National Aerospace Laboratory of Science Technology Agency

National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan

National Space Development Agency of Japan (Nasda)

National Aerospace Laboratory of Science & Technology

Nippon Electric Co., Ltd.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Nitto Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Kawasaki Industries, Ltd.

National Aerospace Laboratory of Science &Technology Agency&national

Osamu Okamoto

Teruomi Nakaya

Seizo Suzuki

Naoaki Kuwano

Isao Yamaguchi

Shuichi Sasa

Masakazu Sagisaka

Hidehiko Nakayasu

Heihachiro Kamimura

Goji Iba

Jyunichi Ueno

Yasuoki Usui

Hiroaki Nagano

Katsuhiko Renbutsu

Mitsuharu Izaki

Atsushi Nakajima

Takeshi Tsuchiya

Tatsuo Yamanaka

Hideyuki Taguchi

Kazuyoshi Yabuuchi

Tatsukichi Koshio

Yukihiko Sekimoto

Kotaro Matsumoto

Masataka Maita

Sachiko Wakabayashi

Yoshinori Sakai

Hiroshi Oda

Masao Uegusa

Kenji Ogimoto

Ryuji Sakata

Yasuaki Taniguchi

Hiroyoshi Tanaka

Yoshiaki Ohkami

Tadashi Kishimoto

A method of controlling a redundant manipulator for assigning one or more redundant joints from a plurality of joints and obtaining the solution to an inverse kinematics problem at high-speed. The joints are arbitrarily classified into redundant joints and non-redundant joints, and an initial value is set for the joint angle of the classified redundant joint as a parameter. Then based on an evaluating function or a constraint condition defined by the joint angle of the redundant joint provided as a parameter and the joint angle of the non-redundant joint, which is determined by the inverse kinematics calculation according to the change of the parameter, an optimum solution of a set of joint angles is determined, and until the optimum solution covers the target range of the hand position, the procedure to determine the optimum solution is repeated with relaxing the constraint conditions.

Method of controlling redundant manipulator

A novel combined engine for a single-stage spacecraft is provided that combines a air-breathing engine utilizing oxygen in the atmosphere as oxidizer and rocket engines for obtaining thrust outside the atmosphere and that does not require a portion whose shape is variable in accordance with the flight speed. Rocket enginesare provided on strutsthat form air introduction channelsin the air intake section. The rocket jetsfrom the rocket enginescontrol the flow of the airflowsintroduced into the combustion chamberin accordance with the flight speed. When the spacecraftis stationary or in subsonic flight, the rocket jetspromote air intake into the combustion chamberby lowering of static pressure due to expansion (ejector effect). In the subsonic flight condition, it performs the role of air compression, mixing with incoming air, fuel injection and ignition and during supersonic/ultra-supersonic flight it performs the role of a variable diffuser.

Combine engine for single-stage spacecraft

An offset rotary joint unit equipped with a rotation correction mechanism, in which a bending motion can be executed in a two-dimensional plane only by virtue of a rotary mechanism and which can support a high-load weight and is applicable for two-arm mechanisms such as nursing assistant robots. One offset rotary joint unitis composed of a first arm, a rotation correction armrotationally driven around the axial line of the first arm, and a second armrotationally driven around an axial line obliquely intersecting with the rotation correction arm. A rotation correction joint mechanismlinking the first armand the rotation correction armand an offset rotary joint mechanismlinking the rotation correction armand the second armare driven by a single motor, and the rotation correction joint mechanismrotates synchronously and in the reverse direction, following the rotation of the offset rotary joint mechanism, thereby allowing the second armto execute a bending motion in a two-dimensional plane with respect to the first armonly by virtue of rotary mechanisms.

Offset rotary joint unit equipped with rotation correction mechanism

A robot is obtained having various functions that are demanded for planetary landing vehicles, extreme operations robots or the like, in particular to provide a leg structure for a robot that is capable of getting up itself when overturned, facilitating take-off and landing on uneven ground, and that has a walking function and that has a hand function capable of three-dimensional operation. A robot comprises a main robot body and at least three legs mounted on this main body for enabling three-dimensional movement of the main robot body such as a self-erecting action or walking action; each leg is constituted by a multi-joint arm having a plurality of said offset rotary joints linked together and has a ground-engaging member mounted at the leading end of the arm, so that each leg is capable of independently controlled three-dimensional movement and drive.

