Robot hand with humanoid fingers
First Claim
1. A robotic hand, comprising:
- at least one finger assembly; and
for each of the finger assemblies included in the robotic hand, a drive assembly selectively applying tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements;
wherein each of the finger assemblies comprises a set of links actuated by the tension elements;
wherein the links are interconnected with pivotal joints to have motion with three degrees-of-freedom;
wherein the finger assembly further comprises a set of pulleys supported on the links to support and guide the tension elements in the finger assembly, the tension elements extending only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly provides n+1 actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements; and
wherein the drive assembly consists of three actuators driving the four tension elements.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A robotic hand with finger assemblies to better simulate human hand form factors and gestures. For each finger assembly, the robotic hand includes a finger drive assembly that is operable to selectively apply tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements (e.g., steel cable). Each of the finger assemblies includes a set of links or link members that are actuated or moved by the selective tensioning/movement of the tension elements by the drive assembly. The links are interconnected with pivotal joints such that they have three degrees-of-freedom, and the finger assembly includes a set of pulleys that are supported on the links and that are arranged to provide support and to guide the tension elements through the finger assembly. The tension elements preferably extend only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly utilizes “n+1” actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A robotic hand, comprising:
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at least one finger assembly; and for each of the finger assemblies included in the robotic hand, a drive assembly selectively applying tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements; wherein each of the finger assemblies comprises a set of links actuated by the tension elements; wherein the links are interconnected with pivotal joints to have motion with three degrees-of-freedom; wherein the finger assembly further comprises a set of pulleys supported on the links to support and guide the tension elements in the finger assembly, the tension elements extending only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly provides n+1 actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements; and wherein the drive assembly consists of three actuators driving the four tension elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A finger assembly for a robotic hand adapted to be driven by four drive cables, comprising
a base link for receiving the drive cables and mounting to a base of the robotic hand; -
a mounting link pivotally mounted to the base link for rotation about a first axis; an elongated first digit link pivotally mounted at a first end to the mounting link for rotation about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis; a second digit link pivotally mounted at a first end to a second end of the first digit link for rotation about a third axis; and a third digit link pivotally mounted to a second end of the second digit link for rotation about a fourth axis, wherein the first axis is substantially orthogonal to the second axis and the second, third, and fourth axes are substantial parallel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A robotic hand system, comprising:
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a robotic hand assembly comprising a palm element and a plurality of fingers affixed to the palm element, wherein the fingers comprise a set of links and joints adapted to provide the finger with three degrees-of-freedom (DOF) movement; a set of four drive cables for actuating each of the fingers to perform the three DOF movement; and a finger drive mechanism for each of the fingers comprising a passive tension maintenance system maintaining each of the drive cables under tension and comprising three actuators selectively applying additional tensile forces on the drive cables to actuate the finger. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A robotic hand, comprising:
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at least one finger assembly; for each of the finger assemblies included in the robotic hand, a drive assembly selectively applying tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements; an articulated wrist positioned between the finger assemblies and the drive assembly of each of the finger assemblies; and cable conduits extending through the articulated wrist, wherein each of the tension elements extends through one of the cable conduits, wherein each of the finger assemblies comprises a set of links actuated by the tension elements, wherein the links are interconnected with pivotal joints to have motion with three degrees-of-freedom, and wherein the finger assembly further comprises a set of pulleys supported on the links to support and guide the tension elements in the finger assembly, the tension elements extending only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly provides n+1 actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A robotic hand, comprising:
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at least one finger assembly; and for each of the finger assemblies included in the robotic hand, a drive assembly selectively applying tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements; wherein each of the finger assemblies comprises a set of links actuated by the tension elements, wherein the links are interconnected with pivotal joints to have motion with three degrees-of-freedom, wherein the finger assembly further comprises a set of pulleys supported on the links to support and guide the tension elements in the finger assembly, the tension elements extending only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly provides n+1 actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements, wherein the set of links comprises a first digit link, a second digit link, and a third digit link, the third digit link being pivotally mounted to the second digit link and the second digit link being pivotally mounted to the first digit link, the first and second digit links being independently operable by the drive assembly applying tension to the tension elements, and wherein the finger assembly further comprises an additional link coupling the third digit link to the second digit link such that the third digit link is actuated by movement of the second digit link as a passive follower link. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A robotic hand, comprising:
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at least one finger assembly; for each of the finger assemblies included in the robotic hand, a drive assembly selectively applying tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements, wherein each the finger assemblies further comprises a palm plate, a base link member, and a first digit mounting link member, wherein each of the finger assemblies comprises a set of links actuated by the tension elements, wherein the links are interconnected with pivotal joints to have motion with three degrees-of-freedom, wherein the finger assembly further comprises a set of pulleys supported on the links to support and guide the tension elements in the finger assembly, the tension elements extending only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly provides n+1 actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements, wherein the set of links comprises a first digit link, a second digit link, and a third digit link, the third digit link being pivotally mounted to the second digit link and the second digit link being pivotally mounted to the first digit link, and the first and second digit links being independently operable by the drive assembly applying tension to the tension elements, wherein the base link member is rigidly attached to the palm plate to support the finger assembly, wherein the first digit mounting link member is pivotally mounted to the base link member for pivoting about a first axis, and wherein the first digit link is pivotally coupled to the first digit mounting link member for pivoting about a second axis transverse to the first axis. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A robotic hand, comprising:
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at least one finger assembly; and for each of the finger assemblies included in the robotic hand, a drive assembly selectively applying tension to four elongated and flexible tension elements; wherein each of the finger assemblies comprises a set of links actuated by the tension elements; wherein the links are interconnected with pivotal joints to have motion with three degrees-of-freedom; and wherein the finger assembly further comprises a set of pulleys supported on the links to support and guide the tension elements in the finger assembly, the tension elements extending only partially about any one of the pulleys, whereby the finger assembly provides n+1 actuation with non-helical wrapping of the tension elements, and wherein the set of links comprises a first digit link, a second digit link, and a third digit link, the third digit link being pivotally mounted to the second digit link and the second digit link being pivotally mounted to the first digit link, and the first and second digit links being independently operable by the drive assembly applying tension to the tension elements, wherein first and second ones of the tension elements terminate on the second digit link, and wherein third and fourth ones of the tension elements terminate on the first digit link. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification