US Patent 8251420 Joint mechanism and joint device

The joint mechanism includes a first link, a second link, a third link, a shaft supported on the second link to be rotatable about an axis thereof, and movable in an axis direction thereof, a first worm and a second worm mounted on the shaft, a first worm wheel in mesh with the first worm to pivotally move the first link with respect to the second link, and a second worm wheel in mesh with the second worm to pivotally move the third link with respect to the second link. The first link and the third link are pivotally moved in opposite directions to each other by rotating the shaft, and pivotally moved in identical directions to each other by moving the shaft in the axis direction.