Drive module for cycloid drive and direct drive cycloid disc

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive module (1) for a cycloid drive, comprising: a cycloid disc (10), the cycloid disc (10) being eccentrically pivotable about a central axis and having a cycloid profile (25) on the edge thereof, which cycloid profile engages with an outer support (40) at a location, a central opening (6) and at least three bearing bores (5); an inner support having at least three webs (8), the bearing bore (5) accommodating the at least three webs (8), and the cycloid disc (10) being coupled to the inner support; and a direct drive which is designed to magnetically act on the cycloid disc (10) in such a way that the cycloid disc (10) interacts with the magnetic field of the direct drive and is converted into an overturning movement by means of the interaction, the output of the drive module (1) being implemented by means of an external or internal support.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a drive module for a cycloid drive and to a cycloid drive, in particular for a multi-axis machine and / or a robot. Background Art

[0002] Cycloidal drives, also called cycloidal transmissions or eccentric transmissions, usually have an eccentric disk or eccentric wheel for moving the cycloidal disk. The eccentric disk is usually rotated by the shaft of an external motor or drive. Cycloidal drives are usually used to achieve lower speeds than the drive in order to be able to provide high torques at the driven part and are therefore used in applications where low speeds are usually required but high torques need to be transmitted. Cycloidal drives have the advantage of being able to withstand shock loads that are several times the nominal torque and their (smaller) installation space is advantageous compared to other transmission types.

[0003] A typical cycloid drive comprises a cycloid disk or tilting disk, which can be tilted eccentrically around a central axis, but cannot rotate freely. Without self-rotation, a point on the disk describes a circular trajectory that is smaller than its diameter. The tilting disk engages with its outer toothing, which is shaped, for example, in a wave-like manner, with the inner toothing of the outer ring, which is designed in the opposite direction and matches exactly, wherein the cycloid disk usually has fewer teeth, in particular wave crests, than the teeth, in particular round pins, on the outer ring. In order to prevent the cycloid disk from rotating significantly due to the engagement with the outer toothing, the cycloid disk is provided with N holes on the radius inside the disk, into which pins or tabs of smaller diameter extend, which are mounted on the support ring, i.e., the cycloid disk is mounted in a tilted manner around the pins or tabs relative to the support ring in their common plane, wherein the support ring is held in the central axis. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the invention is to improve a drive module for a cycloid drive, in particular a cycloid drive, in particular to design the drive module (more) compactly and in particular in the absence of a rotating shaft which has to rotate faster than the driven element at the transmission ratio of the drive module.

[0005] The object of the invention is achieved by a drive module having the features of claim 1. Claim 11 claims a method, and claims 12 and 13 claim a system or a computer program or a computer program product for executing the method described herein. Preferred developments are given by the dependent claims.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the invention, a drive module, in particular for a cycloidal drive, has a cycloidal disk, also referred to as a cam disk or a flip disk. In one embodiment, the cycloidal disk has a cycloidal profile that engages with an external support. In one embodiment, the cycloidal disk also has a central opening, in particular an opening formed concentrically with the cycloidal disk. In one embodiment, the cycloidal disk has at least two bearing holes. In particular, the bearing holes are arranged on a circular trajectory concentric to the cycloid disk, in particular on a circle concentric to the cycloid disk. In one embodiment, the bearing holes are evenly distributed, in particular along a circle, or are at least substantially equally spaced from one another.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the invention, the drive module has an internal support having at least three tabs, wherein the tabs are configured to be received by the bearing holes and to allow the cycloidal disk to perform the rotational movement required for the cycloidal movement. In particular, the bearing holes and the tabs are configured so that the cycloidal disk with the bearing holes and the tabs can perform or perform a cycloidal movement or a flipping movement. In one embodiment, the cycloidal disk is connected to the internal support via the tabs using the bearing holes, or is connectable to the internal support via the tabs.

[0008] The drive module has a direct drive, wherein the direct drive is designed to act magnetically on a cycloid disk. In one embodiment, the cycloid disk interacts with the magnetic field of the direct drive and is deflected or rotated, in particular eccentrically, by this interaction. In one embodiment, at least one part of the cycloid disk, in particular the inner part through which the magnetic flux (mainly) passes, is made of a preferably particularly suitable magnetic material.

[0009] Advantageously, the drive module, in particular the combination of drive and cycloid transmission, can thus be significantly (more) compact in structure, in particular the required installation space can be reduced or designed to be smaller, and in one embodiment, the mass and / or inertia can be advantageously reduced.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the direct drive has a pole shoe ring with pole shoes, wherein the pole shoe ring is arranged in the opening of the cycloidal disk, in particular on the central axis of the drive module. In one embodiment, the pole shoe ring forms an air gap with the opening of the cycloidal disk, so that in particular an eccentric movement of the cycloidal disk about the central axis is possible or possible. According to one embodiment, the pole shoes are oriented radially outwards in the direction of the cycloidal disk. "Radially" is preferably understood here to mean perpendicular to the central axis.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the direct drive has a pole shoe ring with pole shoe pairs, which in particular form north and south poles in the axial direction. In one embodiment, the effect of the direct drive can thereby be intensified.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the direct drive has a pole shoe ring with pole shoes, wherein the pole shoe ring is arranged outside the cycloidal disk, in particular (radially) outside the outer support. In a further development, the direct drive has a pole shoe ring located in the opening of the cycloidal disk (inside) and a pole shoe ring located (radially) outside the cycloidal disk, in particular (radially) outside the outer support. In one embodiment, the pole shoe ring has at least 6, in particular at least 10 or at least 20 and / or up to 200 pole shoes, in particular up to 120 or up to 60 pole shoes.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the pole shoe ring has a central opening, in particular a through-hole, in particular a rigid central opening or through-hole. In one embodiment, the central opening or through-hole can be a hollow shaft, which is designed to pass through a component of the drive module, in particular through the entire component of the drive module, in particular without affecting the function of the drive module. In one embodiment, the central opening is arranged coaxially with the pole shoe ring; in one embodiment, the center of the opening is located in particular on the central axis.

[0014] Thus, in one embodiment, wiring can be achieved or can be routed through the drive module, in particular through the central opening or through-hole. In one embodiment, a less disturbing contour and / or a more aesthetic design can also be achieved, especially in the case of a multi-axis machine and / or a robot with axes in a specific order, in particular through the opening or through-hole, so that the components and / or cables do not have to be moved outward, but can be (more) aesthetically placed in the opening or through-hole and / or through the opening or through-hole. In one embodiment, moving the mass "inward" can advantageously achieve a (lower) moment of inertia. In particular in the field of collaborative robots (also known as human-machine cooperative robots), in one embodiment, a (more) aesthetically pleasing appearance or design is advantageous for a (more) direct interaction between the user and the robot. Thus, in one embodiment, in particular when the drive module is used for a collaborative robot, the surface of the robot equipped with or including the drive module described herein can be constructed as a (more) smooth, in particular, surface without protrusions. "Robot" and examples with robots should be understood here as not limiting generality.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the drive module does not include an eccentric wheel, in particular the cycloid disc of the drive module is not moved by an eccentric wheel or an eccentric disc. Thus, in one embodiment, the drive module can be advantageously (more) simple, in particular (more) compactly constructed.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the drive module has no permanent magnets, in particular the actuator has no permanent magnets, so that it is based in particular on reluctance. As a result, in one embodiment, a (lower) cost-effective, in particular (more) material-saving drive module can be constructed, in particular without the use of rare earth magnets. As a result, in one embodiment, weight can also be saved, in particular by saving (relatively heavy) permanent magnets. In one embodiment, the saving of permanent magnets advantageously leads to no generation of back EMK (electromotive force), which in particular leads to a maximum rotational speed that depends on the operating voltage. In one embodiment, the direct drive is (therefore) a synchronous reluctance motor.

