Sealed rotary joint, mechanical arm and nuclear industry robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a sealed rotary joint, a mechanical arm and a nuclear industry robot, which can form a sealed channel in the sealed rotary joint and can enable a spool to be accommodated in the sealed channel so as to be prevented from being polluted by a radioactive environment, so that the decontamination difficulty of the sealed rotary joint is reduced. The sealing rotary joint comprises a first arm pipe, a second arm pipe and a rotary assembly. A first communicating hole is formed in the end face of the second arm pipe connecting end and communicates with the interior of the second arm pipe. The rotary assembly is fixed in the first arm pipe; after penetrating through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm pipe, the rotating part of the rotating assembly is fixedly connected with the connecting end of the second arm pipe in a sealed mode and used for driving the second arm pipe to rotate around the axis of the second arm pipe so that the second arm pipe can rotate relative to the first arm pipe; the rotating part of the rotary assembly is also hermetically and rotationally connected with the connecting end of the first arm pipe; a through hole is formed in the rotating part of the rotating assembly and communicates with the first communicating hole of the second arm pipe and the interior of the first arm pipe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of robots, and in particular relates to a sealed rotary joint, a mechanical arm and a nuclear industry robot. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of robotics technology, robots are widely used in industries such as machinery and equipment, automotive manufacturing, and healthcare. Due to the high levels of radiation and pollution associated with the nuclear industry, various specialized robots have also gained popularity in the nuclear industry in recent years. Currently, the various joints in nuclear industry robots generally use electric drives, such as motors driving RV reducers or harmonic reducers, to propel the manipulator arm. This structural approach is associated with high hardware costs and relatively weak overload capacity.

[0003] Compared with electric drive, hydraulic drive has the advantages of simpler structure, stronger output load capacity and higher power ratio, so it has gradually begun to be used in nuclear industry robots.

[0004] However, the hydraulically driven joints of existing nuclear industry robots are usually open structures, and the robot's cables, pipelines, sensors and other devices are directly exposed to the radioactive atmosphere. Therefore, it is easy for the internal devices of the hydraulic joints of nuclear industry robots to be contaminated with radioactive substances, making it difficult and costly to decontaminate them, resulting in high engineering application costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to address the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art and to provide a sealed rotary joint, a robotic arm and a nuclear industry robot, which can form a sealed channel in the sealed rotary joint, so that the wire pipe can be placed in the sealed channel to avoid contamination by the radioactive environment, thereby reducing the difficulty of decontamination of the sealed rotary joint.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a sealed rotary joint, which includes a first arm tube, a second arm tube and a rotary assembly. The connection end of the first arm tube with the second arm tube is a blind end. The connection end of the second arm tube with the first arm tube is a blind end and is arranged opposite to the connection end of the first arm tube; the end face of the connection end of the second arm tube has a first connecting hole, and the first connecting hole is connected to the interior of the second arm tube. The rotary assembly is fixed in the first arm tube; the rotating part of the rotary assembly passes through the end face of the connection end of the first arm tube, and is fixed and sealed to the connection end of the second arm tube, and is used to drive the second arm tube to rotate around its own axis, so that the second arm tube can rotate relative to the first arm tube; the rotating part of the rotary assembly is also sealed and rotatably connected to the connection end of the first arm tube; a through hole is formed inside the rotating part of the rotary assembly, and the through hole connects the first connecting hole of the second arm tube and the interior of the first arm tube, so that the interior of the first arm tube is connected to the interior of the second arm tube and is isolated from the outside of the sealed rotary joint.

[0007] In some embodiments, the rotary assembly includes a driving member and a connecting sleeve. The driving member is fixed in the first arm tube; the driving end of the driving member is connected to the connecting sleeve, and is used to drive the connecting sleeve to rotate around the axis of the second arm tube; the driving member has a second connecting hole inside. The connecting sleeve is arranged between the second arm tube and the driving member; after the connecting sleeve passes through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube, it is fixed and sealed to the connecting end of the second arm tube, and is sealed and rotatably connected to the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube to drive the second arm tube to rotate around its own axis; the connecting sleeve has a third connecting hole inside. The second connecting hole and the third connecting hole are connected to each other to form the through hole.

[0008] In some embodiments, the driving member is a hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder. The hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder comprises a cylinder barrel and a rotary piston. The cylinder barrel is fixed within the first arm tube. The rotary piston is rotatably disposed within the cylinder barrel, forming the driving end of the driving member. The rotary piston is connected to the connecting sleeve. The second communication hole is formed in the rotary piston.

