US 11,685,046 B2
Continuum robot control methods and apparatus
Kiyoshi Takagi, Tokyo (JP); Yusuke Tanaka, Tokyo (JP); Takahisa Kato, Brookline, MA (US); and Hitoshi Nakamura, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to Canon U.S.A., Inc., Melville, NY (US)
Filed by Canon USA Inc., Melville, NY (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/233,150.
Application 17/233,150 is a continuation of application No. 16/029,461, filed on Jul. 6, 2018, granted, now 11,007,641.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/533,466, filed on Jul. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0229277 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1625 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0015 (2013.01); B25J 9/065 (2013.01); B25J 9/104 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic apparatus comprising:
a continuum robot including a plurality of bending sections including a distal bending section and a proximal bending section wherein each of the bending sections are bent by at least one wire;
a driver that drives the wire;
a controller that controls a driving amount of the wire; and
a base affixed to the continuum robot and capable of moving the continuum robot,
wherein, when the base moves the continuum robot a displacement value, the distal bending section performs a rotational motion, and an angle (ζt) of the rotational motion is greater than 0 degrees, and
the controller controls the proximal bending section so as to follow the distal bending section while preventing the proximal bending section from performing a rotational motion of 360 degrees or more, based on a bending state of the distal bending section at a time when the distal bending section finishes the rotational motion.