Gearbox assembly and robots with a gearbox assembly

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a gear arrangement and a robot with a gear arrangement.

[0002] Various concepts of bevel gears are known for changing the orientation of the axis of rotation in mechanical drive trains. These include, among others, bevel gear stages and belt drives.

[0003] Bevel gear stages are a common transmission concept in robotics, used to change the orientation of rotary axes. They are particularly useful for driving the axes of articulated robots. However, bevel gear stages are heavy and prone to backlash. These disadvantages are shared by bevel gear stages and other types of gear drives.

[0004] Belt drives typically use belts with a trapezoidal cross-section. Changing the orientation of the axis of rotation in belt drives therefore usually requires a section-by-section twisting of the belt around its longitudinal axis. Such a twisting of the belt necessitates a free section of the belt strand where the twisting takes place, thus requiring correspondingly large center distances. A bevel gear based on a belt drive therefore requires a comparatively large installation space. Furthermore, belt drives exhibit relatively low stiffness compared to alternative drive concepts. These disadvantages make them particularly unattractive for use in robotics.

[0005] The following are cited as prior art in printed form: NL 1 003 704 C1, US 2 854 854 A, WO 2020 / 148705 A1 and JP S60 263761 A.

[0006] The invention is based on the objective of providing a gear arrangement suitable for changing the orientation of the axis of rotation, characterized by high rigidity, a small installation space requirement, backlash-free operation, and low weight. Furthermore, the gear arrangement should be inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

[0007] The invention also aims to provide a robot that can perform highly dynamic movements, while requiring little installation space and being inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

[0008] The problem is solved according to the invention by a gear arrangement with the features of claim 1 and a robot with the features of claim 15.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0010] A gear assembly according to the invention comprises a drive body with at least one drive-side drum rotatably arranged about a drive axis, and a driven body with at least one output-side drum rotatably arranged about an output axis. Furthermore, the gear assembly comprises at least one rope that can be wound onto the at least one drive-side drum and the at least one output-side drum, and has a drive-side rope end and a output-side rope end. The drive-side rope end is arranged on the at least one drive-side drum, and the output-side rope end is arranged on the at least one output-side drum.

[0011] By rotating the at least one drive-side drum around the drive axis, the rotational speed and torque can be transmitted via the at least one cable to the at least one driven-side drum. Here and in the following, a drum is preferably understood to be a body with a cylindrical basic shape. However, a drum can also be formed by another body rotatable about a longitudinal axis, which is designed and / or suitable for winding the at least one cable. The angles of rotation of the at least one drive-side drum and the at least one driven-side drum can be limited, in particular, by the length of the at least one cable. Here and in the following, a cable is preferably understood to be an elongated structure capable of withstanding tensile stress, which—in particular unlike a belt—has a substantially circular cross-section.This preferably eliminates the need to twist at least one rope to change the orientation of the axis of rotation. Furthermore, the rope can exhibit particularly high stiffness.

[0012] The gear ratio of the transmission arrangement can be determined by the quotient of the diameter of the at least one output drum and the diameter of the at least one input drum. The maximum angle of rotation of the at least one output drum can depend—in addition to the length of the at least one cable—particularly on the gear ratio. For example, the maximum angle of rotation of the at least one output drum is preferably 360° with a gear ratio of 1. With a gear ratio of 2, the maximum angle of rotation of the at least one output drum can be, for example, 180°.

[0013] Preferably, the drive body, together with the at least one drive-side drum, is rotatable about the drive axis. Similarly, the driven body, together with the at least one output-side drum, can also be rotatable about the output axis. The drive body and / or the driven body can, in particular, be designed as a wheel.

[0014] To reset the gear assembly, the gear assembly can, for example, include a spring element that is pre-tensioned by means of the at least one drive-side drum when rotational speed and torque are introduced into the gear assembly. In particular, the at least one output-side drum can be mounted against the spring element.

[0015] Preferably, the at least one rope with a contact circumference simultaneously rests against the at least one drive-side drum and the at least one driven-side drum. This allows the at least one drive-side drum and the at least one driven-side drum to be arranged very close to each other. This reduces the installation space required by the gear assembly. The contact circumference is defined as an imaginary circumferential line of the rope at a position relative to the rope's centerline. The contact circumference can mark the turning point of the at least one rope resting against the at least one drive-side drum and the at least one driven-side drum.With regard to the drums involved, an imaginary tangent of the at least one drive-side drum, which is arranged on the rope centerline, and an imaginary tangent of the at least one driven-side drum, which is arranged on the rope centerline, can coincide at the position of the contact circumference.

[0016] The gear arrangement can also have a contact area referenced to the rope centerline, in which the at least one rope simultaneously rests against the at least one drive-side drum and the at least one driven-side drum, and which is bounded on one side by a first contact circumference and on the other side by a second contact circumference. The contact area can form, in particular, due to elastic deformation of the components involved.

[0017] The drive and output axes can have an angular offset relative to each other. This allows the orientation of the axis of rotation to be changed in the smallest possible installation space using the gear arrangement. Preferably, the drive and output axes intersect at a common point of intersection. Particularly preferably, the angular offset between the drive and output axes is 90°.

