20120096973 | VARIABLE PLIABILITY ACTUATOR - A variable pliability actuator for moving a movable component and including rotary electric motors, an output shaft rotated by the motors, around a rotation axis an elastic transmission system for transferring motion from the motors to the output shaft and for varying the pliability of output shaft, a control unit for adjusting that pliability through the elastic transmission system, and a holding structure defining an outer surface and an inner volume for holding the electric motors, elastic transmission system, output shaft and control unit. The holding structure has a driving output controlled by the output shaft and rotates the movable component, at least one stiff coupling element for enabling a stiff connection of the holding structure, and a support output opposite to the driving output and substantially coaxial with the rotation axis to partly house and stabilize the rotation of the movable component. | 04-26-2012 |