Mechanical arm with buffer mechanism
By designing a buffer mechanism on the robotic arm and using a spring to drive the clamping rod, the problem of the clamping force in the existing robotic arm cannot be adjusted and impact vibration when clamping different substrates is clamped, achieving safer and more flexible substrate clamping.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422154349.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-03
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-24
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-09-03
AI Technical Summary
When existing robotic arms clamp substrates of different sizes, thicknesses, materials and shapes, the clamping force cannot be effectively adjusted, resulting in the substrate being easily damaged and impact and vibration will occur during clamping.
A mechanical arm with a buffer mechanism is designed, and a buffer mechanism composed of a driving seat, a buffer seat, a bolt and a spring is used to drive the driving seat movement through a pneumatic cylinder, and the spring drives the buffer seat and a clamping rod to achieve clamping and release of the substrate.
It effectively reduces the impact and vibration when clamping the substrate, ensures that the substrate is not damaged, and can adjust the clamping force according to the conditions of the substrate to meet the needs of different working objects.
Smart Images
Figure CN223013221U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to a robotic arm, and particularly to a robotic arm with a buffer mechanism. Background Art
[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing processes or related substrate (such as glass substrate) manufacturing processes, it is a known technology to use robotic arms as tools for transporting and picking up substrates. However, with the diversification of picking and placing objects, the requirements for the transportation or picking and placing processes are becoming more and more complex, and existing robotic arms are difficult to meet the needs of different working objects.
[0003] For example, factors such as the size, thickness, material, and shape of the substrate often exceed the capabilities of robotic arms originally designed for a single working object. Among them, existing robotic arms mostly use air cylinders as the source of clamping force. However, since the thrust of the air cylinder is fixed and cannot be adjusted at any time, when the working object is changed, it is necessary to replace another set of suitable arm modules. This is the main reason for the single applicability of existing robotic arms.
[0004] Furthermore, the fixed thrust of the aforementioned air cylinder also brings another problem, that is, the clamping force provided when it clamps the substrate is transmitted to the substrate without hindrance. Therefore, when the force is applied improperly, the substrate material is brittle or the thickness is thin, the substrate is easily damaged due to clamping. Summary of the Utility Model
[0005] The utility model provides a robotic arm with a buffer mechanism, which can effectively reduce the impact and vibration generated when clamping the substrate, and adaptively adjust the clamping force according to different conditions of the substrate.
[0006] A robotic arm with a buffer mechanism of the utility model includes a main body, an extension arm, an air cylinder, a buffer mechanism, and a clamping rod. The extension arm is connected to the main body and has a clamping area where the substrate is adapted to be carried. The air cylinder is arranged on the main body. The buffer mechanism includes a driving seat, a buffer seat, a bolt, and a spring. The driving seat is connected to the air cylinder and is driven by the air cylinder to move on the main body. One end of the bolt is connected to the driving seat, and the other end of the bolt is movably inserted through the buffer seat. The spring is sleeved on the bolt and abuts between the driving seat and the buffer seat. One end of the clamping rod is connected to the buffer seat, and the other end of the clamping rod extends to the clamping area. The air cylinder drives the driving seat to move on the main body, and drives the buffer seat and the clamping rod through the spring, so that the clamping rod and the extension arm clamp or release the substrate located in the clamping area.
[0007] In an embodiment of the utility model, the buffer seat has a baffle plate, the bolt body of the bolt is movably inserted through the baffle plate, the tail of the bolt is assembled into the driving seat, the spring abuts between the baffle plate and the driving seat, the driving seat is driven by the air cylinder and drives the buffer seat to move towards the extension arm through the spring, and drives the clamping rod to clamp the substrate.
[0008] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the above-mentioned driving seat includes a first seat body and at least one adjusting nut. The tail of the bolt passes through the adjusting nut and is assembled into the first seat body, and the spring abuts between the baffle and the adjusting nut to adjust the elastic force of the spring through the adjusting nut.
[0009] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the above-mentioned buffer seat includes a second seat body and the above-mentioned baffle. The second seat body has a groove. The baffle is assembled to the second seat body, and the groove provides a moving space for the bolt to movably pass through the baffle.
[0010] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the head of the above-mentioned bolt is movably located in the groove. When the driving seat is driven by the air cylinder to move towards the extension arm, the driving seat moves through the baffle with the bolt body and the head moves away from the baffle. When the driving seat is driven by the air cylinder to move in a direction away from the extension arm, the driving seat moves through the baffle with the bolt body and the head abuts against the baffle. The bolt body is connected between the tail and the head.
[0011] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the above-mentioned robotic arm further includes a track, which is arranged on the body, and the driving seat and the buffer seat are respectively movably arranged on the track.
[0012] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the above-mentioned track is a linear guide, and the extending direction of the track is consistent with the extending direction of the extension arm.
[0013] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the above-mentioned extension arm has a hollow portion located at the edge of the clamping area. The clamping rod includes a rod body and a clamping block. One end of the rod body is connected to the buffer seat, and the clamping block is located at the other end of the rod body so that the clamping block passes out of the hollow portion after the rod body passes through a part of the extension arm.
[0014] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the above-mentioned extension arm has a plurality of abutting blocks located at the edge of the clamping area, and the hollow portion is located between two of the abutting blocks.
[0015] In an embodiment of the present utility model, the above-mentioned extension arm has a plurality of abutting blocks located at the edge of the clamping area. One of the abutting blocks is located opposite to the clamping block to jointly clamp or release the substrate.
[0016] Based on the above, since the robotic arm is provided with a buffer mechanism composed of a driving seat, a buffer seat, a bolt and a spring on its body, at the beginning of the substrate clamping process, when the air cylinder drives the driving seat to move on the body, the driving seat pushes the buffer seat to move forward on the body through the spring sleeved on the bolt, and then drives the clamping rod to jointly complete the clamping operation of the substrate with the clamping area of the extension arm. By using the spring as one of the transmission components, this can effectively reduce the impact and vibration generated by the components when clamping the substrate, so as to ensure that the substrate is not damaged due to clamping.
[0017] To make the above features and advantages of the present utility model more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments are hereinafter given and detailed descriptions are made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows. Brief Description of the Drawings
[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a robotic arm according to an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0019] Figure 2 shown from another perspective Figure 1 of the robotic arm;
[0020] Figure 3 shows Figure 1 the robotic arm in a state of clamping a substrate;
[0021] Figure 4 is Figure 1 an exploded schematic diagram of the buffer mechanism of the robotic arm;
[0022] Figure 5A is Figure 1 a partial enlarged view of the robotic arm;
[0023] Figure 5B is Figure 3 a partial enlarged view of the robotic arm. Detailed Description of the Embodiment
[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a robotic arm according to an embodiment of the present utility model. Figure 2 shown from another perspective Figure 1 of the robotic arm. Figure 3 shows Figure 1 the robotic arm in a state of clamping a substrate. Please also refer to Figures 1 to 3, in this embodiment, the robotic arm 100 includes a base 110, an arm 120, and a drive assembly 130. The arm 120 is pivotally connected to the base 110 along the axis CX, for example, and is driven by a power source (such as a motor, not shown here) disposed in the base 110 to rotate along the axis CX. The arm 120 includes a body 121, structural members 122, 123, and an extension arm 124. The structural member 123 is pivotally connected to the base 110, and the structural members 122 and 121 are stacked on the structural member 123 in sequence. The body 121 is generally in an L-shaped structure, with one end stacked on the structural member 122, and the extension arm 124 is assembled at the other end of the L-shaped structure. The extension direction of the extension arm 124 is consistent with the structural extension direction of the L-shaped structure at the other end. The extension arm 124 has a clamping area 124c for carrying the substrate 200.
[0025] Furthermore, the body 121 of the arm 120 has a receiving groove 121a, and the drive assembly 130 is disposed in the receiving groove 121a. The drive assembly 130 includes a pneumatic cylinder 131, a drive seat 132, a bolt 133, a spring 134, a buffer seat 135, a clamping rod 136, and a track 137. Due to the feature that the local extension direction of the aforementioned L-shaped structure is consistent with the extension direction of the extension arm 124, the drive assembly 130 conforms to this feature so that its driving direction is consistent with the aforementioned extension direction, which is conducive to achieving the required clamping effect on the substrate 200.
[0026] Furthermore, the pneumatic cylinder 131 has a push rod and provides movement along the axial direction AX. The track 137 is, for example, a linear guide, which also provides a movable stroke along the axial direction AX. The drive seat 132 and the buffer seat 135 are respectively movably disposed on the track 137. The drive seat 132 is also connected to the push rod, so it can be driven by the pneumatic cylinder 131 to move along the axial direction AX on the track 137. Furthermore, one end of the bolt 133 is assembled into the drive seat 132, and the other end of the bolt 133 is movably passed through the buffer seat 135. The spring 134 is sleeved on the bolt 133 and abuts between the buffer seat 135 and the drive seat 132. In this way, when the drive seat 132 is driven by the pneumatic cylinder 131 to move, it will also drive the bolt 133 to move along the axial direction AX at the same time. However, due to the relationship that the bolt 133 and the buffer seat 135 are "movably passed through" as described above, the buffer seat 135 cannot be driven by the bolt 133. In this embodiment, the buffer seat 135 is driven by the drive seat 132 via the spring 134.