[0018] The drive-side end of the rope can be positively and / or frictionally attached to the at least one drive-side drum and / or the driven-side end of the rope can be positively and / or frictionally attached to the at least one driven-side drum. This enables the realization of the gear arrangement with the rope having at least one or two rope ends. In particular, the use of an endless rope, i.e., a closed loop rope, can be avoided. Furthermore, external and internal friction losses of the at least one rope can be reduced. Preferably, the respective rope end is screwed to the at least one drive-side drum and / or to the at least one driven-side drum. Alternatively, the drive-side end of the rope can be material-fitted to the at least one drive-side drum and / or the driven-side end of the rope can be material-fitted to the at least one driven-side drum.

[0019] Preferably, the at least one drive-side drum and / or the at least one driven-side drum has a circumferential groove for receiving the at least one cable. The groove thus forms the interface between the at least one drive-side drum and / or the at least one driven-side drum and the at least one cable. The groove allows the at least one cable to be received on a defined circumference of the at least one drive-side drum and / or the at least one driven-side drum. This ensures reliable transmission of speed and torque. The groove preferably has an arc-shaped cross-section. The groove may therefore have an opening. Particularly preferably, the arc-shaped contour has a constant radius, so that the contour is circular arc-shaped.This allows the groove to be particularly well adapted to the contour of the at least one rope. Since the groove serves to accommodate the at least one rope, the transmission ratio of the gear arrangement is preferably determined by the diameter ratio of the at least one output-side drum to the at least one input-side drum.

[0020] In a further development of the invention, the groove on at least one of the at least one drive-side drum and / or the at least one driven-side drum is helically shaped. This allows a maximum rotation angle of more than 360° for the drum with the helical groove. Preferably, the opening of the groove is arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the corresponding drum, so that the at least one cable can be inserted into and removed from the groove perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the corresponding drum. Therefore, when the helical groove is arranged on the drive-side drum, the opening of the groove is preferably oriented perpendicular to the drive axis.

[0021] According to the invention, the at least one drive-side drum and / or the at least one driven-side drum are arranged to be axially displaceable depending on a drive-side rotation angle and / or the at least one driven-side drum depending on a driven-side rotation angle. The drive-side rotation angle is preferably the rotation angle of the drive-side drum. Accordingly, the rotation angle of the driven-side drum can be referred to as the driven-side rotation angle. Such a dependency allows, particularly in the case of a helical groove, the transition of the at least one cable from the at least one drive-side drum to the at least one driven-side drum and vice versa, while maintaining the contact circumference described above. The axial displaceability of the at least one drive-side drum is preferably designed such that it is displaceable along the drive axis.The axial displacement of the at least one output-side drum is preferably designed such that displacement along the output axis is possible. The axial displacement of the at least one drive-side drum and / or the at least one output-side drum can be achieved, for example, by means of a screw guide.

[0022] To further ensure a smooth transition of at least one rope from the at least one drive-side drum to the at least one driven-side drum and vice versa, a roller-shaped hold-down device can be arranged on the at least one driven-side drum and / or on the at least one drive-side drum, which can position the at least one rope in the at least driven-side drum and / or on the at least one drive-side drum.

[0023] A tensioning device for tensioning the at least one cable can be arranged on the drive body and / or the output body. This allows for the adjustment of the pretension of the at least one cable and thus, in particular, the stiffness and backlash of the gear assembly. Preferably, the tensioning device is arranged in the groove. Particularly preferably, the tensioning device is arranged on the at least one output-side drum. The tensioning device can include a tensioning screw for tensioning the at least one cable. Alternatively, the tensioning device can be integrated into the at least one cable.

[0024] In a further development of the invention, the gear arrangement comprises a deflecting element with at least one deflecting drum rotatable about a deflection axis. The deflecting element is preferably arranged such that the at least one cable simultaneously bears against the at least one deflecting drum and the at least one drive-side drum, or against the at least one deflecting drum and the at least one driven-side drum. Such a deflecting element can multiply the possibilities for the spatial arrangement of the drive body and the driven body relative to each other. In particular, the deflecting element can enable a spatially separated arrangement of the drive body and the driven body. Furthermore, the deflecting element can represent an additional transmission stage, thus enabling an increase in the transmission ratio of the gear arrangement.If the drive and driven axles are angularly offset from each other, the cable can be deflected accordingly using a deflection device. The deflection axis must include a deflection angle with respect to the drive and / or driven axle.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drive body has a first drive-side drum and a second drive-side drum, each corresponding to the at least one drive-side drum, and the driven body has a first output-side drum and a second output-side drum, each corresponding to the at least one output-side drum. Accordingly, the first drive-side drum and the second drive-side drum can each be rotatably arranged about the drive axis, and the first output-side drum and the second output-side drum can each be rotatably arranged about the output axis.

[0026] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the gear arrangement comprises a first rope corresponding to at least one rope and a second rope corresponding to at least one rope, wherein the first rope is operatively connected to the first drums and the second rope to the second drums. Preferably, the first rope can be wound onto the first drive-side drum and the first driven-side drum and has a first drive-side rope end and a first driven-side rope end, wherein the first drive-side rope end can be arranged on the first drive-side drum and the first driven-side rope end can be arranged on the first driven-side drum.Accordingly, the second rope can be wound on the second drive-side drum as well as on the second driven-side drum and can have a second drive-side rope end as well as a second driven-side rope end, wherein the second drive-side rope end can be arranged on the second drive-side drum and the second driven-side rope end can be arranged on the second driven-side drum.

[0027] As a result of that the first drive-side drum and the second drive-side drum each belong to the at least one drive-side drum described above, the first driven-side drum and the second driven-side drum each belong to the at least one driven-side drum described above, and the first rope and the second rope each belong to the at least one rope described above If the first rope is in operative connection with the first drums and the second rope is in operative connection with the second drums, the gear arrangement can in particular have the features described below.

[0028] The first rope can simultaneously contact both the first drive-side drum and the first driven-side drum with its first contact circumference. The second rope can simultaneously contact both the second drive-side drum and the second driven-side drum with its second contact circumference. Accordingly, the gear arrangement can also have a first contact area and a second contact area.

[0029] Preferably, the first drive-side rope end is attached to the first drive-side drum and / or the first driven-side rope end to the first driven-side drum by a positive fit, friction fit, and / or a material bond. Similarly, the second drive-side rope end is preferably attached to the second drive-side drum and / or the second driven-side rope end to the second driven-side drum by a positive fit, friction fit, and / or a material bond.

[0030] The first drive-side drum and / or the first driven-side drum may each have a circumferential groove for receiving the first rope. The second drive-side drum and / or the second driven-side drum may each have a circumferential groove for receiving the second rope. One or more of the grooves may be helical.

[0031] The first drive-side drum and / or the second drive-side drum can be arranged to be axially displaceable depending on a drive-side rotation angle. The first output-side drum and / or the second output-side drum can also be arranged to be axially displaceable depending on a output-side rotation angle.

[0032] The clamping device is particularly preferably arranged on the at least one output-side drum.

[0033] The first drive-side drum can have a first drive-side clamping device, and the second drive-side drum can have a second drive-side clamping device. Preferably, a first output-side clamping device is arranged on the first output-side drum, and a second output-side clamping device is arranged on the second output-side drum.

[0034] The deflection body can have a first deflection drum and a second deflection drum. The first deflection drum can be arranged such that the first rope, with its first contact circumference, simultaneously rests against the first deflection drum and the first drive-side drum, or against the first deflection drum and the first driven-side drum. Similarly, the second deflection drum can be arranged such that the second rope, with its second contact circumference, simultaneously rests against the second deflection drum and the second drive-side drum, or against the second deflection drum and the second driven-side drum.

[0035] Furthermore, the invention can be designed such that at least one of the second drums is arranged axially offset from the corresponding first drum and / or at least one of the second drums has a different, preferably smaller, diameter than the corresponding first drum. The axial offset preferably relates to the corresponding axis of rotation. For example, the second drive-side drum can be arranged axially offset from the first drive-side drum with respect to the drive axis. The same applies to the output-side drums with respect to the output axis and / or the deflecting drums with respect to the deflecting axis. Such an arrangement, particularly with an angular offset of the corresponding axes of rotation, allows for contactless crossing of the first and second ropes.Friction between the first and second ropes can thus be avoided. Particularly when the axes of rotation involved are angularly offset, the opening of the groove on each drum is preferably inclined relative to the corresponding axis of rotation. If the angular offset of the output axis relative to the input axis is, for example, 90°, the openings of the grooves on the first and second drive-side drums can each be inclined relative to the input axis, preferably by 45°. The same applies in this case to the openings of the grooves on the output-side drums with respect to the output axis. If the diameters of the second drums involved differ from those of the other drums, the diameter ratios of the first and second drums involved are preferably constant.This allows the first drums and the second drums involved to have the same gear ratios. This avoids the need to relocate the gear arrangement.

[0036] Preferably, the first and second cables are arranged oppositely on the drive body with respect to the drive axis and / or oppositely on the output body with respect to the output axis. Opposing rotational speeds and torques can thus be transmitted by means of the first and second cables. A spring element for return is therefore unnecessary.

[0037] The drive-side drums and / or the driven-side drums can be arranged to rotate relative to each other. For this purpose, the two drive-side drums and / or the two driven-side drums can each be connected to one another by means of an adjusting screw. This allows the first and second ropes to be pre-tensioned relative to each other. The rotational capability of the drive-side drums and / or the driven-side drums relative to each other can thus represent an alternative to the tensioning device described above. The rotation of the drive-side drums preferably occurs about the drive axis. The rotation of the driven-side drums preferably occurs about the driven axis. Particularly preferably, the drive-side drums and / or the driven-side drums are also arranged to be lockable relative to each other.

