Robot r-axis air circuit layout structure based on bearing follow-up anti-friction

Abstract

The utility model relates to photoelectric display technical field, concretely relates to a kind of robot R axis gas circuit circuit layout structure based on bearing follow-up anti-friction, including R axis rotating part, coaxially arranged gas path transition cylinder and circuit transition cylinder.The upper and lower ends of gas path transition cylinder are each provided with rotary joint, realize the 360 continuous rotation of external fixed gas path and mobile gas path;The port of circuit transition cylinder is built-in bearing, wire harness is arranged therein, avoid the relative motion of wire harness and cylinder when R axis rotates.Gas pipe leading to R axis is arranged in U type overhanging in gas path transition cylinder, bending radius is greater than or equal to 8 times pipe diameter, does not contact cylinder wall;Wire harness is covered with dustproof cover, and bearing inner ring is interference fit.The utility model solves the friction, abrasion and dust production problem of R axis gas path and circuit by innovative collaborative layout, improves reliability and meets the requirement of high-end manufacturing, with good economic benefit and application prospect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of optoelectronic display technology, specifically to a robot R-axis pneumatic circuit layout structure based on bearing follow-up anti-friction. Background Technology

[0002] In high-end manufacturing industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, production processes often need to be carried out in high-level cleanrooms (such as ISO Class 5 and above). Any tiny contaminant, especially metal or plastic dust, can cause a sharp drop in product yield and result in huge economic losses. Therefore, automated equipment used in these environments, such as industrial robots, must have extremely high dust and contamination resistance.

[0003] Currently, the wiring methods for the R-axis pneumatic circuits (controlling end effectors, such as vacuum suction cups or cylinders) and electrical circuits (controlling sensors, valve islands, etc.) of most robots in the industry are relatively simple and crude, mainly adopting the following two traditional solutions:

[0004] 1. Fixed cable bundling:

[0005] This is the most common traditional method. Specifically, the air tubes and cable bundles are laid directly along the outer surface of the robot's arm along the R-axis and securely fastened to the arm using fasteners such as nylon cable ties, metal clamps, or fixing clips. When the robot's R-axis rotates 360° in both directions, these fixed cable bundles will experience continuous and large-area sliding friction and scraping against the surface of the robot arm.

[0006] 2. Semi-dynamic protective cabling:

[0007] To provide some protection for the pipelines, some solutions involve covering the pipeline bundle with a corrugated pipe or flexible protective sleeve before fixing it to the arm. While this method avoids direct mechanical damage to the pipelines, it does not change the fundamental relationship between them and the robot arm; friction still exists between the protective sleeve and the arm.

[0008] The aforementioned existing technical solutions have the following main drawbacks:

[0009] Dust contamination is generated: Prolonged physical friction between pipelines (especially cable sheaths and corrugated pipes) and metal arms inevitably produces abrasive debris. This debris is mostly micron-sized plastic or rubber particles, and sometimes even metal particles due to friction. These particles are directly released into the cleanroom environment, becoming a core source of product contamination risk and seriously violating the operating principles of cleanrooms.

[0010] Poor reliability and high failure rate:

[0011] For the air circuit: Frequent friction can cause the surface of the air tube to wear and thin, eventually leading to rupture and air leakage, causing the end effector to fail. The vibration generated by friction may also cause the tube joints to loosen, resulting in a decrease in airtightness.

[0012] For electrical circuits: Damaged cable insulation can lead to short circuits, signal interference, or open circuits, causing equipment malfunctions or shutdowns. In environments containing flammable gases, short circuits can even cause safety accidents.

[0013] High maintenance costs: To ensure cleanliness, the area around the equipment requires frequent cleaning, increasing labor and maintenance costs. At the same time, frequent replacement of air hoses and cables due to wear and tear not only increases spare parts costs but also leads to more production downtime, reducing overall equipment efficiency (OEE).

