robot

Abstract

A robot (1) is provided with a first arm (3), a second arm (4), and a connecting portion (6) that connects the first arm (3) and the second arm (4) in a manner rotatable about a vertical axis (B), the connecting portion (6) being provided with a columnar portion (60) that extends in the direction of the vertical axis (B), and a first cover portion (65) that extends from the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion (60) in a direction intersecting the vertical axis (B), the second arm (4) being provided with a main body portion (41) connected to the columnar portion (60), and a second cover portion (42) that encloses the space faced by at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface and the surface of the first arm (3) side of the main body portion (41) in a closed state by being mounted to the first cover portion (65).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to robots. Background Technology

[0002] A known suspended SCARA robot has a first arm and a second arm capable of horizontal rotation (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This SCARA robot has a head cover that covers from above a working shaft supported at the front end of the second arm and a drive unit that drives the working shaft.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-7011 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0007] In the SCARA robot of Patent Document 1, the connection between the first and second arms is not covered by the head cover. Therefore, when wiring cables from the first arm to the second arm, in order to connect the cables to the drive unit inside the head cover without them being exposed to the outside, the cables need to pass through the second arm, which complicates the structure of the second arm.

[0008] Therefore, it is desirable to protect cables and other wiring from the first arm to the second arm without complicating the structure of the second arm.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] One aspect of the present invention is a robot comprising: a first arm; a second arm; and a connecting portion rotatably connecting the first arm and the second arm about a vertical axis. The connecting portion comprises: a columnar portion extending along the vertical axis; and a first cover extending from the outer periphery of the columnar portion in a direction intersecting the vertical axis. The second arm comprises: a main body connected to the columnar portion; and a second cover, which, by being mounted on the first cover, encloses at least a portion of the outer periphery and the space facing the first arm-side surface of the main body in a closed manner. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a side view showing the overall structure of a robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A partial longitudinal sectional view of the robot's connecting part and a portion of its second arm.

[0013] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a connection portion and a portion of the second arm of the robot of Figure 1

[0014] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a connection portion and a portion of the second arm of the robot of Figure 1

[0015] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second cover portion of the robot of Figure 1

[0016] Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a connection portion and a portion of the second arm of a first modification of the robot of Figure 1

[0017] Figure 7 is a side view of a connection portion of a second modification of the robot of Figure 1

[0018] Figure 8 is a perspective view of an assembling method of a first cover portion and a second cover portion of the robot of Figure 7 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Hereinafter, a robot 1 of one embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1 , the robot 1 of the present embodiment is, for example, a hanging type horizontal multi-joint robot.

[0021] The robot 1 includes a base 2 provided to a ceiling R or the like, and a first arm 3 supported to the base 2 so as to be rotatable about a first axis A extending in a vertical direction. In addition, the robot 1 includes a second arm 4 disposed apart below the first arm 3, and a connection portion 6 connecting the second arm 4 to the first arm 3 so as to be rotatable about a second axis (vertical axis) B parallel to the first axis A.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 4 , the connection portion 6 includes a columnar portion 60 extending along the second axis B below the first arm 3, and a first cover portion 65 protruding outward in a radial direction from a halfway position of the second axis B of the columnar portion 60 in a full circumferential range in a flange shape.

[0023] ​​​​​​The cylindrical portion 60 is formed in a cylindrical shape with the second axis B as a center axis, and between the upper end of the cylindrical portion 60 and the first arm 3, a speed reducer 31 that reduces the rotation of a not-illustrated servo motor and outputs is installed. In the present embodiment, the cylindrical portion 60 and the speed reducer 31 have a hollow hole 61 that extends along the second axis B. In addition, the cylindrical portion 60 is provided with a passage portion 62 that penetrates the hollow hole 61 radially from the outside near the lower end.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the second arm 4 has a main body portion 41 that is fixed to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 60 and extends in the horizontal direction, and a second cover portion 42 that is installed at a position that covers the upper surface of the main body portion 41. At the front end of the second arm 4, a shaft 5 is provided that penetrates the main body portion 41 in the up-down direction, and the upper end is supported within a space S surrounded by the second cover portion 42 in a manner that can be raised and lowered along a third axis C that is parallel to the first axis A. At the lower end of the shaft 5, a tool 7 such as a hand is installed.

