Covering member fixing structure, machine, and robot

Abstract

To prevent premature breakage of a linear body without restricting the movement of the linear body.SOLUTION: A covering member fixing structure includes a covering member that covers a linear body which is laid on a machine, and a fixing member that fixes the covering member to the machine in at least one of one-side and another-side regions in a virtual plane that contains a second axial-line of the machine on which the linear body is laid. The second axial line is parallel to a first axial line of the machine on which the linear body bends.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a covering member fixing technique, and more particularly to a covering member fixing structure, machine, and robot. [Background technology]

[0002] Structures in which wires, such as cables and tubes, are laid inside hollow housings of machines such as industrial robots are known. However, in places where the movement of the wires is restricted during machine operation, the wires may be exposed outside the hollow housing. The exposed portions of the wires are often covered with flexible covering members such as cylindrical cloth covers or rubber tubes. The covering members serve to bundle multiple wires together or to protect the wires from foreign matter such as spatter and chips. The covering members are fixed to the machine with ring-shaped fixing members such as cable ties, strings, belts, and safety pins.

[0003] The umbilical member bends and / or twists as the machine operates. When the umbilical member bends or when it bends and twists, it may come into contact with the fixing member that fixes the covering member, and the fixing member may inhibit the movement of the umbilical member. Furthermore, if the umbilical member comes into sliding contact with the fixing member every time it is repeatedly bent or bent and twisted, there is a risk that the umbilical member may be damaged prematurely. The following documents are known as technologies related to the present application.

[0004] Patent document 1 describes an articulated robot arm equipped with a cable protection member having a flexible first band-shaped plate that bends below the cable, a flexible second band-shaped plate that is positioned above the cable and has one end fixed and the other end free, and a cylindrical protective cover that encases the cable, the first band-shaped plate, and the second band-shaped plate together.

[0005] Patent Document 2 describes an industrial robot that is provided with a cable management arm that processes cables internally, and a cable bundle is held internally by a cable holder.

[0006] Patent document 3 describes that in an industrial articulated robot, several points in the middle of the cable unit are covered with a bendable protective tube to prevent damage due to contact with the cable duct, and the end of the protective tube is clamped between a clamp and a cover. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 016931 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-301194 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-138581 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In view of the problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a covering member fixing technique that does not restrict the movement of the umbilical cord and that prevents the umbilical cord from being damaged early. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a covering member fixing structure including a covering member that covers a wire laid on a machine, and a fixing member that fixes the covering member to the machine in an area on one side and an area on the other side of an imaginary plane that is parallel to a first axis of the machine about which the wire bends and includes a second axis of the machine about which the wire is laid. Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a machine or robot including the aforementioned covering member solid structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the fixing member is parallel to the first axis of the machine along which the umbilical cord bends and does not straddle (cross) an area on one side of an imaginary plane including the second axis of the machine on which the umbilical cord is laid. Therefore, even if the umbilical cord bends as the machine operates along the first axis, or even if the umbilical cord bends and twists as the machine operates along the first and second axes, the umbilical cord does not come into contact with the fixing member. Consequently, because the fixing member does not impede the movement of the umbilical cord and the umbilical cord does not slide against the fixing member, early damage to the umbilical cord can be suppressed, and the life of the umbilical cord can be extended. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a machine or robot can be provided that does not restrict the movement of the filament and suppresses early breakage of the filament by using the above-described covering member fixing structure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a machine equipped with a covering member fixing structure according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the covering member fixing structure of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III showing details of the covering member fixing structure of the first embodiment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a development view of the covering member of the first embodiment. [Figure 4B] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to a modified example. [Figure 4C] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to another modified example. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a top view of the covering member fixing structure of the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI showing details of the covering member fixing structure of the second embodiment. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to a modified example. [Figure 7C] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to another modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a top view of a covering member fixing structure according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX showing details of the covering member fixing structure of the third embodiment. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to a modified example. [Figure 10C] FIG. 10 is a development view of a covering member according to another modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another machine equipped with a covering member fixing structure of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the covering member fixing structure of the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same or similar components are assigned the same or similar reference numerals. Furthermore, the embodiments described below do not limit the technical scope and meaning of the terms of the invention described in the claims.

[0013] 1 is a perspective view of a machine 1 equipped with a covering member fixing structure 2 according to one embodiment. While the machine 1 according to this embodiment is an industrial robot, it is to be noted that the present invention is not limited thereto, and that in other embodiments the machine 1 may be configured as other robots such as a dual-arm robot or a humanoid robot. It is also to be noted that in other embodiments the machine 1 may be configured as other machines such as a vehicle, an aircraft, a construction machine, or an agricultural machine.

[0014] The machine 1 of this embodiment includes a base 10 and a rotating body 11 supported rotatably relative to the base 10 about a first axis J1. The machine 1 also includes a first arm 12 supported rotatably relative to the rotating body 11 about a second axis J2 perpendicular to the first axis J1, a second arm 13 supported rotatably relative to the first arm 12 about a third axis J3 parallel to the second axis J2, and a three-axis wrist unit 17 attached to the tip of the second arm 13. The machine 1 may also include a tool attached to the tip of the wrist unit 17, although this is not shown. Examples of tools include a hand, a welding tool, a sealing tool, etc.

