Boston Dynamics, Inc.

Adam Young

Zachary John Jackowski

Steven Dickinson Potter

Kyle Rogers

An example robot includes: a motor disposed at a joint configured to control motion of a member of the robot; a transmission including an input member coupled to and configured to rotate with the motor, an intermediate member, and an output member, where the intermediate member is fixed such that as the input member rotates, the output member rotates therewith at a different speed; a pad frictionally coupled to a side surface of the output member of the transmission and coupled to the member of the robot; and a spring configured to apply an axial preload on the pad, wherein the axial preload defines a torque limit that, when exceeded by a torque load on the member of the robot, the output member of the transmission slips relative to the pad.

Transmission with integrated overload protection for a legged robot

A robot leg assembly including a hip joint and an upper leg member. A proximal end portion of the upper leg member rotatably coupled to the hip joint. The robot leg assembly including a knee joint rotatably coupled to a distal end portion of the upper leg member, a lower leg member rotatably coupled to the knee joint, a linear actuator disposed on the upper leg member and defining a motion axis, and a motor coupled to the linear actuator and a linkage coupled to the translation stage and to the lower leg member. The linear actuator includes a translation stage moveable along the motion axis to translate rotational motion of the motor to linear motion of the translation stage along the motion axis, which moves the linkage to rotate the lower leg member relative to the upper leg member at the knee joint.

Screw actuator for a legged robot

An example robot includes: a leg having an upper leg member and a lower leg member coupled to the upper leg member at a knee joint; a screw actuator disposed within the upper leg member, where the screw actuator has a screw shaft and a nut mounted coaxial to the screw shaft such that the screw shaft is rotatable within the nut; a motor mounted at an upper portion of the upper leg member and coupled to the screw shaft; a carrier coupled and mounted coaxial to the nut such that the nut is disposed at a proximal end of the carrier; and a linkage coupled to the carrier, where the linkage is coupled to the lower leg member at the knee joint.

An example robot includes: a motor disposed within a housing at a joint configured to control motion of a member of a robot; a controller including one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) disposed within the housing and including a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) disposed on a surface of a PCB of the one or more PCBs facing the motor; a rotary position sensor mounted on the controller; a shaft coupled to a rotor of the motor and extending therefrom to the controller; and a magnet mounted within the shaft at an end of the shaft facing the controller.

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Waltham, MA, United States of America

Adam Young