[0038] In a further development of the invention, the first drive-side drum and the second drive-side drum are arranged offset from each other by 180° with respect to the output axis, and / or the first output-side drum and the second output-side drum are arranged offset from each other by 180° with respect to the drive axis. This allows, in particular, the installation space required by the gear assembly to be adapted. Such an arrangement of the drive-side drums enables a 180° offset with respect to the output axis between a first transfer point, where the first rope is transferred from the first drive-side drum to the first output-side drum, and a second transfer point, where the second rope is transferred from the second drive-side drum to the second output-side drum.Similarly, such an arrangement of the output-side drums can achieve an offset of 180° between the first and second transfer points with respect to the drive axis. This offset arrangement of the drive-side drums is preferably used when the grooves on the drive-side drums are helically shaped. In particular, with an angular offset of 90° between the drive and output axes, such an offset arrangement of the drive-side or output-side drums can result in a space saving.The drums, offset by 180°, are preferably arranged on a common shaft which intersects the drive axis or the output axis when the drive axis and output axis are offset by an angular offset of 90°.

[0039] If the transmission arrangement includes a deflection element, the first drive-side drum and the second drive-side drum may be arranged offset from each other by 180° with respect to the deflection axis and / or the first output-side drum and the second output-side drum with respect to the deflection axis, particularly if the drive axis and the deflection axis and / or the output axis and the deflection axis are arranged offset from each other by 90°.

[0040] In a further embodiment of the invention, the drive body is arranged between the first output-side drum and the second output-side drum with respect to the drive axis, and / or the output body is arranged between the first drive-side drum and the second drive-side drum with respect to the output axis. Such an arrangement also offers advantages in terms of installation space. This arrangement is preferably used when the grooves arranged on the drive-side drums and / or the output-side drums are helically shaped and / or the drive axis and the output axis have an angular offset from each other, in particular of 90°. The drums of the drive body can be arranged on opposite sides of the drive body with respect to the drive axis.Accordingly, the drums of the output body can be arranged on opposite sides of the output body with respect to the output axis.

[0041] Similarly, the deflecting body can be arranged with respect to the deflection axis between the first output-side drum and the second output-side drum and / or between the first input-side drum and the second input-side drum.

[0042] A robot according to the invention comprises a gear arrangement with the features described above. The robot can include a base and a robot arm with a first arm section and a second arm section, the second arm section preferably being rotatably arranged about a first articulation axis on the first arm section. The first arm section can be arranged on the base. The robot arm can be mounted relative to the environment by means of the base. The drive unit can be arranged in the first arm section. Preferably, a drive unit for driving the drive unit is also arranged in the first arm section. The output unit can be arranged in the second arm section such that the output axis lies on the first articulation axis.To transmit rotational speed and torque from the drive unit to the driven body, the driven body can be arranged such that the first and second cables simultaneously contact the corresponding drive-side and driven-side drums with their first and second contact circumferences. The drive and driven axes can be offset by 90° from each other. This arrangement allows the relatively heavy drive unit to be located in the first arm section near the base, while the second arm section can be relatively lightweight. This increases the robot's dynamics. Furthermore, the installation space required by the robot arm can be significantly reduced.

[0043] In a further development, the robot has a third arm section, which is rotatably mounted on the second arm section about a second articulation axis. A second drive unit can be arranged in the second arm section, preferably near the first articulation axis. The robot can have a second gear assembly with the features described above, which includes a deflection element. The drive element of the second gear assembly is preferably located in the second arm section on the second drive unit. The output element of the second gear assembly can be arranged on the third arm section such that the output axis of the second gear assembly lies on the second articulation axis.To transmit the rotational speed and torque from the second drive unit to the output body of the second gearbox assembly, the deflection element can be arranged such that the first and second cables of the second gearbox assembly simultaneously contact the deflecting drums and the drive-side drums of the second gearbox assembly. The deflection element can further be arranged such that the deflection axis lies on the first articulation axis. The drive axis and the deflection axis of the second gearbox assembly can be offset by 90° from each other. This allows for a further increase in the robot's dynamics while simultaneously reducing the installation space. Because the second gearbox assembly includes the deflection element, it can bridge the length of the second arm section between the drive body of the second gearbox assembly and the associated output body.

[0044] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the following figures. They show: Figure 1a shows a section of a robot arm with a prior art gear arrangement, Figure 1b shows a section of a robot arm with a first embodiment of a gear arrangement according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of a gear arrangement according to the invention, Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the in Fig. 2 The exemplary embodiment shown, Figure 4, is a sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figure 4. Fig. 2 of the exemplary embodiment shown, Figure 5 shows a section of a rear view of the in Fig. 2Figure 6 shows an embodiment with an adjusting screw, Figure 6 shows a section of a second embodiment of a gear arrangement according to the invention with a clamping device, Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a gear arrangement according to the invention, Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a gear arrangement according to the invention, Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a gear arrangement according to the invention, Figure 10 shows a sectional view of the Fig. 9 of the embodiment shown, Figure 11 a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a gear arrangement according to the invention, Figure 12 a sectional view of the in Fig. 11 The embodiment shown, Figure 13, is a sectional view of an embodiment of a robot according to the invention.

[0045] The Figures 1b to 13These figures show different views of various embodiments. The same reference numerals are used for identical and functionally equivalent parts. For clarity, not all reference numerals are used in every figure.

[0046] Fig. 1a Figure 1 shows a section of a robot arm 200 with a prior art gearbox assembly 202. The gearbox assembly comprises bevel gears 204 and therefore has a relatively high weight and also exhibits backlash.

