Patent ID: 8069747
Filing Date: 2011-12-06
Classification: A61B,B25J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A robot arm comprising: a plurality of longitudinal segments extending end-to-end to define a longitudinal axis of the arm wherein each segment comprises a plurality of links connected by articulated joints; an actuator for a segment to control the shape thereof by causing or allowing the segment to bend by articulating between the links thereof; a controller for controlling the actuator to cause or allow different segments along the arm to assume different or related shapes to define the desired spatial attitude of the arm; characterized by at least one spring mounted coaxially with the arm and engaging with an engagement member on each of the links within a segment so as to cause the links to tend to an initial datum position, and to distribute the articulation amongst the links of the segment, in which the at least one spring is fixedly attached to each of the links by the engagement member along the longitudinal axis, the arrangement being such that the at least one spring may deform by bending to form an arc; wherein the at least one spring engages with the engagement member along a helical path with respect to each of the links.