[0015] The wrist unit 17 includes a first wrist element 14 rotatably supported relative to the second arm 13 about a fourth axis J4 perpendicular to the third axis J3, and a second wrist element 15 rotatably supported relative to the first wrist element 14 about a fifth axis J5 perpendicular to the fourth axis J4. Furthermore, the wrist unit 17 includes a third wrist element 16 rotatably supported relative to the second wrist element 15 about a sixth axis J6 perpendicular to the fifth axis J5.

[0016] As described above, the machine 1 includes a plurality of links 10-16 connected to each other for relative movement. The machine 1 includes joints between the links 10-16 that rotate around predetermined axes J1-J6. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the machine 1 may include joints between the links 10-16 that move linearly along predetermined axes. The machine 1 includes actuators (not shown) that drive the links 11-16 at the joints. The actuators include electric motors, speed reducers, and the like. A conductor 20 such as a cable or tube is installed in the links 10-16 to supply power and signals to the actuators and tools attached to the hands. The links 10-16 are hollow housings, and the conductor 20 is installed inside the links 10-16. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, at least one of the links 10-16 may not be a hollow housing, and the conductor 20 may be installed outside the link 10-16.

[0017] At a location (in this example, wrist unit 17) where the movement of umbilical member 20 is restricted when links 11 to 16 rotate about predetermined axes J1 to J6, umbilical member 20 is exposed to the outside of links 11 to 16 (in this example, between fourth link 14 and fifth link 15). The exposed portion of umbilical member 20 is covered with covering member 21. Covering member 21 serves to bundle multiple umbilical members and to protect umbilical member 20 from foreign matter such as spatter and chips. Covering member 21 is fixed to machine 1 (in this example, fifth link 15, which is a hollow housing) by a fixing member (not shown) (see FIG. 2). In this way, machine 1 is provided with covering member fixing structure 2 that fixes covering member 21.

[0018] The covering member fixing structure 2 of the first embodiment will be described below. Fig. 2 is a top view of the covering member fixing structure 2 of the first embodiment. The covering member fixing structure 2 of the first embodiment is a fixing structure for a covering member 21 that covers the wire body 20 installed in the wrist unit 17, but it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this and, as will be described in the embodiments described later, the covering member fixing structure 2 may also be a fixing structure for a covering member 21 that covers the wire body 20 installed in the other links 11 to 13 (the rotating body 11, the first arm 12, and the second arm 13), etc. The covering member fixing structure 2 includes a covering member 21 that covers the wire body 20 that is exposed to the outside from the fourth link 14 and enters the inside of the fifth link 15, and a fixing member 22 that fixes the covering member 21 to a fixed member 23.

[0019] It should be noted that the covering member 21 is a tubular cover made of cloth, but is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the covering member 21 may be composed of other flexible covering members such as a rubber tube. Also, the covering member 21 covers only the exposed portion of the umbilical member 20 between the fourth link 14 and the fifth link 15, but is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the covering member 21 may cover the umbilical member 20 laid inside the fourth link 14 or the fifth link 15, as long as it does not restrict the movement of the umbilical member 20.

[0020] It should be noted that while the fixing member 22 is a ring-shaped fixing member such as a cable tie, in other embodiments the fixing member 22 may be configured as other ring-shaped fixing members such as a string, a belt, a safety pin, etc. Also, while the covering member 21 and the fixing member 22 are configured as separate members, it should be noted that this is not limiting, and in other embodiments the covering member 21 and the fixing member 22 may be configured as an integrated single member.

[0021] The covering member fixing structure 2 may further include a fixed member 23 to which the fixing member 22 is fixed. The fixed member 23 is a protective cover for the fifth link 15, but it should be noted that this is not limited to this and that in other embodiments in which a protective cover is not attached, the fixed member 23 may be composed of the cast fifth link 15 itself. The fixed member 23 is a flexible protective cover with a smooth surface, such as a resin cover, but it should be noted that this is not limited to this and that in other embodiments, the fixed member 23 may be composed of a flexible protective cover with a smooth surface, such as a lightweight metal cover. The fixed member 23 has a pair of through holes 24 (see FIG. 3 ) through which the ring-shaped fixing member 22 passes.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III showing the details of the covering member fixing structure 2 of the first embodiment. The covering member fixing structure 2 of the first embodiment includes a covering member 21 that covers the wire body 20 and four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', and 22b' that fix the covering member 21 to a fixed member 23. The covering member fixing structure 2 may further include a fixed member 23 to which the covering member 21 is fixed. The fixed member 23 has four pairs of through holes 24a, 24b, 24a', and 24b'. The imaginary plane P is a plane that is parallel to the fifth axis J5 of the machine 1 about which the wire body 20 is bent and includes the sixth axis J6 of the machine 1 on which the wire body 20 is installed. The fifth axis J5 is the rotation axis of the fifth link 15, and the sixth axis J6 is the rotation axis of the sixth link 16. The sixth axis J6 is also the central axis of the hollow hole 23a of the fixed member 23 (or the fifth link 15, which is a hollow housing) through which the filament 20 is inserted. The fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', and 22b' respectively pass through pairs of through holes 24a, 24b, 24a', and 24b' to fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23.

