US 12,325,127 B2
Serial manipulator for space applications
Thomas P. Low, Belmont, CA (US); Brian Foster, San Carlos, CA (US); and Brian K. McCoy, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/013,687
Filed by SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 2, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/044202
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 29, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/031609, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 10, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/061,053, filed on Aug. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0356388 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/04 (2006.01); B25J 19/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/104 (2013.01) [B25J 9/042 (2013.01); B25J 19/0004 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic arm system comprising:
a base member;
a first arm segment, wherein the first arm segment is coupled to the base member via a first joint, wherein the first joint permits rotation, around a first axis, of the first arm segment relative to the base member;
a first brake, wherein the first brake is selectively operable to resist rotation of the first arm segment relative to the base member;
a first hub, wherein the first hub comprises a first first-axis pulley, a second first-axis pulley, and a first-axis shaft, wherein the first-axis shaft rigidly couples the first first-axis pulley to the second first-axis pulley, and wherein the first first-axis pulley, the second first-axis pulley, and the first-axis shaft are coaxial with the first axis;
a first belt, wherein the first belt is in contact with the first first-axis pulley;
a second arm segment, wherein the second arm segment is coupled to the first arm segment via a second joint, wherein the second joint permits rotation, around a second axis, of the second arm segment relative to the first arm segment;
a second brake, wherein the second brake is selectively operable to resist rotation of the second arm segment relative to the first arm segment;
a second hub, wherein the second hub comprises a first second-axis pulley and a second-axis shaft, wherein the first second-axis pulley is rigidly coupled to the second-axis shaft, wherein the first second-axis pulley and the second-axis shaft are coaxial with the second axis, wherein the first arm segment is coupled to the second hub via a first bearing, and wherein the second arm segment is coupled to the second hub via a second bearing; and
a second belt, wherein the second belt is in contact with the second first-axis pulley and with the first second-axis pulley.