Flexible mechanical appendage

Abstract

A flexible mechanical appendage is provided to include a predetermined length positioned between head and tail ends, and having two sides disposed along the length. Arms extending outwardly from both sides of the flexible spine, and having an aperture positioned through each arm. A cable extends along both sides of the flexible spine through each of the apertures and terminates about the tail end of the flexible spine. A pulley system is positioned about the head end and has a spool rotatably driven by a reciprocating motor. The spool has a fastener for securing the cable thereto, wherein when the pulley system rotates the spool in a single direction reeling on cable, one side of the flexible spine bends in an arc.

1 . A flexible mechanical appendage comprising:
 a flexible spine having a predetermined length positioned between a head end and a tail end, and having two sides disposed along the predetermined length;   a plurality of arms extending outwardly from both sides of the flexible spine, each arm of the plurality of arms includes an end distal to the side of the flexible spine to which it extends, and includes an aperture through said distal end;   a cable extending along both sides of the flexible spine through each of the apertures of said arms and terminating about the tail end of the flexible spine; and   a pulley system positioned about the head end of the flexible spine and having a spool rotatably driven by a reciprocating motor, the spool having a fastener for securing the cable thereto, wherein when the pulley system is activated the reciprocating motor rotates the spool in a single direction reeling on cable extending along one side of the flexible spine and releasing cable extending along the other side of the flexible spine such that the flexible spine bends in an arc.   
   
   
       2 . The appendage of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible spine is comprised of a uniform material extending from the head end to its tail end and which is a rigid flexible material having a resiliently straight disposition such that when the flexible spine is bent and then released, the flexible spine tends to return to a substantially straight disposition. 
   
   
       3 . The appendage of  claim 1 , wherein the spool is positioned within a spool cover and the distance between the spool and the spool cover has a tolerance measured to be less than a diameter of the cable to substantially reduce unraveling of the cable. 
   
   
       4 . The appendage of  claim 3 , wherein the spool cover includes a pair of apertures extending from a top edge of the spool cover downwardly to permit cable to pass through the spool cover. 
   
   
       5 . The appendage of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flexible spine further includes a top portion and a bottom portion extending along the predetermined length, and the top and bottom portions further include plurality of secondary arms extending outwardly from the flexible spine, each of the plurality of secondary arms having an aperture positioned there through about an end distal to the flexible spine,   a secondary pulley system includes a secondary reciprocating motor for rotating a secondary spool having cable fastened there to and the cable extending from the secondary spool through the apertures on the plurality of secondary arms extending outwardly from the top and bottom portions of the flexible spine and terminating about the tail section.   
   
   
       6 . The appendage of  claim 5 , wherein the flexible spine has a substantially consistent thickness. 
   
   
       7 . The appendage of  claim 5 , wherein the flexible spine has a tapered thickness defined by having a head larger than a tail. 
   
   
       8 . The appendage of  claim 1  further comprising along a region of the flexible spine a crossing of cable such that cable positioned along a first side of the flexible spine moves to a second side of the flexible spine and cable positioned along the second side moves to the first side, whereby when cable along one side of the flexible spine is reeled by the spool the flexible spine curves inwardly from the head end up to the region and then curves outwardly from the region to the tail end. 
   
   
       9 . The appendage of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a outer covering encasing the appendage and having an covering end around the tail end of the flexible spine, the covering end further including a first section movable with respect to a second section and wherein and end of cable extends from the tail end and is attached to the first section such that when said cable is reeled by the spool the flexible spine curves and the end of cable pulled by the spool moves the first section with respect to the second section.   
   
   
       10 . The appendage of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a secondary flexible spine extending outwardly from said pulley system and having a secondary predetermined length positioned between a secondary head end and a secondary tail end, and having two secondary sides disposed along the secondary predetermined length;   a plurality of secondary arms extending outwardly from both secondary sides of the secondary flexible spine, each secondary arm of the plurality of secondary arms includes a secondary end distal to the secondary side of the secondary flexible spine to which it extends, and includes a secondary aperture through said secondary distal end;   a secondary cable extending along both secondary sides of the secondary flexible spine through each of the secondary apertures of said secondary arms and terminating about the secondary tail end of the secondary flexible spine; and   the secondary cable being fastened to said spool defined by the pulley system.   
   
   
       11 . The appendage of  claim 1  further comprising at least two sets of wheels separately positioned along the flexible spine, each set of wheels includes an axles extending there and wherein one of the at least two sets of wheels being driving by a motor. 
   
   
       12 . A flexible mechanical appendage comprising:
 a flexible spine having a predetermined length terminating at a pair of tail ends distal to each other, the flexible spine having a first side disposed along the predetermined length;   a plurality of arms extending outwardly from the first side of the flexible spine, each arm of the plurality of arms includes an end distal to the side of the flexible spine to which it extends, and includes an aperture through said distal end;   cable extending along the first side of the flexible spine through each of the apertures of said arms and terminating about the tail ends of the flexible spine; and   a pulley system positioned intermediate of the tail ends of the flexible spine and defining a pair of head ends on flexible spine about either side of the pulley system, the pulley system having a spool rotatably driven by a reciprocating motor, the spool having a fastener for securing the cable thereto, wherein when the pulley system is activated the reciprocating motor rotates the spool in a single direction reeling on cable extending along the first side of the flexible spine such that the flexible spine bends moving the tail ends in an arc.   
   
   
       13 . The flexible appendage of  claim 12  wherein the flexible spine further having a second side being opposed from the first side and disposed along the predetermined length, the second side having a second plurality of arms extending outwardly there from, each second arm of the second plurality of arms having an aperture there through, and cable extending along the second side of the flexible spine extending through the apertures of the second plurality of arms and being attached to the spool. 
   
   
       13 . The appendage of  claim 12 , wherein about one of the head ends of the flexible spine the cable crosses such that cable positioned along a first side of the flexible spine moves to a second side of the flexible spine and cable positioned along the second side moves to the first side. 
   
   
       14 . A flexible mechanical appendage comprising:
 a flexible spine having a predetermined length positioned between a head end and a tail end, and having two side portions a top portion and a bottom portion all disposed along the predetermined length;   a plurality of arms extending outwardly from the side portions and the top and bottom portions of the flexible spine, each arm of the plurality of arms includes an end distal to the side of the flexible spine to which it extends, and includes an aperture through said distal end;   cable extending along the side portions and the top and bottom portions of the flexible spine through each of the apertures of said arms and terminating about the tail end of the flexible spine;   a first pulley system positioned about the head end of the flexible spine and having a first spool rotatably driven by a first reciprocating motor, the first spool having a first fastener for securing cable extending along the two side portions, wherein when the first pulley system is activated the first reciprocating motor rotates the spool in a single direction reeling on cable extending along one of the side portions and releasing cable extending along the other side portion such that the flexible spine bends in an arc; and   a second pulley system positioned about the head end of the flexible spine and having a second spool rotatably driven by a second reciprocating motor, the second spool having a second fastener for securing cable extending along the top and bottom portions, wherein when the second pulley system is activated the second reciprocating motor rotates the spool in a single direction reeling on cable extending along one of the top or bottom portions and releasing cable extending along the other top or bottom portions such that the flexible spine bends in an arc, and   wherein the first and second pulley systems are capable of pulling/releasing cable to bend the flexible spine in a 360 degree range of motion defined along an axis extending along the flexible spine when the flexible spin is substantially straight.   
   
   
       15 . The appendage of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible spine has a substantially consistent thickness. 
   
   
       16 . The appendage of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible spine has a tapered thickness defined by having a head larger than a tail.