[0023] That is, the first fixing member 22a passes through the first pair of through holes 24a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The second fixing member 22b passes through the second pair of through holes 24b in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The third fixing member 22a' passes through the third pair of through holes 24a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The fourth fixing member 22b' passes through the fourth pair of through holes 24b' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' and the four pairs of through holes 24a, 24b, 24a', 24b' are arranged at predetermined intervals around the periphery of the cylindrical covering member 21.

[0024] 4A is a development view of the covering member 21 of the first embodiment. The covering member 21 of this example is a substantially rectangular cover that unfolds like a sheet. The covering member 21 has a pair of joints 26 on two sides that are substantially parallel to the extension direction of the filament 20. One joint 26 is located on the front side of the covering member 21, and the other joint 26 is located on the back side of the covering member 21. Note that the joints 26 are hook-and-loop fasteners, but are not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the joints 26 may be configured as zippers, buttons, or the like. The covering member 21 covers the filament 20 by rolling the covering member 21 into a cylindrical shape to encase the filament 20 and joining the pair of joints 26.

[0025] The covering member 21 has insertion holes 25 for the fixing members 22 at an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20. More specifically, the covering member 21 in this example has four insertion holes 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b' that are arranged at an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20. The fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are inserted into the insertion holes 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b', respectively, in a direction generally parallel to the extension direction of the filament 20.

[0026] That is, first fixing member 22a is inserted into first insertion hole 25a in region R1 on one side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. Second fixing member 22b is inserted into second insertion hole 25b in region R1 on one side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. Third fixing member 22a' is inserted into third insertion hole 25a' in region R2 on the other side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. Fourth fixing member 22b' is inserted into fourth insertion hole 25b' in region R2 on the other side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. The four insertion holes 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b' and the four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are arranged at predetermined intervals on the end of covering member 21.

[0027] 3 again, the first fixing member 22a and the second fixing member 22b fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P. The third fixing member 22a' and the fourth fixing member 22b' fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P. In this way, the fixing member 22 fixes the covering member 21 to the machine 1 in at least one of the areas R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P and the area R2 on the other side. In particular, the fixing member 22 fixes the covering member 21 to the machine 1 radially outside the hollow hole 23a of the fixed member 23 (or the fifth link 15, which is a hollow housing). 2 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and causes the filament 20 to bend about the fifth axis J5, or even if the filament 20 bends about the fifth axis J5 and twists about the sixth axis J6 and causes the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and the sixth link 16 rotates about the sixth axis J6 and causes the filament 20 to bend about the fifth axis J5 and twist about the sixth axis J6, the filament 20 does not come into contact with the fixed member 22. Consequently, the fixed member 22 does not hinder the movement of the filament 20 and the filament 20 does not slide against the fixed member 22, thereby preventing early damage to the filament 20 and extending the life of the filament 20.

[0028] In contrast, when the distance between the umbilical member 20 and the fifth link 15 is short and the fixed member 22 straddles (crosses) the region R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P and the region R2 on the other side, the umbilical member 20 is more likely to come into contact with the fixed member 22. In particular, when the machine 1 is a robot, the umbilical member 20 and the actuators (motors, reducers, gears, etc.) of the fifth link 15 and the sixth link 16 must be housed in a limited space, making the umbilical member 20 even more likely to come into contact with the fixed member 22. For this reason, the umbilical member 20 comes into contact with the fixed member 22 when the umbilical member 20 bends as the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5, or when the umbilical member 20 bends about the fifth axis J5 and twists about the sixth axis J6 as the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and the sixth link 16 rotates about the sixth axis J6. As a result, the fixing member 22 hinders the movement of the filament 20. Furthermore, the filament 20 comes into sliding contact with the fixing member 22 every time the filament 20 is repeatedly bent or repeatedly bent and twisted, which may result in early breakage of the filament 20.

[0029] Referring again to FIG. 2 , when the filament 20 bends or when the filament 20 bends and twists in accordance with the above-described operation of the machine 1, the covering member 21 may be pulled by the filament 20 and move in a direction away from the fixed member 23. It is preferable that the covering member 21 has a reinforcing portion (not shown) so that the covering member 21 is not torn by the fixing member 22 when the covering member 21 is separated from the fixed member 23. The reinforcing portion is formed by laminating multiple layers of cloth, rubber, or the like at the end where the insertion hole 25 shown in FIG. 4A is formed. However, it should be noted that the reinforcing portion is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the reinforcing portion may be formed by metal fittings such as grommets that reinforce the periphery of the insertion hole 25. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the reinforcing portion may be formed by combining these laminated reinforcements with metal fitting reinforcements.

