Roller/Gear Drives For Robotic Manipulators

Pitch/yaw roller/gear drive and wrist-roll roller/gear drive designed to incorporate several features desirable in robotic-joint actuators. Includes zero backlash, high efficiency, smooth motion (little ripple in torque and in speed ratio), and high degree of back-drivability. Pitch/yaw drive is novel two-axis drive containing combination of gears, rollers, and springs acting together eliminating backlash and cogging. Wrist-roll drive more-conventional single-axis drive offering advantages like those of pitch/yaw drive.