Joint assembly and horizontal multi-joint robot

Abstract

The utility model provides a joint assembly and a horizontal multi-joint robot, and the joint assembly comprises a housing, a sealing installation cavity is arranged in the housing, and the housing is provided with an installation hole and a first through hole which are communicated with the sealing installation cavity; one end of the working shaft is mounted in the sealed mounting cavity, the other end of the working shaft extends out of the mounting hole, and the working shaft can slide in the axial direction of the working shaft relative to the shell; the sealing module is mounted at the mounting hole and used for sealing a gap between the inner side wall of the mounting hole and the working shaft; and the dustproof ventilation valve group is mounted at the first through hole, and the dustproof ventilation valve group can enable gas between the interior and the exterior of the shell to flow and can prevent dust between the interior and the exterior of the shell from flowing. According to the structure, the first through hole and the dustproof ventilation valve set are additionally arranged on the joint assembly, so that pressure balance inside and outside the joint assembly can be ensured, dust inside the joint assembly is prevented from flowing out, and the protection effect of the joint assembly is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a joint assembly and a horizontal multi-joint robot. Background Art

[0002] In related solutions, most SCARA robots (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm, also known as horizontal articulated robots) with high protection levels are equipped with bellows protective covers on the upper and lower A3 and A4 axes to meet their protection requirements. This setting balances the air pressure inside the end robot arm through the mutual extension and contraction of the two bellows, thereby preventing dust inside the end robot arm from being squeezed to the outside and causing environmental pollution.

[0003] However, the use of upper and lower bellows protective covers makes the product cost extremely high, and this structure has relatively high installation requirements for the upper and lower bellows protective covers during assembly. On the one hand, this makes the installation of the upper and lower bellows protective covers difficult, and on the other hand, the upper and lower bellows protective covers are prone to interference with the up and down reciprocating motion of the screw shaft due to improper installation.

[0004] Therefore, how to develop a SCARA robot with high protection level, low cost, easy assembly and not easy to interfere with the up and down reciprocating motion of the screw shaft has become an urgent problem that needs to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present application aims to at least solve the problems of the SCARA robot existing in the prior art or related art, such as high cost, difficulty in assembly, and easy interference with the up and down reciprocating motion of the screw shaft.

[0006] To this end, a first aspect of the present application is to provide a joint assembly.

[0007] The second aspect of the present application is to propose a horizontal multi-joint robot.

[0008] The technical solution of the first aspect of the present application provides a joint assembly, including: a shell, a sealed mounting cavity is provided in the shell, and a mounting hole and a first through hole connected to the sealed mounting cavity are provided on the shell; a working shaft, one end of the working shaft is installed in the sealed mounting cavity, and the other end of the working shaft extends from the mounting hole, and the working shaft can slide along the axial direction of the working shaft relative to the shell; a sealing module, installed at the mounting hole, for sealing the gap between the inner side wall of the mounting hole and the working shaft; a dust-proof and breathable valve group, installed at the first through hole, the dust-proof and breathable valve group can allow gas to flow between the inside and outside of the shell, and can prevent dust from flowing between the inside and outside of the shell.

[0009] The joint assembly provided by the present application can be specifically used in a horizontal multi-joint robot, such as a SCARA robot. The joint assembly specifically includes a housing, a working shaft, a sealing module, and a dust-proof and breathable valve assembly. The housing is used to enclose a closed, sealed mounting cavity, thereby isolating the inside and outside of the joint assembly. The working shaft is the working part of the joint assembly, which can move along the axial direction (such as the up and down direction) of the working shaft to achieve a certain specific operation. The sealing module is used to seal the mounting hole on the housing, thereby preventing dust and the like inside the joint assembly from flowing out of the mounting hole. The housing is also provided with a first through hole, and a dust-proof and breathable valve assembly is installed at the first through hole. The dust-proof and breathable valve assembly allows the interior of the housing to be connected to the outside, thereby maintaining the air pressure balance inside the housing, preventing the working shaft of the joint assembly from moving along the axial direction of the working shaft, resulting in an imbalance in the air pressure inside and outside the housing and forming a pressure difference, thereby preventing dust and the like inside the housing from being squeezed out of the housing under the action of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the housing, thereby ensuring the protective effect of the joint assembly. At the same time, the dustproof and breathable valve assembly itself can also block dust, preventing dust from flowing between the interior and exterior of the housing. This can further reduce the probability of dust inside the housing flowing out of the housing, ensuring the high protection effect of the joint assembly. This structure, through the additional first through hole and the dustproof and breathable valve assembly provided in the joint assembly, can ensure pressure balance inside and outside the joint assembly, preventing dust from flowing out of the joint assembly, thereby ensuring the protection effect of the joint assembly.

[0010] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the sealing module is located outside the housing and is mounted on the outside of the working shaft. One end of the sealing module is sealed to the housing, and the other end of the sealing module is sealed to the part of the working shaft that extends out of the mounting hole. When the working shaft slides relative to the housing along the axial direction of the working shaft, the sealing module can follow the working shaft to extend and retract along the axial direction of the working shaft.

[0011] In this embodiment, the sealing module can extend and retract along the axial direction of the working shaft. During installation, the sealing module only needs to ensure the seals between the sealing module and the housing, and between the sealing module and the working shaft, to ensure the sealing effect of the sealing module on the mounting hole. The seals between the sealing module and the housing, and between the sealing module and the working shaft, are both static seals. This converts the dynamic seal between the working shaft and the mounting hole into two static seals, which offer a better sealing effect. This ensures the sealing effect of the sealing module on the mounting hole.

[0012] In any of the above embodiments, the sealing module optionally includes: a fixed module mounted on the portion of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole; and a telescopic sleeve mounted on the outside of the working shaft, with a first end of the telescopic sleeve sealingly connected to the housing and the other end of the telescopic sleeve sealingly mounted to the fixed module. The fixed module can be completely detachably mounted on the working shaft.

[0013] In this embodiment, the telescopic sleeve is capable of extending and retracting along the working shaft. The telescopic sleeve seals the working shaft and the mounting hole. During installation, the upper end of the telescopic sleeve can be directly mounted to the housing using screws, clamps, or the like, while the lower end of the telescopic sleeve can be directly mounted to the fixed module. This allows the telescopic sleeve to be installed on the working shaft. The fixed module is completely removable, allowing the fixed module to be pre-installed and then directly mounted on the working shaft. This simplifies the installation of the telescopic sleeve and improves its efficiency.

[0014] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the joint assembly further includes: a first clamp for sealingly mounting the first end of the telescopic sleeve on the housing; and a second clamp for sealingly mounting the other end of the telescopic sleeve on the fixed module.

[0015] In this embodiment, the upper and lower ends of the telescopic sleeve can be installed by clamps, and this installation method does not require screws, and the installation operation is relatively simple. Of course, the upper and lower ends of the telescopic sleeve can also be fixedly installed by screws etc.

[0016] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the telescopic sleeve includes at least one of a bellows, a flexible connecting sleeve and a telescopic tube.

[0017] In this embodiment, the structure of the telescopic sleeve can be selected according to needs, for example, it can be a bellows, a flexible connecting sleeve or a telescopic tube.

[0018] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the working shaft can rotate relative to the outer shell, and the fixed module includes: an internal connecting member, which is installed on the part of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole; an external fixing block, which is at least partially mounted on the outside of the internal connecting member, and the internal connecting member can rotate relative to the external fixing block along the circumferential direction of the working shaft.

[0019] In this embodiment, the working shaft can be rotatably mounted on the outer shell, which gives the joint assembly an additional degree of freedom, making the joint assembly more flexible and thus capable of achieving more functions. At the same time, the fixed module includes an inner connector and an outer fixed block that can be relatively rotatably connected. The inner connector is directly mounted on the working shaft. When working, the inner connector can rotate along with the working shaft. The outer fixed block is mounted outside the inner connector and does not rotate along with the inner connector, thereby preventing the telescopic sleeve from rotating along with the working shaft. This arrangement allows the working shaft to rotate without affecting the telescopic sleeve, so that the telescopic sleeve can be set as a part that cannot be twisted, such as a bellows, thereby improving the flexibility of material selection for the telescopic sleeve.

[0020] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the fixing module further includes: a bearing installed between the inner connecting member and the outer fixing block.

[0021] In this embodiment, the inner connector and the outer fixing block are rotatably connected via bearings. The bearings provide greater flexibility in the rotational connection between the inner connector and the outer fixing block, thereby reducing friction between them. Bearings are also relatively common and readily available, further reducing the cost of the fixing module. Of course, the bearings can also be replaced with rollers to reduce friction between the inner connector and the outer fixing block.

[0022] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the internal connector includes a fixing portion and a connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion is located on a side of the fixing portion away from the housing along the axial direction of the working shaft. The external fixing block is provided with a receiving hole extending along the axial direction of the working shaft, the connecting portion is located within the receiving hole, and the bearing is mounted between the inner sidewall of the receiving hole and the connecting portion. A positioning protrusion is provided on the side of the receiving hole close to the housing along the axial direction of the working shaft, the positioning protrusion abuts the end face of the bearing close to the housing, and a positioning retaining spring is provided on the side of the receiving hole away from the housing, the positioning retaining spring abuts the end face of the bearing away from the housing.

[0023] In this embodiment, the upper end of the inner connector is a fixed portion, used to secure the working shaft. The lower end of the inner connector is a connecting portion, which cooperates with the external fixing block to achieve a sliding connection. The external fixing block is mounted on the outside of the connecting portion and has a positioning protrusion on its upper side and a retaining spring on its lower side. This allows the bearing to be fixed between the positioning protrusion and the retaining spring.

[0024] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the working shaft is a hollow shaft, and a sealing plug is provided on one end of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole.

[0025] In this embodiment, the working shaft is hollow, which reduces the material usage, thereby reducing the weight and cost of the working shaft. Furthermore, a sealing plug is provided at the end of the working shaft extending outside the housing to prevent dust from inside the joint assembly from escaping through the passageway inside the working shaft.

[0026] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the sealing plug is embedded in the working shaft and is flush with the end surface of the end of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole.

[0027] In this embodiment, the sealing plug can be directly embedded and installed inside the working shaft. When installed, the sealing plug can be flush with the end face of the working shaft or slightly lower than the end face of the working shaft, but not protruding outside the working shaft, thereby preventing the sealing plug from interfering with components outside the working shaft. Of course, in other solutions, the sealing plug can also be directly installed on the end face outside the working shaft to achieve end face sealing of the working shaft.

[0028] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the joint assembly further includes: a panel mounted on the housing, the panel being provided with an electrical interface and a second through hole; a first seal mounted between the housing and the panel to seal the gap between the housing and the panel; wherein the dustproof and breathable valve group is mounted on the panel, located at the second through hole, and connected to the first through hole.

[0029] In this embodiment, an electrical interface is provided on the panel. A second through hole can also be provided on the panel to accommodate a dust-proof and breathable valve assembly. The interior of the dust-proof and breathable valve assembly communicates with the first through hole, thereby allowing the interior of the housing to communicate with the external atmospheric pressure.

[0030] Among them, the size of the first through hole can be set as needed. When the first through hole is set to be smaller, the panel is installed on the outside of the shell, and the first through hole and the second through hole are connected up and down. In addition, the first through hole can also be set to be larger. In this case, the panel can be installed at the first through hole to block the first through hole, and then the dust-proof and breathable valve group can be installed on the panel. In this way, the dust-proof and breathable valve group can be installed at the first through hole through the panel. At this time, the second through hole is directly connected to the sealed mounting cavity, and the panel constitutes a part of the shell. In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the working shaft includes a screw shaft, and the joint assembly also includes: a screw nut, which can be rotatably installed in the shell and is sleeved and installed on the screw shaft. The rotation of the screw nut can drive the screw shaft to slide axially relative to the shell along the working shaft; a first motor is connected to the screw nut and is used to drive the screw nut to rotate.

[0031] In this embodiment, the working shaft is a lead screw shaft, and the lead screw nut and the lead screw shaft form a lead screw assembly. The lead screw nut can thereby drive the working shaft (lead screw shaft) to rise and fall along the axial direction of the working shaft. The first motor is the power source of the lead screw nut, which can drive the lead screw nut to rotate.

[0032] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the joint assembly also includes: a spline nut, installed in the housing and sleeved on the screw shaft; a second motor, connected to the spline nut and capable of driving the spline nut to rotate, so as to drive the screw shaft to rotate around the axis of the working shaft.

[0033] In this embodiment, the screw shaft can also rotate under the drive of the spline nut, thereby giving the working shaft an additional degree of freedom, thereby making the working shaft more flexible. The second motor is the power source of the spline nut, which can drive the spline nut to rotate.

[0034] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, a first transmission tooth is provided on the outer wall of the screw nut, and the first transmission tooth is connected to the first motor through a first transmission belt or a first chain; a second transmission tooth is provided on the outer wall of the spline nut, and the second transmission tooth is connected to the second motor through a second transmission belt or a second chain.

[0035] In this embodiment, transmission teeth can be provided on the outer side walls of the lead screw nut and the spline nut to facilitate transmission between them and the motor. The motor, lead screw nut and spline nut can be transmitted through a transmission belt or chain.

[0036] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the housing further includes: an arm, on which the working shaft is mounted and can slide relative to the arm along the axial direction of the working shaft; an outer cover, which is arranged on one side of the arm along the axial direction of the working shaft; a bottom shell, which is arranged on the other side of the arm along the axial direction of the working shaft, is sealed with the arm, and a mounting hole is arranged on the bottom shell; wherein, one end of the working shaft is located in the outer cover, and the other end of the working shaft extends from the mounting hole to the outside of the bottom shell; and one end of the sealing module is sealed with the bottom shell.

[0037] In this embodiment, the arm, working shaft, bottom housing, and motor mounted on the arm, etc., constitute a single arm assembly. The outer cover can be directly mounted on one side of the arm assembly to seal the upper side of the arm assembly. To prevent dust from escaping the joint assembly, a second sealing member (such as a sealing ring) can be positioned between the outer cover and the bottom housing to ensure a seal between them.

[0038] The technical solution of the second aspect of the present application provides a horizontal multi-joint robot, including the joint assembly provided in the technical solution of the first aspect.

[0039] The horizontal multi-joint robot provided by the present application includes the joint assembly provided in the technical solution of the first aspect. Therefore, the horizontal multi-joint robot has all the beneficial effects of the joint assembly provided in the technical solution of the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0040] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the horizontal multi-joint robot also includes: a base; a connecting arm, one end of the connecting arm can be rotatably mounted on the base, the other end of the connecting arm is arranged to protrude from the base in a horizontal direction, the connecting arm can swing in a horizontal plane, and the joint assembly is installed at one end of the connecting arm away from the base, and can swing in a horizontal plane relative to the connecting arm.

[0041] In this embodiment, the base acts as a joint, allowing for integral rotation. The connecting arm, acting as a joint, can swing relative to the base, and the joint assembly can swing relative to the connecting arm, thereby enabling the robot to have multiple degrees of freedom in the horizontal plane. The joint assembly is the end joint of the horizontal multi-jointed robot.

[0042] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the horizontal multi-joint robot is a SCARA robot.

[0043] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent in the following description or may be learned through practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0045] Figure 1 One of the structural schematic diagrams of a horizontal multi-joint robot according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0046] Figure 2 A second structural diagram of a horizontal multi-joint robot according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0047] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of point A in the middle;

[0048] Figure 4 Shown Figure 1 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of point B in the middle;

[0049] Figure 5 A third structural diagram of a horizontal multi-joint robot according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0050] Figure 6 FIG1 shows one of the partial structural schematic diagrams of a horizontal multi-joint robot according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 7 The second schematic diagram of the partial structure of a horizontal multi-joint robot according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0052] Figure 8 The third schematic diagram of the partial structure of a horizontal multi-joint robot according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0053] Reference numerals:

[0054] 100 joint assembly, 1 shell, 10 sealed mounting cavity, 12 mounting hole, 14 first through hole, 16 arm, 17 outer cover, 18 bottom shell, 19 second seal, 2 working shaft, 22 screw shaft, 3 sealing module, 32 fixed module, 322 inner connecting part, 3222 fixing part, 3224 connecting part, 324 outer fixing block, 3242 accommodating hole, 3244 positioning protrusion, 3246 positioning retaining spring, 326 bearing, 34 telescopic sleeve, 36 first clamp, 38 second clamp, 4 dustproof and breathable valve group, 5 sealing plug, 6 panel, 62 second through hole, 7 screw nut, 72 first transmission tooth, 8 spline nut, 82 second transmission tooth, 92 first motor, 94 first transmission belt, 96 second motor, 98 second transmission belt, 11 locking nut, 200 base, 300 connecting arm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present application, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present application and the features therein can be combined with each other in the absence of conflict.

