Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Claudio V Di Leo

Julian Jose Rimoli

Mark F Costello

Benjamin Leon

Michael Brian Ward

Christine A Gebara

Juan D Lavirgen

A leg mechanism includes an articulated leg system, a passive device and a cable. The articulated leg system has a leg portion. The passive device is coupled to the articulated leg system and is configured to apply a first force to a portion thereof. The cable is coupled to the articulated leg system and is configured to apply a second force, in opposition to the first force, to a portion thereof. When the cable is drawn away from the articulated leg system, the second force moves the leg portion in a first direction. When tension is released from the cable, the passive device exerts the first force so as to move the leg portion a second direction that is opposite the first direction.

Cable-driven four-bar link leg mechanism

In a joint () for a structure that includes at least one rod () and a plurality of cables (), each cable () having an outside diameter, a rod end () is affixable to the rod () so that the rod has a rod () centerline that passes through the rod end (). The rod end () includes a mechanism () that allows the rod end () to pivot about a center point that is on the rod centerline. A cable attachment device () is couplable to each cable () and to the rod end (). The cable attachment device () holds each cable () coupled thereto in a relationship to the rod end () so that each cable () has a cable centerline that intersects the center point so as to minimize any moments from the rod () or the cables () on the joint ().

Articulated joint mechanism for cable-based and tensegrity structures

A leg mechanism includes an articulated leg system (), a passive device () and a cable (). The articulated leg system () has a leg portion (). The passive device () is coupled to the articulated leg system and is configured to apply a first force to a portion thereof. The cable () is coupled to the articulated leg system () and is configured to apply a second force, in opposition to the first force, to a portion thereof. When the cable () is drawn away from the articulated leg system (), the second force moves the leg portion () in a first direction. When tension is released from the cable (), the passive device () exerts the first force so as to move the leg portion () a second direction that is opposite the first direction.

A sensing device includes a pressure sensor and a deformable cover. A fluid cavity engineered between the deformable cover and the pressure sensor changes shape and ultimately collapses as force is applied to the sensing device. The shape and collapse of the engineered cavity, along with the entire structure of deformable cover and the pressure sensor, govern the force vs. pressure behavior of the sensing device and can be tailored as desired. A first benefit includes providing tailored properties of the sensing device by varying the structure of the deformable cover. A second benefit includes that if too much force is applied, excess force&#x2014;beyond that which is required to collapse the engineered cavity&#x2014;does not produce excess pressure which would cause damage to the pressure sensor. As such the sensing device is protected from accidental, or intended, over loading.

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Claudio V Di Leo