Mechanical and force transmission for force feedback devices
First Claim
1. A force feedback device capable of communicating with a host computer, the force feedback device comprising:
- a user manipulatable object graspable by a user;
a linkage mechanism coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing said user manipulatable object with first and second rotary degrees of freedom, said linkage mechanism including;
a grounded member coupled to a ground;
a first extension member and a second extension member rotatably coupled to said grounded member; and
a first central member rotatably coupled to said first extension member and a second central member rotatably coupled to said second extension member, wherein said first and second central members are rotatably coupled to each other, and wherein said first extension member and said first central member are substantially identical to and positioned symmetrically to said second extension member and said second central member;
first and second actuators coupled to said linkage mechanism, said first actuator operative to output a force in said first degree of freedom and said second actuator operative to output a force in said second degree of freedom;
at least one sensor operative to sense motion of said user manipulatable object in said first and second degrees of freedom; and
a belt drive transmission coupled between said first actuator and said linkage mechanism, said belt drive transmission including a synchronous belt.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A force feedback interface device includes improvements in a mechanical linkage and drive mechanism. The force feedback device is coupled to a host computer and includes a user manipulatable object graspable by a user, at least one actuator that outputs a force on the user object, and a sensor for sensing motion of the user object. A linkage mechanism provides the user object with degrees of freedom and includes five members rotatably coupled to each other. The linkage mechanism supports the bearings of the device with protrusions rotatably coupled to central members of the linkage. The drive mechanism is preferably a belt drive that includes an idler positioned adjacent to a drive pulley and which impedes radial displacement of a belt away from the drive pulley, and thus impedes losing positive engagement of the belt, without preloading the belt. The idler can be a passive idler that does not contact the belt during operation and/or an active idler that continuously contacts the belt. Some or all portions of the linkage mechanism and the drive mechanism are preferably symmetrical, allowing low cost manufacture of the device.
134 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A force feedback device capable of communicating with a host computer, the force feedback device comprising:
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a user manipulatable object graspable by a user;
a linkage mechanism coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing said user manipulatable object with first and second rotary degrees of freedom, said linkage mechanism including;
a grounded member coupled to a ground;
a first extension member and a second extension member rotatably coupled to said grounded member; and
a first central member rotatably coupled to said first extension member and a second central member rotatably coupled to said second extension member, wherein said first and second central members are rotatably coupled to each other, and wherein said first extension member and said first central member are substantially identical to and positioned symmetrically to said second extension member and said second central member;
first and second actuators coupled to said linkage mechanism, said first actuator operative to output a force in said first degree of freedom and said second actuator operative to output a force in said second degree of freedom;
at least one sensor operative to sense motion of said user manipulatable object in said first and second degrees of freedom; and
a belt drive transmission coupled between said first actuator and said linkage mechanism, said belt drive transmission including a synchronous belt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A force feedback device capable of communicating with a host computer, the force feedback device comprising:
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a user manipulatable object graspable by a user;
a linkage mechanism coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing said user manipulatable object with first and second rotary degrees of freedom, said linkage mechanism including;
a ground member;
a first extension member coupled to said ground member and rotatable about a first fixed axis of rotation, and a second extension member rotatably coupled to said ground member and rotatable about a second fixed axis of rotation, wherein said first and second extension members each include two protrusions; and
a first central member rotatably coupled to said two protrusions of said first extension member between said two protrusions of said first extension member such that said first central member is supported on two of its sides by said first extension member, and a second central member rotatably coupled to said two protrusions of said second extension member between said two protrusions of said second extension member such that said second central member is supported on two of its sides by said second extension member, and wherein said first and second central members are rotatably coupled to each other and are rotatable about first and second floating axes, respectively, wherein when said user manipulatable object is positioned in a origin position, couplings between said first central member and said protrusions of said first extension member intersect said second fixed axis of rotation, and couplings between said second central member and said protrusion of said second extension member intersect said first fixed axis of rotation, wherein said floating axes are movable with respect to said ground, and said floating axes are coincident with said fixed axes of rotation when said user manipulatable object is positioned in said origin position;
first and second actuators coupled to said linkage mechanism, said first actuator operative to output a force in said first degree of freedom and said second actuator operative to output a force in said second degree of freedom; and
at least one sensor operative to sense motion of said user manipulatable object in said first and second degrees of freedom. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A force feedback interface device capable of communicating with a host computer and providing forces to a user manipulating said interface device, the interface device comprising:
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a user manipulandum for physical contact by a user and moveable in two degrees of freedom;
a sensor for detecting a position of said user manipulandum in said degrees of freedom; and
a linkage mechanism coupled between said user manipulandum and a physical ground, said linkage mechanism providing said two degrees of freedom to said user manipulandum, wherein said linkage mechanism includes a serially-linked chain of rotatable members coupled to ground at both ends of said chain, said chain including;
a first member including two protrusions;
a second member rotatably coupled to said first member between said two protrusions of said first member;
a third member rotatably coupled to said second member, and a fourth member including two protrusions and rotatably coupled to said third member, wherein said third member is coupled between said protrusions of said fourth member, wherein when said user manipulatable object is in an origin position, a first coupling between said first member and said physical ground and a third coupling between said third member and said fourth member are aligned on one of said fixed axes of rotation, and a second coupling between said first member and said second member and a fourth coupling between said fourth member and said ground are aligned on a different one of said fixed axes of rotation, said first member and said fourth member being rotatable about said two fixed axes of rotation, and wherein said second member and said third member are rotatable about first and second floating axes, said floating axes being movable with respect to said ground. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A force feedback device capable of communicating with a host computer, the interface device comprising:
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a user manipulatable object physically contactable by a user;
a linkage mechanism coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing said user manipulatable object with first and second rotary degrees of freedom, said linkage mechanism including;
a ground member;
a first extension member and a second extension member rotatably coupled to said ground member; and
a first central member rotatably coupled to said first extension member, and a second central member rotatably coupled to said second extension member, and wherein said first and second central members are rotatably coupled to each other;
first and second actuators coupled to said linkage mechanism, said first actuator operative to output a force in said first degree of freedom and said second actuator operative to output a force in said second degree of freedom;
at least one sensor operative to sense motion of said user manipulatable object in said first and second degrees of freedom; and
a belt drive transmission coupled between said first actuator and said linkage mechanism, said belt drive transmission including a synchronous belt. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A force feedback interface device capable of communicating with a host computer and providing forces to a user manipulating said interface device, the interface device comprising:
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a user manipulandum for physical contact by a user and moveable in two degrees of freedom;
a sensor for detecting a position of said user manipulandum in said degrees of freedom;
an actuator coupled to said user manipulandum for applying a force to said user manipulandum;
a belt drive transmission coupled between said actuator and said user manipulatable object, said belt drive transmission including a drive pulley coupled to said actuator, a belt coupling said drive pulley to an amplification pulley, and an idler positioned adjacent to said drive pulley, said idler being positioned to impede radial displacement of a belt away from said drive pulley and thus loss of positive engagement during normal operation without preloading said belt; and
a linkage mechanism coupled between said actuator and said user manipulandum and coupled to a physical ground, said linkage mechanism providing said two degrees of freedom to said user manipulandum and transmitting said force from said actuator to said user manipulandum, wherein said linkage mechanism includes a serially-linked chain of rotatable members coupled to ground at both ends of said chain, said chain including;
a first member;
a second member rotatably coupled to said first member;
a third member rotatably coupled to said second member, and a fourth member rotatably coupled to said third member. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification