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:
Dec. 26, 2006
Filed:
Nov. 12, 2003
Thomas R. Ohnstein, Roseville, MN (US);
Daniel W. Youngner, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Robert D. Horning, Savage, MN (US);
Thomas R. Ohnstein, Roseville, MN (US);
Daniel W. Youngner, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Robert D. Horning, Savage, MN (US);
Honeywell International, Inc., Morristown, NJ (US);
Abstract
An elongated robotic member that is simple in design and structure, relatively inexpensive and consumes little power. In one illustrative embodiment, one or more linear actuators are used in conjunction with two or more plates that are fixed at spaced locations along a spine member. Fixed between each pair of plates is one or more actuators, which when activated, pull or push corresponding portions of the plates towards or away from each other. This changes the relative orientation of the plate pairs, thus providing a bending movement. The spine preferably is flexible at least in the lateral direction, and bends in response to the relative movement of the plates. A number of plate pairs may be provided to create an arbitrarily long robotic member.