[0027] In this embodiment, one end of the clamping rod 136 is connected to the buffer seat 135, and the other end of the clamping rod 136 extends to the clamping area 124c. Further, the extension arm 124 has a hollow portion 124d at the edge of the clamping area 124c. The clamping rod 136 includes a rod body 136b and a clamping block 136a. One end of the rod body 136b is connected to the buffer seat 135, and the clamping block 136a is located at the other end of the rod body 136b so that the clamping block 136a passes through the hollow portion 124d after the rod body 136b passes through a part of the extension arm 124 (as Figure 2 shown, the rod body 136b passes under the extension arm 124). From Figure 1 it can be seen that the extension arm 124 has a plurality of abutting blocks 124a, 124b located at the edge of the clamping area 124c. The clamping block 136a and the abutting block 124a are on the same side of the clamping area 124c, the abutting block 124b is opposite to the clamping block 136a, and the hollow portion 124d is between two of the abutting blocks 124a.
[0028] In this way, when the robotic arm 100 is clamping the substrate 200, that is, during the process from Figure 1 to Figure 3 , the pneumatic cylinder 131 drives the drive seat 132 to move toward the extension arm 124 along the axial direction AX. The movement of the drive seat 132 will push the buffer seat 135 toward the extension arm 124 through the spring 134. At the same time, since the movement of the buffer seat 135 will drive the clamping rod 136, the clamping rod 136 and the extension arm 124 will clamp the substrate 200 located in the clamping area 124c. Conversely, when the pneumatic cylinder 131 drives the drive seat 132 in the reverse direction, due to the connection relationship of the foregoing components, the substrate 200 can be smoothly released. Briefly, the drive seat 132, the bolt 133, the spring 134, and the buffer seat 135 in this embodiment constitute the buffer mechanism CS of the robotic arm 100, which will be further described later.
[0029] Figure 4 is Figure 1 an exploded view of the buffer mechanism of the robotic arm. Figure 5A is Figure 1 a partial enlarged view of the robotic arm. Figure 5B is Figure 3 a partial enlarged view of the robotic arm. Please also refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5A and Figure 5B, the drive seat 132 includes a first seat body 132a and an adjusting nut 132b. The bolt 133 includes a head 133a, a bolt body 133b, and a tail 133c. The bolt body 133b is connected between the tail 133c and the head 133a, and the tail 133c is assembled into the first seat body 132a after passing through the adjusting nut 132b. Here, the drive seat 132 has a threaded hole 132c located in the first seat body 132a to facilitate corresponding to the threaded tail 133c. Furthermore, the buffer seat 135 includes a second seat body 135a and a baffle 135b. The second seat body 135a has a groove 135c, and the groove 135c has a closed end and an open end as Figure 4 shown. The open end faces the drive seat 132. The baffle 135b is assembled to the second seat body 135a and closes the open end. The bolt body 133b of the bolt 133 is movably passed through the baffle 135b, and the head 133a can move along the extending direction of the groove 135c within the groove 135c following the bolt body 133b. That is, the groove 135c provides a moving space for the bolt 133 when it is movably passed through the baffle 135b.
[0030] In addition, the spring 134 is sleeved on the bolt body 133b and abuts between the baffle 135b and the adjusting nut 132b. In this way, the operator can adjust the elastic force of the spring 134 through the adjusting nut 132b. For example, taking Figure 4 as a reference, if it is necessary to reduce the elastic force of the spring 134, the number of the three adjusting nuts 132b shown in Figure 4 can be reduced to two, one, or the adjusting nut 132b can be completely not used, and the spring 134 abuts on the first seat body 132a.
[0031] Next, the state when the substrate 200 is clamped or released can be known from the state transition between Figure 5A and Figure 5B . Here, because the bolt body 133b of the bolt 133 is movably passed through the baffle 135b, when the drive seat 132 is driven by the air cylinder 131 to move towards the extension arm 124, the drive seat 132 moves the bolt body 133b through the baffle 135b and the head 133a moves away from the baffle 135b, that is Figure 5B (or Figure 3) As shown. Conversely, when the driving seat 132 is driven by the air cylinder 131 to move away from the extension arm 124, the driving seat 132 moves the bolt body 133b through the baffle 135b, and the head 133a abuts against the baffle 135b. Due to the mobility of the bolt 133 relative to the buffer seat 135, the spring 134 abutting between the baffle 135b and the driving seat 132 becomes the only intermediate member for the driving seat 132 to transmit power to the buffer seat 135 (and the clamping arm 136). Furthermore, the spring 134 produces a damping effect in the structure of the robotic arm 100 and serves as a buffer member for clamping the substrate 200.