[0047] Fig. 1b presents the in Fig. 1a The section of the robot arm 200 shown in the prior art is compared to a section of a robot arm 10 of a robot 12 according to the invention with a first embodiment of a gear arrangement 14 according to the invention. The gear arrangement 14 is relatively light and also backlash-free.

[0048] The first embodiment of the gear arrangement 14 is described in detail in the Figs. 2 to 5The gear assembly 14 comprises a drive body 16 and a drive shaft 18. The drive body 16 can have a first drive-side drum 20 rotatably arranged about the drive shaft 18, as well as a second drive-side drum 22 rotatably arranged about the drive shaft 18. The gear assembly also comprises an output body 24 and an output shaft 26. The output body 24 can have a first output-side drum 28 rotatably arranged about the output shaft 26, as well as a second output-side drum 30 rotatably arranged about the output shaft 26. Preferably, the drive shaft 18 and the output shaft 26 intersect at a common axis intersection point 31. Particularly preferably, the angular axis offset 31a between the drive shaft and the output shaft is 90°.

[0049] Furthermore, the gear arrangement 14 can comprise a first rope 32, which can be wound onto the first drive-side drum 20 and the first driven-side drum 28, and which has a first drive-side rope end 34 and a first driven-side rope end 36. Preferably, the first drive-side rope end 34 is arranged on the first drive-side drum 20 and the first driven-side rope end 36 is arranged on the first driven-side drum 28. The gear arrangement 14 can also comprise a second rope 38, which can be wound onto the second drive-side drum 22 and the second driven-side drum 30, and which has a second drive-side rope end 40 and a second driven-side rope end 42. Preferably, the second drive-side rope end 40 is arranged on the second drive-side drum 22 and the second driven-side rope end 42 is arranged on the second driven-side drum 30.

[0050] Preferably, the first cable 32 and the second cable 38 are arranged oppositely to each other on the drive body 16 with respect to the drive axis 18 and oppositely to each other on the output body 24 with respect to the output axis 26. Opposing rotational speeds and torques can thus be transmitted by means of the first cable 32 and the second cable 38.

[0051] By rotating the drive-side drums 20, 22 about the drive axis 18 in a first direction of rotation 44, the rotational speed and torque can be transmitted via the first rope 32 to the first driven-side drum 28 and thus to the driven body 24. Similarly, by rotating the drive-side drums 20, 22 about the drive axis 18 in a second direction of rotation 46, the rotational speed and torque can be transmitted via the second rope 38 to the second driven-side drum 30 and thus to the driven body 24. The angles of rotation of the drive-side drums 20, 22 and the driven-side drums 28, 30 can be limited, in particular, by the length of the ropes 32, 38.

[0052] A transmission ratio of the gear arrangement 14 can be formed by the quotient of a first output-side drum diameter 48 of the first output-side drum 28 and a first input-side drum diameter 50 of the first input-side drum 20. The corresponding quotient of a second output-side drum diameter 52 of the second output-side drum 30 and a second input-side drum diameter 54 of the second input-side drum 22 is preferably equal. The in the Figs. 2 to 5 The illustrated embodiment has a gear ratio of 1. A maximum drive-side rotation angle 56 and a maximum output-side rotation angle 58 are therefore equal and are shown in the Fig. 2 The embodiment shown is defined by the length of the ropes 32, 38 to be less than 360°.

[0053] Preferably, the drive body 16, together with the drive-side drums 20, 22, is rotatable about the drive axis 18. Similarly, the output body 24, together with the output-side drums 28, 30, can also be rotatable about the output axis 26. The drive body 16 and the output body 24 can be designed as wheels.

[0054] Preferably the first rope 32 lies with a in Fig. 3 The first contact circumference 60, marked u. 4, is simultaneously in contact with the first drive-side drum 20 and the first driven-side drum 28. Accordingly, the second rope 38, with a second contact circumference 62, can simultaneously be in contact with the second drive-side drum 22 and the second driven-side drum 30.

[0055] The respective contact circumference 60, 62 can mark the turning point of the corresponding rope 32, 38 that is in contact with the corresponding drive-side drum 20, 22 and the corresponding driven-side drum 28, 30. As in Fig. 4 As illustrated by the example of the second drums 22, 30, an imaginary drive-side tangent 64 of the second drive-side drum 22, which is arranged on a rope centerline 66 of the second rope 38, and an imaginary driven-side tangent 68 of the second driven-side drum 30, which is arranged on the rope centerline 66, can be coincident at the position of the second contact circumference 62. The relationship applies accordingly to the first contact circumference 60.

[0056] As especially from Fig. 3As can be clearly seen, the drive-side rope ends 34, 40 are attached to the drive-side drums 20, 22 and the driven-side rope ends 36, 42 are attached to the driven-side drums 28, 30 by means of a screw connection 70 in a form-fit and friction-fit manner.

[0057] As can be seen in particular from the presentation in Fig. 4As can be seen, the first drive-side drum 20 and the first driven-side drum 28, as well as the second drive-side drum 22 and the second driven-side drum 30, can each have a circumferentially extending groove 72 for receiving the first rope 32 or the second rope 38, respectively. The groove 72 can thus form the interface between the first drive-side drum 20 or the first driven-side drum 28 and the first rope 32, and the interface between the second drive-side drum 22 or the second driven-side drum 30 and the second rope 38. With the aid of the groove 72, the first rope 32 and the second rope 38 can be received on a defined circumference of the respective drive-side drums 20, 22 and the respective driven-side drums 28, 30. As shown in Fig. 4As shown, the groove 72 preferably has an arc-shaped contour 74 with a constant radius, so that the contour 74 is circular arc-shaped.

[0058] As especially in the Fig. 2As can be seen from Figure 4, the gear arrangement 14 can be designed such that the second drive-side drum 22 and the second output-side drum 30 are each axially offset from the corresponding first drum 20, 28 and each has a different, preferably smaller, diameter than the corresponding first drum 20, 28. The axial offset of the second drive-side drum 22 and the first drive-side drum 20 preferably relates to the corresponding axis of rotation, namely the drive axis 18. The axial offset of the second output-side drum 30 and the first output-side drum 28 accordingly preferably relates to the output axis 26. With such an arrangement, a contactless crossing of the first rope 32 and the second rope 38 can be achieved, particularly with an angular axis offset 31a.

[0059] If the angular axis offset 31a is 90°, the openings 76 of the grooves 72 of the first drive-side drum 20 and the second drive-side drum 22 can each be inclined relative to the drive axis 18, preferably by 45°. The same applies in this case to the openings 76 of the grooves 72 of the output-side drums 28, 30 with respect to the output axis 26.

[0060] The drive-side drums 20, 22 and / or the output-side drums 28, 30 can each be arranged to rotate relative to one another. For this purpose, the two drive-side drums 20, 22 and / or the two output-side drums 28, 30 can each be connected by means of a Fig. 5The first cable 32 and the second cable 38 are connected to each other by the adjusting screw 78 shown. The adjusting screw 78 is preferably located on the rear side of the drive body 16 and / or the driven body 24. This allows the first cable 32 and the second cable 38 to be pre-tensioned against each other. The rotation of the drive-side drums 20, 22 preferably occurs about the drive axis 18. The rotation of the driven-side drums 28, 30 preferably occurs about the driven axis 26. Particularly preferably, the drive-side drums 20, 22 and / or the driven-side drums 28, 30 are also arranged to be lockable against each other. The locking can also be effected by means of the adjusting screw 78.

[0061] Regarding the further, in Figs. 6 to 12 The illustrated embodiments of the gear arrangement 14 are intended to highlight in particular their differences compared to the first one, in Figs. 2 to 5 The illustrated example will be discussed.

[0062] As the in Fig. 6 As shown in the section of a second embodiment of the gear arrangement 14, instead of rotating the drive-side drums 20, 22 and / or the output-side drums 28, 30 relative to each other, the tensioning of the first cable 32 and / or the second cable 38 can be achieved by means of a tensioning device 80, which can be arranged on the drive body 18 and / or on the output body 24. Preferably, the tensioning device 80 is arranged in the respective groove 72. Particularly preferably, one of the tensioning devices 80 is arranged on the first output-side drum 28 and the second output-side drum 30. The tensioning device 80 can have a tensioning screw 82 for tensioning the respective cable 32, 38.

[0063] Fig. 7 shows a third embodiment of the gear arrangement 14, which is essentially the same as that shown in the Figs. 2 to 5the first embodiment shown, whose angular axis offset 31a, however, is 60° in contrast to the first embodiment.

[0064] In a fourth, in Fig. 8 In the illustrated embodiment, the gear arrangement 14 has, in addition to the features of the first embodiment, the following: Figs. 2 to 5 Preferably a deflecting body 84 with a first deflecting drum 86 and a second deflecting drum 88, each of which can be rotatably arranged about a deflecting axis 90. The first deflecting drum 86 can be arranged such that the first rope 32 with its first contact circumference 60 simultaneously rests against the first deflecting drum 86 and the first drive-side drum 20. Similarly, the second deflecting drum 88 can be arranged such that the second rope 38 with its second contact circumference 62 simultaneously rests against the second deflecting drum 88 and the second drive-side drum 22.

[0065] As in Fig. 8 As shown, the deflection body 84 can enable a spatially separated arrangement of the drive body 16 and the driven body 24. If the drive axis 18 and the driven axis 26 have an angular axial offset 31a, the corresponding deflection of the cables 32, 38 can be effected by means of the deflection body 84. The deflection axis 90 can enclose a corresponding deflection angle 92 with the drive axis 18.

[0066] Depending on the design of the drive body 16 and the driven body 24, the second deflecting drum 88 can be arranged axially offset from the first deflecting drum 86 with respect to the deflection axis 90. The diameter of the second deflecting drum 88 can also differ from that of the first deflecting drum 86, preferably such that the second deflecting drum 88 has a smaller diameter than the first deflecting drum 86.

[0067] Fig. 9 and 10 Figure 1 shows a fifth embodiment of the gear arrangement 14. In this embodiment, the groove 72 arranged on the first drive-side drum 20 and the second drive-side drum 22 is helically shaped. This allows a maximum rotation angle of more than 360° for the drive-side drums 20 and 22. Preferably, the opening 76 of the groove 72 is arranged perpendicular to the drive axis 18, so that the first cable 32 and the second cable 38 can be inserted into and removed from the groove 72 at perpendicular to the drive axis 18.