[0009] In some embodiments, the axis of the first communicating hole, the axis of the second communicating hole, and the axis of the third communicating hole are all on the rotation axis of the rotary piston.

[0010] In some embodiments, the sealed rotary joint further includes a rotary transformer and a transmission member. The rotary transformer is disposed within the first arm tube and outside the connecting sleeve. The transmission member is sleeved onto the detection wheel of the rotary transformer and the connecting sleeve, such that rotation of the connecting sleeve drives the detection wheel of the rotary transformer via the transmission member, thereby detecting rotation information of the connecting sleeve via the rotary transformer.

[0011] In some embodiments, a boss is formed at the connecting end of the second arm tube, and after the connecting sleeve is sleeved on the boss, it is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connecting end of the second arm tube.

[0012] In some embodiments, a first sealing assembly is provided between the connecting sleeve and the connecting end of the second arm tube.

[0013] In some embodiments, the connection end of the first arm tube is sealed with a gland, which forms the end surface of the connection end of the first arm tube. The connecting sleeve passes through the gland, and a bearing and a second sealing assembly are provided between the connecting sleeve and the gland to enable the connecting sleeve and the gland to rotate and seal.

[0014] Therefore, the sealed rotary joint provided by the embodiment of the present invention sets the connecting end of the first arm tube and the second arm tube as a blind end, and sets a rotary assembly in the first arm tube, so that the rotating part of the rotary assembly passes through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube and is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connecting end of the second arm tube. The second arm tube can be driven to rotate around its own axis by the rotating part of the rotary assembly, thereby realizing the rotary motion of the second arm tube relative to the first arm tube; and, by making the rotating part of the rotary assembly also sealed and rotatably connected to the connecting end of the first arm tube, the sealing inside the first arm tube can be maintained when the rotating part of the rotary assembly drives the second arm tube to rotate around the axis of the second arm tube. By providing a first connecting hole on the end face of the second arm tube connection end, the first connecting hole can be connected to the interior of the second arm tube; finally, by providing a through hole inside the rotating portion of the rotary assembly and connecting the through hole to the first connecting hole of the second arm tube and the interior of the first arm tube, the sealed connection between the through hole and the first connecting hole, as well as the sealed connection between the through hole and the interior of the first arm tube, can be maintained, thereby connecting the interior of the first arm tube to the interior of the second arm tube and isolating it from the outside of the sealed rotary joint to form a sealed channel inside the sealed rotary joint. Therefore, pipelines, including cables and pipes, passing through the sealed rotary joint can be arranged in the above-mentioned sealed channel, which can prevent the pipelines from being contaminated by radioactive substances outside the sealed rotary joint, thereby increasing the difficulty of decontamination. This can also reduce the difficulty and cost of decontaminating the sealed rotary joint, thereby reducing the engineering application cost of the sealed rotary joint.

[0015] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a robotic arm, comprising a first arm and a second arm, and further comprising the sealed rotary joint in the first aspect, wherein the first arm tube of the sealed rotary joint is arranged on the first arm, and the second arm tube of the sealed rotary joint is arranged on the second arm.

[0016] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a nuclear industry robot, which includes at least one robotic arm according to the second aspect.

[0017] The robotic arm and nuclear industry robot provided by the embodiments of the present invention have the same beneficial effects as the above-mentioned sealed rotary joint, which will not be described in detail here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 : A structural diagram of a sealed rotary joint provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 :for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle Q1 area.

[0020] Among them, 1-transmission part; 2-rotating transformer; 3-connecting sleeve; 4-driving part; 5-first arm tube; 6-first screw; 7-cylinder fixing plate; 8-pipeline; 9-second screw; 10-transmission wheel; 11-third screw; 12-bearing; 13-first sealing gasket; 14-fourth screw; 15-pressure cover; 16-adjusting gasket; 17-fifth screw; 18-pressure plate; 19-sixth screw; 20-second arm tube; 21-third sealing gasket; 22-fourth sealing gasket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0022] Example 1:

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a sealed rotary joint, which can be used in the robotic arm of a nuclear industry robot or other robotic arms that need to maintain the internal seal of the sealed rotary joint, for rotating the robotic arm.

[0024] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the sealed rotary joint includes a first arm tube 5, a second arm tube 20 and a rotary assembly.