[0030] 4B is a development view of a modified covering member 21. The modified covering member 21 differs from the covering member 21 shown in FIG. 4A in that it includes a cylindrical portion 27 formed by folding back an end portion generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20, and insertion holes 25 of a predetermined width formed between two notches after two pieces are cut out from the cylindrical portion 27. More specifically, the modified covering member 21 includes four insertion holes 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b' of a predetermined width formed between two adjacent notches after eight pieces are cut out from the cylindrical portion 27. Fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are inserted into insertion holes 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b', respectively, in a direction generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20.

[0031] That is, first fixing member 22a is inserted into first insertion hole 25a in region R1 on one side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. Second fixing member 22b is inserted into second insertion hole 25b in region R1 on one side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. Third fixing member 22a' is inserted into third insertion hole 25a' in region R2 on the other side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. Fourth fixing member 22b' is inserted into fourth insertion hole 25b' in region R2 on the other side of imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix covering member 21. The four insertion holes 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b' and the four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are arranged at predetermined intervals on the end of covering member 21.

[0032] Even when covering member 21 of the modified example is pulled downward in the drawing due to bending of filament 20 or bending and twisting of filament 20, fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of covering member 21 linearly through insertion hole 25 of a predetermined width, and therefore fixing member 22 is unlikely to break. Consequently, covering member 21 of the modified example has the advantage of being unlikely to fall off. In contrast, if fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of covering member 21 at a point through insertion hole 25, fixing member 22 is likely to break.

[0033] Furthermore, it is preferable that the covering member 21 of the modified example includes the aforementioned reinforcing portion (not shown). The reinforcing portion is formed by laminating multiple sheets of cloth, rubber, or the like at the end where the insertion hole 25 shown in Fig. 4B is formed, but it should be noted that this is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the reinforcing portion may be formed by a loop-shaped metal fitting that reinforces the insertion hole 25 of a predetermined width. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the reinforcing portion may be formed by combining these layered reinforcements and metal fitting reinforcements.

[0034] 4C is a development view of a covering member 21 of another modified example. The covering member 21 of another modified example has generally the same configuration as the covering member 21 of the modified example shown in FIG. 4B, but differs from the covering member 21 of the modified example shown in FIG. 4B in that the covering member 21 of another modified example includes a secondary covering portion 28. More specifically, the covering member 21 of another modified example includes two secondary covering portions 28 at the end where the insertion hole 25 is formed. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the covering member 21 of another modified example may include one secondary covering portion 28 at the end where the insertion hole 25 is formed. In this case, it is preferable that one secondary covering portion 28 extend over the entire end where the insertion hole 25 is formed.

[0035] The secondary covering portion 28 is a cloth such as a patch, but is not limited to this, and it should be noted that in other embodiments, the secondary covering portion 28 may be made of rubber such as a rubber patch. The secondary covering portion 28 covers the insertion holes 25 and extends outward from the end where the insertion holes 25 are formed. More specifically, the first secondary covering portion 28 covers the first set of insertion holes 25a, 25b and extends outward from the end where the first set of insertion holes 25a, 25b are formed. The second secondary covering portion 28 covers the second set of insertion holes 25a', 25b' and extends outward from the end where the second set of insertion holes 25a', 25b' are formed.

[0036] In another modified example, even if the covering member 21 is pulled downward in the drawing due to bending of the filament 20 or bending and twisting of the filament 20, the secondary covering portion 28 covers any gap that may form between the covering member 21 and the fixed member 23 (see Figure 2), and therefore the secondary covering portion 28 has the role of protecting the filament 20 from foreign matter such as spatter and chips regardless of the movement of the filament 20.

[0037] Furthermore, it is preferable that the secondary covering portion 28 has secondary insertion holes 29 located outward from the end portion where the insertion holes 25 are formed. More specifically, the first secondary covering portion 28 has a first set of secondary insertion holes 29a, 29b. The second secondary covering portion 28 has a second set of secondary insertion holes 29a', 29b'. The fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are inserted into the secondary insertion holes 29a, 29b, 29a', 29b', respectively, in a direction generally parallel to the extension direction of the filament 20.

[0038] That is, the first fixing member 22a is inserted into the first insertion hole 25a and the first sub-insertion hole 29a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix the covering member 21. The second fixing member 22b is inserted into the second insertion hole 25b and the second sub-insertion hole 29b in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix the covering member 21. The third fixing member 22a' is inserted into the third insertion hole 25a' and the third sub-insertion hole 29a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix the covering member 21. The fourth fixing member 22b' is inserted into the fourth insertion hole 25b' and the fourth sub-insertion hole 29b' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 3) to fix the covering member 21. The four insertion holes 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b', the four sub insertion holes 29a, 29b, 29a', 29b', and the four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are arranged at an end of the covering member 21 at predetermined intervals.

[0039] In covering member 21 of another modified example, fixing member 22 is inserted through insertion hole 25 and auxiliary insertion hole 29 and fixed to fixed member 23 (see FIG. 2 ), so that secondary covering portion 28 and the end of covering member 21 are fastened together to fixed member 23. As a result, secondary covering portion 28 does not roll up even when umbilical member 20 is bent or when umbilical member 20 is bent and twisted. Therefore, covering member 21 of another modified example has the advantage that secondary covering portion 28 protects umbilical member 20 from foreign matter such as spatter and chips regardless of the movement of umbilical member 20.

