APPARATUS FOR MULTI-AXIS ROTATION AND TRANSLATION

摘要

An apparatus for multi-axis rotation and translation comprises a spherical body, a plurality of roller assemblies each engaging the outer surface of the spherical body, a plurality of actuators for driving said roller assemblies, a frame for supporting the plurality of roller assemblies and th e plurality of actuators and translation means for translating the frame along each of three orthogonal axes. The actuators are selectively operated to drive the roller assemblies thereby imparting unlimited angular displacement to the spherical body and rotating the spherical body about any axis passing through its geometric center. The translation means may be operated to translate said spherical body along at least one of said three orthogonal axes. The apparatus is particularly applicable to use as a manipulator with s ix degrees of freedom (unlimited rotational displacement and translational displacement limited only by the boundaries of the workspace).