Robotic power and signal distribution using laminated cable with separator webs

• US 10,293,496 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rethink Robotics
• Original Assignee: Rethink Robotics GmbH
• Inventors: Sussman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang, A. Dexter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kue, Kaying
• Application Number:
  US15/410,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20170157781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0025 Means for supplying energy to the end effector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20311 including power cable or connector

Abstract

Systems and methods that facilitate cables to pass through moving, space-constrained joints and conveying power and/or signals to various robotic joint-associated elements utilize a unitary and flat laminated cable slack within the joint to accommodate the relative motion between mechanical elements of the joints. In various embodiments, the cable has multiple insulated sub-cables; each sub-cable is insulated and physically separable from all other sub-cables. Some of the sub-cables are separated from the cable and electrically connected to joint-associated components for conveying signals and power thereto without mechanically interfering with relative motion between mechanical elements of the joint.

Claims

1. An electromechanical joint for a robot, the joint comprising:

a plurality of mechanical elements configured for relative motion therebetween;

passing through the joint, a cable comprising a plurality of insulated sub-cables in a unitary flat configuration for conveying power and signals, wherein;

(i) the cable is slack within the joint to accommodate the relative motion;

(ii) each of the sub-cables is insulated and separable from all other sub-cables along at least a portion of a length of the cable;

(iii) at least some of the sub-cables are only partially separated from the cable, via cuts along thinned insulating dividers disposed between the sub-cables, and each of the at least some of the sub-cables is electrically connected to at least one joint-associated component for conveying signals and power thereto without mechanically interfering with relative motion between mechanical elements of the joint; and

(iv) at least one of the joint-associated components is a sensor for detecting relative motion between at least two mechanical elements.

2. The joint of claim 1, wherein separated lengths of at least two of the sub-cables are different from each other.

3. The joint of claim 1, wherein each of the sub-cables is separated from a neighboring sub-cable by an insulating divider that extends between and contacts the sub-cable and the neighboring sub-cable.

4. The joint of claim 3, wherein the insulating divider is made of expanded Teflon.

5. The joint of claim 1, wherein, along at least a portion of the cable, all of the sub-cables are physically accessible for removal from the cable and connection to a spatially separate location.

6. The joint of claim 1, wherein, along an entirety of a length of the cable, all of the sub-cables are physically accessible for removal from the cable and connection to a spatially separate location.

7. The joint of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sub-cables is electrically connected to a joint-associated component at an intermediate point along the cable spaced away from both ends of the cable.

8. The joint of claim 1, wherein an entirety of a length of the cable within the joint is slack.

9. The joint of claim 1, wherein total lengths of at least two of the sub-cables are different.

10. The joint of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sub-cables comprises two conductors therewithin, the two conductors being insulated from each other but inseparable from each other.

11. The joint of claim 1, wherein a length of the cable passing through the joint remains constant during relative motion of the plurality of mechanical elements.