20120017718 | ROBOTIC MUSCULAR-SKELETAL JOINTED STRUCTURES - A robotic musculo-skeletal jointed structure comprising: (a) first and second joint parts coupled together for relative angular movement about a hinge axis there between; (b) an air muscle; (c) spaced first and second attachment sites, being sites respectively located at said joint first and second parts, and about which the tubular braiding, at least, of said air muscle extends to form an endless loop; (d) first and second attachment means respectively located at said first and second air muscle spaced attachment sites, said first attachment means being such as to secure said tubular braiding against lengthwise movement thereof with respect to said joint first part at said first attachment site, and said second attachment means being such as to secure said tubular braiding against lengthwise movement thereof with respect to said joint second part at said second attachment site, the endless tubular braiding being thereby partitioned into first and second tubular braiding segments contiguous with one another at both said attachment sites and housing segregated first and second resiliently expansible tubular parts, respectively; and, (e) air duct means, being means whereby air may be admitted and evacuated, as may be required, independently to and from said resiliently expansible air muscle tubular parts; and in which: (f) said joint parts, the location there between of said axis, the locations of said first and second attachment sites and of said first and second tubular braiding attachment means thereat, and the positional inter-relationship between all of these, are such that change in tubular braiding length arising from variation in girth of the resiliently expansible tubular parts under change in air pressure in said air muscle tubular parts, or either of them, gives rise to a corresponding angular relative displacement between said joint first and second parts about said axis. | 01-26-2012 |