body about a respective second and third joint axis which is non-parallel to said forearm axis of the respective actuator limb; a second joint body, wherein each of the forearms of said fourth and fifth actuator limbs is rotatably connected to said second joint body and allowed to rotate relative to said second joint body about a respective fourth and fifth joint axis which is non-parallel to said forearm axis of the respective actuator limb; and said end component movably connected to each of said first and second joint bodies, the end component having at least two rotational degrees of freedom relative to each of said first and second joint bodies such that said end component is movable with at least five degrees of freedom relative to said base.