Robotic Cell

Abstract

A robot unit (10) includes a robot body (12), the robot body (12) is an arm-type robot, the arm-type robot includes a plurality of links (18a, 18b, 18c) and one or more protective shells (16), the plurality of links (18a, 18b, 18c) are connected to each other through at least one joint, the one or more protective shells (16) cover and protect at least a portion of the circumferential surface of one or more of the plurality of links (18a, 18b, 18c). One or more fastening parts (22) attached to or detached from the protective shell (16) are provided on the circumferential surface of one or more of the plurality of links (18a, 18b, 18c).

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-177806 filed on September 21, 2018, the entire contents of which including specification, claims, drawings, and abstract are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present specification discloses a robot unit including a robot main body which is an arm-type robot having a plurality of links connected to each other via at least one joint. Background Art

[0004] It is well known that arm robots have multiple connecting rods connected to each other by joints. These arm robots are installed in factories, for example, and are used to manufacture products. In particular, in recent years, arm robots are sometimes suggested to be installed in the processing room of machine tools. For example, JP 2017-202548A discloses an arm robot attached to the spindle of a machine tool. JP2017-213658A discloses an arm robot attached to the tool holder of a machine tool. JP 2018-020402A discloses an arm robot attached to the spindle of a machine tool. Summary of the invention

[0005] The external environment surrounding such an arm robot may vary. For example, in the above-mentioned patent document, the arm robot is installed in a processing room of a machine tool. In the processing room, chips and cutting water may splash during processing of a workpiece. Depending on the type of processing, strong vibration or heat may also be generated. Such chips, cutting water, vibration and heat may be deterioration factors of the arm robot.

[0006] The arm robot needs to have a durable structure that can resist such chips, cutting water, vibration and heat. However, the types of degradation factors vary depending on the type of processing performed by the machine tool. The degree of influence on the arm robot caused by the degradation factors varies significantly depending on the position of the arm robot during processing (especially the position relative to the processing point) or other conditions. Therefore, the durable structure required for the arm robot varies depending on the external environment or use conditions of the arm robot. However, there is no such robot, the durable structure of the robot can be changed according to the external environment and use conditions of the arm robot.

[0007] The present specification discloses a robot unit including an arm-type robot whose durable configuration can be changed according to the external environment and use conditions of the robot.

[0008] The robot unit disclosed in the present specification includes a robot body, which is an arm-type robot having a plurality of links connected to each other by at least one joint, and at least one protective shell, which covers and protects at least a portion of a circumferential surface of at least one link among the plurality of links. At least one fastening portion is provided on the circumferential surface of at least one link among the plurality of links, and the fastening portion can be attached to and detached from the at least one protective shell.

[0009] In the above-described configuration, since the protective casing can be attached or detached according to the external environment or the use conditions of the robot, the durable configuration of the arm type robot can be changed.

[0010] In the above case, at least one protective shell may include at least one joint protective shell extending across two or more connecting rods. Each of the at least one joint protective shell may include a plurality of protective portions, each protective portion being configured to cover at least a portion of a circumferential surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of connecting rods. Each of the at least one joint protective shell may also include at least one connecting portion that inseparably connects the two protective portions so as to allow a change in the relative orientation relationship between the two protective portions.

[0011] In the above configuration, since the protective casing can also cover the joints of the arm-type robot, the joints can also be protected as needed.

[0012] The at least one protective shell may include at least one detachable protective shell that covers only one link among the plurality of links.

[0013] In the above configuration, since the protective shell does not extend across two or more connecting rods, the movement of the connecting rods is less likely to be restricted by the protective shell.

[0014] The protective housing can be split into two or more parts in the transverse direction of the connecting rod.

[0015] In the above configuration, the protective case can be easily attached to the link.

[0016] The protective housing may be made of a material having at least one of a thermal resistance temperature, stiffness, and chemical resistance higher than corresponding at least one of a thermal resistance temperature, stiffness, and chemical resistance of a chassis of the connecting rod.

[0017] In the above configuration, the heat resistance, impact resistance, and chemical resistance of the robot unit are improved to be higher than in the case where the robot main body is used alone.

[0018] The protective housing may include insulating material or structure that prevents heat transfer between the external environment and the chassis of the connecting rod.

[0019] In the above configuration, since heat transfer to the internal portion of the robot can be reduced, malfunction of the motor, encoder, etc. caused by a temperature increase can be avoided.

