Robot cable with anti-torsion and flexible functions

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the field of cables, and provides a robot cable with anti-torsion and flexible functions, which comprises a cable core formed by twisting a plurality of power wire cores, a plurality of loose tube optical fiber transmission units, an elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core and filling ropes, each power wire core is sequentially provided with a stranded conductor, a reinforcing layer and an insulating layer extruded outside the reinforcing layer from inside to outside; the loose tube optical fiber transmission unit is composed of a signal transmission optical fiber and a temperature measurement optical fiber. Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the advantages that the stranded conductor formed by stranding a plurality of strands of fine copper magnesium alloy wires is matched with the reinforcing layer and the double-layer insulating layer, so that the cable has good insulating property and flexibility, and the cable is ensured to be stable when being bent and twisted; and meanwhile, the anti-torsion performance of the cable is further enhanced by utilizing the anti-torsion reinforcing core, deformation or breakage in the frequent movement process is prevented, the anti-electromagnetic interference capability of the cable is improved by combining the copper magnesium alloy shielding layer, and the durability and the mechanical strength are enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of cables, specifically relating to a robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of industrial automation, robots are being used more and more widely in the manufacturing industry. Whether it is welding, assembly, handling or inspection, robots play an important role in improving production efficiency and product quality. As an important component of robot systems, cables are not only responsible for transmitting power and signals, but also directly affect the robot's motion accuracy and overall reliability.

[0003] Although robotic cables play a crucial role in modern manufacturing, traditional cable designs often have some shortcomings:

[0004] 1. Structural defects: Traditional cables usually use a single material or a simple structure and lack effective anti-torsion design, which makes the cable prone to deformation during frequent movement, eventually leading to breakage.

[0005] 2. Insulation layer damage: During frequent bending and twisting, the insulation layer of the cable will be subjected to greater mechanical stress, which can easily lead to cracks or wear, thereby causing short circuits or signal interference.

[0006] 3. Signal transmission interruption: Frequent bending and twisting can cause the connection points between the cable and the connector to loosen or be damaged, which in turn affects the stable transmission of signals.

[0007] It is evident that these shortcomings severely affect the overall torsional resistance of the cable and pose certain potential failure risks, reducing the flexibility and reliability of the robot cable. Utility Model Content

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the existing technology, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to propose a robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions that has a simple overall structure, high flexibility, excellent anti-torsion performance, and online detection function.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is to propose a robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, comprising a cable core composed of several power cores, several loose tube optical fiber transmission units, an elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core, and a filler rope twisted together. The power cores are arranged sequentially from the inside out as a stranded conductor, a reinforcing layer, and an insulation layer extruded outside the reinforcing layer. The loose tube optical fiber transmission units are composed of signal transmission optical fibers and temperature measurement optical fibers. The elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core is disposed between the power cores and located at the center of the cable core to prevent deformation or breakage of the cable during torsion.

[0010] The cable core is covered from the inside out with a polyester tape layer, a copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer, and a sheath layer.

[0011] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the elastic torque reinforcing core is made of Kevlar fiber material.

[0012] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the insulation layer includes an inner insulation layer and an outer insulation layer that are successively extruded outside the reinforcing layer. The inner insulation layer is made of thermoplastic elastomer material, and the outer insulation layer is made of silicone rubber.

[0013] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the stranding pitch of the stranded conductor is no greater than 8 times the outer diameter of the stranded conductor.

[0014] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, a layer of copper-magnesium alloy wire with a braiding density of more than 60% is woven outside the polyester tape layer.

[0015] In the above-mentioned robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the sheath layer includes a polyurethane inner sheath layer and a polyurethane TPU sheath extruded sequentially outside the copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer. An aramid fiber braided layer is woven outside the polyurethane inner sheath layer, and the polyurethane TPU sheath covers the aramid fiber braided layer.

[0016] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the braiding density of the aramid fiber braided layer is above 90%.

[0017] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the reinforcing layer is made of lightweight non-woven fabric material.

[0018] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the cable core is wrapped with two layers of polyester tape with an overlap rate of more than 20%.

[0019] In the aforementioned robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, the stranded conductor is made of multiple strands of fine copper-magnesium alloy wires.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) The present invention provides a robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions by using a stranded conductor made of multiple strands of fine copper-magnesium alloy wires, combined with a reinforcing layer and a double insulation layer, which gives it good insulation performance and flexibility, ensuring that the cable remains stable when bending and twisting; at the same time, the anti-torsion reinforcing core is used to further enhance the anti-torsion performance of the cable, preventing deformation or breakage during frequent movement; finally, the copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer is combined to improve the cable's anti-electromagnetic interference ability, thereby enhancing the durability and mechanical strength of the robot cable.

[0022] (2) The aramid braided layer has good mechanical properties, excellent flame retardancy, heat resistance and stable chemical properties, ensuring that the cable has sufficient tensile strength.

[0023] (3) The built-in loose tube fiber optic transmission unit not only supports high-speed data transmission, but also performs real-time temperature monitoring, which provides convenient conditions for the maintenance of robot cables; at the same time, the use of wear-resistant, oil-resistant and high-temperature resistant polyurethane TPU material further extends the service life of the cable and reduces maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this application.

[0025] In the diagram, 1 is the power conductor; 10 is the stranded conductor; 11 is the reinforcing layer; 12 is the insulation layer; 120 is the inner insulation layer; 121 is the outer insulation layer; 2 is the loose tube fiber optic transmission unit; 3 is the elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core; 4 is the filler rope; 5 is the polyester tape layer; 6 is the copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer; 7 is the sheath layer; 70 is the polyurethane inner sheath layer; 71 is the polyurethane TPU sheath; and 8 is the aramid fiber braided layer. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0027] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0028] like Figure 1As shown, this utility model discloses a robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, comprising: a cable core consisting of several power cores 1, several loose tube optical fiber transmission units 2, an elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core 3, and a filler rope 4 twisted together. The power cores 1 are arranged from the inside out with a stranded conductor 10, a reinforcing layer 11, and an insulation layer 12 extruded outside the reinforcing layer 11. The loose tube optical fiber transmission units 2 are composed of signal transmission optical fibers and temperature measurement optical fibers. The elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core 3 is disposed between the power cores 1 and located at the center of the cable core to prevent deformation or breakage during torsion. The cable core is covered from the inside out with a polyester tape layer 5, a copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer 6, and a sheath layer 7.

[0029] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, three power conductors 1 are twisted together to form the required cable core (i.e., a three-core cable structure; of course, the cable can be designed as a multi-core structure to meet the power transmission requirements). The twisted conductor 10 in the power conductor 1 is responsible for power transmission, the reinforcing layer 11 further protects the conductor from physical damage, and the insulation layer 12 extruded on the outside ensures electrical safety and prevents leakage and other electrical faults. Preferably, the loose tube fiber optic transmission unit 2 in this embodiment includes a signal transmission fiber and a temperature measurement fiber. The signal transmission fiber is responsible for data transmission, ensuring stable and accurate control signals. The temperature measurement fiber monitors the internal temperature of the cable in real time, helping to prevent overheating. The elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core 3 is located at the center of the cable core, providing additional support to resist torsional forces and reducing the risk of deformation or breakage caused by frequent bending or twisting, thereby extending the cable's service life. The cable core is then wrapped with a polyester tape layer 5, a copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer 6, and a sheath layer 7 in sequence. The polyester tape layer 5 provides initial protection, isolating external substances from direct contact with the cable core. The copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer 6 effectively shields electromagnetic interference, ensuring signal purity. Finally, the sheath layer 7 provides the outermost layer of wear-resistant and oil-resistant protection for the entire cable, adapting to harsh working environments. As can be seen, the above multi-layered design not only improves the cable's torsional resistance but also enhances its stability in harsh environments, reduces maintenance frequency and costs, and increases safety during use by adopting multi-layer insulation and shielding design, reducing the risk of electrical faults. This design enables the cable to have both good flexibility to adapt to complex motion trajectories and excellent tensile and torsional resistance, meeting the high standards of modern industrial robots for cable performance.

[0030] To enhance torsional resistance, the elastic torsional reinforcing core 3, located at the center of the cable core, is made of Kevlar fiber. Due to its high strength and low elongation, Kevlar fiber effectively absorbs and disperses external forces when the cable undergoes bending or twisting, thanks to its excellent tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. This reduces pressure and damage to the power core 1 and other internal components. Consequently, the cable frequently bends and twists during robot movement. The flexibility and strength of Kevlar fiber allow it to adapt flexibly to changes in cable shape, maintaining the overall stability and integrity of the cable structure. Compared to traditional metal torsional elements, Kevlar fiber has a higher strength-to-weight ratio, reducing the overall weight of the cable while maintaining the same or even better torsional performance. This makes it more suitable for high-end robotic systems requiring high flexibility and precise control.

[0031] The insulating layer 12 includes an inner insulating layer 120 and an outer insulating layer 121 that are successively extruded onto the outside of the reinforcing layer 11. The inner insulating layer 120 is made of thermoplastic elastomer material, and the outer insulating layer 121 is made of silicone rubber.

[0032] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 As shown, after the stranded conductor 10 is stranded and formed, an reinforcing layer can be wrapped around its outside. Preferably, in this embodiment, the reinforcing layer 11 is made of lightweight non-woven fabric material, which serves a protective function. It should be noted that in this embodiment, double insulation layers 12 (i.e., inner insulation layer 120 and outer insulation layer 121) are extruded sequentially onto the reinforcing layer. The inner insulation layer 120 is made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material. Due to its good flexibility and wear resistance, TPE material can effectively prevent short circuits and other electrical faults, while adapting to changes in the cable when bending and twisting. The outer insulation layer 121 is made of silicone rubber. Silicone rubber itself has excellent high temperature resistance, cold resistance, and excellent UV resistance and anti-aging properties, which enables the cable to operate stably for a long time even in harsh environments. Therefore, the combination of TPE and silicone rubber ensures both the flexibility of the cable and provides sufficient mechanical strength, enabling it to withstand frequent bending and torsion without easily being damaged, thus extending the cable's service life. Furthermore, the combination of inner and outer layers of insulation materials with different properties not only improves the overall insulation performance of the cable but also enhances its ability to resist external electromagnetic interference, ensuring the safety and stability of power transmission.

[0033] Preferably, in this embodiment, the stranded conductor 10 is made of multiple strands of fine copper-magnesium alloy wire, which can better adapt to the use environment of frequent bending and torsion, reduce internal stress concentration, and reduce the risk of breakage. Preferably, in this embodiment, the stranding pitch of the stranded conductor 10 is not greater than 8 times the outer diameter of the stranded conductor 10. A smaller stranding pitch means that the winding between individual wires is tighter. While reducing the single wire movement distance and friction during bending, it also allows the stranded conductor 10 to better adapt to deformation when subjected to bending or torsion, reduce internal stress concentration, and thus improve the overall flexibility and bending resistance of the cable.

[0034] More preferably, the loose tube optical fiber transmission unit 2 is placed between the filler ropes 4 and twisted together with the power core 1 to form a cable. After the cable is formed, it has a round appearance and a compact structure. Two layers of polyester tape 5 with an overlap rate of more than 20% are overlapped and wrapped around the cable core, which effectively increases the mechanical strength of the cable, provides better tensile and tear resistance, and reduces the impact of external physical damage on the internal cable core. The tight structure formed by the double wrapping can effectively block the intrusion of moisture and water, and prevent the internal cable core from corrosion or short circuit due to moisture.

[0035] The polyester tape layer 5 is woven with a layer of copper-magnesium alloy wire with a weaving density of over 60%.

[0036] More preferably, copper-magnesium alloy wire of suitable specifications and materials is selected according to the cable design requirements. Copper-magnesium alloy is widely used in shielding layers due to its good conductivity and tensile strength. Specialized braiding equipment is used to braid the copper-magnesium alloy wire into a mesh structure, which is then placed over the polyester tape layer 5, ensuring a braiding density of 60% or more. This means that at least 60% of each square centimeter area is covered by copper-magnesium alloy wire, effectively blocking external electromagnetic interference (EMI) while preventing internal signal leakage. This highly efficient shielding capability ensures the stable operation of the cable in complex electromagnetic environments. Throughout the braiding process, the braiding density, uniformity, and tension of the copper-magnesium alloy wire must be strictly monitored to ensure the consistency and reliability of the final product.

[0037] The sheath layer 7 includes a polyurethane inner sheath layer 70 and a polyurethane TPU sheath 71, which are extruded sequentially outside the copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer. An aramid fiber braided layer 8 is woven outside the polyurethane inner sheath layer 70 and is covered by the polyurethane TPU sheath 71.

[0038] More preferably, in this embodiment, a polyurethane inner sheath layer 70 is first extruded over the copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer, and an aramid filament braided layer 8 with a density of not less than 90% is braided on the outside. Aramid filament has good mechanical properties, excellent flame retardancy, heat resistance and stable chemical properties, and is known for its high strength and high toughness. The copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer not only enhances the cable's tensile strength, but also resists cutting and impact, significantly improving the cable's mechanical strength. As the outermost sheath, the polyurethane TPU sheath 71 provides additional wear resistance and weather resistance, and relies on the material's high elasticity and low temperature resistance to further enhance the cable's protective capabilities, enabling the robot cable to play a highly elastic and wear-resistant role during cable winding and unwinding.

[0039] It should be noted that, for the high-strength loose tube optical fiber transmission unit 2, this embodiment also uses a high-strength aramid fiber braided layer 8 with a braiding density of not less than 90% inside the loose tube optical fiber. The use of this high-strength aramid fiber braided layer 8 can significantly improve the overall tensile strength of the optical fiber transmission unit. The high-density braiding of more than 90% means that more fibers are intertwined, forming a strong protective net, which effectively prevents the optical fiber from breaking when subjected to external tension. This also makes the aramid fiber itself have extremely high wear resistance, which can withstand the friction and impact caused by the frequent movement of the robotic arm, thus extending the service life of the optical fiber transmission unit.

[0040] It should be noted that in this invention, the use of terms such as "first," "second," and "a" is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. The terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly specified. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0042] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A robotic cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions, characterized in that, include: The cable core is composed of several power conductors, several loose tube optical fiber transmission units, elastic anti-torsion reinforcing cores, and filler ropes twisted together. The power conductors are provided with stranded conductors, reinforcing layers, and insulation layers extruded outside the reinforcing layers from the inside out. The loose tube fiber optic transmission unit is composed of signal transmission fiber and temperature measurement fiber; the elastic anti-torsion reinforcing core is disposed between several power cores and located at the center of the cable core to prevent the cable from deforming or breaking during torsion. The cable core is covered from the inside out with a polyester tape layer, a copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer, and a sheath layer.

2. The robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic anti-torsional reinforcing core is made of Kevlar fiber material.

3. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulating layer includes an inner insulating layer and an outer insulating layer that are successively extruded onto the outside of the reinforcing layer. The inner insulating layer is made of thermoplastic elastomer material, and the outer insulating layer is made of silicone rubber.

4. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stranding pitch of the stranded conductor is not greater than 8 times the outer diameter of the stranded conductor.

5. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The polyester tape layer is woven with a layer of copper-magnesium alloy wire with a weaving density of more than 60%.

6. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sheath layer includes a polyurethane inner sheath layer and a polyurethane TPU sheath extruded sequentially outside the copper-magnesium alloy shielding layer. An aramid fiber braided layer is woven outside the polyurethane inner sheath layer and is covered by the polyurethane TPU sheath.

7. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 6, characterized in that, The braiding density of the aramid yarn braided layer is above 90%.

8. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing layer is made of lightweight non-woven fabric.

9. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cable core is wrapped with two layers of polyester tape with an overlap rate of more than 20%.

10. A robot cable with anti-torsion and flexibility functions according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The stranded conductor is made of multiple strands of fine copper-magnesium alloy wire.

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