[0056] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0057] Refer to the following Figures 1 to 8 To describe the joint assembly 100 and the horizontal multi-joint robot provided according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0058] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a joint assembly 100, which can be specifically used in a horizontal multi-joint robot, such as a SCARA robot. The joint assembly 100 specifically includes a housing 1, a working shaft 2, a sealing module 3, and a dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4.

[0059] Among them, such as Figure 1 As shown, a sealed mounting cavity 10 is provided in the housing 1, and a mounting hole 12 and a first through hole 14 are provided on the housing 1, which are communicated with the sealed mounting cavity 10. One end of the working shaft 2 is installed in the sealed mounting cavity 10, and the other end of the working shaft 2 extends from the mounting hole 12, and the working shaft 2 can be relatively moved along the axial direction of the working shaft 2 (such as Figure 3 The sealing module 3 is mounted in the mounting hole 12 to seal the gap between the inner wall of the mounting hole 12 and the working shaft 2. The dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4 is mounted in the first through hole 14. The dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4 enables gas flow between the interior and exterior of the housing 1 and prevents dust flow between the interior and exterior of the housing 1.

[0060] According to the joint assembly 100 provided in the present application, the housing 1 is used to enclose a closed sealed mounting cavity 10, thereby achieving isolation between the inside and outside of the joint assembly 100. The working shaft 2 is the working part of the joint assembly 100, which can move along the axial direction (such as the up and down direction) of the working shaft 2 to achieve a certain specific operation. The sealing module 3 is used to seal the mounting hole 12 on the housing 1, thereby preventing dust and the like inside the joint assembly 100 from flowing out of the mounting hole 12. The housing 1 is also provided with a first through hole 14, and a dustproof and breathable valve group 4 is installed at the first through hole 14. The dustproof and breathable valve group 4 allows the interior of the housing 1 to be connected to the outside, thereby maintaining the air pressure balance inside the housing 1, and preventing the working shaft 2 of the joint assembly 100 from causing an imbalance in the air pressure inside and outside the housing 1 and forming a pressure difference when the working shaft 2 of the joint assembly 100 moves along the axial direction of the working shaft 2, thereby preventing the dust and the like inside the housing 1 from being squeezed out to the outside of the shell under the action of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the housing 1, thereby ensuring the protective effect of the joint assembly 100. At the same time, the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4 itself can also block dust, preventing dust from flowing between the interior and exterior of the housing 1. This can further reduce the probability of dust inside the housing 1 flowing out of the shell, ensuring the high protection effect of the joint assembly 100. This structure, through the additional first through hole 14 and the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4 provided in the joint assembly 100, can ensure pressure balance inside and outside the joint assembly 100, preventing dust from flowing out of the joint assembly 100, thereby ensuring the protection effect of the joint assembly 100.

[0061] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the sealing module 3 is located outside the housing 1 and is installed on the outside of the working shaft 2. One end of the sealing module 3 is sealed with the housing 1, and the other end of the sealing module 3 is sealed and installed at the position where the working shaft 2 extends out of the mounting hole 12. When the working shaft 2 slides along the axial direction of the working shaft 2 relative to the housing 1, the sealing module 3 can follow the working shaft 2 to extend and retract along the axial direction of the working shaft 2.

[0062] In this embodiment, the sealing module 3 can extend and retract along the axial direction of the working shaft 2 along with the working shaft 2. When installing the sealing module 3, it is only necessary to ensure the seals between the sealing module 3 and the housing 1, and between the sealing module 3 and the working shaft 2, to ensure the sealing effect of the sealing module 3 on the mounting hole 12. The seals between the sealing module 3 and the housing 1, and between the sealing module 3 and the working shaft 2, are both static seals. This converts the dynamic seal between the working shaft 2 and the mounting hole 12 into two static seals. Static seals have a better sealing effect, thus ensuring the sealing effect of the sealing module 3 on the mounting hole 12.

[0063] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, the sealing module 3 includes a fixed module 32 and a telescopic sleeve 34. The fixed module 32 is mounted on the portion of the working shaft 2 that extends out of the mounting hole 12. The telescopic sleeve 34 is mounted externally of the working shaft 2, with a first end of the telescopic sleeve 34 sealingly connected to the housing 1 and the other end of the telescopic sleeve 34 sealingly mounted to the fixed module 32. The fixed module 32 is mounted on the working shaft 2 in a removable manner.

[0064] In this embodiment, the telescopic sleeve 34 is capable of extending and retracting according to the working shaft 2. The telescopic sleeve 34 can achieve a seal between the working shaft 2 and the mounting hole 12. During installation, the upper end of the telescopic sleeve 34 can be directly mounted on the housing 1 using screws, clamps, or the like, while the lower end of the telescopic sleeve 34 can be directly mounted on the fixed module 32, thereby achieving installation of the telescopic sleeve 34 on the working shaft 2. The fixed module 32 is completely removable. During installation, the fixed module 32 can be installed in advance and then directly mounted on the working shaft 2. This simplifies the installation of the telescopic sleeve 34 and improves installation efficiency.

[0065] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the joint assembly 100 further includes: a first clamp 36 for sealingly mounting a first end of the telescopic sleeve 34 on the housing 1 ; and a second clamp 38 for sealingly mounting the other end of the telescopic sleeve 34 on the fixed module 32 .

[0066] In this embodiment, the upper and lower ends of the telescopic sleeve 34 can be installed by clamps, and this installation method does not need to screw, and the installation operation is simpler. Of course, the upper and lower ends of the telescopic sleeve 34 can also be fixedly installed by screws etc.

[0067] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the structure of the telescopic sleeve 34 can be selected according to needs, for example, it can be specifically a bellows, a flexible connecting sleeve or a telescopic tube.

[0068] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the working shaft 2 can rotate relative to the housing 1, and the fixed module 32 includes: an inner connecting member 322, which is installed on the portion of the working shaft 2 extending out of the mounting hole 12; an outer fixing block 324, which is at least partially sleeved and installed on the outer side of the inner connecting member 322, and the inner connecting member 322 can rotate relative to the outer fixing block 324 along the circumference of the working shaft 2 (such as Figure 1 (as shown) rotation.

[0069] In this embodiment, the working shaft 2 can be rotatably mounted on the housing 1, which gives the joint assembly 100 an additional degree of freedom, making the joint assembly 100 more flexible, thereby being able to achieve more functions. At the same time, the fixed module 32 includes an inner connector 322 and an outer fixing block 324 that can be relatively rotatably connected. The inner connector 322 is directly mounted on the working shaft 2. When working, the inner connector 322 can rotate with the working shaft 2. The outer fixing block 324 is mounted outside the inner connector 322 and does not rotate with the inner connector 322, thereby preventing the telescopic sleeve 34 from rotating with the working shaft 2. This arrangement allows the working shaft 2 to rotate without affecting the telescopic sleeve 34. In this way, the telescopic sleeve 34 can be set as a part that cannot be twisted, such as a bellows, thereby improving the flexibility of material selection for the telescopic sleeve 34.

[0070] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 3 As shown, the inner connecting member 322 and the outer fixing block 324 are rotatably connected via a bearing 326. The bearing 326 makes the rotational connection between the inner connecting member 322 and the outer fixing block 324 more flexible, thereby reducing friction between the two. The bearing 326 is also relatively common and easy to purchase, thereby reducing the cost of the fixing module 32. Of course, the bearing 326 can also be replaced with a roller to reduce friction between the inner connecting member 322 and the outer fixing block 324.

[0071] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 3 As shown, the inner connector 322 includes a fixing portion 3222 and a connecting portion 3224. Along the axial direction of the working shaft 2, the connecting portion 3224 is located on the side of the fixing portion 3222 away from the housing 1. A receiving hole 3242 extending along the axial direction of the working shaft 2 is provided in the outer fixing block 324. The connecting portion 3224 is located within the receiving hole 3242. The bearing 326 is mounted between the inner sidewall of the receiving hole 3242 and the connecting portion 3224. Along the axial direction of the working shaft 2, a positioning protrusion 3244 is provided on the side of the receiving hole 3242 close to the housing 1. The positioning protrusion 3244 abuts against the end face of the bearing 326 close to the housing 1. A positioning retaining spring 3246 is provided on the side of the receiving hole 3242 away from the housing 1. The positioning retaining spring 3246 abuts against the end face of the bearing 326 away from the housing 1.

[0072] In this embodiment, the upper end of the inner connector 322 is a fixing portion 3222, which is used to secure the inner connector 322 to the working shaft 2. The lower end of the inner connector 322 is a connecting portion 3224, which is used to cooperate with the outer fixing block 324 to achieve a sliding connection. The outer fixing block 324 is mounted on the outside of the connecting portion 3224 and has a positioning protrusion 3244 on its upper side and a retaining spring on its lower side. This allows the bearing 326 to be fixed between the positioning protrusion 3244 and the retaining spring.

[0073] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 3 As shown, the working shaft 2 is a hollow shaft, and a sealing plug 5 is provided on one end of the working shaft 2 extending out of the mounting hole 12 .

[0074] In this embodiment, the working shaft 2 is a hollow shaft, which can reduce the material usage of the working shaft 2, thereby reducing the weight and cost of the working shaft 2. At the same time, a sealing plug 5 is provided at the end of the working shaft 2 extending outside the housing 1 to prevent dust inside the joint assembly 100 from flowing out of the channel inside the working shaft 2.

[0075] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 3 As shown, the sealing plug 5 is embedded in the working shaft 2 and is flush with the end surface of the end of the working shaft 2 extending out of the mounting hole 12.

[0076] In this embodiment, the sealing plug 5 can be directly embedded and installed inside the working shaft 2. When installed, the sealing plug 5 can be flush with the end surface of the working shaft 2 or slightly lower than the end surface of the working shaft 2, but not extend outside the working shaft 2, thereby avoiding interference between the sealing plug 5 and components outside the working shaft 2. Of course, in other solutions, the sealing plug 5 can also be directly installed on the end surface outside the working shaft 2 to achieve end surface sealing of the working shaft 2.

[0077] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 2 、 Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the joint assembly 100 also includes: a panel 6, installed on the shell 1, and an electrical interface and a second through hole 62 are provided on the panel 6; a first seal, installed between the shell 1 and the panel 6 to seal the gap between the shell 1 and the panel 6; wherein, the dustproof and breathable valve group 4 is installed on the panel 6, located at the second through hole 62, and connected to the first through hole 14.

[0078] In this embodiment, an electrical interface is provided on the panel 6. A second through hole 62 is also provided on the panel 6 for mounting the dust-proof and breathable valve assembly 4. The interior of the dust-proof and breathable valve assembly 4 communicates with the first through hole 14, thereby connecting the interior of the housing 1 with the external atmospheric pressure.

[0079] The size of the first through hole 14 can be set as needed. When the first through hole 14 is set smaller, the panel 6 is installed on the outside of the shell 1, and the first through hole 14 and the second through hole 62 are connected up and down. In addition, the first through hole 14 can also be set larger. In this case, Figure 7As shown, the panel 6 is installed at the first through hole 14 to block the first through hole 14, and then the dust-proof and breathable valve group 4 is installed on the panel 6. In this way, the dust-proof and breathable valve group 4 can be installed at the first through hole 14 through the panel 6. At this time, the second through hole 62 is directly connected to the sealed installation cavity 10, and the panel 6 constitutes a part of the outer shell.

[0080] Among them, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the panel 6 can be mounted on the housing 1 by screws.

[0081] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, one end of the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4 is located on the inner side of the panel 6, and the other end of the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4 extends from the second through hole 62 to the outside of the housing 1. At the same time, a threaded column is provided on the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4, extending from the inner side of the panel 6 to the outer side, and a locking nut 11 is installed on the portion of the threaded column located on the outer side of the panel 6. In this way, the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4 can be installed by the threaded column and the locking nut 11. The threaded column can be integrated with the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4, or the threaded column can be a bolt provided independently of the dustproof and breathable valve assembly 4.

[0082] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the working shaft 2 includes a screw shaft 22, and the joint assembly 100 further includes: a screw nut 7, which can be rotatably installed in the housing 1 and is sleeved and installed on the screw shaft 22. The rotation of the screw nut 7 can drive the screw shaft 22 to slide relative to the housing 1 along the axial direction of the working shaft 2; a first motor 92 (as shown Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown), it is connected to the screw nut 7 and is used to drive the screw nut 7 to rotate.

[0083] In this embodiment, the working shaft 2 is a lead screw shaft 22, and the lead screw nut 7 and the lead screw shaft 22 form a lead screw assembly. The lead screw nut 7 drives the working shaft 2 (lead screw shaft) to move up and down along the axial direction of the working shaft 2. The first motor 92 is the power source for the lead screw nut 7, which is capable of driving the lead screw nut 7 to rotate.

[0084] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 1 、 Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the joint assembly 100 further includes: a spline nut 8, which is installed in the housing 1 and sleeved on the screw shaft 22; a second motor 96 (such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown), it is connected to the spline nut 8 and can drive the spline nut 8 to rotate, so as to drive the screw shaft 22 to rotate around the axis of the working shaft 2.

[0085] In this embodiment, the screw shaft 22 can also rotate under the drive of the spline nut 8, thereby giving the working shaft 2 an additional degree of freedom, thereby making the working shaft 2 more flexible. The second motor 96 is the power source of the spline nut 8, which can drive the spline nut 8 to rotate.

[0086] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 4 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, a first transmission tooth 72 is provided on the outer wall of the screw nut 7, and the first transmission tooth 72 is connected to the first motor 92 through a first transmission belt 94 or a first chain; a second transmission tooth 82 is provided on the outer wall of the spline nut 8, and the second transmission tooth 82 is connected to the second motor 96 through a second transmission belt 98 or a second chain.

[0087] In this embodiment, transmission teeth can be provided on the outer side walls of the screw nut 7 and the spline nut 8 to facilitate transmission between them and the motor. The motor, the screw nut 7 and the spline nut 8 can be driven by a transmission belt or chain.

[0088] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figure 1 As shown, the housing 1 also includes: an arm 16, on which the working shaft 2 is slidably mounted along the axial direction of the working shaft 2; an outer cover 17, which is arranged on one side of the arm 16 along the axial direction of the working shaft 2; a bottom shell 18, which is arranged on the other side of the arm 16 along the axial direction of the working shaft 2, and is sealed with the arm 16, and a mounting hole 12 is provided on the bottom shell 18; wherein, one end of the working shaft 2 is located in the outer cover 17, and the other end of the working shaft 2 extends from the mounting hole 12 to the outside of the bottom shell 18; one end of the sealing module 3 is sealed with the bottom shell 18.

[0089] In this embodiment, the arm 16, the working shaft 2, the bottom housing 18, and the motor mounted on the arm 16 constitute a single arm assembly. An outer cover 17 can be directly mounted on one side of the arm assembly to seal the upper side of the arm assembly. To prevent dust from escaping from the joint assembly 100, a second sealing member 19 (e.g., a sealing ring) can be positioned between the outer cover 17 and the bottom housing 18 to ensure a seal between them.

[0090] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a horizontal multi-joint robot, including the joint assembly 100 provided in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0091] According to the horizontal multi-joint robot provided by the present application, since it includes the joint assembly 100 provided in the first embodiment, the horizontal multi-joint robot has all the beneficial effects of the joint assembly 100 provided in the first embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0092] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the horizontal multi-joint robot also includes: a base 200; a connecting arm 300, one end of the connecting arm 300 can be rotatably mounted on the base 200, the other end of the connecting arm 300 is arranged to protrude from the base 200 in a horizontal direction, and the connecting arm 300 can swing in a horizontal plane, and the joint assembly 100 is installed at one end of the connecting arm 300 away from the base 200, and can swing in a horizontal plane relative to the connecting arm 300.

[0093] In this embodiment, the base 200 functions as a joint, allowing for integral rotation. The connecting arm 300, acting as a joint, can swing relative to the base 200. The joint assembly 100 can also swing relative to the connecting arm 300, thereby providing the robot with multiple degrees of freedom in the horizontal plane. The joint assembly 100 is the terminal joint of the horizontal multi-jointed robot.

[0094] In any of the above embodiments, optionally, the horizontal multi-joint robot is a SCARA robot.

[0095] The following introduces a SCARA robot with a high protection level.

[0096] In the relevant solutions, high-protection-level SCARA robots are equipped with bellows protective covers on the upper and lower A3 and A4 axes to meet their protection requirements. However, the use of double bellows is extremely expensive and difficult to install during the assembly process. In particular, during the operation of the robot, an improperly assembled upper protective cover will block the reciprocating motion of the screw shaft.

[0097] This embodiment aims to address the high cost and installation difficulties of the bellows sealing mechanism of high-cleanliness SCARA robots, as well as the problem of bulging and blowing dust during operation of the protective cover. Based on this, this embodiment proposes a high-protection-level SCARA robot that only requires a single bellows to meet the required protection level.

[0098] like Figures 1 to 5As shown, the high-protection-level SCARA robot provided in this embodiment includes: a manipulator body, having a base, a connecting arm, and an end arm; an outer shell cover, arranged on the upper side of the end arm body of the manipulator; a first motor of the end arm, arranged inside the end arm body; a ball screw, arranged at the end of the end arm of the manipulator body, which can move axially inside the outer shell cover; a bellows protection mechanism, arranged on the lower side of the ball screw, which can be stretched and compressed axially with the screw; a panel, arranged on the upper part of the outer shell cover, on which various robot-related electrical interfaces are arranged; a waterproof and breathable valve mechanism, embedded in the interface panel, which can connect the inner cavity of the end arm and the external air, while isolating most dust particles; the ball screw includes a nut and a screw shaft, the nut is set in the inner cavity of the end arm and is connected to the first motor inside the end arm, and the nut is sleeved on the screw shaft; the screw shaft is a hollow rod, and a rubber plug is provided at the end of the shaft near the bellows protection mechanism to prevent external dust from penetrating. The bellows protection mechanism is mounted on the bottom end of the screw shaft, with one end sealed to the end arm's housing and the other end connected to the bottom of the screw shaft. A waterproof breathable valve mechanism is fixed to the upper side of the housing with a rivet nut, connecting the arm's interior cavity with the outside air while isolating it from dust impact.

[0099] Specifically, one end of the connecting arm is swingably connected to the base, the terminal arm is swingably connected to the end of the connecting arm away from the base, and the screw shaft of the ball screw is slidably and rotatably arranged at the end of the terminal arm away from the connecting arm. The ball screw includes a nut and a screw shaft. The nut is arranged inside the cavity of the terminal arm, and the nut is sleeved on the screw shaft. The outer wall of the nut is provided with transmission teeth along the circumference, and is connected to the first motor inside the terminal arm through a first transmission belt. The nut can rotate under the drive of the first motor and drive the screw shaft to move up and down along its own axis. Only the lower end of the screw shaft passes through the outer shell of the terminal arm, and the upper end is maintained inside the outer shell cover. The outer shell cover and the terminal arm are sealed by a first sealing ring on the outer edge of the arm body. The connector is secured to the lower end of the screw shaft by a top screw. A lower retaining block is radially positioned around the connector. A bearing is mounted on the connector, with the top end of the bearing resting against the underside of the upper projection within the inner bore of the lower retaining block. The bottom end of the bearing is secured by a retaining spring embedded in a groove within the lower retaining block. The lower retaining block, along with the bearing and retaining spring, forms a lower bellows retaining module with the connector. A bellows guard is hollow and compressible and resilient. It is mounted over the lower end of the screw shaft. The upper end of the bellows guard is sealed and locked to the outer edge of the lower end arm via a first clamp. The other end of the bellows guard is sealed and locked to the bellows retaining module on the screw shaft via a second clamp. The screw shaft is hollow and rod-shaped. A rubber plug is positioned near the sidewall of the screw shaft near the bellows guard. The rubber plug is fully embedded in the end of the screw shaft, maintaining a flush relationship with the shaft end face, thereby preventing dust from the internal cavity of the end arm from being ejected from the lower end of the screw shaft. The screw shaft can compress the bellows protection mechanism at the bottom. During operation, the robot body can seal the ball screw shaft portion through the outer shell, bellows protection mechanism, and rubber plug. The panel is equipped with various robot electronic and electrical interfaces and is located above the outer shell. A sealing gasket is added between the panel and the mounting surface above the outer shell to ensure the sealing of the internal cavity of the end arm and prevent dust particles from being discharged or inhaled through the installation gap. The waterproof breathable valve mechanism is located at the front end of the panel and is fixed to the top of the panel via a rivet nut at the bottom of the panel. The waterproof breathable valve mechanism can maintain the flow of air inside and outside while isolating the flow of dust. In other words, under certain clean conditions, the waterproof breathable valve mechanism can connect the inner cavity of the end arm with the clean air outside, while preventing large amounts of dust particles or droplets from being discharged due to the expansion of the bellows protection mechanism during robot operation. It has the advantages of simple structure, good ventilation effect, low assembly difficulty, and low cost.

