US 12,274,517 B2
Robotic device with compact joint design and an additional degree of freedom and related systems and methods
Shane Farritor, Lincoln, NE (US); Thomas Frederick, Gretna, NE (US); and Lou Cubrich, Lincoln, NE (US)
Assigned to Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (US)
Filed by Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (US)
Filed on Jul. 6, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/921,073.
Application 16/921,073 is a continuation of application No. 15/691,087, filed on Aug. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,702,347, issued on Jul. 7, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/381,299, filed on Aug. 30, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0330171 A1, Oct. 22, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 34/37 (2016.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 34/30 (2016.02) [A61B 34/37 (2016.02); B25J 9/0024 (2013.01); B25J 9/102 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic device comprising:
(a) an elongate device body comprising:
a first driveshaft rotatably disposed within the device body, the first driveshaft comprising:
(A) a first lumen defined along a length of the first driveshaft; and
(B) a first drive gear operably coupled to the first driveshaft;
a second driveshaft rotatably disposed within the first lumen, the second driveshaft comprising:
(A) a second lumen defined along a length of the second driveshaft; and
(B) a second drive gear operably coupled to the second driveshaft; and
(iii) a third driveshaft rotatably disposed within the second lumen;
(b) a first shoulder joint comprising:
(i) a conversion body operably coupled to at least one of the first, second, or third driveshafts, wherein the conversion body is a yoke body comprising a yoke shaft extending from the yoke body, wherein a longitudinal axis of the yoke shaft is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first driveshaft;
(ii) a rotation body rotatable in relation to the conversion body, the rotation body comprising first and second co-planar openings;
(iii) an output gear; and
(iv) a plurality of intermediate gears operably coupling the second drive gear to the output gear through the first and second openings in the rotation body; and
(c) a first arm operably coupled to the first shoulder joint.