A wear-reducing mechanism for the wrist flange of a six-axis robot

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of flange manufacturing technology, and provides a wear reduction mechanism for a wrist flange of a six-axis robot. The present invention includes a wrist flange and a pressure ring, and the mating surfaces of the wrist flange and the pressure ring are provided with a groove structure, and the groove structure includes a first groove and a first elastomer, and a boss embedded in the pressure ring is provided at the center of the wrist flange, and the first groove surrounds the boss, and a first elastomer is provided in the first groove, and one side of the first elastomer contacts the wrist flange, and the other side of the first elastomer contacts the pressure ring. Through the above-mentioned structural changes, the completely rigid connection is transformed into a connection method with elasticity and plasticity, thereby reducing abnormal wear and extending the service life of the wrist flange; storing lubricating oil reduces the friction coefficient between components, and can absorb the impact of abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamp; an elastomer is provided between the wrist flange and the pressure ring to improve the fixation reliability between the wrist flange and the pressure ring and reduce processing requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of flange manufacturing and provides a wear reducing mechanism for a six-axis robot wrist flange. Background Art

[0002] With the gradual advancement of the automation industry and the development and manufacturing of domestic robots, industries requiring harsh working environments, such as the forging industry, are prioritizing the use of robots to replace traditional manual labor. To fully replace traditional manual labor, robots must be able to move in a variety of positions and postures. Six-axis robots, with their high precision and flexibility, are the most commonly used type of robot. However, due to the unique characteristics of the forging industry, characterized by frequent vibration and impact in the production environment, mainstream six-axis robots on the market often experience component failures due to vibration wear, and even loose connections, leading to accidents. This is particularly true for the wrist flanges at the joints of six-axis robots, which rotate repeatedly due to the robot's frequent operation. During this rotation, they are subject to abnormal overload and impact, resulting in a high failure rate. Prior art US77078932B2 discloses an industrial robot comprising: a tool flange at the end of an outer arm of the robot, the tool flange being integral with a tool flange bracket; a fixing element configured to secure a tool to the tool flange; and a sensor adapted to sense at least one of a force or a torque applied to a tool secured to the tool flange. The sensor comprises at least one sensor component built into the tool flange or disposed on a tool flange carrier. The sensor comprises at least one strain gauge secured to the tool flange. The sensor comprises multiple sensor components for sensing force and / or torque according to multiple degrees of freedom. The prior art employs the addition of spokes and sensors to various locations on the flange and the robot to monitor the flange's status. The flange is replaced and the sensors reinstalled based on sensor signals. This results in significant flange consumption and a high number of sensor replacements, reducing the robot's production efficiency. The inventors believe that there is significant room for improvement in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a wrist flange, which can transform a completely rigid connection into a connection mode with elasticity and plasticity through its structural change, thereby reducing abnormal wear and extending the service life of the wrist flange. Secondly, the presence of lubricating oil between the pressure ring and the wrist flange can reduce the friction coefficient between the components; the presence of lubricating oil between the wrist flange and the pressure ring can absorb the impact of abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamping claws; an elastomer is arranged between the wrist flange and the pressure ring to improve the fixation reliability and assembly convenience between the wrist flange and the pressure ring. To this end, the present invention provides a six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism, including a wrist flange and a pressure ring, the mating surfaces of the wrist flange and the pressure ring are provided with a groove structure, the groove structure includes a first groove and a first elastomer, a boss embedded in the pressure ring is provided in the center of the wrist flange, the first groove surrounds the boss, a first elastomer is arranged in the first groove, one side of the first elastomer contacts the wrist flange, and the other side of the first elastomer contacts the pressure ring. The wrist flange changes the mating surface structure with the pressure ring and sets a first elastomer with plasticity, which reduces the rigid connection between the components, buffers the abnormal pressure of the wrist flange when the six-axis robot is abnormally overloaded, and reduces the rigidity caused by abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamp through the elasticity of the first elastomer; a groove structure is used to set a small oil storage space between the wrist flange and the pressure ring, and the flow of lubricating oil is blocked by the first elastomer, which can reduce the loss of lubricating oil between the wrist flange and the pressure ring and reduce the impact of mutual friction between the wrist flange and the pressure ring; the first elastomer has the ability of plastic deformation, which can avoid the interference problem between the wrist flange and the pressure ring and other components caused by the groove structure, and reduce the tolerance requirements of the thickness processing of the pressure ring. At the same time, when the fixing bolt group between the wrist flange and the pressure ring becomes loose, the first elastomer can expand to keep the wrist flange and the pressure ring fixed reliably.

