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. 03, 1994
Filed:
Jul. 16, 1991
Harmonic Drive Systems Inc., Kanagawa, JP;
Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An attitude control device has a plurality of harmonic drive mechanisms of the hollow type, preferably first and second harmonic drive mechanisms. First and second rotational members are connected to the outputs of the first and second harmonic drive mechanisms. These rotational members have eccentric hollow portions which rotate eccentrically around the rotational axes of the harmonic drive mechanisms. A member to be driven is placed to extend through the eccentric hollow portions such that it is supportedly contacted with the inner surfaces of the eccentric hollow portions. In operation, the eccentric hollow portions are rotated relative to each other, whereby the member to be driven is controllably oriented to a desired direction. The attitude control device can be employed as a drilling-direction control device wherein a rotational drill shaft is supported by inner surfaces of eccentric hollow portions of first and second rotational members. These rotational members are rotated by first and second harmonic drive mechanisms. By rotating the eccentric hollow portions, the rotational drilling shaft is changed in orientation from the vertical direction.