[0040] The covering member fixing structure 2 of the second embodiment will be described below. Fig. 5 is a top view of the covering member fixing structure 2 of the second embodiment. The covering member fixing structure 2 of the second embodiment differs from the covering member fixing structure 2 of the first embodiment in that it includes a relay member 30 that relays between the covering member 21 and the fixing member 22.

[0041] It should be noted that the relay member 30 is a ring-shaped relay member such as a cable tie, but is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the relay member 30 may be configured as other ring-shaped relay members such as a string, a belt, a safety pin, etc. Also, it should be noted that the covering member 21 and the relay member 30 are configured as separate members, but is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the covering member 21 and the relay member 30 may be configured as an integrated single member.

[0042] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI showing details of the covering member fixing structure 2 of the second embodiment. The covering member fixing structure 2 of the second embodiment includes a covering member 21 that covers the wire body 20, a first relay member 30a that relays between the covering member 21 and the first set of fixing members 22a and 22b, a second relay member 30a' that relays between the covering member 21 and the second set of fixing members 22a' and 22b', two fixing members 22a and 22b that fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 via the first relay member 30a, and two fixing members 22a' and 22b' that fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 via the second relay member 30a'.

[0043] The covering member fixing structure 2 may further include a fixed member 23 to which the covering member 21 is fixed. The fixed member 23 has four pairs of through holes 24a, 24b, 24a', 24b' arranged on another imaginary plane (not shown) that is approximately perpendicular to the imaginary plane P. The imaginary plane P is a plane that is parallel to a fifth axis J5 of the machine 1 about which the umbilical member 20 is bent and that includes a sixth axis J6 of the machine 1 on which the umbilical member 20 is installed. The fifth axis J5 is the rotation axis of the fifth link 15, and the sixth axis J6 is the rotation axis of the sixth link 16. The sixth axis J6 is also the central axis of the hollow hole 23a of the fixed member 23 (or the fifth link 15, which is a hollow housing) through which the umbilical member 20 is inserted. The fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' respectively pass through pairs of through holes 24a, 24b, 24a', 24b' on another imaginary plane (not shown) substantially perpendicular to the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23.

[0044] That is, the first fixing member 22a passes through the first pair of through holes 24a via the first relay member 30a in the region R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The second fixing member 22b passes through the second pair of through holes 24b via the first relay member 30a in the region R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The third fixing member 22a' passes through the third pair of through holes 24a' via the second relay member 30a' in the region R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The fourth fixing member 22b' passes through the fourth pair of through holes 24b' via the second relay member 30a' in the region R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The two relay members 30a, 30a', the four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b', and the four pairs of through holes 24a, 24b, 24a', 24b' are arranged around the cylindrical covering member 21 at predetermined intervals.

[0045] 7A is a development view of the covering member 21 of the second embodiment. The covering member 21 of this example is a substantially rectangular cover that unfolds like a sheet. The covering member 21 has a pair of joints 26 on two sides that are substantially parallel to the extension direction of the filament 20. One joint 26 is located on the front side of the covering member 21, and the other joint 26 is located on the back side of the covering member 21. The joints 26 are hook-and-loop fasteners, but this is not limited thereto. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the joints 26 may be formed of a zipper, a button, or the like. The covering member 21 covers the filament 20 by rolling the covering member 21 into a cylindrical shape to encase the filament 20 and joining the pair of joints 26.

[0046] The covering member 21 has insertion holes 25 for the relay members 30 at an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20. More specifically, the covering member 21 in this example has two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' that are arranged at an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20. The relay members 30a, 30a' are respectively inserted into pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' that are arranged in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20.

[0047] That is, the first relay member 30a is inserted into the first pair of insertion holes 25a, and the first fixing member 22a and the second fixing member 22b are inserted into the first relay member 30a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 6) to fix the covering member 21. The second relay member 30b is inserted into the second pair of insertion holes 25a', and the third fixing member 22a' and the fourth fixing member 22b' are inserted into the second relay member 30a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 6) to fix the covering member 21. The two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a', the two relay members 30a, 30a', and the four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are arranged at predetermined intervals on an end of the covering member 21.

[0048] 6 again, the first fixing member 22a and the second fixing member 22b fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 via the first relay member 30a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P. The third fixing member 22a' and the fourth fixing member 22b' fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 via the second relay member 30a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P. In this way, the fixing member 22 and the relay member 30 fix the covering member 21 to the machine 1 in at least one of the areas R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P and the area R2 on the other side. In particular, the fixing member 22 and the relay member 30 fix the covering member 21 to the machine 1 radially outside the hollow hole 23a of the fixed member 23 (or the fifth link 15, which is a hollow housing). 5 rotates about the fifth axis J5, causing the umbilical body 20 to bend about the fifth axis J5, or even if the umbilical body 20 bends about the fifth axis J5 and twists about the sixth axis J6 as the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and the sixth link 16 rotates about the sixth axis J6, causing the umbilical body 20 to not come into contact with the fixed member 22 or the relay member 30. Consequently, the fixed member 22 and the relay member 30 do not hinder the movement of the umbilical body 20, and the umbilical body 20 does not come into sliding contact with the fixed member 22 and the relay member 30. This makes it possible to prevent early damage to the umbilical body 20 and extend the life of the umbilical body 20.

