US 12,409,571 B1
Snake-arm robot and joint therefor
Andrew Crispin Graham, Badminton (GB); Tim Henri Ann Francois, Emersons Green (GB); Joseph Nelson, Cheswick Village (GB); and Rory Bateman, St. George (GB)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US); and Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited, Altrincham (GB)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US); and Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited, Altrincham (GB)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/599,944.
Int. Cl. B25J 18/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 18/06 (2013.01) [B25J 9/065 (2013.01); B25J 9/104 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot arm comprising:
a first link and a second link positioned adjacent to one another along a longitudinal axis of the robot arm;
a joint formed by the first and second links comprising a first convex contact portion of the first link and a second convex contact portion of the second link, the first and second convex contact portions configured to be in rolling contact with one another to allow the first and second links to pivot with respect to one another;
wherein the first and second convex contact portions are configured to contact one another at first and second contact points at the first and second convex contact portions corresponding to a first orientation of the first and second links;
wherein the first and second convex contact portions are configured to contact one another at third and fourth contact points at the first and second convex contact portions corresponding to a second orientation of the first and second links, wherein the second orientation is different from the first orientation;
wherein the joint is configured such that a line of action of a net force acting on the joint is incident with a first reference line extending between the first and second contact points when the first and second links are in the first orientation, and the line of action of the net force acting on the joint is incident with a second reference line extending between the third and fourth contact points when the first and second links are in the second orientation; and
wherein each of the first and second links comprise a plurality of through openings extending between proximal and distal ends thereof, wherein at least one of the plurality of through openings comprises proximal and distal portions that are enlarged relative to an intermediate portion of the through opening that extends between the proximal and distal portions.