Compliant Mechanism for Improving Axial Load Sensing in Robotic Actuators

Abstract

An embodiment includes an exoskeleton robotic system including: a first linkage; a bearing coupled to the first linkage; a joint including a motor configured to move the first linkage along the bearing; an axial load sensor configured to sense an axial force transmitted to the axial load sensor via the joint, the axial force including one of tension or compression but not torque; a bracket including first and second bracket locations and first and second arms; and a housing that includes at least part of the joint and which couples the bracket to the bearing. The bracket couples to the housing at the first bracket location and couples to the axial load sensor at the second bracket location. The first arm couples the second arm to the first bracket location, and the second arm couples the first arm to the second bracket location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exoskeleton robotic system comprising:
 a first linkage and a second linkage;   a bearing coupled to the first linkage;   a joint coupling the first linkage to the second linkage, the joint including a motor configured to rotate the first linkage about the bearing;   an axial load sensor configured to sense an axial force transmitted to the axial load sensor via the joint in response to the motor rotating the first linkage, the axial force including one of tension or compression but not torque;   a bracket including first and second bracket locations and first, second, and third arms; and   a housing that includes at least part of the joint and which couples the bracket to the bearing;   wherein (a) the bracket couples to the housing at the first bracket location and couples to the axial load sensor at the second bracket location; (b) the first arm couples both of the second and third arms to the first bracket location, and (c) each of the second and third arms couple the first arm to the second bracket location.   
     
     
         2 . An exoskeleton robotic system comprising:
 a linkage;   a bearing coupled to the linkage;   a joint including a motor configured to move the linkage along the bearing;   an axial load sensor configured to sense an axial force transmitted to the axial load sensor via the joint in response to the motor moving the linkage along the bearing, the axial force including one of tension or compression;   a bracket including first and second bracket locations and first and second arms; and   a housing that includes at least part of the joint and which couples the bracket to the bearing;   wherein (a) the bracket couples to the housing at the first bracket location and couples to the axial load sensor at the second bracket location; (b) the first arm couples the second arm to the first bracket location, and (c) the second arm couples the first arm to the second bracket location.