[0025] The first arm 3, the cylindrical portion 60 of the connecting portion 6, the first cover portion 65, and the main body portion 41 of the second arm 4 are composed of, for example, a metal such as an aluminum alloy. In addition, the second cover portion 42 is composed of a resin.

[0026] The portion of the first cover portion 65 that extends from the center of the cylindrical portion 60 toward the rear end portion side of the second arm 4 has a fixed width dimension that is larger than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 60, and at the rear end is formed in an L shape that curves 90° downward vertically, and the lower end is fixed to the upper surface of the main body portion 41. Between the cylindrical portion 60 and the first cover portion 65, the entire circumference is sealed. In addition, as shown in Figure 4 , a plurality of through holes 65a that penetrate the plate thickness direction are provided at intervals along the direction of the outer periphery of the first cover portion 65.

[0027] In addition, as shown in Figure 5 , the second cover portion 42 has a top plate 42a and four side walls 42b that continue from the periphery of the top plate 42a, and is formed in a box shape with an opening portion 42c in the lower portion. A cutout 42d is provided in the second cover portion 42 from the top plate 42a toward one of the side walls 42b. The cutout 42d has a width dimension that is larger than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 60 of the connecting portion 6 and smaller than the width dimension of the first cover portion 65, and is formed from the rear portion of the top plate 42a to the opening portion 42c in the entire height range of the side wall 42b at the rear end.

[0028] At the peripheral portion of the cutout 42d, a plurality of threaded holes 42e are provided at positions coinciding with the plurality of through holes 65a of the first cover portion 65 when the second cover portion 42 is combined with the first cover portion 65. In addition, a plurality of through holes (not shown) for mounting the second cover portion 42 to the upper surface of the main body portion 41 are provided at the peripheral portion of the opening portion 42c.

[0029] Further, as shown in Figure 3 , the second cover portion 42 covers the upper surface of the main body portion 41, and the second cover portion 42 is fixed to the first cover portion 65 by fastening the bolts 8 that pass through the through holes 65a to the threaded holes 42e in a state where the cylindrical portion 60 is inserted into the cutout 42d. In addition, the second cover portion 42 is fixed to the main body portion 41 by fastening the bolts (not shown) that pass through the through holes provided at the peripheral portion of the opening portion 42c to the threaded holes (not shown) provided at the main body portion 41.

[0030] Thus, as shown in Figure 2 , the space S facing the lower side of the upper surface of the main body portion 41 of the second arm 4 and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 60 of the connecting portion 6 is surrounded by the first cover portion 65 and the second cover portion 42.

[0031] In addition, the driving portion (not shown) of the driving shaft 5, to which the cable 10 that transmits power and signals supplied from a control device (not shown) is connected, is disposed in the space S above the main body portion 41 surrounded by the second cover portion 42.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2 , the cable 10 passes through the inside of the first arm 3 and the hollow hole 61 of the cylindrical portion 60 from the control device, and is routed into the space S from the passage portion 62 that passes through the cylindrical portion 60 in the radial direction.

[0033] The operation of the robot 1 of the present embodiment thus configured will be described.

[0034] According to the robot 1 of the present embodiment, since the second cover portion 42 made of resin is combined with and fastened to the first cover portion 65 made of metal and the main body portion 41 made of metal, the space S above the main body portion 41 can be sealed in a sealed state.

[0035] That is, the second cover portion 42 made of resin is elastically deformable and unstable in form. Therefore, if the first cover portion 65 combined therewith is also made of resin, it is difficult to seal the joint surface of both, but by making the first cover portion 65 combined therewith and the main body portion 41 made of metal, it is possible to easily seal the joint surface with the second cover portion 42. In addition, since the first cover portion 65 and the cylindrical portion 60 do not move relative to each other, it is possible to seal in an airtight state by any method such as welding or adhesion.

[0036] Thus, it is possible to make the second cover portion 42 of resin to achieve weight reduction, and it is possible to seal the space S above the main body portion 41 in an airtight state to prevent intrusion of splashes and the like from the outside, and to protect the cables 10 and the like exposed to the space S.

[0037] Further, by enclosing the space S facing the outer circumferential surface of the passage portion 62 provided with the columnar portion 60 with the first cover portion 65 and the second cover portion 42, it is possible to route the cables 10 and the like to the drive portion via the passage portion 62 without being exposed to the outside even if the cables 10 and the like do not pass through the inside of the main body portion 41. Thus, it is possible to prevent the structure of the second arm 4 from being complicated.

