Patent ID: 6602042
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: B23Q,B25J,Y10T

Abstract:
A mechanism for positioning and orienting a joint body in space with at least three degrees of freedom, the mechanism comprising:a base; at least first, second, and third actuator limbs, each of the actuator limbs including a first limb member pivotably mounted to said base, a second limb member movably connected to the first limb member, and an elbow connected to the second limb member, wherein the elbow has at least four degrees of freedom relative to said base, at least one of said degrees of freedom of the elbow being actuatable relative to the base, and wherein at least three of the degrees of freedom of the elbow are free, including one free rotational degree of freedom about a respective limb axis; a joint body, the elbows of said first, second, and third actuator limbs each being mounted to said joint body such that the first, second, and third actuator limbs are each movable relative to said joint body about a respective joint axis which is non-parallel to the limb axis of the respective actuator limb, wherein the joint axes of said joint body and the limb axes of the first, second, and third actuator limbs intersect at a common point; and at least one ball-and-socket joint pivotably connecting the first member of at least one of said actuator limbs to the base.