[0017] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the electromagnet of the direct drive is fixed, in particular to the housing of the drive module. According to one embodiment, the moment of inertia is (much) smaller, in particular determined (only) by the mass center of gravity of the cycloid disk circling around the tipping radius (as a pure translation of its mass, in particular not as a moment of inertia when rotating) and the load of the driven part. As a result, in one embodiment, it is possible to provide a drive module with a (much) lower, in particular several times lower, moment of inertia, in particular compared to a drive module that is electrically actuated by an eccentric.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the drive module has a device for determining a position, in particular at least one sensor, in particular at least one sensor for determining the position of a cycloidal disk and / or a driven element. In one embodiment, the at least one sensor is a Hall sensor, two xy sensors, a rotatable tab with a position or rotation sensor and / or the like. This makes it possible, in particular in combination with a controller or a device for (manipulating) controlling an electromagnet, to achieve a (more) accurate, in particular (more) precise positioning of the drive module. In one embodiment, the drive module can therefore be advantageously used in a servo drive of a multi-axis machine, in particular a robot, which is preferably resistant to shock loads.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the cycloid disk has an extension, in particular a protrusion, which is formed annularly on the radial inner side of the cycloid disk. In one embodiment, the extension can be formed in one piece with the cycloid disk, or in one embodiment, it is formed in two or more pieces, in particular connected to the cycloid disk by a shape-fitting, force-fitting and / or material-fitting connection. In an extended scheme, the extension is also formed in one piece or in multiple pieces, in particular, it is formed annularly, more particularly in the form of an annular segment. In one embodiment, the pole shoes of the pole shoe ring are constructed to be bipolar and have a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole, in particular, when the electromagnet is activated. In one embodiment, the pole shoes are divided into two parts, in particular, they are configured to form a north pole and a south pole at the radial end in the direction of the central axis; in particular, the pole shoe ring has a pair of pole shoes, which are arranged in pairs so that the first pole shoe and the second pole shoe are arranged side by side in the axial direction (in the direction of the central axis). In one embodiment, the extension is configured to fit into the existing intermediate space of the pole shoe pair or multiple pole shoes, in particular in embodiments with a pole shoe pair or multiple pole shoes arranged in the axial direction. As a result, in one embodiment, the effect of the electromagnet, in particular the effect of minimizing the magnetic resistance, can advantageously be made greater, in particular greater than without the extension.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the cycloid disk has more than one extension, in particular at least two extensions. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the pole shoe ring has a plurality of pole shoes in the axial direction, which are arranged alternately with the at least two extensions or arranged in pairs between the at least two extensions. Thus, in one embodiment, the influence on the cycloid disk can be advantageously increased by the extensions, in particular compared to a cycloid disk having only one extension or only one (radially) inner pole shoe ring or only one (radially) outer pole shoe ring.

[0021] In one embodiment, the extension of the cycloid disk can at least substantially surround the pole shoe on two sides. In other words, in one embodiment, the extension can be designed such that the pole shoe is at least substantially surrounded on two sides. As a result, in one embodiment, the effect of the interaction between the cycloid disk and the magnetic field can be advantageously increased or greater than would be the case, in particular without the extension.

[0022] In one embodiment, the drive module has at least one, in particular at least two or at least three, and / or up to five cycloidal disks. In one embodiment, each existing cycloidal disk has a direct drive, in particular a pole shoe ring. In an extended solution, the cycloidal disks are arranged so that the overall center of gravity of the existing cycloidal disks is fixed or remains fixed during the flipping movement. In one embodiment, the offset between the phases of the cycloidal disks is 180°, in particular in the case of two cycloidal disks, or 120°, in particular in the case of three cycloidal disks. In one embodiment, the phase shift is 360° / N, where N is the number of existing cycloidal disks. As a result, in one embodiment, the vibration of the drive module can be advantageously made very small / smaller, in particular compared to one or more cycloidal disks whose center of mass moves during the flipping movement of the cycloidal disks, in particular, is not fixed in position.

