IP Verse

Apertured Article, Insertion Article And Associated Systems

Patent No. US12115813 (titled "Apertured Article, Insertion Article And Associated Systems") was filed by Rev Robotics Llc on Apr 14, 2022.

What is this patent about?

’813 is related to the field of modular mechanical components, specifically those used in robotics and automation. The background acknowledges that existing components typically focus on either torque transfer or bearing support, but not both, especially in the context of interchangeable parts. Furthermore, prior art solutions often require bolting components onto the face of a wheel, increasing thickness, or are only compatible with either circular or polygonal cross-sections, limiting versatility.

The underlying idea behind ’813 is to create a versatile apertured article (like a wheel or tube) that can provide both torque bearing and bearing support using a unique aperture design. This aperture features an inner periphery for bearing support and spaced protrusions for torque transfer. The key insight is to integrate these two functions into a single, modular component, allowing for interchangeability and compatibility with both live and dead axles.

The claims of ’813 focus on an assembly for rotating a wheel-shaped object. The wheel has an aperture with an outer periphery coinciding with a first reference circle and an inner periphery coinciding with a second, smaller reference circle. The inner periphery has elongated arcs for bearing support. The assembly includes insertion articles that allow the wheel to function with either a live axle (using a splined shaft engaging both peripheries) or a dead axle (using a bearing engaging only the inner periphery).

In practice, the invention allows a user to quickly configure a wheel for different applications. If a live axle is needed, a splined shaft is inserted into the wheel's aperture, engaging both the inner and outer peripheries to transmit torque. Alternatively, for a dead axle configuration, a bearing is inserted, contacting only the inner periphery to provide smooth rotation around a stationary shaft. This dual-functionality is achieved without increasing the wheel's thickness or requiring additional bolted-on components.

The differentiation from prior approaches lies in the integrated design of the aperture and the interchangeable insertion articles. Unlike systems that require separate components for torque transfer and bearing support, ’813 combines these functions into a single, modular unit. This allows for greater flexibility and ease of use, as the same wheel can be quickly adapted for different axle types. The splined shaft and bearing inserts provide a simple and effective way to switch between live and dead axle configurations, addressing the limitations of existing modular mechanical systems.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2020s when ’813 was filed, at a time when robotic systems commonly relied on modular components for adaptability, providing both torque bearing and bearing support in a single, interchangeable article presented a non-trivial engineering challenge. Systems commonly relied on bolted connections for torque transfer, which increased the overall size and complexity of the assembly, and hardware or software constraints made it difficult to achieve both circular and polygonal exterior cross-section compatibility.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The claims were objected to for informalities and rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 103. The applicant's arguments were considered but deemed unpersuasive. This action was made final. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.

Claims

This patent contains 15 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 6, and 11. Independent claims focus on an assembly for rotating a wheel-shaped object, a robot including that assembly, and a method of assembling the wheel-shaped object assembly. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and add detail to the features described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Inner peripheral surfaces forming elongated arcs
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 11)		“In accordance with a first embodiment, an apertured article is provided. The apertured article comprises an article aperture. The article aperture comprises an aperture periphery, and the aperture periphery comprises an aperture inner periphery and spaced aperture protrusions that extend radially outwardly from the aperture inner periphery to an aperture outer periphery. The aperture outer periphery is defined by distal edges of the spaced aperture protrusions. The aperture inner periphery is positioned along the circumference of an inner aperture reference circle, the inner aperture reference circle inscribing the aperture periphery, and the aperture outer periphery is positioned along the circumference of an outer aperture reference circle.”The inner edge of the aperture is not a continuous circle, but rather a series of curved segments.
Inner periphery coinciding with a second reference circle
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 11)		“In accordance with a first embodiment, an apertured article is provided. The apertured article comprises an article aperture. The article aperture comprises an aperture periphery, and the aperture periphery comprises an aperture inner periphery and spaced aperture protrusions that extend radially outwardly from the aperture inner periphery to an aperture outer periphery. The aperture outer periphery is defined by distal edges of the spaced aperture protrusions. The aperture inner periphery is positioned along the circumference of an inner aperture reference circle, the inner aperture reference circle inscribing the aperture periphery, and the aperture outer periphery is positioned along the circumference of an outer aperture reference circle.”The inner edge of the aperture in the wheel-shaped object aligns with the circumference of a circle having a specific radius that is smaller than the first reference circle.
Outer periphery coinciding with a first reference circle
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 11)		“In accordance with a first embodiment, an apertured article is provided. The apertured article comprises an article aperture. The article aperture comprises an aperture periphery, and the aperture periphery comprises an aperture inner periphery and spaced aperture protrusions that extend radially outwardly from the aperture inner periphery to an aperture outer periphery. The aperture outer periphery is defined by distal edges of the spaced aperture protrusions. The aperture inner periphery is positioned along the circumference of an inner aperture reference circle, the inner aperture reference circle inscribing the aperture periphery, and the aperture outer periphery is positioned along the circumference of an outer aperture reference circle.”The outer edge of the aperture in the wheel-shaped object aligns with the circumference of a circle having a specific radius.
Splined outer surface
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 11)		“In some embodiments, an article or an associated system described in the present application can solve one or more problems. For example, in some embodiments, when compared to existing devices and techniques that focus on either (i) providing torque transfer or (ii) providing bearing support or acting as a bearing, optionally in the context of an article that is modular or interchangeable with at least one other article, the presently disclosed articles and systems can provide a balance of both (i) providing torque transfer and (ii) providing bearing support capability or acting as a bearing.”The outer surface of the first shaft has ridges or teeth that allow it to engage with the aperture of the wheel-shaped object for torque transfer.
Wheel-shaped object
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 11)		“In some aspects, this disclosure relates to an apertured article that can provide both (i) torque bearing, for example, in combination with an object such as a drill bit or live axle that is intended to transfer torque to and/or from the object and which can thereby result in a rotational force directed around an axis of rotation of the object and/or the article, and (ii) act as a bearing or provide bearing support (e.g., to support a bearing), for example, for an apertured article in the form of a wheel connected to a live or dead axle, the apertured article being intended to bear force perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the article.”An object shaped like a wheel that has an aperture for receiving insertion articles to function with either a live or dead axle.

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US12115813

REV ROBOTICS LLC
Application Number
US17721244
Filing Date
Apr 14, 2022
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Apr 13, 2042
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents