A maintenance-free leak-proof bearing for humanoid robots and industrial robots
By utilizing the microporous structure and capillary action of plastic oil bearings, the problem of lubricant leakage in robot joint bearings has been solved, achieving maintenance-free and efficient lubrication, suitable for various robots and industrial equipment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANGHAI LIANYI BEARING TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
The liquid lubricant in traditional robot joint bearings is prone to leakage, leading to lubrication failure, environmental pollution, and increased maintenance costs, especially affecting production efficiency in environments with strict hygiene requirements.
Using plastic oil as a lubricant, the lubricant is dynamically released and recycled through microporous structure and capillary action to form a lubricating film, avoiding leakage and frequent maintenance.
It reduces maintenance costs, avoids environmental pollution, improves the reliability and operating efficiency of robots, and is suitable for a variety of complex environments.
Smart Images
Figure CN224433157U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This technical solution belongs to the field of mechanical engineering, specifically at the intersection of precision mechanical components and robotics technology. It involves a long-lasting self-lubricating joint bearing technology, which is applicable to intelligent robot transmission systems. Background Technology
[0002] Industrial robots and humanoid robots play a crucial role in modern manufacturing and intelligent services. As one of their core components, robot joint bearings bear the important responsibility of enabling flexible joint movement and precise control. Traditional robot joint bearings typically use liquid oil or grease as lubricant; however, this method presents several challenges. Liquid lubricants are prone to leakage, leading to lubrication failure and even bearing damage. Furthermore, they can contaminate the robot's working environment, especially in environments with stringent hygiene requirements such as food processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing. In addition, frequent lubrication replenishment not only increases maintenance costs but also potentially extends robot downtime, reducing production efficiency. Therefore, developing a robot joint bearing that effectively solves the lubricant leakage problem and achieves maintenance-free operation is of paramount importance. Utility Model Content
[0003] The present invention aims to provide a robot joint bearing that uses microporous plastic oil as a lubricant, eliminating the need for frequent oiling or lubrication. This not only reduces maintenance costs and avoids environmental pollution, but also significantly improves the reliability and operating efficiency of the robot.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:
[0005] The plastic-body oil bearing for industrial robots and humanoid robots provided by this utility model mainly consists of an outer ring, an inner ring, rolling elements, a cage (with or without), and plastic-body oil. The plastic-body oil is primarily used to lubricate the rolling elements; it can be embedded in the cage or surround the rolling elements. Furthermore, the plastic-body oil maintains contact with the outer ring, inner ring, and rolling elements. Utilizing microporous capillary action, dynamic release and recovery of the lubricating oil are achieved, forming a lubricating film during operation and returning to storage when stationary. This innovative design effectively solves the problems of easy leakage and contamination, as well as frequent maintenance, associated with traditional liquid lubricants.
[0006] The plastic-formulated oil uses polymers such as polyethylene (PE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyimide, or PEEK as the base material. After mixing with lubricating oil and additives, it undergoes a heat-curing process to form a lubricating medium with microporous oil-containing properties. Its internal micropores can adsorb saturated lubricating oil and store it within the polymer micropores through surface tension. During operation, the lubricating oil migrates to the friction pair surface through capillary action within the micropores, forming a lubricating oil film. When operation stops, the lubricating oil is re-adsorbed into the polymer and stored.
[0007] The rolling elements of the bearing can adopt various structural forms such as steel balls, cylindrical rollers, and tapered rollers. The most suitable rolling element form can be selected according to the application scenario and load requirements. Furthermore, the outer ring and inner ring can be designed as a single structure or as separate structures. The separate structure is convenient in terms of installation and maintenance, while the single structure has higher rigidity and strength.
[0008] Furthermore, the cage can be a full-circle structure or an isolated structure, with plastic oil embedded in the middle of the cage. The plastic oil directly contacts the rollers to provide more adequate lubrication. The shape and size of the cage are designed according to the form and distribution of the rolling elements, with the aim of ensuring that the rolling elements can be evenly distributed between the outer and inner rings, while reducing friction and noise generation.
[0009] Furthermore, the bearings can be designed into different structural forms according to actual needs, such as thin-walled bearings, ball bearings, tapered / cylindrical / arc roller bearings, double-row roller bearings, triple-row roller bearings, crossed roller bearings, etc., to meet the diverse needs of different robot joints in terms of motion requirements and load requirements.
[0010] Furthermore, the bearing can be applied to different reduction mechanisms according to actual needs, including harmonic reducers, planetary reducers, RV reducers, etc.; in addition to robot joints, it can also be used in industrial equipment such as engineering machinery and cranes. The plastic oil bearing for industrial robots and humanoid robots provided by this utility model has the following significant advantages:
[0011] Superior self-lubricating properties: Plastic oil can automatically form a lubricating film during bearing operation, effectively reducing friction between rolling elements, greatly reducing wear, and thus significantly extending the service life of the bearing.
[0012] Non-polluting characteristics: Plastic oil particles are not easily lost or volatilized, so they will not pollute the environment and fully meet environmental protection requirements. They are especially suitable for working environments with extremely high hygiene requirements.
[0013] Maintenance-free advantage: Due to the inherent lubrication advantages of the plastic oil particles, the bearings do not require frequent addition or replacement of lubricant during operation, which not only reduces maintenance costs and manpower input, but also improves the operating efficiency of the robot.
[0014] High adaptability: Plastic oil particles can continuously provide stable and long-lasting lubrication performance under various complex environmental conditions, making them suitable for different robot application scenarios and working environments.
[0015] Diverse and flexible structure: Bearings can be designed with different rolling elements and structures to flexibly meet the diverse needs of different robot joints in terms of motion and load requirements. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the harmonic reducer of this utility model;
[0017] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the double-row roller bearing mentioned in this utility model;
[0018] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the double-row roller bearing mentioned in this utility model;
[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the thin-walled bearing structure mentioned in this utility model;
[0020] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the thin-walled bearing structure mentioned in this utility model;
[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the thin-walled bearing cage inlaid with plastic oil structure mentioned in this utility model.
[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the planetary reducer of this utility model;
[0023] The attached figures are labeled as follows:
[0024] 1. Harmonic reducer; 2. Double row roller bearing; 3. Thin-walled bearing; 8. Planetary reducer; 9. Deep groove ball / angular contact ball bearing; 10. Tapered roller bearing; 100. Outer ring; 200. Inner ring; 300. Rolling elements; 400. Cage; 500. Plastic oil. Detailed Implementation
[0025] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and relevant knowledge, striving for clarity and completeness. It should be noted that the described application examples are merely a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them.
[0026] Example 1: A maintenance-free, leak-proof bearing (crossed roller bearing) for humanoid robots and industrial robots.
[0027] In this embodiment, the bearing is a crossed roller bearing. (Refer to...) Figures 1 to 3 The crossed roller bearing provided in this embodiment is suitable for robot joints with limited space but requiring high rigidity and load-bearing capacity. The bearing consists of an outer ring 100, an inner ring 200, rolling elements 300, and a plastic lubricant 500. It employs a full-row roller structure without an internal cage. The plastic lubricant is injected into the gap between the inner and outer rings of the bearing via injection molding. The plastic lubricant is used to lubricate the rolling elements and coats them.
[0028] Plasticized oil is a lubricating medium with microporous oil-containing properties, formed by mixing polymers such as polyethylene (PE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyimide, or PEEK with lubricating oil and additives, followed by heat curing. The internal micropores can adsorb saturated lubricating oil and store it within the polymer micropores through surface tension. During operation, the lubricating oil migrates to the friction pair surface through capillary action within the micropores, forming a lubricating oil film. When operation stops, the lubricating oil is re-adsorbed into the polymer and stored.
[0029] Example 2: A maintenance-free, leak-proof bearing (thin-wall bearing) for humanoid robots and industrial robots.
[0030] In this embodiment, the maintenance-free bearing is specifically a thin-walled bearing. (Refer to...) Figure 1 as well as Figures 4 to 6 The thin-walled bearing provided in this embodiment is suitable for the sixth joint of an industrial robot, located in the position of a flexspline. The bearing consists of an outer ring 100, an inner ring 200, rolling elements 300, a cage 400, and a plastic lubricant 500. The plastic lubricant is applied to the bearing cage via injection molding or compression molding; the cage 400 acts as a skeleton, its outer side wrapped with the plastic lubricant 500; the plastic lubricant is used to lubricate the rolling elements and is also applied around them. During installation, the rolling elements are first placed between the inner and outer rings of the bearing; then, the cage, wrapped with plastic lubricant, is completely embedded into the bearing, allowing the plastic lubricant to contact the rolling elements, and the rolling of the rolling elements transfers the plastic lubricant to the raceways.
[0031] Plasticized oil is a lubricating medium with microporous oil-containing properties, formed by mixing polymers such as polyethylene (PE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyimide, or PEEK with lubricating oil and additives, followed by heat curing. The internal micropores can adsorb saturated lubricating oil and store it within the polymer micropores through surface tension. During operation, the lubricating oil migrates to the friction pair surface through capillary action within the micropores, forming a lubricating oil film. When operation stops, the lubricating oil is re-adsorbed into the polymer and stored.
[0032] Example 3: A maintenance-free, leak-proof bearing (deep groove ball / angular contact ball bearing) for humanoid robots and industrial robots.
[0033] In this embodiment, the bearing is applied to a robot joint axis, which is a multi-stage planetary reducer. See also... Figure 7 The leak-proof deep groove ball / angular contact ball bearing provided in this embodiment consists of an outer ring 100, an inner ring 200, rolling elements 300, a cage 400, and a plastic lubricant 500. The plastic lubricant is injected into the gap between the inner and outer rings of the bearing via injection molding. The plastic lubricant lubricates the rolling elements and surrounds them. Simultaneously, a sealing device is added to the outside of the bearing to prevent external impurities from entering the bearing. The plastic lubricant lubricates the rolling elements and is embedded around them.
[0034] Plasticized oil is a lubricating medium with microporous oil-containing properties, formed by mixing polymers such as polyethylene (PE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyimide, or PEEK with lubricating oil and additives, followed by heat curing. The internal micropores can adsorb saturated lubricating oil and store it within the polymer micropores through surface tension. During operation, the lubricating oil migrates to the friction pair surface through capillary action within the micropores, forming a lubricating oil film. When operation stops, the lubricating oil is re-adsorbed into the polymer and stored.
[0035] Example 4: A maintenance-free, leak-proof bearing (tapered roller bearing) for humanoid robots and industrial robots.
[0036] In this embodiment, the bearing is applied to a robot joint axis, which is a multi-stage planetary reducer. See also... Figure 7 The leak-proof tapered roller bearing 10 provided in this embodiment consists of an outer ring 100, an inner ring 200, rolling elements 300, a cage 400, and a plastic oil 500. The plastic oil is injected into the gap between the inner and outer rings of the bearing by injection molding. The plastic oil is used to lubricate the rolling elements and it coats the rolling elements.
[0037] Plasticized oil is a lubricating medium with microporous oil-containing properties, formed by mixing polymers such as polyethylene (PE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyimide, or PEEK with lubricating oil and additives, followed by heat curing. The internal micropores can adsorb saturated lubricating oil and store it within the polymer micropores through surface tension. During operation, the lubricating oil migrates to the friction pair surface through capillary action within the micropores, forming a lubricating oil film. When operation stops, the lubricating oil is re-adsorbed into the polymer and stored.
[0038] The plastic oil bearing / plastic oil block inlay mentioned in this utility model can be used not only in robot joints, but also in industrial equipment such as engineering machinery and cranes.
[0039] The technical principles of this utility model have been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments are merely preferred implementations of this utility model. The protection scope of this utility model is by no means limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions derived from the concept of this utility model should be covered within the protection scope of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can conceive of other specific implementations of this utility model without creative effort, and these methods will also fall within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. A maintenance-free leak-proof bearing for humanoid robots and industrial robots, characterized by, It includes an outer ring, an inner ring, rolling elements, and a plastic oil. The plastic oil is used for lubrication of the rolling elements. The plastic oil uses polyethylene (PE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyimide, or PEEK polymer as the base material. After being mixed with lubricating oil and additives, it is heated and solidified to form microporous oil-containing lubricating particles. The micropores inside adsorb saturated lubricating oil and are stored in the polymer micropores by surface tension. During operation, the lubricating oil moves to the friction pair surface under the action of microporous capillaries under the influence of extrusion and heat, forming a lubricating oil film. When the operation stops, the lubricating oil is re-adsorbed into the polymer and stored.
2. A maintenance-free leak-proof bearing for humanoid robots and industrial robots as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The rolling elements of the bearing are steel balls, cylindrical rollers, or tapered rollers. The appropriate rolling element type is selected according to the application scenario and load requirements. The outer ring and inner ring are integral or separate structures.
3. A maintenance-free leak-proof bearing for humanoid robots and industrial robots as claimed in claim 1, wherein, It also includes a cage, which is a full-circle or isolated structure; the cage is inlaid with a plastic oil in the middle, which directly contacts the rollers to provide more adequate lubrication; the shape and size of the cage are designed according to the form and distribution of the rolling elements to ensure that the rolling elements are evenly distributed between the outer and inner rings.
4. A maintenance-free leak-proof bearing for humanoid robots and industrial robots as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The bearings are designed in different structural forms as needed, including thin-walled bearings, ball bearings, tapered / cylindrical / arc roller bearings, double-row roller bearings, triple-row roller bearings, and crossed roller bearings.
5. A maintenance-free leak-proof bearing for humanoid robots and industrial robots as claimed in claim 1, wherein, It is used in various speed reduction mechanisms, including harmonic reducers, planetary reducers, and RV reducers; as well as in engineering machinery, cranes, and other industrial equipment.