[0004] Preferably, the first groove is an annular groove, and the first elastomer is an elastic sealing ring. The first groove of the wrist flange near the boss is an annular groove that cooperates with the elastic sealing ring to reduce the outflow of lubricating oil at the central boss of the wrist flange, maintain the presence of lubricating oil between the pressure ring and the wrist flange, and reduce the friction coefficient between the components; the lubricating oil between the wrist flange and the pressure ring forms an oil film that can absorb the impact of abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamping jaws, reduce the wear of the wrist flange and the pressure ring caused by abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamping jaws, and extend the service life of the wrist flange.

[0005] Preferably, the wrist flange is provided with a bolt group, the groove structure includes a second groove, the bolt group is located between the second groove and the first groove, and the oil storage area is between the first groove and the second groove. The roughness of the oil storage area is controlled between 3-7 microns, so that the oil storage area has a suitable gap to store lubricating oil. Too smooth or too rough is not conducive to the storage of lubricating oil in the oil storage area. The roughness within the above range can maintain a sufficient amount of lubricating oil to maintain the contact surface of the wrist flange and the pressure ring in a lubricated state; the first groove and the second groove are used to separate the oil storage area from other areas of the wrist flange, which is convenient for surface processing of the oil storage area, and is conducive to blocking the lubricating oil from flowing out of the oil storage area, and keeping the contact surface of the wrist flange and the pressure ring in a lubricated state.

[0006] Preferably, the wrist flange is provided with a first oil channel, one end of which is connected to the outer wall of the wrist flange and the other end of which is connected to the oil storage area. Since the oil storage area is located in the center of the wrist flange, the first oil channel is used to directly supply lubricating oil to the oil storage area, thereby avoiding waste of lubricating oil during the supply process and preventing the second groove from causing obstruction to the lubricating oil supply.

[0007] Preferably, the inner wall of the second groove near the center of the wrist flange has an inclination angle, and the upper groove width of the second groove is greater than the bottom groove width of the second groove. Since lubricating oil inevitably flows outward from the center of the wrist flange during the movement of the six-axis robot, the second groove can block the outflow of lubricating oil. Since the inner wall of the second groove near the center of the wrist flange has an inclination angle, the lubricating oil accumulated in the second groove has less difficulty flowing out toward the center of the wrist flange than flowing out in the opposite direction, so that the oil storage area can store lubricating oil and maintain the lubrication state within the area.

[0008] Preferably, the bolt group includes at least two bolts evenly distributed around the circumference, and the first oil channel is located between the bolts.

[0009] Preferably, the groove structure includes a second oil channel, which is at least two inclined grooves provided on the outer wall surface of the boss and the pressure ring. The outer wall surface of the boss is provided with an inclined groove, and lubricating oil is stored in the inclined groove. When the six-axis robot is abnormally overloaded, the lubricating oil can absorb both axial impact and torque, thereby reducing the mutual wear between the wrist flange and the pressure ring caused by abnormal overload and vibration. The second oil channel enables the first oil channel of the wrist flange to communicate with the surface of the internal shaft parts of the boss of the wrist flange, thereby facilitating the lubrication of the internal shaft parts of the six-axis robot.

[0010] Preferably, a second elastomer is disposed within the second groove, with one side of the second elastomer contacting the wrist flange and the other side of the second elastomer contacting the pressure ring. The second elastomer is disposed in the second groove to enhance the second groove's blocking effect on the lubricating oil in the oil reservoir. The second elastomer cooperates with the first elastomer to maintain the planes on both sides of the bolt group flush, preventing the bolt group from tilting during the securing process and preventing the bolt group from loosening or even thread wear when the six-axis robot is subjected to abnormal impacts and loads.