[0014] In summary, the existing pipeline layout for the robot's R-axis fundamentally contradicts the requirements of high-cleanliness environments. The industry urgently needs an innovative pipeline layout solution that can fundamentally eliminate friction and achieve "zero dust" generation to meet the stringent reliability and cleanliness requirements of high-end manufacturing. This utility model was developed in response to this technological background. Utility Model Content

[0015] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model discloses a robot R-axis pneumatic circuit layout structure based on bearing follow-up anti-friction, which is used to solve the problems mentioned above in the background technology.

[0016] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0017] This utility model provides a robot R-axis pneumatic circuit layout structure based on bearing follow-up anti-friction, including an R-axis rotating part, and further including: a pneumatic transition cylinder and a circuit transition cylinder arranged coaxially;

[0018] The upper and lower ends of the air passage transition cylinder are each provided with at least one rotary joint. The external fixed air passage is connected to the movable air passage leading to the R-axis rotating part through the rotary joint, so as to realize 360° continuous rotation of the air passage connection end.

[0019] Bearings are built into both the upper and lower ports of the circuit transition cylinder. The wire harness leading to the R-axis rotation part passes through the inner hole of the bearing, so that there is no relative movement between the wire harness and the circuit transition cylinder when the R-axis rotates.

[0020] The air pipe leading to the R-axis rotation section is arranged in a U-shaped suspended manner with free margin in the air passage transition cylinder, and its bending radius is not less than 8 times the pipe diameter, and it does not contact the cylinder wall.

[0021] The outer layer of the wiring harness is covered with a dust-free protective sleeve, and the protective sleeve is interference-fitted with the inner ring of the bearing.

[0022] Furthermore, the gas path transition cylinder is provided with three rotary joints at each of its upper and lower ends, for a total of six joints, which are evenly distributed in a ring.

[0023] Furthermore, the rotary joint adopts a floating sealing structure, including a PTFE sealing ring and a stainless steel spring, with a pressure resistance of not less than 1MPa.

[0024] Furthermore, the bearing is a deep groove ball bearing.

[0025] Furthermore, the dust-free protective cover is a medical-grade silicone cover.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0027] This invention eliminates sliding friction between pipelines and the robotic arm through a rotary joint in the air passage and a follow-up design of the circuit bearing, reducing dust particles (≥0.5μm) from approximately 2000 particles / m³. 3 Reduced to 5 particles / m 3 The following features mitigate cleanroom contamination. They offer high cleanroom compatibility, meeting ISO Class 5 and above standards, and are suitable for the semiconductor, precision optics, and biopharmaceutical industries. Significantly improved reliability is achieved through airflow prevention of wear and kinking, ensuring long-term sealing; zero relative movement in the circuitry prevents insulation wear, short circuits, and other issues, extending wiring harness lifespan. Effectively reduced maintenance costs are minimized by reducing pipeline replacement and cleaning frequency, extending maintenance cycles, reducing downtime, improving OEE, and lowering operating costs. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pneumatic circuit layout structure of the R-axis of a robot based on bearing-driven anti-friction.

[0030] The labels in the diagram represent:

[0031] 1. Circuit transition cylinder; 2. Bearing; 3. Air passage transition cylinder; 4. R-axis rotating part. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0033] This embodiment provides a pneumatic circuit layout structure for the R-axis of a robot based on bearing-driven anti-friction. Its overall structure is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it mainly includes an R-axis rotating part, an air path transition cylinder, and an electrical circuit transition cylinder. The air path transition cylinder and the electrical circuit transition cylinder are coaxially fixed and installed to form an integrated anti-friction module.

[0034] Specific implementation method of the gas path section:

[0035] The gas path transition cylinder is a hollow cylindrical structure made of aluminum alloy, with an anodized surface to improve wear and corrosion resistance. It has six evenly distributed mounting holes on its upper and lower ends, totaling six rotary joints. These rotary joints are securely fixed to the cylinder wall via threaded connections.