Robot having offset rotary joints

The present invention provides contact sensors capable of determining the pressure distribution over the whole surface of each of joint units having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle, and constituting robot arms. In order to provide a technology enabling real-time drive control of the robot arms by using detected values from these sensors, the points of intersection of the electrodes are distributed across the whole surface of each joint by forming a pressure-sensitive sheet sensor in which column electrodes arranged in parallel, and row electrodes arranged in a wound-string shape, are combined, these joints having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle. In addition, by making an electrode structure that covers a prescribed width in both rows and columns, the number of signal output terminals is reduced and the operation processing load is lightened. Moreover, after executing local processing, through the use of an encoder and pressure-sensitive sheet sensor provided in each of the joints, in addition to the information processing means, &lsqb;this data&rsqb; is sent to the CPU, whereby the central operation processing load is lightened.

Pressure-distribution sensor for controlling multi-jointed nursing robot

In a rotary articulated robot having at least a plurality of offset rotary joints in which a drive arm and driven arm are driven in rotation about an offset rotary axis inclined with respect to the arm axis, a hollow rotary shaft that is driven in rotation by a motor is arranged rotatably, being inclined, at the leading end of the arm of either the drive arm or driven arm while a rotor member to which turning effort from the hollow shaft is transmitted is fixed at the base of the other arm, said hollow rotary shaft and said rotor member constituting a high reduction ratio transmission/torque increasing mechanism. The method of control is that the operation of the joints is determined by dividing the operating region of the end effector into a plurality of blocks, the operating conditions of each joint necessary for movement to a prescribed block are converted to database form for each block, the teaching of operating points in the prescribed block region is converted to database form and a track is generated to the block of the operating region on the basis of the block region data; and when a reference point of the block is reached, the in-block operating point data is fetched.

Rotary articulated robot and method of control thereof

A transportable three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system is comprised of a small wind tunnel portion for creating a three-dimensional calibration air having a suitable wind velocity, and a two-axis rotational deformation device portion for causing said wind tunnel portion to effect a conical motion with a nozzle blow port being an apex to suitably change a flow angle. The two-axis rotational deformation device is comprised of a .beta.-angle rotational deformation device having a .beta.-angle deformation base supported to be rotated horizontally, and a .alpha.-angle rotational deformation device having a .alpha.-angle deformation base supported to be rotated vertically. A rotational axis of the .alpha.-angle deformation base, a rotational axis of the .beta.-angle deformation base and a center axis of the small wind tunnel portion are arranged so that they intersect at a point. In a method for the verification of a flight control system of an aircraft using the transportable three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system, the nozzle blow port of the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system is positioned at the extreme end of an air data sensor probe provided on the aircraft, and the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system and an on-board control computer of the aircraft are connected to an out-board control computer so that a suitable three-dimensional airflow is generated by the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system to verify the operation and function of the control surface in the stopped state on the ground.

Transportable three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system,

An air active control aircraft having an air three-dimensional true airspeed detection system composed of an air data sensor probe in the form of a truncated pyramid-shape Pitot probe and an air flight velocity operation processor for calculating an air flight velocity vector from three-dimensional air pressure information detected by the air data sensor probe, airframe motion detection sensors for detecting an airframe motion, and an on-board control computer for generating a flight control law. The on-board control computer inputs an air flight velocity vector signal obtained from the air flight velocity vector device into a control-surface control system in parallel with airframe motion detection sensor signals, and presumes a flight motion induced by a change in air to generate the flight control law for quickly carrying out air flight stability control.

Air active control aircraft using three dimensional true airspeed

A transportable three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system consisting of a small wind tunnel portion for creating a three-dimensional airflow having a suitable wind velocity, and a two-axis rotational deformation device portion for causing the wind tunnel portion to effect a conical motion with a nozzle blow port being in close proximity to an apex to suitably change a flow angle. The two-axis rotational deformation device includes a .beta.-angle rotational deformation device having a .beta.-angle deformation base supported to be rotated horizontally, and an .alpha.-angle rotational deformation device having an .alpha.-angle deformation base supported to be rotated vertically. A rotational axis of the .alpha.-angle deformation base, a rotational axis of the .beta.-angle deformation base and a center axis of the small wind tunnel portion are arranged so that they intersect at a point. When verifying a flight control system of an aircraft using the transportable three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system, the nozzle blow port of the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system is positioned at the extreme end of an air data sensor probe provided on the aircraft, and the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system and an on-board control computer of the aircraft are connected to an out-board control computer so that a suitable three-dimensional airflow is generated by the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system to verify the operation and function of the control surface in the stopped state on the ground.

