Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.

Masakatsu Sasahara

Junji Koyama

Tatsuro Hoshina

Hiroshi Kameda

Teizo Morimoto

Kiyoto Kobayashi

Satoshi Kiyono

An externally toothed gear of a strain wave gearing is made to flex into a shape conforming to an ellipsoidal curve. The externally toothed gear meshes with an internally toothed gear at the major-diameter position of the ellipsoidal curve. These two meshing positions gradually change in the circumferential direction of the both gears along the tooth trace direction. The number of external teeth of the externally toothed gear participating in meshing with the internally toothed gear can be increased. A strain wave gearing which has a high rigidity and is capable of reducing vibrational noise, can be realized.

Strain wave gearing, frictional engagement wave device, and wave generator

First and second external tooth gear parts of a strain wave gearing are bent in an elliptic shape by a wave generator to engage with first and second internal tooth gears, respectively. The first and second external tooth gear parts are bent so as to have elliptic shapes the phases of which are rotated 90 degrees from each other about a rotational center line. A coupling external tooth gear part that maintains a circular cross-sectional shape which does not deform is formed in between the first and second external tooth gear parts. The coupling external tooth gear part is maintained so as to be coupled with a coupling internal tooth gear in an engaged manner. The strain wave gearing has high engagement rigidity and is capable of transmitting large torque.

Strain wave device

An articulated finger unit has a two-jointed structure comprising a joint portion on a finger base side, a finger base portion, a joint portion on a fingertip side, and a fingertip portion; the joint portion on the finger base side has a drive-side bevel gear fixed to a rotational output shaft of an actuator, a driven-side bevel gear coaxially fixed to a joint portion that is perpendicular to the rotational output shaft, and a connecting member wherein an annular boss is fixed to the driven-side bevel gear and wherein a tip portion extends in a fork shape; and a cover on the finger base side is connected to the connecting member. A rotation of the rotational output shaft is converted to rotational movement of the joint shaft by way of a pair of bevel gears, and the connecting member fixed to the joint shaft turns right and left at an angle of 90&#xb0; or more about the joint shaft. The finger unit suitable for use in a robot hand that moves at high speed and with precision can be realized.

Finger unit for robot hand

A palm mechanism for a high-speed robot hand has a fixed-side articulated finger unit that projects forward from an upper side of a vertically positioned palm plate, and moveable-side articulated finger units disposed on both sides thereof. The left and right articulated finger units are capable of turning along two short sides of the rectangular palm plate from upper end positions on the palm mechanism. The articulated finger units are capable of bending up and down about joint portions thereof. A variety of operations, including gripping, picking, and throwing, can be performed rapidly and reliably by controlling relative positions of the three articulated finger units and controlling bending operations of the articulated finger units.

Growing community of inventors

Azumino, Japan

Masakatsu Sasahara