Patent ID: 8760100

Claim:
A manipulator joint, comprising: an encoder having an encoder body and an encoder shaft rotatably coupled thereto, and configured to output data indicative of an angular position of the encoder body with respect to the encoder shaft; a first housing having the encoder body fixedly coupled to a proximal side thereof; a second housing: separate from the first housing, distal to the first housing, rotatable with respect to the first housing, about a common axis shared with the first housing, and having a distal end of the encoder shaft fixedly coupled thereto; a driveshaft having a distal end rotatably coupled to the second housing, the driveshaft extending across the joint from the second housing to the first housing and having a proximal end located within the first housing; and a torque limiter, fixedly coupled to the first housing and releasably coupled to the driveshaft wherein the encoder outputs data indicative of a measured absolute angular position of the first housing with respect to the second housing upon a change of state of the encoder from the unpowered to a powered state.