[0068] In the depictions in Fig. 9 u.The axis offset 31a of the output axis 26 to the drive axis 18 is 90°. Furthermore, the first drive-side drum 20 and the second drive-side drum 22 are arranged offset from each other by 180° with respect to the output axis 26. This arrangement of the drive-side drums allows for an offset of 180° with respect to the output axis 26 between a first transfer point 94, where the first rope 32 is transferred from the first drive-side drum 20 to the first output-side drum 28, and a second transfer point 96, where the second rope 38 is transferred from the second drive-side drum 22 to the second output-side drum 30. The first drive-side drum 20 and the second drive-side drum 22 are preferably arranged on a common drive shaft 98 that intersects the output axis 26.

[0069] As shown in the section view in Fig. 10The drive-side drums 20, 22 can be arranged to be axially displaceable, i.e., along the drive axis 18, depending on a drive-side rotation angle. Such a dependency allows, particularly with a helical design of the groove 72, the transition of the ropes 32, 38 from the drive-side drums 20, 22 to the driven-side drums 28, 30 and vice versa, while maintaining the first contact circumference 60 and the second contact circumference 62. The axial displaceability of the drive-side drums 20, 22 can be achieved by means of a screw guide 100.To further ensure a smooth transition of the ropes 32, 38 from the drive-side drums 20, 22 to the driven-side drums 28, 30 and vice versa, a roller-shaped hold-down device 102 can be arranged on the first driven-side drum 28 and on the second driven-side drum 30, which can position the first rope 32 and the second rope 38 in the respective driven-side drum 28, 30.

[0070] The in Fig. 11 u. The sixth embodiment of the gear arrangement 14 shown in Figure 12 differs from that shown in the Fig. 9 u. Figure 10 shows that the output body 24 is preferably arranged between the first drive-side drum 20 and the second drive-side drum 22 with respect to the output axis 26. The drums of the output body 24 can be arranged on opposite sides of the output body 24 with respect to the drive axis 26.

[0071] Fig. 13 Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a robot 12 with a gear arrangement 14. The robot 12 can comprise a base 104 and a robot arm 10 with a first arm section 106 and a second arm section 108, wherein the second arm section 108 is preferably rotatably arranged about a first articulation axis 110 on the first arm section 106. The first arm section 106 can be arranged on the base 104. The robot arm 10 can be mounted relative to the environment by means of the base 104. The drive unit 16 can be arranged in the first arm section 106. Preferably, a drive unit 112 for driving the drive unit 16 is also arranged in the first arm section 106.

[0072] In the second arm section 108, the output body 24 can be arranged such that the output axis 18 lies on the first articulation axis 110. To transmit the rotational speed and torque from the drive unit 112 to the output body 16, the output body 16 can be arranged such that the first cable 32 and the second cable 38, with their first contact circumference 60 and second contact circumference 62 respectively, simultaneously bear against the corresponding drive-side drums 20, 22 and the corresponding output-side drums 28, 30. The drive axis 18 and the output axis 26 can have an axis offset 31a of 90° relative to each other. Such an arrangement allows the relatively heavy drive unit 112 to be positioned in the first arm section 106, which is located near the base.

[0073] The robot 12 can have a third arm section 114, which is rotatably arranged about a second articulation axis 116 on the second arm section 108. A second drive unit 118 can be arranged in the second arm section 109, preferably near the first articulation axis 110. The robot can have a second gear assembly 14a, which includes a deflection element 84a. A second drive element 16a of the second gear assembly 14a is preferably arranged in the second arm section 108 on the second drive unit 118. A second output element 24a of the second gear assembly 14a can be arranged on the third arm section 114 such that a second output axis 26a lies on the second articulation axis 116.To transmit the rotational speed and torque from the second drive unit 118 to the second output body 24a, the deflecting body 84a can be arranged such that a first cable 32a of the second gear assembly 14a and a second cable 38a of the second gear assembly 14a with corresponding contact circumferences simultaneously bear against the deflecting body 84a and the second drive body 16a. To The steering element 84a can further be arranged such that a deflection axis 90a of the second gear assembly 14a lies on the first articulation axis 110. A drive axis 18a of the second gear assembly 14a and the deflection axis 90a can be offset from each other by 90°. Because the second gear assembly 14a has the deflection element 84a, it can determine the length of the second arm section 108 between the second drive element 16a and the associated second Away Bridge the drive body 24a. Reference symbol list

