Robot actuator utilizing a differential pulley transmission

摘要

As an example, a differential pulley actuator includes input drive gears for coupling to a motor and timing pulleys coupled together through the input drive gears. Rotation of the input drive gears causes rotation of a first timing pulley in a first direction and rotation of a second timing pulley in a second direction opposite the first direction. The actuator also includes multiple idler pulleys suspended between the timing pulleys and the output pulley, and the multiple idler pulleys are held in tension between the timing pulleys via a first tension-bearing element and the output pulley via a second tension-bearing element. The first tension-bearing element loops around the timing pulleys and the multiple idler pulleys. The output pulley couple to a load, and is configured to apply motion of the multiple idler pulleys to the load.

主权项

1. A differential pulley actuator comprising:
one or more input drive gears for coupling to a motor, wherein the one or more input drive gears couple rotation of the motor to rotation of an output pulley; one or more timing belt pulleys coupled together through the one or more input drive gears, wherein rotation of the one or more input drive gears causes rotation of a first timing belt pulley in a first direction and rotation of a second timing belt pulley in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the one or more timing belt pulleys include multiple timing belt pulleys arranged within a plane lengthwise along the differential pulley actuator toward the output pulley; multiple idler pulleys suspended between the one or more timing belt pulleys and the output pulley and arranged within the plane lengthwise along the differential pulley actuator toward the output pulley, wherein the multiple idler pulleys are held in tension between the one or more timing belt pulleys via a first tension-bearing element and the output pulley via a second tension-bearing element, wherein the first tension-bearing element loops around the one or more timing belt pulleys and the multiple idler pulleys, such that the first tension-bearing element has a first loop around a first timing belt pulley and a second loop around a second timing belt pulley, wherein the first loop and the second loop are arranged within the plane lengthwise along the differential pulley actuator toward the output pulley; and the output pulley for coupling to a load, wherein the output pulley couples to the multiple idler pulleys via the second tension-bearing element looping around the output pulley and is configured to apply motion of the multiple idler pulleys to the load.