[0020] There may be provided a plurality of protective shells of different types that can be attached to the at least one fastening portion and made of different materials and / or having different shapes. The protective shells attached to the at least one fastening portion may be replaceable.

[0021] In the above-mentioned configuration, since the protective casing can be replaced according to the external environment or the use conditions of the robot, the durable configuration of the arm type robot can be freely changed.

[0022] The robot body may include one or more end effector connectors to which the end effector is attached or detached. A plurality of end effectors of different types that can be attached to the one or more end effector connectors may be provided, such that the end effector attached to one of the end effector connectors is replaceable.

[0023] In the above configuration, since various applications of the robot unit become available, the versatility of the robot unit is improved.

[0024] The robot body can be placed inside the processing room of the machine tool.

[0025] In the above configuration, since various operations of the machine tool become available, the productivity of the machine tool is improved.

[0026] According to the robot unit disclosed in this specification, since the produced housing can be attached or detached according to the external environment or use conditions of the robot, the durable configuration of the arm type robot can be changed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the following drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a machine tool incorporating a robot cell;

[0029] Figure 2 is a schematic exploded front view of the robot cell;

[0030] Figure 3 An example of a detachable protective housing is shown;

[0031] Figure 4 An example of a combined protective housing is shown;

[0032] Figure 5A is a diagram for explaining an example of a one-touch locking mechanism;

[0033] Figure 5B is a diagram for further explaining the example of the one-touch locking mechanism;

[0034] Figure 5C is a diagram further describing an example of a one-touch locking mechanism; and

[0035] Figure 6 Another example of a robotic cell is shown.

[0036] Description of reference numerals:

[0037] 10. Robot unit, 12. Robot body, 14. End effector, 16. Protective housing, 18. Arm, 19. Rotatable joint, 20. Arm chassis, 22. Fastening part, 26. Housing half, 28. Protective part, 30. Connecting part, 32. Sealing part, 42. Locking shell, 44. Locking pin, 46. Cylinder, 48. Reciprocating pin, 50. Spring, 52. Locking ball, 56, 58. Conical surface, 100. Machine tool, 102. Processing chamber, 104. Outer cover, 106. Door, 108. Spindle, 110. Tool holder, 112. Turntable, 114. Tool, 116. Chuck, 118. Controller, 120. Repair device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The robot unit 10 will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a machine tool 100 incorporating a robot cell 10 . Figure 2 is an exemplary exploded front view of the robot unit 10; Figure 1 Illustration of the protective housing 16 of the robot unit 10 is omitted to simplify the description. In the following description, the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the spindle 108 is referred to as the "Z axis", the direction perpendicular to the Z axis and parallel to the moving direction of the tool holder 110 is referred to as the "X axis", and the direction perpendicular to the X axis and the Z axis is referred to as the "Y axis".

[0039] First, a machine tool 100 incorporating a robot unit 10 is briefly described. The machine tool 100 is a lathe that processes a rotating workpiece ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 Not shown). Specifically, the machine tool 100 is a numerically controlled (NC) turning center provided with a rotary table 112 holding a plurality of tools 114 .

[0040] The machine tool 100 is housed in an outer cover 104 of a processing chamber 102 of the machine tool 100. A large opening is provided at the front of the processing chamber 102, and the opening is opened or closed by a door 106. The machine tool 100 includes: a spindle unit that rotatably holds one end of a workpiece 110, a tool holder 110 that holds a tool 114, and a tailstock 16 (not shown) that holds the other end of the workpiece. The spindle unit includes a headstock (not shown) having a built-in rotary motor, and a spindle 108 attached to the headstock. The spindle 108 includes a chuck 116 or collet that removably holds the workpiece so that the workpiece to be held can be replaced as needed. The spindle 108 and the chuck 116 rotate around a rotation axis extending horizontally (along the Z axis).

[0041] The tailstock is arranged opposite to the spindle 108 along the Z axis, so that the spindle 108 holds one end of the workpiece and the tailstock holds the other end of the workpiece. The tailstock is movable along the Z axis direction, so that the tailstock can move toward or away from the workpiece.

[0042] The tool holder 110 holds a tool 114 , such as a cutting tool called a “turning tool.” The tool holder 110 is movable parallel to the Z axis or the X axis to adjust the position of the blade tip of the tool 114 .

[0043] The turntable 112 is polygonal when viewed in the Z-axis direction, and is rotatable about an axis parallel to the Z-axis. One or more tools 114 are removably attached to the circumferential surface of the turntable 112 , so that the tool 114 used for processing can be changed by rotating the turntable 112 .

[0044] The controller 118 controls the operation of each component in the machine tool 100 according to instructions from the operator. The controller 118 may include, for example, a CPU for performing various operations and a memory for storing various control programs or control parameters. The controller 118 also has a communication function to send or receive various data, such as NC program data, to other devices. For example, the controller 118 may include an NC controller that calculates the position of the tool 114 or the workpiece as needed. The controller 118 may be a single unit or a combination of multiple computing units. The controller 118 may also control the robot unit 10 described below, or the robot unit may be controlled by another controller.

[0045] The robot unit 10 is also placed inside the processing room 102. The robot unit 10 includes a robot body 12, an end effector 14 attached to the robot body 12, and protective housing members 16a to 16c ( Figure 116a to 16c are not shown). When the corresponding protective housing parts 16a to 16c are not mentioned separately, the entire housing is described as "protective housing 16" only by omitting the suffix letters after the numbers. The other parts are described in the same manner. The robot body 12 is an arm-type robot having an arm 18; specifically, a plurality of connecting rods 18a to 18c (three connecting rods in the present embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings) are connected to each other via at least one joint. In the present embodiment, the robot body 12 is placed on the bottom plate of the processing chamber 102. Of course, the robot body 12 can also be placed in other positions. For example, the robot body 12 can be placed on the side surface of the processing chamber 102 or the spindle 108. Alternatively, the robot body 12 can be placed on a movable body that can move in the processing chamber 102, such as a tool holder 110, a turntable 112, or a tailstock. The movable range of the robot body 12 can be expanded by placing the robot body 12 on a movable body. When the robot body 12 is installed in a milling machine, a machining center, or a multi-tasking machine, the robot body 12 may be placed on a spindle head, which is a worktable on which a workpiece is placed or otherwise positioned.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, the robot body 12 in this embodiment is a vertical articulated robot, including three connecting rods 18a to 18c, and the three connecting rods 18a to 18c can swing around a horizontal axis (can swing in a vertical plane). A rotatable joint 19 that can rotate around a vertical axis is arranged at the proximal end of the robot body 12. The arm 18 is made of a hollow chassis, which is made of, for example, metal (aluminum or other metals). A drive (e.g., a motor), a transmission mechanism (e.g., a gear) and a sensor (e.g., a rotary encoder) are placed in the chassis of the arm 18 so that the arm 18 swings by being driven by the drive. The circuits for sending and receiving signals and power are also enclosed in the chassis of the arm 18.

[0047] A fastening portion 22 is provided on the outer surface of the connecting rods 18a to 18c, and the fastening portion 22 is attached and detached from the protective shell 16 described below. The number and shape of the fastening portion 22 are not limited to any specific number or shape, as long as the fastening portion 22 can be attached and detached from the protective shell 16. Therefore, the fastening portion 22 can be a screw hole that is attached and detached from the protective shell 16 by screw engagement, and the fastening portion 22 can also be an engaged claw or groove that is attached and detached from the protective shell 16 by engagement. In another embodiment, the fastening portion 22 can have a structure that uses the force of a spring 50 or a magnet to attach and detach the protective shell 16. Alternatively, each fastening portion 22 can be a "one-touch clamp" that can be attached or detached from the protective shell 16 "in one touch", which means that any one of pressing, pulling or rotating is performed. An example of a one-touch clamp is further described below.

[0048] The robot body 12 includes an end effector 14, which approaches a target to exert some influence on the target. "Approach" means that the end effector 14 approaches the target to a position close enough for the end effector 14 to complete the task. When the end effector 14 is a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the target while in contact with the target, "approach" means that the end effector 14 is in contact with the target. On the contrary, when the end effector 14 is a non-contact temperature sensor, "approach" means that the end effector 14 approaches a position close enough to sense the temperature of the target.

[0049] One or more end effectors 14 may be attached to a single robot body 12. The end effectors 14 may be attached to the distal end or any intermediate point of the robot body 12. In the present embodiment, a single end effector 14 is attached to the distal end of the robot body 12.

[0050] The end effector 14 is not limited to any particular type, as long as the end processor 14 produces some effects as described above. The end effector 14 can be, for example, a holding device (manual mechanism, suction and holding mechanism, etc.) that holds the target. In another embodiment, the end effector 14 can be a sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, etc.) that senses information about the target or the external environment of the target. In yet another embodiment, the end effector 14 can be a pressing mechanism that presses the target. For example, the end effector 14 can be a roller that reduces vibration by pressing the workpiece while allowing the workpiece to rotate. In yet another embodiment, the end effector 14 can be a fluid (e.g., air, cutting oil, or cutting water) dispenser for auxiliary processing. The end effector 14 can be an energy emitter (e.g., a laser or an arc) or a material (e.g., a material for additive manufacturing) to shape the workpiece. In yet another embodiment, the end effector 14 can be a camera for capturing an image of the target.

[0051] The above-mentioned end effector 14 can be removed from the robot body 12, so that the end effector 14 can be replaced as needed. For example, before starting processing, the manual mechanism end effector 14 can be attached to the robot body 12 using a manual mechanism to carry a workpiece. After carrying the workpiece, the manual mechanism end effector 14 can be replaced with a temperature sensor end effector 14 to sense the temperature of the workpiece or the tool 114 during processing. This replaceable configuration can broaden the scope of application of the robot unit 10. Of course, the end effector 14 can be inseparably fixed to the robot body 12. Although in the embodiment shown in the drawings, a single end effector 14 is attached to the distal end of the robot body 12, there is no limit to the number of end effectors 14 attached to a single robot body 12. One or more end effectors 14 can be attached. The position where the end effector 14 is attached to the robot body 12 can be at the distal end of the robot body 12 or any intermediate position.

[0052] The robot unit 10 includes a protective shell 16 that at least partially protects the outer surface of one or more links 18a to 18c. The protective shell 16 is removably attached to the robot body 12 by the above-mentioned fastening portion 22. The reason for providing the protective shell 16 is briefly described below.

[0053] As described above, the robot body 12 in the present embodiment is installed in the processing chamber 102 of the machine tool 100. The performance required of the robot body 12 varies significantly depending on the processing conditions and position of the robot body 12 (particularly the position relative to the processing point). For example, chips and cutting water splash in the processing chamber 102 during the processing of the workpiece. When the arm 18 of the robot body 12 is positioned in an area where chips or other debris arrive, it is necessary to protect the arm 18 from the impact of chips or other debris, and the performance of the protection arm 18 may vary according to the processing conditions. For example, when rigid chips splash, the arm 18 needs to have a rigid chassis, even if such a rigid chassis makes the arm 18 heavier or larger to some extent. On the contrary, when soft continuous chips splash, the arm 18 needs to have a light chassis, even if such a light chassis reduces the rigidity of the arm 18 to some extent. When the chips are at a high temperature, the arm 18 needs a chassis with high heat resistance. When cutting water or oil splashes, it is necessary to prevent cutting water or oil from entering the space of the joint.

[0054] When the end effector 14 of the robot unit 10 is replaceable, the application of the robot main body 12 differs according to the type of the end effector 14. When the application differs, the desired structure, particularly, the durability of the robot main body 12 differs significantly.

[0055] Therefore, it is difficult to always ensure sufficient durability of the robot body 12 because the required performance, especially the durability of the robot body 12, varies according to the needs. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, since two or more protective shells 16 of different types that can be attached to and detached from the arm 18 are provided, the protective shell 16 attached to the arm 18 can be replaced as needed. In this way, the performance, especially the durability, of the robot unit 10 can be changed according to the conditions. As a result, the life of the robot unit 10 can be extended, and the processing quality can be improved. The protective shell 16 is described as follows.

[0056] Two types of protective housing 16 are available. One type is a separable type in which each of the protective housing parts 16a to 16c covers one of the links 18a to 18c, and the other type is a joint type extending across two or more links 18a to 18c. Figure 2 and 3 An example of a detachable protective housing is shown, while Figure 4 An example of a united protective housing 16 is shown.

[0057] Each of the detachable protective shell parts 16a to 16c covers one of the connecting rods 18a to 18c. In other words, for example, the protective shell part 16a covering one connecting rod 18a is completely separated from the other protective shell parts 16b and 16c covering the other connecting rods 18b and 18c. In this example, each protective shell part 16a, 16b or 16c covering the corresponding connecting rod 18a, 18b or 18c can be split into two in the lateral direction. Each half of the corresponding detachable protective shell parts 16a to 16c is referred to as a shell half 26. Each of the protective shell parts 16a to 16c has sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape. The protective shell parts 16a to 16c form a small gap between adjacent protective shell parts 16a to 16c to avoid interfering with the movement (swing) of the adjacent connecting rods 18a to 18c. With the detachable protective housing 16, since the protective housing parts 16a to 16c are detached for the corresponding links 18a to 18c, the movement of the arm 18 is less likely to be restricted. In addition, since the performance of the protective housing parts 16a to 16c can be changed for the links 18a to 18c respectively, the robot body 12 can be protected more effectively.

[0058] The combined protective shell 16 is formed to extend across two or more adjacent links 18a to 18c. This type of protective shell 16 can also be split into two in the transverse direction to form shell halves 26. Each shell half 26 includes a plurality of protective portions 28, and one or more connecting portions 30 connecting the protective portions 28. The protective portion 28 at least partially covers the circumferential surface of the arm 18 and has a rigidity that is at least capable of maintaining a shape. The connecting portion connects the protective portions 28 and mainly covers the joints of the arm 18. Each connecting portion 30 is made of, for example, a rubber or plastic sheet or a bellows material, and has flexibility that allows free deformation. Such a connecting portion 30 allows the directional relationship between two adjacent protective portions 28 to change according to the movement of the joint. The combined protective shell 16 can enhance the waterproof and dustproof performance of the robot unit 10 because the robot unit 10 including the joint is covered.

[0059] The specific details of the protective housing 16, including the material and shape, can be changed as needed in accordance with the application of the protective housing 16. However, the portion of the protective housing 16 covering the circumferential surface of the links 18a to 18c (the entire housing for the detachable type and the protective portion 28 for the combined type; both hereinafter referred to as "link covering portion") can have a rigidity sufficient to maintain the shape. Therefore, the arm covering portion can be made of metal, hard plastic, carbon fiber, etc.

[0060] In the case of rigid chip splash, the arm covering portion can be made of a material that is harder than the chassis of the arm 18 or the chips. In another case of soft continuous chip splash, the arm covering portion can be made of a lightweight material with low rigidity (for example, the rigidity is equal to the rigidity of the chips). The protective shell 16 may have a shape that avoids the chips from attaching or entangled to the robot (for example, a streamlined shape). In yet another case of high-temperature chip splash, the arm covering portion can be made of a material having a higher heat resistance than the chassis of the arm 18. In this case, the arm covering portion may partially or completely include an insulating material (for example, glass wool) or an insulating structure to prevent heat transfer between the chassis of the arm 18 and the environment.

[0061] In another case where cutting water or oil splashes, the protective housing 16 may have liquid tightness. For example, the protective housing 16 may be a joint type having a connection portion 30 made of a waterproof material. A sealing portion 32 (e.g., a rubber portion, see Figure 4 ) may be provided along the edge of the protective portion 28 so that the sealing portion 32 is tightly attached to the outer surface of the arm 18 or the opposing housing half 26. Because some cutting water may be too strong to cause metal corrosion, the protective housing 16 may be made of a material having a higher chemical resistance than the chassis of the arm 18.

[0062] The protective shell 16 can be used to change the dynamic rigidity or natural frequency of the robot body 12. For example, when the end effector 14 (e.g., a roller) is pressed against a workpiece to reduce the vibration of the workpiece, the robot body 12 may have high dynamic rigidity. It may be desirable to change the natural frequency of the robot body 12 to avoid resonance between the robot body 12 and the workpiece. In these cases, the dynamic rigidity or natural frequency of the robot body 12 can be changed by attaching a protective shell 16 that serves as a counterweight to the robot body 12. The flexibility of the robot body 12 changes according to the weight of the target (workpiece, etc.). The flexibility can be controlled by adjusting the weight of the protective shell 16. Such a structure can improve positioning accuracy. For any purpose, a number of protective shells 16 of different weight types can be set to use the protective shell 16 as a counterweight.

[0063] The arm covering portion may have a surface to which a protective coating (e.g., electroplating) is applied. Such a configuration may maintain the performance of the arm covering portion, thereby increasing the useful life of the protective housing 16 by repairing the protective coating as needed. Repair may be performed inside or outside the processing chamber 102. For example, the repair device 120 (e.g., a film coating device, see Figure 1 ) may be disposed inside the processing chamber 102 so as to repair the protective coating film periodically or according to the importance of the damage to the protective coating film. In order to repair the protective coating film, the robot body 12 may be driven to move the protective shell 16 attached to the robot body 12 to the vicinity of the repair device 120. Then, the repair device 120 may be activated to repair the protective coating film of the protective shell 16.