[0074] 10 Robot arm 12 Robot 14 Gear assembly 14a Second gear assembly 16 Drive body 16a Second drive body 18 Drive shaft 18a Drive shaft of the second gear assembly 20 First drive-side drum 22 Second drive-side drum 24 Output body 24a Second output body 26 Output shaft 26a Second output shaft 28 First output-side drum 30 Second output-side drum 31 Axis intersection 31a Axis offset 32 ​​First cable 32a First cable of the second gear assembly 34 First drive-side cable end 36 First output-side cable end 38 Second cable 38a Second cable of the second gear assembly 40 Second drive-side cable end 42 Second output-side cable end 44 First direction of rotation 46 Second direction of rotation 48 First output-side drum diameter 50 First input-side drum diameter 52 Second output-side drum diameter 54 Second input-side drum diameter 56 Maximum input-side rotation angle 58 Maximum output-side rotation angle60 First contact circumference 62 Second contact circumference 64 Drive-side tangent 66 Rope centerline 68 Output-side tangent 70 Screw connection 72 Groove 74 Contour 76 Opening 78 Adjusting screw 80 Tensioning device 82 Tensioning screw 84 Deflection body 84a Deflection body of the second gear assembly 86 First deflecting drum 88 Second deflecting drum 90 Deflection axis 90a Deflection axis of the second gear assembly 92 Deflection angle 94 First transfer point 96 Second transfer point 98 Drive shaft 100 Screw guide 102 Hold-down device 104 Base 106 First arm section 108 Second arm section 110 First articulation axis 112 Drive unit 114 Third arm section 116 Second articulation axis 118 Second drive unit 200 Robot arm (state of the art) 202 Gear arrangement (state of the art) 204 Bevel gear

Claims

1. Transmission arrangement (14, 14a) comprising the following features: • an input body (16, 16a) having at least one input-side drum (20, 22) arranged so as to be rotatable about an input axis (18, 18a), • an output body (24, 24a) having at least one output-side drum (28, 30) arranged so as to be rotatable about an output axis (26, 26a), • at least one rope (32, 38) which can be wound onto the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) as well as onto the at least one output-side drum (28, 30), and which has an input-side rope end (34, 40) and an output-side rope end (36, 42), • wherein the input-side rope end (34, 40) is arranged on the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) and the output-side rope end (36, 42) is arranged on the at least one output-side drum (28, 30), characterized in that the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) is arranged so as to be axially displaceable as a function of an input-side angle of rotation and / or the at least one output-side drum (28, 30) is arranged so as to be axially displaceable as a function of an output-side angle of rotation.

2. Transmission arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one rope (32, 38) bears simultaneously against the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) and the at least one output-side drum (28, 30) with a contact circumference (60, 62).

3. Transmission arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the input axis (18, 18a) and the output axis (26, 26a) have an angular axis offset (31a) relative to one another.

4. Transmission arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the input-side rope end (34, 40) is fastened to the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) and / or the output-side rope end (36, 42) is fastened to the at least one output-side drum (28, 30) in a form-locking and / or force-locking manner.

5. Transmission arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) and / or the at least one output-side drum (28, 30) has a groove (72) extending in the circumferential direction for receiving the at least one rope (32, 38).

6. Transmission arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the groove (72) is formed helically on at least one of the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) and / or the at least one output-side drum (28, 30).

7. Transmission arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a tensioning device (80) for tensioning the at least one rope (32, 38) is arranged on the input body (16, 16a) and / or on the output body (24, 24a).

8. Transmission arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a deflection body (84, 84a) having at least one deflecting drum (86, 88) rotatable about a deflection axis (90, 90a) is arranged in such a manner that the at least one rope (32, 38) bears simultaneously against the at least one deflecting drum (86, 88) and the at least one input-side drum (20, 22) or against the at least one deflecting drum (86, 88) and the at least one output-side drum (28, 30) with a contact circumference (60, 62).

9. Transmission arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the input body (16, 16a) has a first input-side drum (20) and a second input-side drum (22), each corresponding to the at least one input-side drum (20, 22), the output body (24, 24a) has a first output-side drum (28) and a second output-side drum (30), each corresponding to the at least one output-side drum (28, 30), the transmission arrangement (14, 14a) has a first rope (32) corresponding to the at least one rope (32, 38) and a second rope (38) corresponding to the at least one rope (32, 38), wherein the first rope (32) is operatively connected to the first drums (20, 28, 86) and the second rope (38) is operatively connected to the second drums (22, 30, 88).

10. Transmission arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the second drums (22, 30, 88) is arranged axially offset relative to the corresponding first drum (20, 28, 86) and / or at least one of the second drums (22, 30, 88) has a different diameter than the corresponding first drum (20, 28, 86).

11. Transmission arrangement according to any one of claims 9 to 10, characterized in that the first rope (32) and the second rope (38) are arranged in opposite directions on the input body (16, 16a) with respect to the input axis (18, 18a) and / or are arranged in opposite directions on the output body (24, 24a) with respect to the output axis (26, 26a).

12. Transmission arrangement according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the input-side drums (20, 22) and / or the output-side drums (28, 30) are arranged so as to be rotatable relative to one another.

13. Transmission arrangement according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the first input-side drum (20) and the second input-side drum (22) are arranged offset relative to one another by 180° with respect to the output axis (26, 26a) and / or the first output-side drum (28) and the second output-side drum (30) are arranged offset relative to one another by 180° with respect to the input axis (18, 18a).

14. Transmission arrangement according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the input body (16, 16a) is arranged between the first output-side drum (28) and the second output-side drum (30) with respect to the input axis (18, 18a) and / or the output body (24, 24a) is arranged between the first input-side drum (20) and the second input-side drum (22) with respect to the output axis (26, 26a).

15. Robot (12) having a transmission arrangement (14, 14a) according to any one of the preceding claims.