[0011] The present invention provides a wrist flange, which transforms a completely rigid connection into an elastic and plastic connection through structural changes, thereby reducing abnormal wear and extending the service life of the wrist flange; maintaining the presence of lubricating oil between the pressure ring and the wrist flange to reduce the friction coefficient between the components; the presence of lubricating oil between the wrist flange and the pressure ring can absorb the impact of abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamp; an elastomer is arranged between the wrist flange and the pressure ring to improve the fixation reliability and assembly convenience between the wrist flange and the pressure ring and has the following beneficial effects: avoiding the interference problem between the wrist flange and the pressure ring and other components caused by the groove structure, and reducing the tolerance requirement for the thickness processing of the pressure ring; when the fixing bolt group between the wrist flange and the pressure ring becomes loose, the first elastomer expands to maintain reliable fixation between the wrist flange and the pressure ring; the second oil channel is used to absorb axial impact and also to absorb torsional moment, reducing mutual wear between the wrist flange and the pressure ring due to abnormal overload and vibration; the second oil channel enables the first oil channel of the wrist flange to be interconnected with the surface of the internal shaft parts of the boss of the wrist flange, which is convenient for lubricating the internal shaft parts of the six-axis robot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can, without inventive effort, derive other implementation drawings based on the provided drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the wrist flange of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the wrist flange structure of Example 2 of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the wrist flange structure of embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the top view of the wrist flange according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the wrist flange according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 8 This is a partial enlarged view of the second groove of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1 wrist flange; 101 first groove; 102 first elastic body; 103 second elastic body; 104 second groove; 105 second oil channel; 106 first oil channel; 2 pressure ring; 3 boss; 4 bolt group; 5 oil storage area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments.

[0023] Example 1

[0024] Combine Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism includes a wrist flange 1, a bolt group 4 and a pressure ring 2. The mating surfaces of the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 are provided with a groove structure, and the groove structure includes a first groove 101 and a first elastomer 102. A boss 3 embedded in the pressure ring 2 is provided at the center of the wrist flange 1, the first groove 101 surrounds the boss 3, and a first elastomer 102 is provided in the first groove 101. One side of the first elastomer 102 contacts the wrist flange 1, and the other side of the first elastomer 102 contacts the pressure ring 2. The wrist flange 1 changes the mating surface structure with the pressure ring 2 and sets a first elastic body 102 with plasticity, thereby reducing the rigid connection between the components, buffering the abnormal pressure of the wrist flange 1 when the six-axis robot is abnormally overloaded, and reducing the rigidity caused by abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamp through the elasticity of the first elastic body 102; a groove structure is used to set a small oil storage space between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2, and the flow of lubricating oil is blocked by the first elastic body 102, which can reduce the loss of lubricating oil between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 and reduce the impact of mutual friction between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2; the first elastomer 102 has the ability of plastic deformation, which can avoid the interference problem between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 and other components caused by the groove structure, and reduce the tolerance requirements of the thickness processing of the pressure ring 2. At the same time, when the fixing bolt group 4 between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 becomes loose, the first elastomer 102 can expand to keep the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 fixed reliably.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the first groove 101 is an annular groove, and the first elastomer 102 is an elastic sealing ring. The first groove 101 of the wrist flange 1 near the boss 3 is an annular groove that cooperates with the elastic sealing ring to reduce the outflow of lubricating oil at the center boss 3 of the wrist flange 1, maintain the presence of lubricating oil between the pressure ring 2 and the wrist flange 1, and reduce the friction coefficient between the components; the presence of lubricating oil between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 can absorb the impact of abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamping jaws, reduce the wear of the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 caused by abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamping jaws, and extend the service life of the wrist flange 1. The first groove 101 is located on the surface of the wrist flange 1, rather than the surface of the pressure ring 2, which facilitates the installation of the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2. Since the actual size of the bolt group 4 in the wrist flange 1 is small, the first groove 101 is processed on the surface of the pressure ring 2, and the subsequent installation of the first elastomer 102 and installation on the wrist flange 1 is prone to slippage.