[0025] The connection end of the first arm tube 5 with the second arm tube 20 is a blind end. The connection end of the second arm tube 20 with the first arm tube 5 is a blind end and is arranged opposite to the connection end of the first arm tube 5; the end face of the connection end of the second arm tube 20 has a first connecting hole, which is connected to the interior of the second arm tube 20. The rotary assembly is fixed in the first arm tube 5; after the rotating part of the rotary assembly passes through the end face of the connection end of the first arm tube 5, it is fixed and sealed to the connection end of the second arm tube 20, and is used to drive the second arm tube 20 to rotate around its own axis (the second arm tube 20) so that the second arm tube 20 can rotate relative to the first arm tube 5; the rotating part of the rotary assembly is also sealed and rotatably connected to the connection end of the first arm tube 5; a through hole is formed inside the rotating part of the rotary assembly, which connects the first connecting hole K1 of the second arm tube 20 and the interior of the first arm tube 5, so that the interior of the first arm tube 5 is connected to the interior of the second arm tube 20 and is isolated from the outside of the sealed rotary joint.

[0026] Exemplarily, the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 are both made of corrosion-resistant materials, such as stainless steel. Furthermore, the surfaces of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 are smooth to prevent radioactive substances from adhering to the surfaces of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20, thereby reducing the difficulty of decontamination of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20.

[0027] Exemplarily, the robotic arm of the nuclear industry robot includes a first arm and a second arm, the first arm tube 5 is sealed at the end of the first arm of the robotic arm, the second arm tube 20 is sealed at the end of the second arm of the robotic arm, and the first arm and the second arm are connected by a sealed rotary joint.

[0028] Alternatively, the first arm tube 5 may form a first arm of a robotic arm, and the second arm tube 20 may form a second arm of the robotic arm.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 are blind tube structures, for example, they can be the sealed ends of the robot arm, and the drive components or cable harnesses can be accommodated therein.

[0030] For example, the connecting ends of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 may be provided with end covers, and the connecting ends of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 are respectively sealed by the end covers.

[0031] For example, Figure 1 As shown, the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 are coaxially arranged, for example, the axis of the first arm tube 5 and the axis of the second arm tube 20 are both Figure 1 A horizontal line in the .

[0032] For example, there may be one or more first communicating holes K1 , and the first communicating holes K1 can be in communication with the interior of the second arm tube 20 .

[0033] Exemplarily, the rotating assembly may include a motor, which is fixed in the first arm tube 5. In this case, the rotating part of the rotating assembly is the rotating shaft of the motor, and the axis of the rotating shaft of the motor is on the same straight line as the axis of the second arm tube 20. After the rotating shaft of the motor passes through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5 and is connected to the second arm tube 20, it can drive the second arm tube 20 to rotate, so that the second arm tube 20 can rotate relative to the first arm tube 5.

[0034] Combine Figure 1 It can be understood that by passing the rotating portion of the rotary assembly through the end surface of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5 and being sealed and rotatably connected to the connecting end of the first arm tube 5, when the rotating portion of the rotary assembly drives the second arm tube 20 to rotate, the interior of the first arm tube 5 is still kept isolated from the outside of the sealed rotary joint, thereby maintaining the sealed state of the interior of the first arm tube 5.

[0035] By passing the rotating part of the rotary assembly through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5 and then fixing and sealingly connecting it to the connecting end of the second arm tube 20, the seal of the connection between the rotating part of the rotary assembly and the second arm tube 20 can be maintained, so as to keep the through hole and the first communicating hole K1 isolated from the outside of the sealed rotary joint; by forming a through hole inside the rotating part of the rotary assembly and connecting the through hole to the first communicating hole K1 of the second arm tube 20, the sealed connection between the through hole and the first communicating hole K1, as well as the sealed connection between the through hole and the interior of the first arm tube 5, can be maintained, so that the interior of the first arm tube 5 is connected to the interior of the second arm tube 20 and isolated from the outside of the sealed rotary joint, so as to form a sealed channel inside the sealed rotary joint.

[0036] At this time, the pipeline 8 (including cables, pipes, etc.) passing through the sealed rotary joint can be set in the above-mentioned sealed channel, which can prevent the pipeline 8 from being contaminated by radioactive substances outside the sealed rotary joint and increasing the difficulty of decontamination, and can also reduce the difficulty and cost of decontaminating the sealed rotary joint, thereby reducing the engineering application cost of the sealed rotary joint.

[0037] Therefore, the sealed rotary joint provided by the embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the connection end of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 is set as a blind end, and a rotary assembly is provided in the first arm tube 5, so that the rotating part of the rotary assembly passes through the end face of the connection end of the first arm tube 5 and is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connection end of the second arm tube 20. The second arm tube 20 can be driven to rotate around its own axis by the rotating part of the rotary assembly, thereby realizing the rotary motion of the second arm tube 20 relative to the first arm tube 5; and, by making the rotating part of the rotary assembly also sealed and rotatably connected to the connection end of the first arm tube 5, the sealing inside the first arm tube 5 can be maintained when the rotating part of the rotary assembly drives the second arm tube 20 to rotate around the axis of the second arm tube 20. By providing a first connecting hole K1 on the end face of the connecting end of the second arm tube 20, the first connecting hole K1 can be connected to the interior of the second arm tube 20. Finally, by providing a through hole inside the rotating part of the rotary assembly, and connecting the through hole to the first connecting hole K1 of the second arm tube 20 and the interior of the first arm tube 5, the through hole and the first connecting hole K1 can be kept sealed, as well as the through hole and the interior of the first arm tube 5. This allows the interior of the first arm tube 5 to be connected to the interior of the second arm tube 20 and isolated from the outside of the sealed rotary joint, thereby forming a sealed passage inside the sealed rotary joint. Therefore, the pipeline 8 (including cables, pipes, etc.) passing through the sealed rotary joint can be arranged in the above-mentioned sealed passage, which can prevent the pipeline 8 from being contaminated by radioactive substances outside the sealed rotary joint, thereby increasing the difficulty of decontamination. This can also reduce the difficulty and cost of decontaminating the sealed rotary joint, thereby reducing the engineering application cost of the sealed rotary joint.

[0038] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the rotary assembly includes a driving member 4 and a connecting sleeve 3. The driving member 4 is fixed within the first arm tube 5; the driving end of the driving member 4 is connected to the connecting sleeve 3, and is used to drive the connecting sleeve 3 to rotate about the axis of the second arm tube 20; the driving member 4 has a second connecting hole K2 inside. The connecting sleeve 3 is arranged between the second arm tube 20 and the driving member 4; after passing through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5, the connecting sleeve 3 is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connecting end of the second arm tube 20, and is sealed and rotatably connected to the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5 to drive the second arm tube 20 to rotate about its own axis; the connecting sleeve 3 has a third connecting hole K3 inside. The second connecting hole K2 and the third connecting hole K3 are interconnected to form a through hole.

[0039] The driving member 4 can be an existing electric or hydraulically driven component that can drive the connecting sleeve 3 to rotate around the axis of the second arm tube 20. For example, when the driving member 4 is a hydraulically driven rotary hydraulic cylinder, the driving end of the driving member 4 is the rotary piston of the rotary hydraulic cylinder.

[0040] Exemplarily, the driving member 4 is fixed in the first arm tube 5 along the axis of the first arm tube 5 , and the axis of the driving end of the driving member 4 is in the same straight line as the axes of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 .

[0041] Exemplarily, the second communication hole K2 is provided on the driving end of the driving member 4 .

[0042] For example, Figure 1 As shown, the connecting sleeve 3 is a hollow disc structure. The rotation axis of the connecting sleeve 3 is in the same straight line as the axes of the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20.

[0043] The connecting sleeve 3 is connected to the driving end of the driving member 4 and the connecting end of the second arm tube 20 respectively. Therefore, when the driving end of the driving member 4 rotates, it can drive the connecting sleeve 3 to rotate, thereby driving the second arm tube 20 to rotate around its own axis.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, after the connecting sleeve 3 passes through the end surface of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5, it is sealed and rotatably connected to the end surface of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5. Therefore, when the connecting sleeve 3 in the first arm tube 5 drives the second arm tube 20 to rotate around its own axis, the sealing state inside the first arm tube 5 and the third connecting hole K3 can still be maintained.

[0045] Understandably, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the third communication hole K3 in the connecting sleeve 3 is connected to the first communication hole K1 of the second arm tube 20. The interior of the first arm tube 5 is connected to the interior of the second arm tube 20 through the second communication hole K2 on the driving end of the driving member 4, the third communication hole K3 in the connecting sleeve 3, and the first communication hole K1 of the second arm tube 20, forming a sealed channel inside the rotary joint.

[0046] By passing the connecting sleeve 3 through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube 5 and then fixing and sealingly connecting it to the connecting end of the second arm tube 20, the third communicating hole K3 in the connecting sleeve 3 can be connected to the first communicating hole K1 of the second arm tube 20 while maintaining isolation from the outside of the sealed rotary joint, thereby maintaining a sealed state within the second arm tube 20, the third communicating hole K3, and the first communicating hole K1.

[0047] For example, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a plurality of wire threading tubes are also provided in the connecting sleeve 3, and the wire threading tubes pass through the third connecting hole K3 on the connecting sleeve 3 and the first connecting hole K1 of the second arm tube 20 at the same time. The wire threading tubes are used to pass the pipeline 8 to avoid direct contact between the pipeline 8 and the second arm tube 20 and the connecting sleeve 3 and friction damage.

[0048] Through the above arrangement, when the driving member 4 drives the second arm tube 20 to rotate around its own axis through the connecting sleeve 3, the sealing state inside the first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 can still be maintained, so as to maintain the sealing state of the sealing channel formed in the sealed rotary joint.

[0049] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the driving member 4 is a hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder. The hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder comprises a cylinder barrel and a rotary piston. The cylinder barrel is fixed within the first arm tube 5. The rotary piston is rotatably disposed within the cylinder barrel, forming the driving end of the driving member 4. The rotary piston is connected to the connecting sleeve 3. A second communication hole K2 is formed in the rotary piston.

[0050] For example, the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder is coaxially arranged with the first arm tube 5, ensuring sufficient heat dissipation and installation space at all locations between the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder and the sidewall of the first arm tube 5. This facilitates installation of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder within the first arm tube 5 and facilitates heat dissipation from the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder. Furthermore, this arrangement improves space utilization within the first arm tube 5, making the structure within the first arm tube 5 compact, reducing the size of the sealed rotary joint to optimize inertia distribution, and utilizing the support of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder to increase the rigidity of the first arm tube 5. When the sealed rotary joint is used in a robot, it can improve the robot's dynamic characteristics.

[0051] The hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder is driven by hydraulic oil, and thus can output greater torque and power, thereby being able to transmit greater torque and power to the second arm tube 20, and thus enabling the second arm tube 20 to output greater torque and power.

[0052] For example, Figure 1 As shown, a cylinder fixing plate 7 is provided in the first arm tube 5 . The cylinder fixing plate 7 and the first arm tube 5 can be integrally formed or can be manufactured separately and then welded together.

[0053] The cylinder barrel is fixed to the cylinder fixing plate 7 by a plurality of first screws 6, thereby fixing the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder in the first arm tube 5. The rotary piston is fixedly connected to the connecting sleeve 3 by a second screw 9, so that the connecting sleeve 3 rotates synchronously when the rotary piston rotates.

[0054] When hydraulic oil is introduced into the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder, the rotary piston can be rotated relative to the cylinder barrel, thereby driving the connecting sleeve 3 to rotate.

[0055] Understandably, Figure 1 As shown, the rotary piston is tubular in shape, and the second communication hole K2 is formed at the center of the rotary piston.

[0056] Through the above arrangement, the sealed rotary joint can have the advantage of a large output power ratio.

[0057] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 As shown, the axis of the first communicating hole K1, the axis of the second communicating hole K2 and the axis of the third communicating hole K3 are all on the rotation axis of the rotary piston.

[0058] In some examples, the first communication hole K1 , the second communication hole K2 , and the third communication hole K3 all have the same diameter.

[0059] It can be understood that through the above-mentioned arrangement, when the rotary piston rotates, the relative position change of the first connecting hole K1, the second connecting hole K2, and the third connecting hole K3 is smaller, thereby reducing the deformation (twist) of the pipeline 8 located in the first connecting hole K1, the second connecting hole K2, and the third connecting hole K3, and reducing the possibility of damage to the pipeline 8.

[0060] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 As shown, the sealed rotary joint also includes a rotary transformer 2 and a transmission member 1. The rotary transformer 2 is disposed within the first arm tube 5 and is located outside the connecting sleeve 3. The transmission member 1 is sleeved onto the detection wheel of the rotary transformer 2 and the connecting sleeve 3. When the connecting sleeve 3 rotates, the transmission member 1 drives the detection wheel of the rotary transformer 2 to rotate, thereby enabling the rotary transformer 2 to detect the rotation information of the connecting sleeve 3.

[0061] The rotary transformer 2 can be an existing rotary transformer, which is used to measure the angular displacement and angular velocity of the rotating shaft of the rotating object through the detection wheel. The rotation information of the connecting sleeve 3 includes the angular displacement and angular velocity of the rotating shaft of the connecting sleeve 3.

[0062] Exemplarily, the rotary transformer 2 is fixed in the first arm tube 5 by screws or bonding.

[0063] Illustratively, the transmission member 1 may be a transmission belt or a transmission chain.

[0064] In some examples, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a transmission wheel 10 is fixed to the outer side of the connecting sleeve 3 , and the transmission wheel 10 is fixed to the connecting sleeve 3 by a third screw 11 .

[0065] When the connecting sleeve 3 rotates, it drives the transmission wheel 10 to rotate synchronously. It can be understood that when the connecting sleeve 3 rotates by the same angle, the radius of the transmission wheel 10 is larger, and the linear velocity of the outer ring of the transmission wheel 10 is greater than the linear velocity on the connecting sleeve 3 at the corresponding position, so that the detection wheel of the rotary transformer 2 can be driven to rotate by a larger angle through the transmission member 1 to improve the detection accuracy of the rotary transformer 2.

[0066] Through the above arrangement, the rotation information of the connecting sleeve 3 can be detected, and the connecting sleeve 3 rotates synchronously with the second arm tube 20, so that the rotation information of the second arm tube 20 relative to the first arm tube 5 can be detected, which facilitates the subsequent precise control of the movement of the driving member 4 based on the rotation information of the second arm tube 20 relative to the first arm tube 5.

[0067] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 As shown, a boss is formed on the connecting end of the second arm tube 20 , and after the connecting sleeve 3 is sleeved on the boss, it is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connecting end of the second arm tube 20 .

[0068] like Figure 2 As shown, the connecting sleeve 3 is fixed to the connecting end of the second arm tube 20 by a plurality of sixth screws 19 .

[0069] By providing the boss, the connection seam between the connection end of the second arm tube 20 and the connection sleeve 3 can be made into a broken line shape, which helps to improve the sealing performance between the connection end of the second arm tube 20 and the connection sleeve 3, so as to better ensure the sealing of the first connecting hole K1 in the connection end of the second arm tube 20 and the third connecting hole K3 in the connection sleeve 3, thereby ensuring the sealing of the sealing channel in the sealed rotary joint.

[0070] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 As shown, a first sealing assembly is provided between the connecting sleeve 3 and the connecting end of the second arm tube 20 .

[0071] For example, Figure 2 As shown, the first sealing assembly includes a third sealing gasket 21. The third sealing gasket 21 can be a flat gasket or an O-ring. The material of the third sealing gasket 21 is a material that is acid-resistant, alkali-resistant and radiation-resistant (such as polytetrafluoroethylene).

[0072] Through the above arrangement, the sealing performance between the connecting sleeve 3 and the connecting end of the second arm tube 20 can be improved.

[0073] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the connection end of the first arm tube 5 is sealed with a pressure cover 15 , and the pressure cover 15 forms the end surface of the connection end of the first arm tube 5 .

[0074] like Figure 2 As shown, the gland 15 is fixed to the connecting end of the first arm tube 5 by a plurality of fourth screws 14. A first sealing gasket 13 is further provided between the gland 15 and the first arm tube 5 to maintain a seal between the gland 15 and the first arm tube 5, thereby ensuring a sealed state inside the first arm tube 5 and preventing the entry of radioactive substances.

[0075] The first sealing gasket 13 may be a flat gasket or an O-ring. The material of the first sealing gasket 13 is a material that is acid-resistant, alkali-resistant and radiation-resistant (such as polytetrafluoroethylene).

[0076] like Figure 2 As shown, the connecting sleeve 3 passes through the gland 15, and a bearing 12 and a second sealing assembly are provided between the connecting sleeve 3 and the gland 15, so that the connecting sleeve 3 and the gland 15 can rotate and are sealed.

[0077] For example, the bearing 12 may be a general rolling bearing.

[0078] like Figure 2 As shown, a first step is provided on the inner side of the gland 15, and a second step is provided on the outer side of the connecting sleeve 3, with the first and second steps being arranged opposite each other. In the vertical direction, the outer ring of the bearing 12 is fixed to the first step of the gland 15, and the inner ring of the bearing 12 is fixed to the second step of the connecting sleeve 3, so that the first and second steps define the horizontal position of the bearing 12.

[0079] like Figure 2 As shown, the second seal assembly is closer to the outside of the sealed swivel joint than the bearing 12 .

[0080] like Figure 2 As shown, the second sealing assembly includes a pressure plate 18 and a fourth sealing gasket 22, which is arranged on the inner side of the pressure plate 18. The pressure plate 18 is fixed to the gland 15 by a fifth screw 17 and abuts against the fourth sealing gasket 22 to limit the fourth sealing gasket 22.

[0081] Exemplarily, the fourth sealing gasket 22 may be a lip seal or other sealing ring for a rotating shaft. The fourth sealing gasket 22 may be made of a material that is acid-resistant, alkali-resistant, and radiation-resistant (such as polytetrafluoroethylene).

[0082] Through the above arrangement, the connecting sleeve 3 and the pressure cover 15 can be rotated and sealed.

[0083] In some examples, such as Figure 2 As shown, in the horizontal direction, an adjustment pad 16 is further provided between the bearing 12 and the pressure cover 15 .

[0084] Exemplarily, the adjustment pad 16 may be a flat pad, and the material of the adjustment pad 16 may be a flexible material such as rubber.

[0085] The adjusting pad 16 can limit the position of the bearing 12 in the horizontal direction to prevent the bearing 12 from shaking in the horizontal direction.

[0086] In this embodiment, if Figure 2As shown, when the sealed rotary joint rotates, the outer surfaces of the first arm tube 5, the pressure cover 15, the connecting sleeve 3, and the second arm tube 20 are exposed to the outside. The materials of the first arm tube 5, the pressure cover 15, the connecting sleeve 3, and the second arm tube 20 can use corrosion-resistant materials, such as stainless steel; the other components in the sealed rotary joint (driving part 4, rotary transformer 2, etc.) are all located inside the sealed rotary joint and can be isolated from the external radioactive environment. Therefore, the other components in the sealed rotary joint can use ordinary steel, iron and other materials, thereby reducing the material cost of the sealed rotary joint.

[0087] The specific movement process of the sealed rotary joint in this embodiment is as follows:

[0088] Initial state:

[0089] The first arm tube 5 and the second arm tube 20 are in a relatively static state and are connected to the driving member 4 (hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder) through the connecting sleeve 3.

[0090] The hollow hole (second communication hole K2 ) of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder is located at its axis and is used to accommodate the pipeline 8 .

[0091] The rotary transformer 2 is connected to the connecting sleeve 3 through the transmission member 1 and is used to detect the rotation information of the connecting sleeve 3.

[0092] Hydraulic oil inlet of hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder:

[0093] When the hydraulic oil is passed into the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder through the hydraulic pipe, the rotary piston of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder begins to be stressed and rotates.

[0094] Rotational motion:

[0095] Under the support of the bearing 12, the connecting sleeve 3, the second arm tube 20 and other parts connected thereto begin to rotate together.

[0096] The rotary transformer 2 keeps synchronous motion with the rotary piston of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder through the transmission member 1, thereby being able to accurately detect the rotation information of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder.

[0097] The first arm pipe 5 remains stationary and is connected to the cylinder barrel of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder.

[0098] Angle Limitation and Stability:

[0099] When the sealed rotary joint is used in the robotic arm of a nuclear industry robot, the rotation angle of the sealed rotary joint is generally not greater than 360°, so the working angle of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder is also limited to this range.

[0100] The hollow hole (the second communicating hole K2) of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder is located on its rotary axis, so that the pipeline 8 will not be over-entangled during the rotation process.

[0101] The provision of the sealing elements (such as the first sealing gasket 13, the third sealing gasket 21, etc.) ensures the isolation of the atmosphere inside and outside the sealed rotary joint, and prevents the external radioactive atmosphere from contaminating the internal components of the sealed rotary joint.

[0102] In summary, through the driving action of the hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder and the ingenious design of a series of connectors and seals, the sealed rotary joint can realize the relative rotational movement of the two arm tubes, and has the advantages of compact structure, easy decontamination and reduced equipment use cost.

[0103] Example 2:

[0104] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a robotic arm for a nuclear industry robot, the robotic arm including a first arm and a second arm, and also including the sealed rotary joint in Example 1; the first arm tube 5 of the sealed rotary joint is arranged on the first arm, and the second arm tube 20 of the sealed rotary joint is arranged on the second arm.

[0105] For example, the first arm tube 5 of the sealed swivel joint is fixed to the first arm and sealed therewith to maintain a seal within the first arm tube 5. The second arm tube 20 is fixed to the second arm and sealed therewith to maintain a seal within the second arm tube 20. The first and second arms are now connected, and the sealed swivel joint can drive the second arm to perform swivel motion relative to the first arm.

[0106] Moreover, in this case, the pipeline connecting the first arm and the second arm can be set in the internal channel of the sealed rotary joint to prevent the pipeline from being exposed to the external radioactive environment and contaminated by radioactive substances. When decontaminating the robotic arm, only the surface of the exposed part needs to be decontaminated, which reduces the difficulty of decontamination of the robotic arm and thus reduces the operating cost during the use of the robotic arm.

[0107] Example 3:

[0108] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a nuclear industry robot, which can be, for example, a robot for controlling the opening and closing of a ball valve and is used in a nuclear reactor. The nuclear industry robot includes at least one robotic arm according to embodiment 2.

[0109] Exemplarily, the robot for controlling the opening and closing of the ball valve further includes a controller. The controller may be a general-purpose microprocessor that may store a preset control program. The controller is electrically connected to the rotary assembly of the sealed rotary joint in the robotic arm and is configured to control the rotary assembly to control the rotation of the second arm tube 20 relative to the first arm tube 5, that is, to control the rotational motion of the second arm relative to the first arm.

