Patent ID: 7478576

Claim:
A controlled relative motion system permitting a controlled motion member, joined to another base member, to selectively move with respect to that base member, said system comprising: a base support; a first pivot holder comprising at least one holding member; a first plurality of pivoting links at least one of which is rotatably coupled to said base support so as to be rotatable about a corresponding base link axis and rotatably coupled to said first pivot holder so as to be rotatable about a corresponding holder link axis including at least one of said first plurality of pivoting links being rotatably connected to said holding member of said first pivot holder, each of said first plurality of pivoting links that is coupled to both said base support and said first pivot holder having said corresponding base link axis thereof extending in a direction differing from a direction in which said corresponding holder link axis thereof extends, each of said first plurality of pivoting links that is coupled to both said base support and said first pivot holder having said corresponding base link axis thereof and said corresponding holder link axis thereof extending in different directions than do said corresponding base link axis and said corresponding holder link axis of any other of said first plurality of pivoting links that is also coupled to both said base support and said first pivot holder, said first plurality of pivoting links each having an outer volume portion and an inner volume portion on either side of an intermediate plane, said intermediate plane containing both said base and holder link axes with said outer volume portion being closer than is said inner volume portion to a part of said base support that is on a side of said base link axis farther from said pivot holder over substantially the angular range of rotation thereof, said outer volume portion exceeding said inner volume portion; and a first plurality of force imparting members each coupled to either said first pivot holder or one of said pivoting links in said first plurality of pivoting links so as to be able to impart force thereto cause a least one of those said pivoting links in said first plurality of pivoting links to rotate about an axis therethrough.