[0032] In other words, when as Figure 5B (and Figure 3 ) clamps the substrate 200, the clamping arm 136 substantially abuts against one side of the substrate 200, and the abutting block 124b abuts against the opposite side of the substrate 200 on its opposite side. Since the clamping arm 136 is assembled to the buffer seat 135, the buffer seat 135 and the clamping arm 136 can be regarded as an integral structure. In this way, the spring 134 abutting between the driving seat 132 and the buffer seat 135 is still in a certain degree of movable state when the substrate 200 is in the clamped state, so it can effectively absorb the impact and vibration generated before and after the clamping action.
[0033] To sum up, in the above embodiment of the present utility model, the robotic arm is provided with a buffer mechanism composed of a driving seat, a buffer seat, a bolt and a spring on its body. At the beginning of the substrate clamping process, when the air cylinder drives the driving seat to move on the body, the driving seat pushes the buffer seat to move on the body through the spring sleeved on the bolt, and then drives the clamping rod and the extension arm to jointly complete the clamping operation of the substrate in the clamping area of the extension arm.
[0034] In one embodiment, the spring of the buffer mechanism abuts between the baffle of the buffer seat and the driving seat after being sleeved on the bolt. Accordingly, when the driving seat moves, the bolt moves relative to the buffer seat, and the spring serves as a medium for pushing the buffer seat to move. Accordingly, the spring becomes a damping when the robotic arm clamps the substrate, so that the force transmission from the driving seat to the clamping arm is no longer all through rigid members, but is adjusted by the spring.
[0035] In this way, the robotic arm of this case uses the spring as one of the transmission members, so it can effectively reduce the impact and vibration generated when the members clamp the substrate, so as to ensure that the substrate is not damaged due to clamping.
[0036] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.
Claims
1. A robotic arm with a buffer mechanism for clamping a substrate, characterized in that: include: ontology; An extension arm connected to the body, the extension arm having a clamping area, and the substrate is suitable for being carried in the clamping area; A pneumatic cylinder, arranged on the body; A buffer mechanism, comprising a driving seat, a buffer seat, a bolt and a spring, wherein the driving seat is connected to the pneumatic cylinder to be driven by the pneumatic cylinder to move on the body, one end of the bolt is connected to the driving seat, and the other end of the bolt is movably inserted into the buffer seat, and the spring is sleeved on the bolt and abuts between the driving seat and the buffer seat; and A clamping rod, one end of which is connected to the buffer seat, and the other end of which extends to the clamping area. The pneumatic cylinder drives the driving seat to move on the main body, and drives the buffer seat and the clamping rod through the spring, so that the clamping rod and the extension arm clamp or release the substrate located in the clamping area.
2. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buffer seat has a baffle, the bolt body of the bolt is movably inserted into the baffle, the tail of the bolt is assembled into the driving seat, the spring abuts between the baffle and the driving seat, the driving seat is driven by the pneumatic cylinder and drives the buffer seat to move toward the extension arm through the spring, and drives the clamping rod to clamp the substrate.
3. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving seat includes a first seat body and at least one adjusting nut. The tail of the bolt passes through the adjusting nut and is assembled into the first seat body. The spring abuts between the baffle and the adjusting nut to adjust the elastic force of the spring through the adjusting nut.
4. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The buffer seat includes a second seat body and the baffle plate. The second seat body has a groove. The baffle plate is assembled to the second seat body, and the groove provides a movable space for the bolt to be movably inserted into the baffle plate.
5. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The head of the bolt is movably located in the groove. When the driving seat is driven by the pneumatic cylinder to move toward the extension arm, the driving seat moves through the baffle with the bolt body and the head moves away from the baffle. When the driving seat is driven by the pneumatic cylinder to move in a direction away from the extension arm, the driving seat moves through the baffle with the bolt body and the head stops at the baffle. The bolt body is connected between the tail and the head.
6. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a track, which is arranged on the main body, and the driving seat and the buffer seat are respectively and movably arranged on the track.
7. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The track is a linear slide rail, and the extension direction of the track is consistent with the extension direction of the extension arm.
8. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The extension arm has a hollow portion located at the edge of the clamping area, and the clamping rod includes a rod body and a clamping block. One end of the rod body is connected to the buffer seat, and the clamping block is located at the other end of the rod body so that the clamping block can pass through the hollow portion after the rod body passes through a part of the extension arm.
9. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that: The extension arm has a plurality of abutment blocks located at the edge of the clamping area, and the hollow portion is located between two of the abutment blocks.
10. The robot arm with a buffer mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that: The extension arm has a plurality of abutment blocks located at the edge of the clamping area, and one of the plurality of abutment blocks is located opposite to the clamping block to clamp or release the substrate together.