[0023] In one embodiment, the existing, in particular at least two or at least three and / or up to five, cycloid discs have different thicknesses in the axial direction (in the direction of the central axis), in particular so that the overall mass center of gravity of the cycloid disc is located on the central axis. As a result, in one embodiment, the drive module can advantageously be made to vibrate less.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cycloid drive comprises at least one drive module as described herein. In one embodiment, this can reduce the moment of inertia of the drive as described herein, in particular enabling a powerful or stronger robot and advantageously contributing to improving the aesthetics of the robot and / or reducing the interfering contour of the robot. Preferably, according to one embodiment, the cycloid drive is constructed to be smaller, in particular consisting of components or assemblies with less mechanical load.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling a drive module of a cycloid drive, in particular a drive module as described herein, is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining the position of a cycloid disk. Alternatively or in addition, the method comprises determining the position of a driven member of the drive module. In addition, in one embodiment, the method comprises manipulating at least one electromagnet of at least one pole shoe, in particular commutating it, in particular manipulating at least three electromagnets of at least three pole shoes, in particular, positioning and / or moving the cycloid disk of the drive module based on the determined position of the cycloid disk and / or the determined position of the driven member. In one embodiment, the manipulation of the electromagnet or its commutation is based on the position, in particular only when the position is determined, otherwise it is based on the position that has been determined. "Determine" as used herein should preferably be understood as "if determined". In one embodiment, such manipulation causes the cycloid disk to adjust the air gap as follows: that is, in particular, by manipulation, the cycloid disk is caused to perform a "swinging" or "flipping" movement around the central axis. As a result, in one embodiment, it is advantageously possible to accurately position the cycloid disk and / or enable it to be moved or to move it. In one embodiment, a (more) precise control of the drive mass is thereby possible, in particular in comparison with an eccentric-controlled drive mass.

[0026] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the invention, a system for operating and / or monitoring a drive module of a cycloidal drive, in particular a cycloidal drive of a multi-axis machine, is provided, the system being designed to carry out the method described in particular herein. In one embodiment, the system is designed to operate and / or monitor a plurality of drive modules. In one embodiment, the system has a device for determining a position, in particular a cycloidal disk and / or a driven member of the drive module. In one embodiment, the system also has a device for controlling at least one electromagnet, in particular a device for controlling at least three electromagnets, in particular a device for deflecting a cycloidal disk, more particularly a device for causing a tilting movement of the cycloidal disk about a central axis.

[0027] In one embodiment, it is thereby advantageously possible for the system to be controlled, in particular moved, (more) accurately and / or (more) precisely, in particular by means of a drive module.

[0028] The system and / or device within the meaning of the present invention can be implemented in hardware technology and / or software technology, in particular having: at least one processing unit, in particular a digital processing unit, in particular a microprocessor unit (CPU), a graphics card (GPU), etc., preferably data-connected or signal-connected to a storage system and / or a bus system, and / or one or more programs or program modules. The processing unit can be designed to: process instructions implemented as a program stored in the storage system; collect input signals from the data bus; and / or send output signals to the data bus. The storage system can have one or more, in particular different storage media, in particular optical, magnetic, solid and / or other non-volatile media. The program can be provided so that it can embody or execute the method described herein, so that the processing unit can perform the steps of the method, thereby in particular being able to operate or monitor the machine.

[0029] In one embodiment, the computer program product may have, in particular a computer-readable and / or non-volatile storage medium for storing a program or instructions, or a program having a program stored thereon or a program having instructions stored thereon. In one embodiment, the program or instructions are executed by a system or a controller, in particular a computer or an array of multiple computers, so that the system or the controller, in particular a computer, performs the method described herein or one or more steps thereof, or the program or instructions are designed for this purpose.

[0030] In one embodiment, one or more, in particular all, steps of the method are performed completely or partially automatically, in particular by a controller or a device thereof.