[0049] In contrast, when the distance between the filament 20 and the fifth link 15 is short and the fixed member 22 straddles (crosses) the area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P and the area R2 on the other side, the filament 20 is more likely to come into contact with the fixed member 22 and the relay member 30. In particular, when the machine 1 is a robot, the actuators (motors, reducers, gears, etc.) of the fifth link 15 and the sixth link 16 and the filament 20 must be stored in a limited space, making the filament 20 even more likely to come into contact with the fixed member 22 and the relay member 30. Therefore, when the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and the umbilical member 20 bends, or when the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and the sixth link 16 rotates about the sixth axis J6 and the umbilical member 20 bends about the fifth axis J5 and twists about the sixth axis J6, the umbilical member 20 comes into contact with the fixed member 22 and the relay member 30. Consequently, the fixed member 22 and the relay member 30 impede the movement of the umbilical member 20. Furthermore, because the umbilical member 20 comes into sliding contact with the fixed member 22 every time the umbilical member 20 repeatedly bends or every time the umbilical member 20 repeatedly bends and twists, the umbilical member 20 may be damaged early.

[0050] Referring again to FIG. 5 , when the filament 20 bends or when the filament 20 bends and twists in accordance with the above-described operation of the machine 1, the covering member 21 may be pulled by the filament 20 and move in a direction away from the fixed member 23. It is preferable that the covering member 21 has a reinforcing portion (not shown) so that the covering member 21 is not torn by the relay member 30 when the covering member 21 is separated from the fixed member 23. The reinforcing portion is formed by laminating multiple layers of cloth, rubber, or the like at the end where the insertion hole 25 shown in FIG. 7A is formed. However, it should be noted that the reinforcing portion is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the reinforcing portion may be formed by metal fittings such as grommets that reinforce the periphery of the insertion hole 25. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the reinforcing portion may be formed by combining these layered reinforcements with metal fitting reinforcements.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the covering member fixing structure 2 of the second embodiment, the relay member 30 relays between the covering member 21 and the fixing member 22 without fastening the covering member 21, so that the shape of the covering member 21 can be maintained even if the fixing member 22 is fastened. In other words, the covering member fixing structure 2 of the second embodiment has the advantage that the covering member 21 is less likely to restrict the movement of the filament 20.

[0052] 7B is a development view of a modified covering member 21. The modified covering member 21 differs from the covering member 21 shown in FIG. 7A in that it includes a tubular portion 27 formed by folding back an end portion generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20, and an insertion hole 25 of a predetermined width formed between two notches after two pieces are cut out from the tubular portion 27. More specifically, the modified covering member 21 includes two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' of a predetermined width formed between two adjacent notches after eight pieces are cut out from the tubular portion 27. The relay members 30a, 30a' are inserted into pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20.

[0053] That is, the first relay member 30a is inserted into the first pair of insertion holes 25a, and the first fixing member 22a and the second fixing member 22b are inserted into the first relay member 30a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 6) to fix the covering member 21. The second relay member 30a' is inserted into the second pair of insertion holes 25a', and the third fixing member 22a' and the fourth fixing member 22b' are inserted into the second relay member 30a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 6) to fix the covering member 21. The two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a', the two relay members 30a, 30a', and the four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are arranged at predetermined intervals on an end of the covering member 21.

[0054] In the modified covering member 21, the relay member 30 relays between the covering member 21 and the fixing member 22 without fastening the covering member 21, and therefore the shape of the covering member 21 can be maintained even when the fixing member 22 is fastened. In other words, the modified covering member 21 also has the advantage of being less likely to restrict the movement of the filament 20.

[0055] Furthermore, it is preferable that the covering member 21 of the modified example includes the aforementioned reinforcing portion (not shown). The reinforcing portion is formed by laminating multiple sheets of cloth, rubber, or the like at the end where the insertion hole 25 shown in Fig. 7B is formed, but it should be noted that this is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the reinforcing portion may be formed by a loop-shaped metal fitting that reinforces the insertion hole 25 of a predetermined width. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the reinforcing portion may be formed by combining these layered reinforcements and metal fitting reinforcements.

[0056] 7C is a development view of a covering member 21 of another modified example. The covering member 21 of another modified example has generally the same configuration as the covering member 21 shown in FIG. 7B, but differs from the covering member 21 shown in FIG. 7B in that the covering member 21 of another modified example includes a secondary covering portion 28. More specifically, the covering member 21 of another modified example includes two secondary covering portions 28 at the end where the insertion hole 25 is formed. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the covering member 21 of another modified example may include one secondary covering portion 28 at the end where the insertion hole 25 is formed. In this case, it is preferable that one secondary covering portion 28 extend over the entire end where the insertion hole 25 is formed.

