The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 01, 1990
Filed:
Mar. 09, 1988
Gerry B Andeen, Menlo Park, CA (US);
David M Auslander, Berkeley, CA (US);
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (US);
The Regents of the University of California, Berkeley, CA (US);
Abstract
A manipulator is disclosed which includes first and second interconnected limb sections, the second section of which is elongated and flexible in at least one direction normal to the longitudinal axis. The first limb section is connected to a base, and the second limb section is connected to an end effector. Relative to a reference frame with origin at the first limb section, the stiffness matrix of the second limb section is variable, and is under motor control. In one embodiment, the second limb section is inflexible in a direction orthogonal to the one direction and the longitudinal axis, and is supported by the first limb section for rotation about the longitudinal axis. In another embodiment, the second limb section is flexible in all directions normal to the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of adjustable-tension stays attached to the second limb section adjacent opposite ends thereof are used to control the stiffness matrix thereof. Methods of damping vibration of the flexible beam are shown.