[0064] A plurality of protective shells 16 of different types may be pre-set so that at least one of the material or shape of the protective shells 16 is different from each other. The protective shell 16 may be selected according to the application, use environment, or processing process of the robot body 12, and attached to the robot body 12. In some cases, the protective shell 16 may be omitted. In other words, when the robot body 12 is used, the chassis of the arm may be exposed.

[0065] The protective shell 16 can be replaced manually by a user, or automatically by using a device or by the robot itself. For example, two or more robot units 10 can be placed in the processing chamber 102, so that one of the robot units 10 replaces the protective shell 16 of another robot unit 10. In another embodiment, the machine tool 100 may include a transfer device for transferring the protective shell 16. The protective shell 16 can be replaced by the robot body 12 cooperating with the transfer device.

[0066] When the protective shell 16 is attached to the robot body 12, it is necessary to lock the protective shell 16 to prevent the protective shell 16 from being detached. In order to remove the protective shell 16 from the robot body 12, the lock piece needs to be released. When the protective shell 16 is automatically replaced, the lock piece of the protective shell 16 that allows the attachment and detachment of the protective shell 16 can be locked or unlocked by a simple operation such as a one-touch operation. As for the one-touch mechanism, a well-known mechanism can be used. Reference Figures 5A to 5C , describes an example of a one-touch mechanism. Figures 5A to 5C In the example of FIG. 4 , the locking pin 44 is fixed to the protective housing 16, and the locking housing 42 is fixed to the arm chassis 20 of the robot body 12. In this case, the locking housing 42 serves as the fastening portion 22 to which the protective housing 16 is attached and detached.

[0067] The locking housing 42 has a substantially cylindrical shape into which the locking pin 44 is inserted. The inner circumferential surface of the locking housing 42 includes a tapered surface 56 which is inclined at the bottom to make the radial opening wider. The tapered surface 56 makes the inner diameter of the lower portion of the locking housing 42 Larger than the upper inner diameter

[0068] The locking pin 44 includes a barrel 46 having a through hole along the longitudinal axis, and a reciprocating pin 48 that advances and retreats in the barrel 46. A small hole that penetrates radially is provided near the proximal end of the barrel 46. A locking ball 52 as described below is placed in the hole. The reciprocating pin 48 includes a neck portion located in the middle; in other words, the reciprocating pin 48 partially has a smaller diameter. In this way, the reciprocating pin 48 has a tapered surface 58 that is inclined to be radially wider at the bottom. As the reciprocating pin 48 advances and retreats, the contact relationship between the tapered surface 58 and the locking ball 52 changes, causing the locking ball 52 to shift radially inward or outward. The reciprocating pin 48 is biased toward the retracted position by a spring 50.

[0069] The locking ball 52 is placed in a small hole formed in the barrel 46. Figure 5A As shown in FIG. 1 , when the reciprocating pin 48 is in the most retracted position by the biasing force of the spring 50, the locking ball 52 is pressed radially outward by the tapered surface 58. In this way, the locking ball 52 protrudes outward from the circumferential surface portion of the barrel 46. In this condition, the outer diameter of the locking pin 44 at the position aligned with the locking ball 52 is Larger than the upper inner diameter of the locking housing 42 But smaller than the lower inner diameter of the locking shell 42 like Figure 5BAs shown, when the reciprocating pin 48 is further pressed against the biasing force, the neck portion of the reciprocating pin 48 is aligned with the locking ball 52. In this condition, the locking ball 52 is positioned radially inwardly more than the outer surface of the barrel 46. Because the outer diameter of the barrel 46 Smaller than the inner diameter of the locking housing 42 Therefore, under these conditions, the locking pin 44 can be inserted into the locking housing 42.

[0070] In the above structure, in order to attach the protective housing 16 to the arm chassis 20, the reciprocating pin 48 is further pressed against the biasing force of the spring 50 so that the locking pin 44 can be inserted into the locking case 42. In this state, because the neck portion of the reciprocating pin 48 is aligned with the locking ball 52, the locking ball 52 can be displaced further inward than the outer surface of the cylinder 46. In this state, the locking pin 44 can be inserted into the locking case 42.