[0031] In one embodiment, the system has a multi-axis machine, in particular a robot.

[0032] The embodiments of the invention as described herein may (according to the invention) be combined as far as this is technically reasonable and feasible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Further advantages and features are given by the dependent claims and the embodiments. To this end, partially schematically:

[0034] Figure 1 A drive module is shown in a top view, which has a cycloidal disk with a built-in electromagnet for directly driving the cycloidal disk according to the principle of a synchronous reluctance motor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2a and Figure 2b shows an extended portion of a cycloidal disk according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view showing a driving module according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0037] Figure 4 A method for controlling a drive module of a cycloid drive is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Figure 1 A drive module 1 for a cycloid drive is shown in a top view, which has a cycloid disk 10. The cycloid disk 10 comprises bearing holes 5 which are arranged uniformly distributed on a circular path concentric to the opening 6 of the cycloid disk 10. Figure 1 , an inner support with a lug 8 is also shown, wherein the lug 8 is received in the bearing eye 5 so that the cycloid disk 10 can perform a tilting movement about the central axis or perform this tilting movement when the electromagnet 20 is activated (here only represented by the pole shoe 12). The pole shoe 12 is designed as a pole shoe ring 13. In addition, Figure 1 Schematically shown in the figure is a follower 40 on an external support having a driven tooth 45. The tilting movement T of the cycloidal disk 10 is triggered by (targeted) activation of an electromagnet and thereby forms a moving (wandering) air gap 21 between the cycloidal disk 10 and the pole shoe ring 13, which causes the follower 40 to rotate as shown here. The opening 6 provides the possibility of guiding cables, in particular data cables and / or power supply lines through the drive module 1. These cables therefore do not have to be guided via the outside of the machine or robot. The drive module can be designed as a follower for the internal support via a tab by means of the tilting movement T of its cycloidal disk 10. Figure 1 This alternative is not shown in FIG.

[0039] Figure 2a A radial section through a portion of a cycloidal disk 10 with an expansion 11 is schematically shown. The expansion 11 of the cycloidal disk 10 points radially inward from the cycloidal disk 10 in the direction of a pole shoe ring 13. The pole shoe ring 13 has a pole shoe pair, which includes a pole shoe 12, which are shown here by way of example as a north pole and a south pole. When the electromagnet 20 is activated, the expansion 11 also adjusts the air gap 21. Here, the air gap 21 moves according to the tilting movement T of the cycloidal disk 10. The center of the opening 6 is schematically and not to scale indicated by a dashed line (center axis).

[0040] and Figure 2a on the contrary, Figure 2b A cycloid disk 10 of a drive module 1 is schematically shown, which has two extensions 11 framing pole shoes 12 of a pole shoe ring 13 in the axial direction. One of the extensions 11 is constructed as a separate component and is connected to the cycloid disk 10. As described herein, the air gap 21 varies depending on the activation of the electromagnet 20. Figure 2bIn the embodiment, the pole piece 12 preferably has a north pole and a south pole. The electromagnet can also be configured differently, in particular according to the embodiments described herein.

[0041] Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of the driving module 1 is schematically shown. Figure 3 In the embodiment of the present invention, the drive module 1 has a plurality of cycloidal disks 10a, 10b, 10c, which have different thicknesses d1, d2, d3 in the axial direction. The cycloidal disks 10a, 10b, 10c are arranged offset from each other, so that when the cycloidal disks 10a, 10b, 10c are tilted, the overall center of gravity of the cycloidal disks 10a, 10b, 10c is (at least substantially) fixed in position. The center of the opening 6 is shown schematically and not to scale by a dotted line.

[0042] Figure 4 A method 100 is schematically shown, which determines the position of a cycloidal disk in a first step S10, determines the position of a follower of the drive module 1 in an optional or supplementary second step S20, and in a third step S30, once the position according to steps S10 and / or S20 is determined, controls the electromagnet based on this position.

