US4753128A — Robot with spring pivot balancing mechanism

Claim 1

Independent Claim 194 words

A robot comprising: a base including a wall member; an arm assembly having a pivotal connection that pivotally supports the arm assembly on the base for movement about a pivotal axis; an end member; communicating means having a longitudinal axis and connected to the end member for communicating motion of said end member to said arm assembly at an attachment point offset from the pivotal axis; a compression spring supported at one end thereof by said end member to move therewith; bearing means supported on the wall member between the end member and the attachment point for supporing said communication means for linear and rotary movement relative to said wall member; and spring support means supported on the wall member for, in turn, supporting the opposite end of said spring at a fixed position relative to the wall member so that said spring flexes along the longitudinal axis during rotary movement of said communicating means relative to the opposite end of the spring, said spring being compressed between said end member and said spring support means, and the force of the spring being transmitted directly to said wall member by said spring support means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 194 words

A robot comprising: a base including a wall member; an arm assembly having a pivotal connection that pivotally supports the arm assembly on the base for movement about a pivotal axis; an end member; communicating means having a longitudinal axis and connected to the end member for communicating motion of said end member to said arm assembly at an attachment point offset from the pivotal axis; a compression spring supported at one end thereof by said end member to move therewith; bearing means supported on the wall member between the end member and the attachment point for supporing said communication means for linear and rotary movement relative to said wall member; and spring support means supported on the wall member for, in turn, supporting the opposite end of said spring at a fixed position relative to the wall member so that said spring flexes along the longitudinal axis during rotary movement of said communicating means relative to the opposite end of the spring, said spring being compressed between said end member and said spring support means, and the force of the spring being transmitted directly to said wall member by said spring support means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 58 words

The robot as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wall member has an aperture extending completely therethrough and wherein said spring support means includes a second end member having an outer peripheral flange disposed about the aperture, said flange at least partially defining an outer peripheral groove, one end of said compression spring being received within said groove.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 44 words

The robot as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arm assembly includes a gear pivotally mounted for rotation about the pivotal axis and wherein said communicating means is rotatably connected to said gear at the attachment point for movement therewith about the pivotal axis.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The robot as claimed in claim 3 further comprising second bearing means connected to the gear for permitting relative rotation between the communicating means and the gear.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The invention as claimed in claim 4 or claim 18 wherein said second bearing means comprises a self aligning roller bearing.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 189 words

An energy-storing balancing mechanism adapted for use with a robot having a base, an arm assembly and a pivotal connection with pivotally supports the arm assembly on the base for movement about a pivotal axis, the mechanism comprising: an end member; communicating means having a longitudinal axis and connected to the end member for communicating motion of said end member to the arm assembly and adapted to be connected to the arm assembly at an attachment point offset from the pivotal axis; a compression spring supported at one end thereof by said end member to move therewith; bearing means for supporting said communicating means for linear and rotary movement relative to the base; and spring support means adapted to support the opposite end of the spring at a fixed position relative to the base for allowing the spring to flex along the longitudinal axis during rotary movement of the communicating means relative to the opposite end of the spring, the spring being compressed between said end member and said spring support means, and the force of the spring being transmitted directly to the base by said spring support means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 189 words

An energy-storing balancing mechanism adapted for use with a robot having a base, an arm assembly and a pivotal connection with pivotally supports the arm assembly on the base for movement about a pivotal axis, the mechanism comprising: an end member; communicating means having a longitudinal axis and connected to the end member for communicating motion of said end member to the arm assembly and adapted to be connected to the arm assembly at an attachment point offset from the pivotal axis; a compression spring supported at one end thereof by said end member to move therewith; bearing means for supporting said communicating means for linear and rotary movement relative to the base; and spring support means adapted to support the opposite end of the spring at a fixed position relative to the base for allowing the spring to flex along the longitudinal axis during rotary movement of the communicating means relative to the opposite end of the spring, the spring being compressed between said end member and said spring support means, and the force of the spring being transmitted directly to the base by said spring support means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 29 words

The invention as claimed in claim 1 or claim 6 wherein said communicating means comprises a rod connected to the end member at a first end of the rod.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 33 words

The invention as claimed in claim 7 wherein said spring support means includes a second end member having an outer peripheral groove, the opposite end of said spring being received within said groove.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 46 words

The invention as claimed in claim 8 wherein said second end member includes a mounting portion having an opening, said rod extending completely through the second end member, wherein said opening is sized to permit the rotary motion of said rod relative to said mounting portion.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

The invention as claim in claim 9 wherein said bearing means includes a spherical bearing supported within said opening for permitting said rotary movement.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 47 words

The invention as claimed in claim 10 wherein said spherical bearing has a hole extending completely therethrough and wherein said bearing means includes a sleeve bearing mounted within said hole and having a cylindrical passage extending completely therethrough, said rod being slidably supported within said cylindrical passage.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

The invention as claimed in claim 8 wherein said spring comprises a helical spring having coils and wherein said rod extends through the coils of said spring.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 31 words

The invention as claimed in claim 7 including adjustment means for varying the effective length of said rod between said end member and the attachment point to vary the spring force.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

The invention as claimed in claim 13 wherein said adjustment means includes an internally threaded connector and wherein a second end of the rod is adjustably, threadedly connected to the connector.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

The invention as claimed in claim 14 including locking means threadedly mounted on the second end of the rod to prevent relative rotation between the rod and the connector after adjustment thereof.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 42 words

The invention as claimed in claim 13 wherein said adjustment means includes a bearing support portion and wherein said invention further comprises second bearing means supported on said bearing support portion for permitting relative rotation between the rod and the arm assembly.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

The invention as claimed in claim 16 wherein said second bearing means comprises a self aligning roller bearing.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 31 words

The mechanism as claimed in claim 6 further comprising second bearing means adapted for connection to the arm assembly for permitting relative rotation between the communicating means and the arm assembly.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 61 words

The mechanism as claimed in claim 6 wherein said spring support means includes a second end member disposed along the longitudinal axis and wherein said mechanism further comprises locking means mounted on said communicating means for preventing movement of said second end member along the longitudinal axis, said compression spring being preloaded between the end member and the second end member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-06-28	1991-12-28	1992-06-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-06-28	1995-12-28	1996-06-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-06-28	1999-12-28	2000-06-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Robot with spring pivot balancing mechanism

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