[0100] The ball screw can be a ball screw spline, which also includes a spline nut. The spline nut is set in the inner cavity of the end arm and is also sleeved on the screw shaft. The spline nut is also provided with transmission teeth along the circumference. The spline nut is connected to the second motor located in the inner cavity of the end arm via a second transmission belt. The spline nut can cause the screw shaft to rotate around its axis under the drive of the second motor. The above-mentioned transmission belt can be replaced by a chain in certain circumstances. In this way, the ball screw spline has an additional degree of freedom compared to a simple ball screw, which expands the application range of the robot.

[0101] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0102] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and intent of the present application, and that the scope of the present application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A joint assembly, characterized in that: include: A housing having a sealed mounting cavity disposed therein, and a mounting hole and a first through hole communicating with the sealed mounting cavity disposed on the housing; a working shaft, one end of which is mounted in the sealed mounting cavity, the other end of which extends from the mounting hole, and the working shaft is capable of sliding relative to the housing along the axial direction of the working shaft; a sealing module, installed at the mounting hole, for sealing the gap between the inner side wall of the mounting hole and the working shaft; A dustproof and breathable valve assembly is installed at the first through hole. The dustproof and breathable valve assembly can allow gas to flow between the inside and outside of the shell and can prevent dust from flowing between the inside and outside of the shell.

2. The joint assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The sealing module is located outside the housing and is mounted on the outside of the working shaft. One end of the sealing module is sealed with the housing, and the other end of the sealing module is sealed at the position of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole. When the working shaft slides relative to the housing along the axial direction of the working shaft, the sealing module can follow the working shaft to extend and retract along the axial direction of the working shaft.

3. The joint assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that The sealing module comprises: A fixed module is installed on the portion of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole; A telescopic sleeve is mounted on the outside of the working shaft, with a first end of the telescopic sleeve being sealedly connected to the housing, and the other end of the telescopic sleeve being sealedly mounted on the fixed module; The fixed module can be installed on the working shaft in a completely detachable manner.

4. The joint assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that The telescopic sleeve includes at least one of a bellows, a flexible connecting sleeve and a telescopic tube.

5. The joint assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that The working shaft is capable of rotating relative to the housing, and the fixed module includes: An inner connecting piece is installed on the portion of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole; The outer fixing block is at least partially sleeved and installed on the outer side of the inner connecting member, and the inner connecting member can rotate relative to the outer fixing block along the circumferential direction of the working axis.

6. The joint assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that The fixed module also includes: The bearing is installed between the inner connecting member and the outer fixing block.

7. The joint assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that The inner connecting member includes a fixing portion and a connecting portion, and along the axial direction of the working shaft, the connecting portion is located on a side of the fixing portion away from the housing; The outer fixing block is provided with a receiving hole extending along the axial direction of the working shaft, the connecting portion is located in the receiving hole, and the bearing is installed between the inner side wall of the receiving hole and the connecting portion; Along the axial direction of the working shaft, a positioning protrusion is provided on the side of the accommodating hole close to the shell, and the positioning protrusion abuts against the end face of the bearing close to the shell. A positioning retaining spring is provided on the side of the accommodating hole away from the shell, and the positioning retaining spring abuts against the end face of the bearing away from the shell.

8. The joint assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The working shaft is a hollow shaft, and a sealing plug is provided on one end of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole.

9. The joint assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that The sealing plug is embedded in the working shaft and is flush with the end surface of one end of the working shaft extending out of the mounting hole.

10. The joint assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that Also includes: a panel mounted on the housing, the panel being provided with an electrical interface and a second through hole, the second through hole being in communication with the first through hole; a first sealing member installed between the housing and the panel to seal a gap between the housing and the panel; Wherein, the dustproof and breathable valve group is installed on the panel, located at the second through hole, and communicated with the first through hole.

11. The joint assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The working axis includes a screw shaft, and the joint assembly further includes: A lead screw nut is rotatably mounted in the housing and sleeved on the lead screw shaft, and rotation of the lead screw nut can drive the lead screw shaft to slide relative to the housing along the axial direction of the working shaft; The first motor is connected to the lead screw nut and is used to drive the lead screw nut to rotate.

12. The joint assembly according to claim 11, wherein: The joint assembly further comprises: A spline nut is installed in the housing and sleeved on the screw shaft; The second motor is connected to the spline nut and can drive the spline nut to rotate, thereby driving the screw shaft to rotate.

13. The joint assembly according to claim 12, wherein: A first transmission tooth is provided on the outer side wall of the lead screw nut, and the first transmission tooth is connected to the first motor via a first transmission belt or a first chain; A second transmission tooth is provided on the outer side wall of the spline nut, and the second transmission tooth is connected to the second motor via a second transmission belt or a second chain.

14. The joint assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The housing comprises: An arm, the working shaft is mounted on the arm and is capable of sliding relative to the arm along the axial direction of the working shaft; An outer cover is provided on one side of the arm along the axial direction of the working axis; A bottom shell is provided on the other side of the arm along the axial direction of the working shaft and is sealed with the arm, and the mounting hole is provided on the bottom shell; Wherein, one end of the working shaft is located in the outer cover, and the other end of the working shaft extends from the mounting hole to the outside of the bottom shell; One end of the sealing module is sealed and connected to the bottom shell.

15. A horizontal multi-joint robot, characterized in that: Comprising the joint assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The horizontal multi-joint robot according to claim 15, characterized in that: Also includes: base; A connecting arm, one end of which is rotatably mounted on the base, the other end of which protrudes horizontally from the base, the connecting arm being capable of swinging in a horizontal plane, the joint assembly being mounted on an end of the connecting arm away from the base and being capable of swinging in a horizontal plane relative to the connecting arm.

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