[0110] The pipelines in the nuclear industry robot can be set in the internal channel of the sealed rotary joint of the robotic arm, so as to avoid the pipelines being exposed to the outside and contaminated by radioactive substances. When decontaminating the nuclear industry robot, only its outer surface needs to be decontaminated, which reduces the difficulty of decontamination of the nuclear industry robot and thus reduces the operating cost of the nuclear industry robot during use.

[0111] It will be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments for illustrating the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of the present invention, and such modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealed rotary joint, characterized in that: include: The first arm tube (5) has a blind end at its connection end with the second arm tube (20); A second arm tube (20), the connection end of which with the first arm tube (5) is a blind end and is arranged opposite to the connection end of the first arm tube (5); an end surface of the connection end of the second arm tube (20) has a first communicating hole, the first communicating hole being in communication with the interior of the second arm tube (20); and, A rotary assembly is fixed in the first arm tube (5); the rotating part of the rotary assembly passes through the end face of the connecting end of the first arm tube (5) and is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connecting end of the second arm tube (20), and is used to drive the second arm tube (20) to rotate around its own axis, so that the second arm tube (20) performs a rotary motion relative to the first arm tube (5); the rotating part of the rotary assembly is also sealed and rotatably connected to the connecting end of the first arm tube (5); a through hole is formed inside the rotating part of the rotary assembly, and the through hole communicates with the first connecting hole of the second arm tube (20) and the interior of the first arm tube (5), so that the interior of the first arm tube (5) is connected with the interior of the second arm tube (20) and is isolated from the outside of the sealed rotary joint.

2. The sealed rotary joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotary assembly comprises: A driving member (4) is fixed in the first arm tube (5); a driving end of the driving member (4) is connected to the connecting sleeve (3) and is used to drive the connecting sleeve (3) to rotate around the axis of the second arm tube (20); a second communicating hole is provided inside the driving member (4); and, A connecting sleeve (3) is provided between the second arm tube (20) and the driving member (4); after passing through the end surface of the connecting end of the first arm tube (5), the connecting sleeve (3) is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connecting end of the second arm tube (20), and is sealed and rotatably connected to the end surface of the connecting end of the first arm tube (5) to drive the second arm tube (20) to rotate around its own axis; a third communicating hole is provided inside the connecting sleeve (3); The second communicating hole and the third communicating hole are communicated with each other to form the through hole.

3. The sealed rotary joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving member (4) is a hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder; The hollow rotary hydraulic cylinder comprises a cylinder barrel and a rotary piston; the cylinder barrel is fixed in the first arm tube (5); the rotary piston is rotatably arranged in the cylinder barrel to form a driving end of the driving member (4); the rotary piston is connected to the connecting sleeve (3); The second communication hole is formed in the rotary piston.

4. The sealed rotary joint according to claim 3, characterized in that: The axis of the first communicating hole, the axis of the second communicating hole, and the axis of the third communicating hole are all on the rotation axis of the rotary piston.

5. The sealed rotary joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: A rotary transformer (2) is arranged in the first arm tube (5) and is located outside the connecting sleeve (3); and, A transmission member (1) is sleeved on the detection wheel of the rotary transformer (2) and the connecting sleeve (3), so that when the connecting sleeve (3) rotates, the detection wheel of the rotary transformer (2) can be driven to rotate through the transmission member (1), thereby detecting the rotation information of the connecting sleeve (3) through the rotary transformer (2).

6. The sealed rotary joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: A boss is formed at the connection end of the second arm tube (20); after the connection sleeve (3) is sleeved on the boss, it is fixedly and sealedly connected to the connection end of the second arm tube (20).

7. The sealed rotary joint according to claim 6, characterized in that: A first sealing assembly is provided between the connecting sleeve (3) and the connecting end of the second arm tube (20).

8. The sealed rotary joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connection end of the first arm tube (5) is sealed with a gland (15), and the gland (15) forms the end surface of the connection end of the first arm tube (5); The connecting sleeve (3) passes through the pressure cover (15), and a bearing (12) and a second sealing assembly are provided between the connecting sleeve (3) and the pressure cover (15), so that the connecting sleeve (3) and the pressure cover (15) can be rotated and sealed.

9. A robotic arm comprising a first arm and a second arm, characterized in that: It also comprises the sealed rotary joint according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first arm tube (5) of the sealed rotary joint is arranged on the first arm, and the second arm tube (20) of the sealed rotary joint is arranged on the second arm.

10. A nuclear industry robot, characterized in that: Comprising at least one robotic arm according to claim 9.

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