[0057] The secondary covering portion 28 is a cloth such as a patch, but is not limited to this, and it should be noted that in other embodiments, the secondary covering portion 28 may be made of rubber such as a rubber patch. The secondary covering portion 28 covers the insertion holes 25 and extends outward from the end where the insertion holes 25 are formed. More specifically, the first secondary covering portion 28 covers the first pair of insertion holes 25a and extends outward from the end where the first pair of insertion holes 25a are formed. The second secondary covering portion 28 covers the second pair of insertion holes 25a' and extends outward from the end where the second pair of insertion holes 25a' are formed.

[0058] In another modified example, even if the covering member 21 is pulled downward in the drawing due to bending of the filament 20 or bending and twisting of the filament 20, the secondary covering portion 28 covers any gap that may form between the covering member 21 and the fixed member 23 (see Figure 5), and therefore the secondary covering portion 28 has the role of protecting the filament 20 from foreign matter such as spatter and chips regardless of the movement of the filament 20.

[0059] Furthermore, the secondary covering portion 28 preferably has secondary insertion holes 29 located outward from the end portion where the insertion holes 25 are formed. More specifically, the first secondary covering portion 28 has a first pair of secondary insertion holes 29a arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20. The second secondary covering portion 28 has a second pair of secondary insertion holes 29a' arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20. The relay members 30a, 30a' are inserted into the pairs of secondary insertion holes 29a, 29a' arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20, respectively.

[0060] That is, the first relay member 30a is inserted through the pair of insertion holes 25a and the pair of auxiliary insertion holes 29a, and the first fixing member 22a and the second fixing member 22b are inserted through the first relay member 30a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 6) to fix the covering member 21. The second relay member 30a' is inserted through the second pair of insertion holes 25a' and the second pair of auxiliary insertion holes 29a', and the third fixing member 22a' and the fourth fixing member 22b' are inserted through the second relay member 30a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 6) to fix the covering member 21. The two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a', the two pairs of auxiliary insertion holes 29a, 29a', the two relay members 30a, 30a', and the four fixing members 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b' are arranged at predetermined intervals on an end of the covering member 21.

[0061] In another modified covering member 21, the relay member 30 is inserted into the insertion hole 25 and the secondary insertion hole 29, and the fixing member 22 is inserted into the relay member 30 and fixed to the fixed member 23 (see FIG. 5 ), so that the secondary covering portion 28 and the end of the covering member 21 are both fixed to the fixed member 23. As a result, even when the umbilical member 20 is bent or when the umbilical member 20 is bent and twisted, the secondary covering portion 28 does not roll up, and therefore the covering member 21 of another modified example has the advantage that the secondary covering portion 28 protects the umbilical member 20 from foreign matter such as spatter and chips regardless of the movement of the umbilical member 20.

[0062] Furthermore, in another modified covering member 21, relay member 30 relays between covering member 21 and fixing member 22 without fastening covering member 21, so that covering member 21 can maintain its shape even when fixing member 22 is fastened. In other words, covering member 21 in another modified example also has the advantage of being less likely to restrict the movement of filament 20.

[0063] A covering member fixing structure 2 according to a third embodiment will now be described. FIG. 8 is a top view of the covering member fixing structure 2 according to the third embodiment. The covering member fixing structure 2 according to the third embodiment differs from the covering member fixing structure 2 according to the first or second embodiment in that it includes a fixing member 22 that fixes the covering member 21 on another imaginary plane (not shown) that is generally parallel to the imaginary plane P. The imaginary plane P is a plane that is parallel to the fifth axis J5 of the machine 1 about which the umbilical member 20 is bent and that includes a sixth axis J6 of the machine 1 on which the umbilical member 20 is installed. The fifth axis J5 is the rotation axis of the fifth link 15, and the sixth axis J6 is the rotation axis of the sixth link 16. The sixth axis J6 is also the central axis of the hollow hole 23a of the fixed member 23 (or the fifth link 15, which is a hollow housing) through which the umbilical member 20 is inserted.

[0064] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX showing details of the covering member fixing structure 2 of the third embodiment. The covering member fixing structure 2 of the third embodiment includes a covering member 21 that covers the umbilical member 20 and two fixing members 22a, 22a' that fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23. The covering member fixing structure 2 may further include a fixed member 23 to which the covering member 21 is fixed. The fixed member 23 has two pairs of through holes 24a, 24a' arranged on another imaginary plane (not shown) that is generally parallel to the imaginary plane P. The fixing members 22a, 22a' each pass through a pair of through holes 24a, 24a' on another imaginary plane (not shown) that is generally parallel to the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23.

