Bram G Lambrecht

US Patent:

20050133280, Jun 23, 2005

Filed:

May 13, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/845583

Inventors:

Andrew Horchler - Cleveland Heights OH, US
Roger Quinn - Akron OH, US
Bram Lambrecht - Cleveland Heights OH, US
Jeremy Morrey - Denver CO, US

International Classification:

B65G059/00
B65G057/00
B65H029/00
B62D057/00

US Classification:

180008100, 180008700

Abstract:

The present invention relates to novel, highly mobile small robots called “Mini-Whegs” that can run and jump. They are derived from our larger Whegs series of robots, which benefit from abstracted cockroach locomotion principles. Part of their success is derived from the three spoked appendages, called “whegs”, which combine the speed and simplicity of wheels with the climbing mobility of legs. To be more compact than the larger Whegs vehicles, Mini-Whegs uses four whegs in an alternating diagonal gait. These 9 cm long robots can run at sustained speeds of over 10 body lengths per second and climb obstacles that are taller than their leg length. They can run forward and backward, on either side. Their robust construction allows them to tumble down a flight of stairs with no damage and carry a payload equal to twice their weight. A jumping mechanism enables Mini-Whegs to surmount much larger obstacles such as stair steps.

US Patent:

20140338477, Nov 20, 2014

Filed:

May 13, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/277000

Inventors:

- Sunnyvale CA, US
Theodore W. ROGERS - Alameda CA, US
Bram LAMBRECHT - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

F16H 25/12

US Classification:

74 8914

Abstract:

A force transmission mechanism for a teleoperated surgical instrument may include a gear, a push/pull drive element, and a connection element. The push/pull drive element may be configured to transmit force to actuate an end effector of the surgical instrument and to rotate with a shaft of the surgical instrument when the shaft is rotated by the force transmission mechanism. The connection element may operatively couple the gear and the push/pull drive element. The connection element may be configured to convert rotational movement of the gear to a substantially linear movement of the push/pull drive element. The connection element may be configured to rotate with the push/pull drive element and relative to the gear.