[0036] Each rotary joint employs a floating sealing structure, the core of which includes a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) sealing ring and a stainless steel elastic compensation spring. This structure ensures a good seal throughout ±360° infinite rotation, and its design pressure resistance is no less than 1MPa, making it suitable for most industrial pneumatic applications.

[0037] The air hose (usually PU or nylon) from an external fixed air source is connected to the fixed end of the lower rotary joint. The movable air hose leading to the R-axis rotating part (such as the cylinder of the end effector) is connected to the rotating end of the upper rotary joint. The two air hose sections are connected inside the air passage transition cylinder by a U-shaped metal or plastic adapter, thus making the internal air hose a U-shaped overhanging structure with free space. The bending radius R of this U-shape is strictly controlled to be ≥8 times the outer diameter of the air hose to ensure smooth airflow and avoid stress concentration and lifespan reduction caused by creases. Crucially, the entire internal air hose section is completely in a free-hanging state and does not come into contact with the inner wall of the air passage transition cylinder.

[0038] Specific implementation of the circuit section:

[0039] The circuit transition cylinder is also a cylindrical structure and is installed on one side of the air passage transition cylinder. A deep groove ball bearing is pressed into each of its upper and lower ports. In this embodiment, a standard model 608ZZ bearing is preferably used, with an inner diameter of 8mm, an outer diameter of 22mm, and a width of 7mm, which can withstand a certain radial load and provide smooth rotation.

[0040] The wiring harness (including power cables, signal cables, encoder cables, etc.) leading to the R-axis rotating parts (such as servo motors, sensors, etc.) is threaded from bottom to top through the inner bores of the two bearings. The wiring harness is tightly wrapped with a medical-grade silicone dust-free protective sleeve, approximately 1.5mm thick, with a smooth surface and a coefficient of friction ≤0.2. The outer diameter of this protective sleeve is interference-fitted with the inner ring of the bearing, thus rigidly connecting the wiring harness to the bearing inner ring as a single unit.

[0041] Work process and beneficial effects:

[0042] When the robot's R-axis rotating part rotates:

[0043] 1. Air circuit: Power is transmitted through the rotation function of the rotary joint. The internal U-shaped air tube only undergoes slight adaptive deformation with the joint, without twisting or friction, which completely solves the problem of friction and wear between the air tube and the arm in the traditional method.

[0044] 2. Circuit aspect: Since the wiring harness is fixed to the inner ring of the bearing via a protective sleeve, and the outer ring of the bearing is fixed to the circuit transition cylinder, when the R-axis rotates, the wiring harness and the inner ring of the bearing rotate synchronously, creating rolling friction between them and the fixed outer ring of the bearing and the circuit transition cylinder. Compared to the traditional sliding friction between the wiring harness and the metal hole, this greatly reduces the frictional torque, achieving a near-zero relative motion anti-friction effect.

[0045] 3. Synergistic Dust Prevention: The anti-friction design of the air and electrical circuits complement each other. The sealing of the rotary joint and the bearing (usually with a dust cover, such as the ZZ suffix indicating a double-sided metal dust cover) work together, along with the interference fit of the silicone protective sleeve, to form a multi-layer sealing system that effectively prevents the generation and leakage of plastic or metal dust.

[0046] Actual measurements show that in a Class 100 (ISO Class 5) cleanroom, after 72 hours of operation, the number of dust particles with a diameter ≥0.5μm in the surrounding space of a robot equipped with this structure decreased from over 2000 particles / cubic meter in traditional structures to below 5 particles / cubic meter, fully meeting the environmental requirements for high-end semiconductor equipment manufacturing. Simultaneously, the gas path leakage failure rate is significantly reduced, the wiring harness lifespan is expected to exceed 100,000 hours, and the equipment maintenance cycle is significantly extended.

[0047] This invention innovatively combines an array of rotary joints for air circuits and a follow-up structure for electrical bearings to achieve a "zero-friction" layout for the air circuit and electrical circuit of the robot's R-axis, fundamentally solving the industry pain point of dust generation due to cable friction in cleanroom environments.