[0043] Although exemplary embodiments have been described in the foregoing description, it should be noted that many variations are possible. It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples and should not constitute any limitation on the scope of protection, application and configuration. On the contrary, the foregoing description can provide a person skilled in the art with a teaching for converting at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein various changes, in particular with respect to the functions and arrangements of the components, can be achieved without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention, such as can be obtained according to the claims and their equivalent feature combinations.

[0044] Reference numerals list

[0045] 1 Driver module

[0046] 5 Bearing hole

[0047] 6 Opening

[0048] 8. Splice

[0049] 10 Cycloid disc

[0050] 10a, 10b, 10c cycloid disk

[0051] 11 Extension

[0052] 12 Pole Shoes

[0053] 13 Pole shoe ring

[0054] 20 Electromagnet

[0055] 21 Air Gap

[0056] 25 Cycloidal Profile

[0057] 30 Surrounding Magnetic Field

[0058] 40 External support

[0059] 45 driven gear

[0060] 100 Methods

[0061] T-cycloid disk flipping motion around the joint

[0062] S10 Determine the position of the cycloid disk

[0063] S20 Determine the position of the follower

[0064] The S30 operates the electromagnet.

Claims

1. A drive module (1) for a cycloid drive, comprising: - a cycloidal disk (10), wherein the cycloidal disk (10) can be tilted eccentrically about a central axis and has: a cycloidal profile (25) at its edge which engages an outer support (40) at a location; a central opening (6); and At least three bearing holes (5), - an inner support having at least three tabs (8), wherein the bearing hole (5) accommodates the at least three tabs (8), and the cycloidal disk (10) is coupled to the inner support; as well as - a direct drive, which is designed to act magnetically on the cycloidal disk (10), so that the cycloidal disk (10) interacts with the magnetic field of the direct drive and is converted into a tilting movement by this interaction, wherein the driven part of the drive module (1) is realized by the external support or the internal support.

2. A drive module (1) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that The direct drive has a pole shoe ring (13) having a pole shoe (12) or a pole shoe pair, wherein the pole shoe ring (13) is arranged on the central axis in the opening (6) of the cycloidal disk and forms an eccentric, rotating air gap relative to the central axis, and wherein the pole shoe (12) is oriented radially outward in the direction of the cycloidal disk (10).

3. A drive module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The pole piece ring (13) has a central opening (6), in particular a rigid central opening (6).

4. A drive module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The drive module (1), in particular the cycloid disc (10), is not actuated via an eccentric.

5. A drive module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The drive module (1) has no permanent magnet.

6. A drive module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The driving module (1) also includes at least one sensor.

7. A drive module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The cycloid disk (10) has an expanded portion (11) which is formed in an annular shape on the radial inner side of the cycloid ring (10).

8. A drive module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The driving module (1) has at least two cycloid disks (10), wherein the cycloid disks (10) are arranged such that the overall mass center of gravity of the at least two cycloid disks (10) is located on the central axis.

9. Drive module (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The at least two cycloid disks (10) have different thicknesses.

10. A cycloidal drive comprising a drive module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A method for controlling a drive module (1) for a cycloid drive according to any of the preceding claims, in particular for controlling a cycloid drive, wherein the method comprises: - determining (S10) the position of the cycloid disk (10); and / or - determining (S20) the position of the driven member of the driving module (1); - controlling (S30) at least one electromagnet (20) of at least one pole shoe (12) so that the cycloid disc (10) of the drive module (10) is positioned and / or moved based on the determined position of the cycloid disc (10) and / or the determined position of the driven member.

12. A system for operating and / or monitoring a drive module (1), in particular a drive module (1) for a multi-axis machine, the system being designed to carry out the method according to the preceding claim.

13. A computer program or a computer program product, wherein: The computer program or computer program product comprises instructions, in particular stored on a computer-readable and / or non-volatile storage medium, which, when executed by one or more computers or a system according to claim 12 , cause the one or more computers or the system to perform the method according to claim 11 .

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