A robot arm according to the present invention includes: a shoulder joint assembly which is connected to an upper arm portion, and includes a drive unit for generating driving power; an elbow joint assembly which is provided between the upper arm portion and a forearm portion, and operates by being supplied with driving power from the drive unit; and a wrist joint assembly which is provided between the forearm portion and a hand portion, and operates by being supplied with driving power from the drive unit.

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.

An articulated device for robotic systems includes three rigid bodies. The first rigid body is configured to rotate about a first rotation axis with respect to a rigid base body. The second rigid body is configured to rotate about a second rotation axis with respect to the first rigid body. The third rigid body is configured to rotate about a third rotation axis with respect to the second rigid body. The first, second, and third rotation axes coincide in at least one point which defines the center of rotation of the articulated device.

This system and method is directed to A joint system comprising: a rings system having: a first pair of rings pivotally attached to each other by a first set of rotating housings, the first set of rotating housings being configured to rotate along a first axis and a second pair of rings pivotally attached to each other by a second set of rotating housings, the second set of rotating housings being configured to rotate along a second axis; a first sliding support subassembly configured to slidingly receive a first ring from the rings system; and a second sliding support subassembly configured to slidingly receive a second ring from the rings system; a primary gears system carried by and having a first and second primary gear wherein the first primary gear and the second primary gear are rotatably attached to a central connecting support.

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 constant velocity (CV) joint system include a CV joint assembly with a first elongated ring pivotally attached to a second elongated ring via a first rotating housing and a second rotating housing, the first rotating housing and the second rotating housing being configured to rotate along a first axis; a third elongated ring pivotally attached to a fourth elongated ring via a third rotating housing and a fourth rotating housing, the third rotating housing and the fourth rotating housing being configured to rotate along a second axis; a first sliding support; and a second sliding support. The first sliding support includes a first elongated opening; and a second elongated opening, the first elongated opening extending in a direction relatively perpendicular to the second elongated opening. The second sliding support includes a third elongated opening and a fourth elongated opening, the third elongated opening extending in a direction relatively perpendicular to the fourth elongated opening.

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, the second shaft gear being arranged to engage the second drive gear; the second drive shaft comprising a prismatic joint whereby the length of the shaft can vary in response to motion of the carrier about the first axis.

A robot arm includes a first holder and a second holder. The first holder includes a first base portion and a first distal portion. The first distal portion has a first distal thickness smaller than a thickness of the first base portion. The second holder includes a second base and a second distal portion. The second distal portion has a second distal thickness smaller than a thickness of the second base portion. A first rotator is supported by the first distal portion and the second distal portion. A second rotator is supported by the first rotator. A first bevel gear is provided in the first distal portion. Another first bevel gear is provided in the second distal portion. A second bevel gear engages with the first bevel gear and the another first bevel gear.

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 pitch rotation axis and to a second one of the limbs by a second revolute joint having a yaw rotation axis; a first drive gear disposed about the pitch rotation axis, the first drive gear being fast with the carrier; a second drive gear disposed about the yaw 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 pitch 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 yaw 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.

A robot wrist structure includes a first wrist element, a second wrist element, and a third wrist element which are respectively rotatable about a first axis to a third axis; drive motors for the second and third wrist elements; and gear sets that reduce speeds of rotation of the drive motors. The gear sets respectively include a driven-side large-diameter gear that rotates the second wrist element and a driven-side small-diameter gear that rotates the third wrist element, where the driven-side large-diameter gear and the driven-side small-diameter gear are coaxially arranged so as to be rotatable about the second axis. The small-diameter gear is fixed to a drive-side bevel gear that meshes with a driven-side bevel gear fixed to the third wrist element. The second wrist element includes a first housing that is fixed to the large-diameter gear; and a second housing rotatably supports the third wrist element.