A robot arm comprising a plurality of limbs articulated relative to each other, the robot arm extending from a base to a distal limb carrying a tool or an attachment point for a tool, the distal limb being attached by a revolute joint to a second limb, and the robot arm comprising a motor having a body and a drive shaft configured to drive rotation of the distal limb relative to the second limb about the revolute joint, wherein the body of the motor is fast with the distal limb.

A joint module has a base, a motion mechanism, a linear driving mechanism, a driving motor assembly, and a transmission. The motion mechanism, the linear driving mechanism, and the driving motor assembly are disposed on the base. The transmission is disposed between the linear driving mechanism and the driving motor assembly. A first transmitting assembly and a second transmitting assembly of the motion mechanism are disposed on the base in parallel. A first linear driving assembly and a second linear driving assembly of the linear driving mechanism are non-coaxial and are disposed on the base in parallel. A first wheel transmitting assembly of the transmission is connected to the driving motor assembly and the first linear driving assembly. A second wheel transmitting assembly of the transmission is connected to the driving motor assembly and the second linear driving assembly.

A machine tool for machining a workpiece has a spindle arm with a spindle for receiving a tool or workpiece. The spindle arm is movably attached to a spindle arm receiving section. The spindle arm has a first spindle arm section, being a longitudinal element, having a first rotational axis with respect to the spindle arm receiving section and is hinged to the spindle arm receiving section; a second spindle arm section, rotatable about a second rotational axis with respect to and is hinged to the first. The spindle arm receiving section has a first subsection and a second subsection, arranged on the machine column at a distance from one another to receive the spindle arm. The first spindle arm section has first and second subsections, which are arranged on the spindle arm receiving section at a distance from each other to receive the second spindle arm section.

A robot arm comprising a plurality of limbs articulated relative to each other, the robot arm extending from a base to a distal limb carrying a tool or an attachment point for a tool, the distal limb being attached by a revolute joint to a second limb, and the robot arm comprising a motor having a body and a drive shaft configured to drive rotation of the distal limb relative to the second limb about the revolute joint, wherein the body of the motor is fast with the distal limb.

A joint structure for a robot of the present invention includes: a first member; a speed reducer coupled to one surface of a wall portion of the first member; a motor located at a side opposite to the one surface of the wall portion of the first member; a first gear attached to a shaft of the motor; a second gear attached to a shaft of an input unit of the speed reducer and intermeshing with the first gear; and a second member attached to an output unit of the speed reducer. The diameter of the second gear is larger than a coupling unit that couples to the first member. The first member is provided with a gear accommodating portion that accommodates the first and second gear, a part of the gear accommodating portion which covers at least the second gear is removable with respect to the first member.

An assembly of a robot includes a first member, a second member rotatably connected to the first member to construct a robot joint structure, a driving assembly arranged within the first member, a speed reducer assembly to rotatably connect the first member to the second member, and a belt drive assembly connected to the driving assembly and the speed reducer assembly. The belt drive assembly is used to transmit rotary motion from the driving assembly to the speed reducer assembly, thereby rotating the first member with respect to the second member.

A robot arm comprising a joint mechanism for articulating one limb of the arm relative to another limb of the arm about two non-parallel rotation axes, the mechanism comprising: an intermediate carrier attached to a first one of the limbs by a first revolute joint having a first rotation axis and to a second one of the limbs by a second revolute joint having a second rotation axis; a first drive gear disposed about the first rotation axis, the first drive gear being fast with the carrier; a second drive gear disposed about the second rotation axis, the second drive gear being fast with the second one of the limbs; a first drive shaft for driving the first drive gear to rotate about the first rotation axis, the first drive shaft extending along the first one of the limbs and having a first shaft gear thereon, the first shaft gear being arranged to engage the first drive gear; a second drive shaft for driving the second drive gear to rotate about the second rotation axis, the second drive shaft extending along the first one of the limbs and having a second shaft gear thereon; and an intermediate gear train borne by the carrier and coupling the second shaft gear to the second drive gear, the intermediate gear train comprising an intermediate shaft arranged to rotate about an axis parallel with the first rotation axis, the intermediate shaft having a third shaft gear thereon, the third shaft gear being arranged to engage the second drive gear.

A surgical tool includes a drive housing, an elongate shaft that extends from the drive housing, and a plurality of drive cables extending within the elongate shaft between the drive housing and the end effector. A cable tensioner includes an inner hub and a cable guide assembly, and the cable guide assembly includes a central body arranged on the inner hub, and a plurality of cable guides arranged on the inner hub and engageable with the plurality of drive cables. Each cable guide is arranged to engage a corresponding one of the plurality of drive cables, and one or more biasing devices are engageable with the central body to bias the plurality of cable guides into constant engagement with the plurality of drive cables and thereby maintain constant tension in the plurality of drive cables.

A robot arm comprising a joint mechanism for articulating one limb of the arm relative to another limb of the arm about two non-parallel rotation axes, the mechanism comprising: an intermediate carrier attached to a first one of the limbs by a first revolute joint having a first rotation axis and to a second one of the limbs by a second revolute joint having a second rotation axis; a first drive gear disposed about the first rotation axis, the first drive gear being fast with the carrier; a second drive gear disposed about the second rotation axis, the second drive gear being fast with the second one of the limbs; a first drive shaft for driving the first drive gear to rotate about the first rotation axis, the first drive shaft extending along the first one of the limbs and having a first shaft gear thereon, the first shaft gear being arranged to engage the first drive gear; a second drive shaft for driving the second drive gear to rotate about the second rotation axis, the second drive shaft extending along the first one of the limbs on a first side of a plane containing the second rotation axis and extending through that plane to the second side of that plane; and an intermediate linkage that meshes with the second drive shaft on the second side of the plane and that couples the second shaft gear to the second drive gear.

A device is provided. The device includes a worm drive comprising a worm and a worm gear. The device also includes an actuator comprising a motor, a shaft, and the worm, wherein the shaft is configured to rotate about a shaft axis, and the actuator is configured to (i) drive the worm drive, and (ii) move linearly along the shaft axis. The device also includes a first spring and a second spring, wherein the second ends are fixed, and wherein the first and second springs are configured to resist movement of the actuator along the shaft axis in opposite directions as a result of forces transmitted through the worm drive. The device further includes a linear position encoder configured to determine a position of the actuator along the shaft axis.