[0071] like Figure 5C As shown, when the locking pin 44 is fully inserted into the locking shell 42, the locking ball 52 is almost aligned with the tapered surface 56 of the locking shell 42. When the reciprocating pin 48 is released from the pressing force, the reciprocating pin 48 retracts under the force of the spring 50. As a result, the tapered surface 58 of the reciprocating pin 48 abuts against the locking ball 52 on the lower side, so that the locking ball 52 is displaced radially outward. In this state, because the locking ball 52 engages the tapered surface 56 of the locking shell 42, the locking pin 44 is prevented from being pulled out of the locking shell 42. In this way, the protective housing 16 is firmly attached to the arm chassis 20. In order to detach the protective housing 16 from the arm chassis 20, the protective housing 16 and the locking pin 44 can be detached from the arm chassis 20 together while further pressing the reciprocating pin 48.

[0072] 5 can lock and unlock the protective housing 16 to and from the arm 18 simply by pressing or releasing the pressing of the reciprocating pin 48. Therefore, the replacement of the protective housing 16 can be easily automated using a robot or other means.

[0073] Although the above description relates to the case where the robot body 12 is a vertical articulated robot as an example, the robot body 12 may be of a different type as long as the robot body includes a plurality of links connected to each other via at least one joint. Figure 6 As shown, the robot body 12 may be a SCARA robot including a plurality of links 18a, 18b that can swing around a vertical axis (can swing in a horizontal plane), and a distal link 18t that can move forward or backward along the vertical axis. Also in this case, a fastening portion 22 that can attach or detach the protective housing 16 may be provided on the circumferential surface of the links 18a, 18b. The protective housing 16 may be attached or detached through the fastening portion 22.

[0074] The protective shell 16 need not be attached to all links 18a to 18c. The protective shell 16 may be provided for a specific link, such as the distal-most link 18a. The protective shell 16 may be configured to cover not only the arm 18 and the joint, but also a portion of the end effector 14.

[0075] The robot unit 10 can be installed not only in the processing room 102 of the machine tool 100, but also in other locations. For example, the robot unit 10 can be incorporated into another device or installed independently without being incorporated into another device. For example, the robot unit 10 can be installed independently in a production line. The robot unit 10 can be installed in an outdoor environment.

Claims

1. A robot unit, comprising: A robot body, wherein the robot body is an arm-type robot having a plurality of links connected to each other by at least one joint; and at least one protective shell covering and protecting at least a portion of a circumferential surface of at least one connecting rod of the plurality of connecting rods, wherein at least one fastening portion is provided on a circumferential surface of at least one of the plurality of connecting rods, and the at least one fastening portion is capable of being attached to and detached from the at least one protective housing, The at least one protective shell comprises a first type of protective shell and a second type of protective shell, wherein the first type of protective shell and the second type of protective shell are made of different materials and / or have different shapes, wherein each of the first type of protective shell and the second type of protective shell is attachable to and detachable from the at least one fastening portion, and Wherein, one of the first type of protective shell and the second type of protective shell attached to the at least one fastening portion can be replaced with the other of the first type of protective shell and the second type of protective shell.

2. The robot unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the first type of protective shell and the second type of protective shell includes at least one united protective shell extending across two or more connecting rods, and Each of the at least one combined protective housing comprises: a plurality of protection portions, each protection portion being configured to cover at least a portion of a circumferential surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of connecting rods, and At least one connecting portion, at least one of the connecting portions inseparably connecting the two protecting portions so as to allow a change in the relative orientation relationship between the two protecting portions.

3. The robot unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the first type of protective shell and the second type of protective shell includes at least one detachable protective shell that covers only one link among the plurality of links.

4. The robot unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: At least one of the first type protection shell and the second type protection shell is splittable into two or more in a width direction of the plurality of links.

5. The robot unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: At least one of the first type protective shell and the second type protective shell is made of a material having at least one of a thermal resistance temperature, stiffness, and chemical resistance higher than a corresponding at least one of a thermal resistance temperature, stiffness, and chemical resistance of a chassis of the plurality of links.

6. The robot unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: At least one of the first type of protective housing and the second type of protective housing includes a thermally insulating material or structure that prevents heat transfer between an external environment and a chassis of the plurality of links.

7. The robot unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The robot body includes one or more end effector connectors that attach and detach an end effector, and A plurality of end effectors of different types are provided that are attachable to the one or more end effector connectors, such that the end effector attached to one of the end effector connectors is replaceable.

8. The robot unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The robot body is placed in a processing room of a machine tool.

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