[0038] Further, in the case of maintaining the drive portion disposed on the upper surface of the main body portion 41, the bolts that fix the second cover portion 42 to the main body portion 41 and the first cover portion 65 are removed, and the second cover portion 42 is removed. Then, by removing the second cover portion 42 from the upper surface of the main body portion 41, the drive portion on the upper surface of the main body portion 41 is exposed.

[0039] Thus, it is possible to access the drive portion from the outside, and to secure a work space around the drive portion, so the maintenance work of the drive portion can be easily performed by the worker.

[0040] Further, by making the second cover portion 42 of a resin that can be elastically deformed, it is possible to elastically deform the second cover portion 42 when attaching and detaching the second cover portion 42 with respect to the main body portion 41. Thus, it is possible to easily avoid interference with the components disposed in the space S enclosed by the second cover portion 42, and to more smoothly perform the attaching and detaching work.

[0041] Further, in the present embodiment, the first cover portion 65 is made of a metal plate, but instead, it can be made of any other material having higher rigidity than the second cover portion 42.

[0042] Further, in the present embodiment, the main body portion 41, the columnar portion 60, and the first cover portion 65 are respectively made of different components, but instead, they can be integrally manufactured as a single component by, for example, casting aluminum casting or the like.

[0043] Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of components, and to omit the work of attaching and detaching the main body portion 41 and the columnar portion 60, and the work of attaching and detaching the first cover portion 65 to the main body portion 41 and the columnar portion 60. Thus, it is possible to improve the work efficiency at the time of manufacturing, maintenance, and the like of the robot 1 of the present embodiment. Further, by integrating the first cover portion 65 and the columnar portion 60, it is possible to more simply and reliably seal therebetween.

[0044] In addition, in the present embodiment, the first arm 3 and the cylindrical portion 60 are configured by different components, but instead, the first arm 3 and the cylindrical portion 60 can be integrally manufactured as a single component.

[0045] Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, a bearing 63 that rotatably supports the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 60 at the portion fixed to the first arm 3 and a rotary seal member 64 such as an oil seal can be provided between the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 60 and the first cover portion 65. Figure 6

[0046] In addition, in the present embodiment, the first cover portion 65 seals the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 60 over the entire circumference, but instead, the first cover portion 65 can seal only a part of the circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 60.

[0047] For example, as shown in FIG. 6, by surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 60 at the portion where the passage portion 62 is provided with the first cover portion 65 and the second cover portion 42, the same effects as described above can be obtained. Figure 7 Figure 8

[0048] In addition, in the present embodiment, the cylindrical portion 60 is provided in a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto, and can be any shape as long as the first arm 3 and the second arm 4 can be connected.

[0049] In addition, in the present embodiment, a horizontal multi-joint robot of a hanging type is exemplified as the robot 1, but is not limited thereto, and can be a horizontal multi-joint robot provided on a horizontal floor surface.

[0050] Symbol Explanation:

[0051] 1: Robot

[0052] 3: First arm

[0053] 4: Second arm

[0054] 41: Main body portion

[0055] 42: Second cover portion

[0056] 42d: Cutout

[0057] 6: Connection portion

[0058] 60: Cylindrical portion

[0059] 65: First cover portion

[0060] B: Second axis (vertical axis)

[0061] S: Space​​​

Claims

1. A robot, characterized in that, Possessing: a first arm; a second arm; and a connecting portion that connects the first arm and the second arm in a manner rotatable about a vertical axis, the connecting portion possesses a columnar portion that extends in the direction of the vertical axis, and a first cover portion that extends from the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion in a direction intersecting the vertical axis, the second arm possesses a main body portion connected to the columnar portion, and a second cover portion that surrounds a space faced by at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface and a surface of the main body portion on the first arm side in a closed state by being mounted to the first cover portion.

2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the second cover portion possesses a cutout into which at least a portion of the columnar portion can be inserted, the first cover portion has a shape that can close the cutout.

3. The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second cover portion is composed of a material that can elastically deform, and the first cover portion is composed of a material that is harder than the second cover portion.

4. The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main body portion and the connecting portion are integrally composed as a single component.

5. The robot according to claim 3, wherein the main body portion and the connecting portion are integrally composed as a single component.

Images