[0026] Example 2

[0027] Combine Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, different from the first embodiment, the groove structure includes a second groove 104, the bolt group 4 is located between the second groove 104 and the first groove 101, and the oil storage area 5 is between the first groove 101 and the second groove 104. The roughness of the oil storage area 5 is controlled between 3-7 microns, so that the oil storage area 5 has a suitable gap to store lubricating oil. Being too smooth or too rough is not conducive to the storage of lubricating oil in the oil storage area 5. The roughness within the above range can maintain a sufficient amount of lubricating oil to maintain the contact surface of the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 in a lubricated state; the first groove 101 and the second groove 104 are used to separate the oil storage area 5 from other areas of the wrist flange 1, which is convenient for surface processing of the oil storage area 5, and is conducive to blocking the lubricating oil from flowing out of the oil storage area 5, and keeping the contact surface of the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 in a lubricated state.

[0028] like Figure 8 As shown, the inner wall of the second groove 104 near the center of the wrist flange 1 has an inclination angle, and the upper groove width of the second groove 104 is greater than the bottom groove width of the second groove 104. Since lubricating oil inevitably flows outward from the center of the wrist flange 1 during the movement of the six-axis robot, the second groove 104 can block the outflow of lubricating oil. Due to the inclination angle of the inner wall of the second groove 104 near the center of the wrist flange 1, the lubricating oil accumulated in the second groove 104 has less difficulty flowing toward the center of the wrist flange 1 than flowing in the opposite direction, allowing the oil storage area 5 to store lubricating oil and maintain the lubrication condition in the area.

[0029] A second elastic body 103 is disposed within the second groove 104. One side of the second elastic body 103 contacts the wrist flange 1, and the other side of the second elastic body 103 contacts the pressure ring 2. The second elastic body 103 is disposed in the second groove 104, and the second elastic body 103 can enhance the blocking effect of the second groove 104 on the lubricating oil in the oil storage area 5.

[0030] In order to reduce the difficulty of processing the wrist flange 1 and the difficulty of matching and installing the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 in the first embodiment, the first groove 101 is processed and the first elastomer 102 is installed only on one side of the bolt group 4. Since the installation of the first elastomer in the first groove 101 may cause the bolt group 4 to be away from the side of the first groove 101 when the bolt is fixed and installed, there is a gap between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2, which causes the bolt to tilt when it is fixed and installed. When the six-axis robot is subjected to abnormal impact and abnormal load, the surface thread of the bolt is easily worn and loosened. In this embodiment, the second groove 104 and the second elastomer 103 are provided to cooperate with the first elastomer 102 to keep the two sides of the bolt group 4 flush, avoid the bolt group 4 from tilting during the fixing process, and avoid the bolt group 4 from loosening or even thread wear when the six-axis robot is subjected to abnormal impact and abnormal load.

[0031] Example 3

[0032] Combine Figure 5 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the difference from Examples 1 and 2 lies in that the wrist flange 1 is provided with a first oil passage 106. One end of the first oil passage 106 is connected to the outer wall of the wrist flange 1, and the other end of the first oil passage 106 is connected to the oil reservoir 5. The bolt assembly 4 includes at least two bolts evenly spaced around the circumference, with the first oil passage 106 located between the bolts. Since the oil reservoir 5 is located in the center of the wrist flange 1, the first oil passage 106 is used to directly supply lubricating oil to the oil reservoir 5, avoiding waste of lubricating oil during the supply process and preventing the second groove 104 from obstructing the lubricating oil supply.

