Elastic Joint

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

The patent describes an innovative elastic joint mechanism that features adjustable stiffness (rigidity). It uses a combination of a disc cam mechanism and a lever mechanism, where the torque transfer exhibits nonlinear characteristics. Importantly, the joint's stiffness can be actively adjusted by changing the position of a lever pivot via an adjustment mechanism, allowing engineers to fine-tune the mechanical response as needed.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Robotic arms requiring safe and adaptive interaction with humans (collaborative robots or cobots)
• Industrial robots performing tasks with variable force or requiring compliance, such as assembly, packaging, or material handling
• Medical or rehabilitation robots needing adaptable force feedback or safe operation around patients
• Service robots in public or personal spaces that must adapt to unpredictable contacts or loads
• Prosthetics or exoskeletons with adjustable mechanical compliance
• Precision machinery where vibration isolation and adaptive compliance are beneficial

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables variable stiffness, allowing the joint to adapt to different tasks and safety requirements
• Enhances safety for applications involving human-robot interaction by reducing injury risk
• Provides nonlinear torque characteristics for more natural, biomimetic movement or advanced control strategies
• Reduces required actuation force for adjusting stiffness, potentially improving energy efficiency
• Compact and mechanically efficient design can be adapted to fit into various types of machines or robots
• Allows robots to implement both delicate and powerful movements as required by the situation

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to elastic joints comprising a drive, an elastic mechanism, and an output. The elastic joints are characterized in particular by a variable rigidity. Additionally, the elastic mechanism has a disc cam mechanism and a lever mechanism. The drive is connected to the disc cam mechanism, and the torque can be changed in a nonlinear manner by rotating a disc cam connected to at least one spring element. The disc cam is connected to the lever mechanism, wherein a first lever arm of a lever is rotatably connected to the disc cam outside of the cam center, a second lever arm of the lever is connected to the output, and the pivot of the lever is coupled to an adjustment mechanism in order to change the position of the pivot and thus the rigidity.