Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090012648 | Robotic Arms With Coaxially Mounted Helical Spring Means - A robotic arm comprising a plurality of segments, each comprising articulated links, and means for causing each segment to bend so the arm can follow a serpentine path. A helical spring is provided coaxially with the arm to urge the links to an initial datum position, and to distribute the bending over the links of each segment. | 01-08-2009 |
20090095112 | Link Assembly With Defined Boundaries For A Snake Like Robot Arm - In a “tip following” robotic arm, the apertures through which control cables pass are arranged to ensure that the cables are maintained in contact with at least a part of the aperture, leading to a more stable and controllable arrangement. | 04-16-2009 |
20090222133 | System and Method for Controlling a Robotic Arm - A method of controlling the position of an elongate robotic arm comprising articulated segments. An actuator is associated with each segment to control its position, and a control system operates the actuators. Data representing the position of the arm is gathered and compared to input data that represents a required new position of a part of the arm. Data representing the required new position of the arm is then calculated, attempting to keep the remainder of the arm as close as possible to its previous position. The actuators are operated to move the arm into the new position. In tip following, the data representing the new position may define a path, and the arm may be fitted to the path by matching the position and orientation of a point on each pair of adjacent segments to that of the path. | 09-03-2009 |
20090326714 | Robotic Arms - A robotic arm of the “top following” type, which can advance into an environment is covered is covered by a sensorised skin. The arm can thus detect a parameter of the environment, and the shape can be adjusted accordingly. | 12-31-2009 |
20100234988 | Robotic Arm With A Plurality Of Articulated Segments - A ‘tip following’ robotic arm for operating in pipes includes a plurality of articulated segments actuable to control the shape of the arm, and also is provided with guides such as wheels on some or all of the segments thereof, such that the arm may alternatively or in addition follow the shape of the pipe using the guides. | 09-16-2010 |
20110054687 | Robotic Arm - A robotic arm is provided, for example for inspecting a rotary machine such as a gas turbine engine. The arm has a plurality of groups of links having articulations therebetween for movement in a first plane, the groups having articulations with respect to each other for movement in a second orthogonal plane. Thus the arm can move around objects such as aerofoils in the engine, and also move up or down to remain close to the rotary surface of the machine. | 03-03-2011 |
20110067519 | ROBOT WITH A DEPLOYMENT APPARATUS FOR AN ARM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF LINKS - A robotic arm deployment apparatus is provided for a tip following robotic arm, of the type comprising a plurality of controllable segments ( | 03-24-2011 |
20110146441 | Release Mechanism For Robotic Arms - A robotic arm arrangement including an arm having control cables extending from the base of the arm, and coupling members for coupling the cables to actuators for linear actuation of the cables. The coupling members extend radially outwardly around the arm to enable quick release and replacement of the arm. | 06-23-2011 |
20110174108 | ROBOTIC ARM - An elongate robotic arm comprising articulated segments and a channel that extends along the longitudinal axis of the arm and contains a stiffening member which includes a sensor for measuring the shape of the arm. Using the central channel for this purpose improves the ease and accuracy of shape measurement. | 07-21-2011 |