Six degrees of freedom micromanipulator

• US 4,819,496 A
• Filed: 11/17/1987
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Shelef, Gad
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US07/121,493
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 74/89.15, 74/89.2, 74/479.89.21, 248/653, 248/654, 901/21, 901/23, 901/24, 901/28, 901/29, 414/680, 414/735
• US Class Current: 74/490.03
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/5462 with one supplementary sliding pair
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0216 comprising a stewart mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1015 using additional, e.g. microadjustment of the end effector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18624 Plural inputs, single output
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18832 including flexible drive connector [e.g., belt, chain, strand, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20317 including electric motor

Abstract

A six degree of freedom micromanipulator is disclosed which may be interposed between the fingers and the remainder of a robotic arm'"'"'s structure for increasing the accuracy with which an arm'"'"'s fingers may be positioned independently of the accuracy achievable through motions originating at or near the arm'"'"'s shoulder. Included in the structure are a base plate and yokes; drive rods and trunnions; drive rod ends; and a manipulator plate and yokes. Motor driven push-pull assemblies may be used in place of the elongated drive rods and their associated trunnions to electrically control the position of the manipulator plate.

Claims

1. A micromanipulator assembly for use with a robot arm which moves a robot finger element with large scale motions, said robot finger element being moved with a small scale motions, said micromanipulator assembly being fixed between said robot arm and said robot finger element to move said robot finger elements with intermediate scale motions, said micromanipulator assembly comprising:

a planar base plate;

a means for attaching said planar base plate to said robot arm;

a plurality of base plate yokes which are fixed to and evenly distributed about the circumference of said planar base plate;

a plurality of drive rods, each of which are retractably fixed to one of said base plate yokes so that they may individually be extended and retracted with respect to said planar base plate;

a plurality of drive rod trunnions which are each pivotally connected to one of the base plate yokes about said planar base plate, each of said drive trunnions having a central aperture through which one of said drive rods extends;

each of said drive rod trunnions also having a narrow slot which is perforated by said central aperture;

a plurality of manually rotated drive nuts, each of which are threaded and disposed to advance along one of said drive rods, each of said manually rotated rive nuts having a narrow waist, and a raised lower annular flange which fits in the narrow slot and one of said plurality of drive rod trunnions so that each of the manually rotated drive nuts are fixed to one of the drive rod trunnions, and will extend and retract its respective drive rod as it is rotated;

a manipulator plate which is fixed to said robot finger and said drive rods so that the robot finger may be positioned with multiple degrees of freedom as the manipulator plate is tipped and tilted into a desirable position by retracting and extending the drive rods;

a plurality of manipulator plate support yokes, each of which are attached to a side of said manipulator plate;

a plurality of coupling yoke trunnions each of which are pivotally attached to one of the manipulator plate yokes; and

a plurality of rod ends, each of which are attached to one of the coupling yoke trunnions and two of said drive rods, said rod ends each allowing said manipulator plate to be tipped and tilted as its respective drive rods are retracted and elongated.

2. A micromanipulator assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said planar base plate comprises a hexagonal plate which is connected to six drive rods by six base plate yokes and six drive rod trunnions, said micromanipulator assembly thereby being enabled to tip and tilt said robot finger element with six degrees of freedom.