[0048] This invention fundamentally and significantly reduces dust generation: by employing a core design of a rotary air connector and a follow-up bearing in the circuit, physical sliding friction between the pipeline and the robot arm is completely eliminated. Actual measurement data shows that this structure can significantly reduce the number of suspended dust particles with a diameter ≥0.5μm generated during robot operation from approximately 2000 particles / cubic meter under traditional wiring schemes to below 5 particles / cubic meter, thereby greatly alleviating the pollution problem in cleanroom environments.

[0049] This invention possesses excellent compatibility with high-cleanliness environments: due to its extremely low dust generation characteristics, robots equipped with this structure can be stably applied in production processes with extremely high cleanliness requirements, meeting the cleanroom environment requirements of ISO Class 5 (formerly Class 100) or even higher standards (such as ISO Class 3), and are suitable for high-end industries such as semiconductor wafer manufacturing, precision optics, and biomedicine.

[0050] This invention significantly improves system reliability and service life:

[0051] Regarding the air circuit: it avoids wear and kinking of the air tubes, and the floating sealing structure of the rotary joint ensures the long-term sealing of the air circuit, thereby reducing the occurrence rate of air circuit leaks and other failures caused by friction to an extremely low level.

[0052] In terms of circuitry: the zero-relative-motion rolling friction mode between the wire harness and the channel avoids wear on the insulation layer, effectively preventing problems such as short circuits, open circuits and signal interference, thus significantly extending the service life of the wire harness.

[0053] This invention effectively reduces overall maintenance costs: by eliminating the source of friction, it not only reduces the frequency of pipeline replacement but also eliminates the need for frequent maintenance work to clean friction dust, thus extending the preventive maintenance cycle of the equipment, reducing downtime, improving overall equipment efficiency (OEE), and reducing operating costs in the long run.

[0054] In summary, this utility model, through an innovative collaborative layout structure, simultaneously solves the problems of friction, wear, and dust generation in the air and electrical circuits of the robot's R-axis. While improving the reliability of the equipment itself, it also meets the stringent requirements of high-end manufacturing for the production environment, demonstrating good economic benefits and application prospects.

[0055] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A pneumatic circuit layout structure for the R-axis of a robot based on bearing-driven anti-friction, comprising an R-axis rotating part, characterized in that, Also includes: The air passage transition cylinder and the circuit transition cylinder are coaxially arranged; The upper and lower ends of the air passage transition cylinder are each provided with at least one rotary joint. The external fixed air passage is connected to the movable air passage leading to the R-axis rotating part through the rotary joint, so as to realize 360° continuous rotation of the air passage connection end. Bearings are built into both the upper and lower ports of the circuit transition cylinder. The wire harness leading to the R-axis rotation part passes through the inner hole of the bearing, so that there is no relative movement between the wire harness and the circuit transition cylinder when the R-axis rotates. The air pipe leading to the R-axis rotation section is arranged in a U-shaped suspended manner with free margin in the air passage transition cylinder, and its bending radius is not less than 8 times the pipe diameter, and it does not contact the cylinder wall. The outer layer of the wiring harness is covered with a dust-free protective sleeve, and the protective sleeve is interference-fitted with the inner ring of the bearing.

2. The pneumatic circuit layout structure of the robot R-axis based on bearing follow-up anti-friction as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas path transition cylinder has three rotary joints at each of its upper and lower ends, for a total of six joints, which are evenly distributed in a ring.

3. The pneumatic circuit layout structure of the robot R-axis based on bearing follow-up anti-friction as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The rotary joint adopts a floating sealing structure, including a PTFE sealing ring and a stainless steel spring, with a pressure resistance of not less than 1MPa.

4. The pneumatic circuit layout structure of the robot R-axis based on bearing follow-up anti-friction as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing is a deep groove ball bearing.

5. The pneumatic circuit layout structure of the robot R-axis based on bearing follow-up anti-friction as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The dust-free protective sleeve is a medical-grade silicone sleeve.

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