Verification method of a flight control system using a transportable

A transportable three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system consists of a small wind tunnel portion for creating a three-dimensional airflow having a suitable wind velocity, and a two-axis rotational deformation device portion for causing the wind tunnel portion to effect a conical motion with a nozzle blow port being in close proximity to an apex to suitably change a flow angle. The two-axis rotational deformation device includes a .beta.-angle rotational deformation device having a .beta.-angle deformation base supported to be rotated horizontally, and an .alpha.-angle rotational deformation device having an .alpha.-angle deformation base supported to be rotated vertically. A rotational axis of the .alpha.-angle deformation base, a rotational axis of the .beta.-angle deformation base and a center axis of the small wind tunnel portion are arranged so that they intersect at a point. When verifying a flight control system of an aircraft using the transportable three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system, the nozzle blow port of the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system is positioned at the extreme end of an air data sensor probe provided on the aircraft, and the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system and an on-board control computer of the aircraft are connected to an out-board control computer so that a suitable three-dimensional airflow is generated by the three-dimensional calibration wind tunnel system to verify the operation and function of the control surface in the stopped state on the ground.

A mounting object comprises a combination of a mounting object body wherein engaging portions of fastener elements of a metallic heat-resistant two-dimensional fastener are projected outside from a mounting surface, and base portions are embedded and integrally molded, and a mating fastener element base object wherein mating fastener elements in detachably engagement with said fastener elements are projected and integrally molded. Said mounting object body is obtained as a heat-resistant material integral with a metallic two-dimensional fastener by covering and fixing part of the fastener elements of the metallic two-dimensional fastener with a carbon powder having a high melting temperature and covering bases thereof with a metallic powder, a ceramics powder or a mixed powder of them to mold and sinter it.

Method for manufacturing a mounting object provided with a metallic

A floating board is installed on a surface table through an extremely low friction plane sliding and supporting mechanism, such as using a gas bearing, of two-dimensional 3 freedom to thereby constitute a plane sliding mechanism portion, and a vertical sliding shaft tube supported to be enable translation in a vertical direction and connected to a balance belt for applying a balance weight is provided on the floating board through an extremely low friction vertical shaft sliding and supporting mechanism, such as a bas bearing, to thereby constitute a vertical shaft sliding mechanism portion. Further, a spherical shaft is installed above the vertical sliding shaft tube of the vertical shaft sliding mechanism portion through an extremely low friction 3-freedom rotational and supporting mechanism, such as using a gas bearing, to thereby constitute a 3-axis turning rotational mechanism portion, and a specimen model loading portion is provided on the spherical shaft to thereby obtain a three-dimensional free motion apparatus that can be applied to an agravic environment simulation experimental apparatus, an evaluation and test apparatus for a flexible-article handling work robot, and the like, in which as a whole, the 3-axis translation and the motion function of 3-axis turning 6-freedom can be secured in the extremely low friction state.

Three-dimensional free motion apparatus

A mounting object comprises a combination of a body wherein elements of a metallic heat-resistant two-dimensional fastener in a mounting surface, and their engaging portions projecting therefrom have their base portions embedded and integrally molded, and a mating base object wherein integrally molded mating fastener elements project for detachable engagement with said fastener elements. The mounting object body is formed as a heat-resistant material integral with a metallic two-dimensional fastener by covering and fixing part of the fastener elements of the metallic two-dimensional fastener with a carbon powder having a high melting temperature and covering bases thereof with a metallic powder, a ceramics powder, or a mixture thereof which is molded and sintered.

Mounting object provided with a metallic heat-resistant two-dimensional

A plurality of eccentric rotors are rotatably fitted between a fixed base and an output shaft on which an object to be vibrationproofed is mounted, the output shaft being supported movably in 3 to 6 Degree-of-Freedom, magnet spring mechanisms are provided on fitted wall surfaces between the fixed base and the eccentric rotor, a composite vibrationproof adjusting spring is provided between the fixed base and the output shaft, the magnet spring mechanism responding to a fine displacement of the output shaft, and in a case where the output shaft is greatly displaced, the output shaft is braked so as to be restored to a predetermined position by the composite vibrationproof adjusting spring mechanism. The magnet spring mechanism produces a large braking force since a rotational angle is large and a rotational-angle speed is high due to eccentricity of eccentric rotors.

Multidimensional damping apparatus

A docking and active damping device for space structures is provided, in a docking portion of one space structure to be docked, with a positioning device in which an output rotor can be moved and rotated within a two-dimensional plane by a composite rotation of one or more eccentric rotors capable of being independently driven and controlled by a direct drive motor and the output rotor, and a docking member having a docking ring and a latch mechanism are supported on the output rotor of the positioning device. A probe having a capture device capable of being protruded and driven in an axial direction by a linear motion is provided inwardly of the docking member, and the probe provides a 4-freedom movement according to a position of the passive side to capture and dock a drogue. The docking ring is supported through a strain sensor, a vibration of the passive side structure is detected, and the docking member is moved in a direction of suppressing the vibration to promptly suppress the vibration caused by disturbances from the inside and outside of the space structures.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Osamu Okamoto