STRUCTURE OF A SUB-MODULE The Sub-Modules are assemblies that connect together to form Macro-Modules, and these Macro-Modules then connect to each other to form application structures. These Sub-Modules are all identical to each other in all aspects of structure (e.g., mechanically, electronically, operationally). They consist of two different types of bases and a leg. One […]

LEG PIVOT RANGE REQUIREMENT In the following figures, all the dashed lines are parallel to each other. The dashed red lines indicate imaginary lines between the two opposite corners of the cube-shaped nucleus, and the dashed light-blue lines indicate imaginary lines connecting the centers of the face of the cube-shaped nucleus, where the legs connect […]

LEG THICKNESS LIMITS BASED ON PIVOTING RANGES AND WELL PERIMETER EDGE The thickness of the outermost telescoping leg segment (the rectangular sides of a cross section) determines the leg’s pivoting range limit. For a thicker leg the pivoting range limit is smaller, and for a thinner leg the pivoting range limit is larger. The tradeoffs […]

GEOMETRICAL CELL DIMENSION LIMITS AND REQUIREMENTS In order to be able to achieve some of the needed features and capabilies, there are some minimum requirements in length ratios and pivot angles which can be calculated. There are also certain constraints in length ratios imposed by the geometric shapes of the modules. Figure 12a shows equivalences […]

PATTERN FOR ELEMENT CORE ELECTRONIC CONNECTIONS The sub-modular entities in a basic level modular element need to be able to electronically connect to each other through their core bases, to transfer power or communicate with each other. In a full basic level modular element each entity can electronically connect directly to every other entity, except […]

OPTIMAL RATIO CALCULATION FOR MODULE CORE ASSEMBLY BASE COMPONENT Six assemblies, and an optional power cube, form a module; each assembly is made up of several distinct components: a telescoping leg, one base that connects directly to the telescoping leg (the connecting plate), a module core base, and an intermediate component that connects the telescoping […]

THE CANTILEVER AND A BENEFIT OF HAVING A LARGE-RADIUS CONNECTING PLATE In some applications it is necessary to be able to form cantilevers with the modules; to form a cantilever requires several modules to be connected in series horizontally. Figure 13a shows a row of four modules with small connecting ends, in green, joined together […]

CHAIN ARTICULATION BENEFIT With the use of a method involving chained cells, it is unnecessary for any of the legs to be able to pivot more than 45°. Figure 18a shows a situation where cells A and B are joined to each other, and cells C and D are also joined to each other. Cells […]

MODULE CONNECTION ARRANGEMENT PATTERNS OF A CELL A cell can be composed of a varying number modules, sometimes in various combinations for a given number of modules. When there can be various combinations for a given number of modules, there can be some arrangements that are not appropriate. Figure 19a shows 3 Core Base Assemblies, […]

CONNECTING PLATES ALIGNMENT REQUIREMENT When the connecting plates of two different cells engage each other to connect to bond together correctly, the axis going though the center of each telescoping shaft and connecting plate have to be both parallel and aligned with each other; in other words, they both have to share a common axis. […]

LATERAL LATTICE RECONFIGURATION USING LEG EXTENDING CAPABILITIES This type of modular self-reconfigurable system is capable of lattice based transformations to change its shape by using the leg extending and retracting feature. Figure 6a shows several modules initially in a state where there is an empty space above module E and between modules B and C. […]

DIAGONAL LATTICE RECONFIGURATION USING LEG EXTENDING CAPABILITIES This type of modular self-reconfigurable system is capable of lattice based transformations to change its shape by using the leg extending and retracting feature. Figure 7a shows a matrix consisting of a column on the left with 2 modules which is connected to another module in the middle […]

ALIGNING LEGS FOR JOINING CONNECTING PLATES To join together two modules that are not aligned, in positions where all that is necessary is to extend the appropriate legs, both of these legs have to pivot to the correct angle. Figure 9a, shown below, is an example of two modules A and B that are not […]

BASIC MODULE TRANSFERS, MOVEMENTS, AND CONNECTIONS A module can be transferred around in a matrix of modules by pivoting and telescoping the legs, and connecting and disconnecting with the connecting plates. In Figure 4a, below, modules A-E are connected together to form a two dimensional matrix; in this matrix, module A is initially positioned in […]

DETERMINING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CENTERS OF TWO CELLS CONNECTED TOGETHER The geometric structural topology of a full cell consists of it having the following fundamental characteristics: the distance between the center of a cell and the point at which each leg pivots is a constant value for each cube face, the distances between the […]

SENSOR-BASED DISTANCE DETERMINATION FOR CENTERS OF TWO CELLS CHAINED THROUGH A THIRD CELL Certain lengths and angles can either be measured with sensors or are known constants that can be used to calculate the distance between the centers of two cells connected to a middle (third) cell such that they are chained in series. In […]

CELL STRUCTURE FORMING PATTERN POSSIBILITIES There are several ways a module can be attached to other modules to form a partial cell, full cell, or inverse cell. In Figure 23a, the different side views of a single module is shown in various colors. The leg and connecting plate assembly is a darker blue, and the […]