1. A device for transmitting movements, comprising:
a parallel kinematics transmission structure adapted to provide at least three degrees of freedom including three translational degrees of freedom, said parallel kinematics transmission structure further comprising a base member, a moveable member and at least one parallel kinematics chain coupling the base member and the moveable member, each parallel kinematics chain having a first arm moveable in a movement plane wherein the movement planes are at a distance to a symmetry axis, each parallel kinematics chain comprising a second arm coupled to the moveable member wherein a first end of the second arm is adapted to be coupled to the first arm and a second end of the second arm is adapted to be coupled to the moveable member.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second arm comprises at least two parallel linking bars.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first arm is coupled to the base member and is moveable in the respective movement plane.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first arm is rotateable with respect to a rotation axis.
5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first arm comprises a curved portion.
6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the curved portion forms a segment of an annulus, the center of which being intersected by the rotation axis of the respective first arm.
7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first arm comprises a base portion extending from a first end of the curved portion.
8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the base portion extends from the first end of the curved portion in a direction radial with respect to the curved portion.
9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the first arm comprises a first end rotationally mounted to a mounting member extending from the base member.
10. The device according to claim 1, wherein, associated to each parallel kinematics chain, an actuator is provided for moving the associated parallel kinematics chain in the respective movement plane of its first arm.
11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the actuator and the first arm are coupled for moving the first arm.
12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the actuator is coupled with the first arm at its curved portion.
13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the actuator comprises an actuator rotational axis extending perpendicular to the movement plane of the associated parallel kinematics chain.
14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the actuator comprises an output shaft extending from a body of the actuator and being coupled with the first arm by at least one of a friction engagement or at least one cable or wire arrangement.
15. The device according to claim 10, wherein the actuator is mounted to the mounting member of the respective parallel kinematics chain.
16. The device according to claim 5, further comprising a housing wherein the curved portion of the first arm is adapted to be movable through an opening of the housing.
17. The device according to claim 16, further comprising said housing, which has, for each of the parallel kinematics chains, an opening through which the respective parallel kinematics chain can be moved and which has dimensions to accommodate a cross-section of the first arm of the respective parallel kinematics chain.
18. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the parallel kinematics chains comprises a flexible hinge.
19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first arm and the base member are coupled by at least one flexible hinge.
20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second arm and the moveable member are coupled by at least one flexible hinge.
21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first arm and the second arm are coupled by at least one flexible hinge.
22. The device according to claim 18, wherein the flexible hinge is made from one piece or the flexible hinge and at least one of the base member, the respective first arm, the respective second arm and the moveable member are made from one piece.
23. A haptic device for providing a user with force-feedback information, comprising a device according to claim 10.
24. The haptic device according to claim 23, further comprising a sensor for measuring the aperture angle of each first arm, positions of the moveable member are calculated based on the results of the measurement.
25. The haptic device according to claim 23, further comprising a wrist module arranged in series with the parallel transmission structure and adapted to provide at least one rotational degree of freedom.
26. The haptic device according to claim 25, wherein the wrist module is adapted to provide a tactile feedback.
27. The haptic device according to claim 23, further comprising control keys, control wheels, force grippers or other elements used for a human computer interface.
28. The haptic device according to claim 23, further comprising a force sensor coupled to the moveable member.
29. A manipulator for providing movements of at least one of freedom to a manipulation member, comprising a device according to claim 1.
30. A measuring system for providing at least one degree of freedom to a sensor element, comprising a device according to claim 1.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for utilizing a non-screen capacitive touch surface for bookmarking an electronic personal display, said method comprising:
providing a capacitive touch sensing surface on at least two non-planar portions of a housing of the electronic personal display;
monitoring the capacitive touch sensing surface for a pinch and slide type contact from at least two non-planar points; and
performing a bookmarking operation on the electronic personal display when the pinch and slide type contact is detected.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic personal display is an electronic reader (eReader).
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving the pinch and slide type contact from at least two generally opposite points.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
detecting the pinch and slide type contact from at least two generally perpendicular points.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the capacitive touch sensing surface on at least one edge of the electronic personal display.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the capacitive touch sensing surface on an entirety of the housing of the electronic personal display.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
correlating a location of the pinch and slide type contact with the bookmarking operation to be performed by the electronic personal display.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the location of the pinch and slide type contact is selected from the group consisting of: a top corner, a top edge, a side, a bottom corner and a bottom edge.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the bookmarking operation is selected from the group consisting of: adding a bookmark, removing a bookmark and invocation of a bookmark.
10. An electronic personal display with capacitive touch housing for bookmarking comprising:
a capacitive touch sensing surface on at least two non-planar portions of a housing of the electronic personal display;
a monitoring module to monitor the capacitive touch sensing surface and provide an output when a pinch and slide type contact from at least two generally opposite points is detected by the capacitive touch sensing surface; and
an operation module to receive the output from the monitoring module and perform bookmarking action related to the output.
11. The electronic personal display of claim 10 wherein the electronic personal display has no hard buttons thereon.
12. The electronic personal display of claim 10 wherein the capacitive touch sensing surface is located on at least one edge of the housing.
13. The electronic personal display of claim 10 wherein the capacitive touch sensing surface covers on an entirety of the housing.
14. The electronic personal display of claim 10 wherein a location of the pinch and slide type contact is correlated with the bookmarking action to be performed by the electronic personal display; and
the location of the pinch and slide type contact is selected from the group consisting of: a top corner, a top edge, a side, a bottom corner and a bottom edge.
15. The electronic personal display of claim 14 wherein the bookmarking action to be performed is selected from the group consisting of: adding a bookmark, removing a bookmark and invoke a bookmark.
16. A method for utilizing a non-screen capacitive touch surface for bookmarking an electronic reader (eReader), said method comprising:
providing a capacitive touch sensing surface on at least two non-planar portions of a housing of the eReader;
monitoring the capacitive touch sensing surface for a pinch and slide type contact from at least two generally opposite points;
correlating a location of the pinch and slide type contact with a bookmarking operation to be performed by the eReader; and
performing the bookmarking operation on the eReader.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
providing no hard buttons on the eReader.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
providing the capacitive touch sensing surface on at least one edge of the housing of the eReader.
19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
providing the capacitive touch sensing surface on an entirety of the housing of the eReader.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein the location of pinch and slide type of contact is selected from the group consisting of: a top corner, a top edge, a side, a bottom corner and a bottom edge.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein the bookmarking operation is selected from the group consisting of: adding a bookmark, removing a bookmark and invoke a bookmark.