[0033] like Figure 5 As shown, the groove structure includes a second oil channel 105, which is six inclined grooves arranged on the outer wall surface of the boss 3 and the pressure ring 2. The outer wall surface of the boss 3 is provided with inclined grooves, and lubricating oil is stored in the inclined grooves. When the six-axis robot is abnormally overloaded, the lubricating oil can absorb both axial impact and torque, reducing the mutual wear between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 due to abnormal overload and vibration; the second oil channel 105 enables the first oil channel 106 of the wrist flange 1 to be interconnected with the surface of the internal shaft parts of the boss 3 of the wrist flange 1, thereby facilitating the lubrication of the internal shaft parts of the six-axis robot.

[0034] The present invention provides a wear-reducing mechanism for the wrist flange of a six-axis robot. By changing its structure, a completely rigid connection is transformed into a connection mode with elasticity and plasticity, thereby reducing abnormal wear and extending the service life of the wrist flange 1; maintaining lubricating oil between the pressure ring 2 and the wrist flange 1 to reduce the friction coefficient between the components; lubricating oil between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 can absorb the impact of abnormal clamping and collision of the external clamping claws; an elastomer is arranged between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 to improve the fixing reliability and assembly convenience between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 and has the following beneficial effects: avoiding the groove structure causing the wrist flange to 1 and the pressure ring 2 interfere with other components, and reduce the tolerance requirements for the thickness processing of the pressure ring 2; when the fixing bolt group 4 between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 becomes loose, the first elastomer 102 expands to keep the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 fixed reliably; the second oil channel 105 is used to absorb axial impact and torque, reducing the mutual wear between the wrist flange 1 and the pressure ring 2 due to abnormal overload and vibration; the second oil channel 105 enables the first oil channel 106 of the wrist flange 1 to be interconnected with the surface of the internal shaft parts of the boss 3 of the wrist flange 1, so as to facilitate lubrication of the internal shaft parts of the six-axis robot.

[0035] The above embodiments and / or implementation methods are only used to illustrate the preferred embodiments and / or implementation methods for realizing the technology of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation methods of the technology of the present invention in any form. Any person skilled in the art may make slight changes to other equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical means disclosed in the content of the present invention, but they should still be regarded as technologies or embodiments that are essentially the same as the present invention.

Claims

1. A six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism, comprising a wrist flange (1) and a pressure ring (2), characterized in that: The matching surfaces of the wrist flange (1) and the pressure ring (2) are provided with a groove structure, and the groove structure includes a first groove (101) and a first elastic body (102); a boss (3) embedded in the pressure ring (2) is provided at the center of the wrist flange (1); the first groove (101) surrounds the boss (3); a first elastic body (102) is provided in the first groove (101); one side of the first elastic body (102) contacts the wrist flange (1), and the other side of the first elastic body (102) contacts the pressure ring (2); when the fixing bolt group between the wrist flange (1) and the pressure ring (2) becomes loose, the first elastic body (102) expands to keep the wrist flange (1) and the pressure ring (2) fixed reliably; The wrist flange (1) is provided with a bolt group (4), the groove structure includes a second groove (104), the bolt group (4) is located between the second groove (104) and the first groove (101), and the area between the first groove (101) and the second groove (104) is an oil storage area (5); A second elastic body (103) is provided in the second groove (104).

2. A six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first groove (101) is an annular groove, and the first elastic body (102) is an elastic sealing ring.

3. The six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wrist flange (1) is provided with a first oil passage (106), one end of the first oil passage (106) is connected to the outer wall of the wrist flange (1), and the other end of the first oil passage (106) is connected to the oil storage area (5).

4. A six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner wall of the second groove (104) close to the center of the wrist flange (1) has an inclination angle, and the upper groove width of the second groove (104) is greater than the bottom groove width of the second groove (104).

5. A six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bolt group (4) comprises at least two bolts evenly distributed around the circumference, and the first oil passage (106) is located between the bolts.

6. The six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The groove structure comprises a second oil channel (105), wherein the second oil channel (105) is at least two inclined grooves arranged on the outer wall surface of the boss (3) and cooperating with the pressure ring (2).

7. The six-axis robot wrist flange wear reduction mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: One side of the second elastic body (103) contacts the wrist flange (1), and the other side of the second elastic body (103) contacts the pressure ring (2).

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