On December 14, 2017, an international patent application by Nintendo Co., Ltd. for a "Passive Walking Device and Passive Walking Module" was published with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). To get a basic understanding of what this patent is about, take a look at this video:
They use these drawings also (background art from a different patent):
While it is not the most extensive patent application I have seen I will take the liberty of just providing some excerpts.
Source: Search for publication number WO/2017/212899 at https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/search.jsf
Now onto drawings
Description of symbols
[0092]
1 Waist, 11 first side, 12 second side, 13, 14 protruding part, a second leg part, a second leg part, a first leg part, a second leg part, and a lower thigh part, 21c foot part, 21c foot part, 22 second leg part, 22 a thigh, 22 b crus, and 22c foot part, a 3 crank mechanism, a 31 crank part, a 31 a first crank, 31b, 31c crank, 31d crank, 32 connection part, 32 a first connection member, 32b second connection member, and 32c connection member, 32 ca first part, 32 cb second part, and 32 rd connection member 32 E fourth connection member, 33 crank shaft, 34 crank part, 34a first crank, 34b th crank, 34c crank, 34d crank, 35 connection part, 35 a first connection member, 35b second connection member, and 35c connection member, 35 ca first part, 35 cb second part, and 35 rd connection member Third crank, 37 third crank, 39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, (39e,) 39 f gear, 4 rotation assist part, 41 groove, 42 elastic member, 5 connection mechanism,51,100, 110,120,200, 300,400,500, and 600
Why Nintendo has decided to file a patent application for this I do not know. But remember as always that a patent application is not proof of an upcoming product, it is just an idea. Whether Nintendo will enter the field of passive dynamics only time can tell.
I searched but found no prior thread on this topic.
