Remote access manipulator

Claim 2

A remote access manipulator comprising: first carriage means, attached to equipment on which operations are to be performed, for positioning instruments at various locations on said equipment so that the operation may be performed on said equipment; second carriage means being substantially a master scale model of said first carriage means and similarly attached to a scale model of said equipment located remote from said equipment for controlling said first carriage means whereby manual manipulation of said second carriage means is automatically replicated by said first carriage means; first arm means located near said first carriage means for positioning said first carriage means and for transferring said instruments to said first carriage means; second arm means being substantially a master scale model of said first arm means and located near said second carriage means for controlling said first arm means whereby manual manipulation of said second arm means is automatically replicated by said first arm means; and control means connected between said carriage means and arm means for controlling their movement.

Claim 3

The remote access manipulator according to claim 1 wherein said first carriage means comprises: a main body having an end effector attachment for holding said instruments and having a first camlock disposed therein for engaging said equipment; a first cam rotatably attached to said main body for positioning said main body in relationship to said equipment; a first component slidably attached to said first arm and having a second camlock disposed therein for transferring said first arm relative to said equipment thereby transferring said main body and said instruments attached thereto; a first piston arrangement attached to said first component for selectively sliding said first component relative to said first arm; a second arm rotatably attached to said main body for positioning said main body in relationship to said equipment, a second component slidably attached to said second arm and having a third camlock disposed therein for transferring said second arm relative to said equipment thereby transferring said main body and said instruments attached thereto; a second piston arrangement attached to said second arm and to said second component for selectively sliding said second component relative to said second arm; a third piston arrangement pivotally attached to said first arm and attached to said main body for rotating said main body about said first camlock thereby positioning said instruments; and a fourth piston arrangement pivotally attached to said second arm and attached to said main body for rotating said main body about said first camlock thereby positioning said instruments, said piston arrangements cooperating to rotate and translate said main body relative to said equipment for positioning said instruments in proper relationship with said equipment.

Claim 4

The remote access manipulator according to claim 2 wherein said first arm means comprises: a base; a first segment rotatably mounted on said base so that said first segment may rotate about an axis through said base; a second segment removably attached to said first segment and having a first rotatable joint which allows a portion of said second segment to rotate with respect to the remainder of said second segment; a third segment removably attached to said second segment and having a second rotatable joint which allows a portion of said third segment to rotate with respect to the remainder of said third segment; a fourth segment removably attached to said third segment and having a third rotatable joint which allows a portion of said fourth segment to rotate with respect to the remainder of said fourth segment and having a gripper mechanism for engaging said end effector attachment of said main body; and angle sensing means together with rotary actuators disposed in each of said segments and said base for controlling their movements, said segments together with said rotatable joints and said base being capable of positioning said first carriage means and being capable of transferring said instruments to said first carriage means.

Claim 5

The remote access manipulator according to claim 3 wherein said angle sensing means are potentiometers for determining the angle of rotation of said rotatable joints.

Claim 6

The remote access manipulator according to claim 4 wherein said rotary actuators are rotary vane actuators for causing rotation about said rotatable joints.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 6 wherein said method further comprises: engaging said master carriage with said scale model and causing said slave carriage to engage said equipment; and disengaging said master manipulator arm from said master carriage and causing said slave manipulator arm to disengage said slave carriage.

Claim 10

The method according to claim 7 wherein said method further comprises: manipulating said master manipulator arm so as to cause said master manipulator arm to transfer said tool to said master carriage which thereby causes said slave manipulator arm to transfer said tool to said slave carriage.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 8 wherein said method further comprises: manipulating said master carriage with said tool attached in relationship to said scale model thereby causing said slave carriage with said tool attached thereto to perform operations on said equipment.