Jointed limb for robot or haptic interface and robot and haptic interface comprising such a jointed limb

Abstract

The primary object of the present invention is a jointed and instrumented limb for robot or haptic interface comprising at least first ( 2 ) and second ( 4 ) rigid segments and a joint ( 6 ), said joint ( 6 ) comprising fibers and at least one measurement element ( 101, 102 ) and being fixed in each of the rigid segments ( 2, 4 ). The present invention also has for object a robot or a haptic interface comprising at least one such jointed limb.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A jointed limb for robot or haptic interface comprising:
 at least first and second rigid segments connected by a flexible mechanical joint, said flexible mechanical being formed by fibers and at least one measurement element,   wherein said fibers which comprise said flexible joint receive, and are constructed to withstand, mechanical stress transmitted from one of said rigid segments to another of said rigid segments, such that said flexible joint bears said mechanical stress transmitted between said rigid segments,   wherein end portions of said fibers comprising said flexible joint are fixed in each of the rigid segments,   wherein said fibers comprising said flexible joint are corded to form at least one cable,   wherein a length of said at least one cable extends in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the flexible joint,   wherein the at least one cable is constructed to be deformed in torsion.   
     
     
         32 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , in which said fibers comprising said flexible joint are corded to form several cables disposed in parallel with respect to each other. 
     
     
         33 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , in which said joint is a universal joint comprising a journal cross in which ends of a first branch are jointed using a cable on two branches of the first segment and ends of a second branch are jointed using a cable on two branches of the second segment. 
     
     
         34 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , in which the fibers are in aramid fiber, Kevlar, or polypropylene. 
     
     
         35 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , in which the at least one measurement element comprises a thin film having an electric characteristic which varies according to its deformation. 
     
     
         36 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , in which the at least one measurement element is a flexible film having electrodes on upper and lower faces and a capacity which varies according to its deformation, or a flexible film having electrodes on upper and lower faces and a resistance which varies according to its deformation. 
     
     
         37 . The jointed limb according to  claim 36 , in which the at least one measurement element is a flexible film equipped with stress gauges which vary according to its deformation. 
     
     
         38 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , in which the at least one measurement element comprises one or several wires or cables or fibers having an electric characteristic which varies according to its deformation defining an angle between the segments connected by the joint. 
     
     
         39 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , in which the at least one measurement element is an optical fiber connected to a light transmitter and receiver and constructed to transmit light variably according to its deformation defining an angle between the segments connected by the joint, or the at least one measurement element comprises one or several antennas placed in a structure of the film connecting the segments and having an inductive coupling which varies according to an angle between the segments connected by the joint. 
     
     
         40 . The limb according to  claim 31 , in which ends of the joint are submerged in a material comprising loops through which the material passes defining axes which pass through the loops and are also submerged in the material. 
     
     
         41 . The jointed limb according to  claim 31 , further comprising actuation means for moving one of the segments relative to the other. 
     
     
         42 . A robot or haptic interface comprising at least one jointed limb according to  claim 31 . 
     
     
         43 . A jointed structure comprising:
 a base provided with one or two arms;   a mobile support mounted jointed on the base, the mobile support forming a jointed limb according to claim  1  with the base;   a jointed parallelogram comprising an arm;   a connecting rod parallel to the arm; and   first and second parallel small connecting rods,   wherein the arm is jointed on the mobile support,   wherein the arm and the mobile support form a jointed limb according to claim  1 ,   wherein the first small connecting rod is jointed on the mobile support or the arm and the first connecting rod, the support or the arm and the first small connecting rod, and the connecting rod and the first small connecting rod respectively form jointed limbs according to claim  1 ,   wherein the second small connecting rod is jointed on the connecting rod and on the arm, the second small connecting rod and the arm forming a jointed limb according to claim  1 , and   wherein the second small connecting rod and the connecting rod form a jointed limb according to claim  1 , the second small connecting rod extending to form an operation forearm.   
     
     
         44 . A robot or haptic interface comprising two structures according to  claim 43  arranged head to tail such that free ends of the two operation forearms face each other, said forearms each being jointed on a operation element using a ball connection comprising a cable submerged in the adjacent bodies. 
     
     
         45 . A robot or haptic interface comprising two structures according to  claim 43  arranged one on top of the other, such that free ends of the two operation forearms are jointed on an operation element forming a jointed limb according to  claim 35 . 
     
     
         46 . A robot or haptic interface comprising three structures according to  claim 43  and regularly distributed angularly around an axis, such that ends of the forearms are all oriented from a same side and support a platform supporting an operation element. 
     
     
         47 . A robot comprising:
 a base on which are arranged three mobile supports configured to rotate about three axes angularly and regularly, each support forming, with the base, a jointed limb according to claim  1 ,   wherein said robot comprises
 three first segments jointed on the mobile supports, forming with them jointed limbs according to claim  1 ; and 
 three second segments jointed by a first end respectively on the three first segments, said second segments forming, with said first segments, jointed limbs according to claim  1 , said second segments supporting, at their second end, a platform supporting an operation element. 
   
     
     
         48 . The robot or haptic interface according to  claim 44 , wherein the operation element is a stylus or a thimble designed to receive an end of a finger. 
     
     
         49 . A robot or haptic interface comprising at least two structures according to  claim 43  and placed on a shared base adapted to be arranged on a hand.