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:
Feb. 09, 2010
Filed:
Aug. 17, 2005
Toru Takenaka, Wako, JP;
Hiroshi Gomi, Wako, JP;
Kazushi Hamaya, Wako, JP;
Kazushi Akimoto, Wako, JP;
Shinya Shirokura, Wako, JP;
Minami Asatani, Wako, JP;
Katsushi Tanaka, Gyoda, JP;
Toru Takenaka, Wako, JP;
Hiroshi Gomi, Wako, JP;
Kazushi Hamaya, Wako, JP;
Kazushi Akimoto, Wako, JP;
Shinya Shirokura, Wako, JP;
Minami Asatani, Wako, JP;
Katsushi Tanaka, Gyoda, JP;
Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Showa Corporation, Gyoda-shi, JP;
Abstract
An assist deviceis equipped with a spring means(gas spring), and a pistonin a cylindermoves upward or downward according to a relative displacement motion (flexing or stretching motion) of a thighand a crusat a knee jointof a legof a robot. Air chambersandabove and below the pistonare filled with gases. If a flexing degree at the knee jointis a predetermined value or less, then the air chambersandare brought into communication through a groovein the cylinder, and the spring meansdoes not generate an elastic force, but if the flexing degree exceeds the predetermined value, then the air chambersandare hermetically sealed from each other and the spring meansproduces an elastic force, the elastic force acting on the knee jointas assisting driving force. A burden on a joint actuator of a leg can be reduced, while reducing energy consumption of the robot by using a small and simple construction. Moreover, a change in the characteristics of an assisting driving force of the spring meansin response to a flexing degree of the knee jointcan be restrained.