초록 ▼

Angular movement detectors may be disposed within or proximate to joints in one or more members of articulated arms and linked via one or more communications networks to a controller to provide angular movement data to the controller for use in controlling movement of the articulated arm. The commun

Angular movement detectors may be disposed within or proximate to joints in one or more members of articulated arms and linked via one or more communications networks to a controller to provide angular movement data to the controller for use in controlling movement of the articulated arm. The communications networks may be redundant. In an embodiment, the angular movement detector comprises a hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter which uses an eccentrically rotating main shaft to rotate a drive shaft to which the main shaft is loosely connected to further rotate a socket housing about a constant central axis. A trigger mounted in the socket housing generates a detectable field.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter, comprising: a. a motor body, further comprising a central channel disposed at least partially through an internal portion of the motor body, the central channel defining a central longitudinal axis; b. a disk valve rotatably mounted wit

What is claimed is: 1. A hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter, comprising: a. a motor body, further comprising a central channel disposed at least partially through an internal portion of the motor body, the central channel defining a central longitudinal axis; b. a disk valve rotatably mounted within a pre-determined portion of the motor body and in fluid communication with the central channel, the disk valve further comprising: i. a central port substantially aligned with the central channel; and ii. an outer port disposed about an outer circumference of the disk valve; c. a main shaft rotatably mounted at least partially within the central channel, the main shaft further comprising: i. a central axis which is not concentric with the central longitudinal axis; ii. an upper end loosely disposed at least partially within the central port such that movement of the upper end within the central port is limited in a predetermined plane; iii. a drive shaft receptacle positioned at the upper end; and iv. a lower end; d. a socket housing rotatably positioned about a constant axis within the motor body, the socket housing further comprising: i. a top surface; and ii. an internal chamber; e. a drive shaft, disposed within an upper portion of the central channel, the drive shaft further comprising: i. a lower region loosely mounted in the shaft receptacle such that movement of the lower region of the drive shaft within the shaft receptacle is limited in a predetermined plane; and ii. an upper region disposed opposite the lower region and loosely mounted within the internal chamber such that movement of the upper region of the drive shaft within the internal chamber is limited in a predetermined plane; and f. a magnet mounted on the top surface of the socket housing above the upper region of the drive shaft. 2. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, further comprising a slot added along the length of the socket housing. 3. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, wherein the outer port of the disk valve comprises a plurality of outer ports. 4. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the central port is smaller than the inner diameter of the central channel. 5. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, wherein the center of the central port is not concentrically aligned about the central longitudinal axis. 6. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, wherein the drive shaft is selected from the group of drive shafts consisting of a circular drive shaft, an elliptical drive shaft, an obround drive shaft, a splined drive shaft, and a polygonal drive shaft. 7. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 6, wherein the polygonal drive shaft comprises at least three sides. 8. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, wherein the socket housing is selected from the group of materials consisting of the same material as the main shaft and a softer bearing material. 9. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, wherein the magnet is removably fixed into place. 10. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 1, further comprising a sensor disposed within a magnetic field generated by the magnet. 11. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 10, wherein the distance separating the sensor and the magnet remains constant in a predetermined plane. 12. The angular movement detector of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of (i) an anisotropic magneto-restrictive sensor or (ii) a Hall-effect sensor. 13. The hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a two-axis Hall-effect sensor adapted to sense rotation of the magnet. 14. A method of detecting positional information from a moving body, comprising: a. connecting a hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter to a first moving component, the hydraulic motor drive sensor adapter comprising: i. a motor body, further comprising a central channel disposed at least partially through an internal portion of the motor body and defining a central longitudinal axis; ii. a disk valve rotatably mounted within a pre-determined portion of the central region, the disk valve further comprising: 1. a central port substantially aligned with the central channel; and 2. an outer port disposed about an outer circumference of the disk valve; iii. a main shaft rotatably mounted at least partially within the central channel such that a central axis of the main shaft is not concentric with the central longitudinal axis, the main shaft further comprising: 1. an upper end loosely disposed at least partially with the central port such that movement of the upper end within the central port is limited in a predetermined plane; 2. a drive shaft receptacle positioned at the upper end; and 3. a lower end; iv. a socket housing rotatably positioned about a constant axis within the motor body, the socket housing further comprising: 1. a top surface; and 2. an internal chamber; v. a drive shaft, disposed within an upper portion of the central channel, the drive shaft further comprising: 1. a lower region loosely mounted in the shaft receptacle such that movement of the lower region of the drive shaft within the shaft receptacle is limited in a predetermined plane; and 2. an upper region disposed opposite the lower region and loosely mounted within the internal chamber such that movement of the upper region of the drive shaft within the internal chamber is limited in a predetermined plane; and vi. a magnet mounted on the top surface in the internal chamber above the upper region of the drive shaft; b. mounting a sensor to a second component disposed proximate the motor body within a magnetic field generated by the magnet; c. rotating the main shaft eccentrically about the longitudinal axis; d. using the rotating main shaft to rotate the drive shaft; e. using the draft shaft to rotate the socket housing about a constant predetermined axis; f. generating a magnetic field by the rotation of the magnet mounted in the internal chamber above the upper region of the drive shaft; and g. sensing, with the sensor, of changes in the magnetic field. 15. A method for determining angular movement of a first movable component with respect to a second component, the components rotatably joined at a joint to effect motion in at least two planes, comprising: a. eccentrically rotating a main shaft about a central longitudinal axis of a central channel of a motor body in which the main shaft is at least partially disposed; b. eccentrically rotating a drive shaft to which the main shaft is loosely connected by the rotation of the main shaft, the drive shaft rotation causing rotation of a socket housing about a constant central axis, the drive shaft disposed within the motor body and loosely connected to the socket housing; c. generating a magnetic field by rotating a magnet mounted in an internal chamber of the socket housing; d. detecting the generated magnetic field by a sensor located within the magnetic field; e. translating the detected generated magnetic field into digital data representative of the generated magnetic field; f. communicating the digital data to a controller; and g. using the communicated digital data to effect a decision by the controller regarding further movement of the first movable component with respect to the second component.