[0065] That is, the first fixing member 22a passes through the first pair of through holes 24a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. The second fixing member 22a' passes through the second pair of through holes 24a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21. Furthermore, the first fixing member 22a passes through the pair of through holes 24a on another imaginary plane (not shown) that is substantially parallel to the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23. The second fixing member 22a' passes through the pair of through holes 24a' on another imaginary plane (not shown) that is substantially parallel to the imaginary plane P to fix the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23. The two fixing members 22a, 22a' and the two pairs of through holes 24a, 24a' are arranged at predetermined intervals around the periphery of the cylindrical covering member 21.

[0066] 10A is a development view of covering member 21 of the third embodiment. Covering member 21 of this example is a substantially rectangular cover that unfolds like a sheet. Covering member 21 has a pair of joints 26 on two sides that are substantially parallel to the extension direction of filament 20. One joint 26 is located on the front side of covering member 21, and the other joint 26 is located on the back side of covering member 21. Note that although joint 26 is a hook-and-loop fastener, this is not limitative and in other embodiments, joint 26 may be configured as a zipper, button, or the like. Covering member 21 covers filament 20 by rolling covering member 21 into a cylindrical shape to encase filament 20 and joining the pair of joints 26.

[0067] The covering member 21 has insertion holes 25 for the fixing members 22 at an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20. More specifically, the covering member 21 in this example has two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' that are arranged at an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20. The fixing members 22a, 22a' are inserted into pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' that are arranged in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament 20, respectively.

[0068] That is, the first fixing member 22a is inserted into the first pair of insertion holes 25a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 9) to fix the covering member 21. The second fixing member 22a' is inserted into the second pair of insertion holes 25a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 9) to fix the covering member 21. The two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' and the two fixing members 22a, 22a' are arranged at an end of the covering member 21 at a predetermined interval.

[0069] 9 again, the first fixing member 22a fixes the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P. The second fixing member 22a' fixes the covering member 21 to the fixed member 23 in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P. In this way, the fixing member 22 fixes the covering member 21 to the machine 1 in at least one of the areas R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P and the area R2 on the other side. In particular, the fixing member 22 fixes the covering member 21 to the machine 1 radially outside the hollow hole 23a of the fixed member 23 (or the fifth link 15, which is a hollow housing). 8 about the fifth axis J5 and bending the umbilical body 20, or even if the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and the sixth link 16 rotates about the sixth axis J6 and bending the umbilical body 20 about the fifth axis J5 and twisting about the sixth axis J6, the umbilical body 20 does not come into contact with the fixed member 22. Furthermore, since the fixed member 22 does not hinder the movement of the umbilical body 20 and the umbilical body 20 does not slide against the fixed member 22, early damage to the umbilical body 20 can be suppressed and the life of the umbilical body 20 can be extended.

[0070] In contrast, when the distance between the umbilical member 20 and the fifth link 15 is short and the fixed member 22 straddles (crosses) the region R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P and the region R2 on the other side, the umbilical member 20 is more likely to come into contact with the fixed member 22. In particular, when the machine 1 is a robot, the umbilical member 20 and the actuators (motors, reducers, gears, etc.) of the fifth link 15 and the sixth link 16 must be housed in a limited space, making the umbilical member 20 even more likely to come into contact with the fixed member 22. For this reason, the umbilical member 20 comes into contact with the fixed member 22 when the umbilical member 20 bends as the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5, or when the umbilical member 20 bends about the fifth axis J5 and twists about the sixth axis J6 as the fifth link 15 rotates about the fifth axis J5 and the sixth link 16 rotates about the sixth axis J6. As a result, the fixing member 22 hinders the movement of the filament 20. Furthermore, the filament 20 comes into sliding contact with the fixing member 22 every time the filament 20 is repeatedly bent or repeatedly bent and twisted, which may result in early breakage of the filament 20.

[0071] Furthermore, according to the covering member fixing structure 2 of the third embodiment, the number of fixing members 22 is reduced compared to the other embodiments, and the number of through holes 24 in the fixed member 23 is also reduced compared to the other embodiments, so the covering member fixing structure 2 of the third embodiment has advantages in terms of manufacturing cost, manufacturing labor, etc.

[0072] 10A again, even when covering member 21 of this example is pulled downward in the drawing due to bending of filament 20 or bending and twisting of filament 20, fixing member 22 is unlikely to break because fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of covering member 21 at two points, via a pair of insertion holes 25. This has the advantage that covering member 21 of the modified example is unlikely to fall off. In contrast, if fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of covering member 21 at one point, via insertion hole 25, fixing member 22 is likely to break, and covering member 21 is likely to be torn by fixing member 22.

[0073] Referring again to FIG. 8 , when the filament 20 bends or when the filament 20 bends and twists in accordance with the above-described operation of the machine 1, the covering member 21 may be pulled by the filament 20 and move in a direction away from the fixed member 23. It is preferable that the covering member 21 has a reinforcing portion (not shown) so that the covering member 21 is not torn by the fixing member 22 when the covering member 21 is separated from the fixed member 23. The reinforcing portion is formed by laminating multiple layers of cloth, rubber, or the like at the end where the insertion hole 25 shown in FIG. 10A is formed, but it should be noted that this is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the reinforcing portion may be formed by metal fittings such as grommets that reinforce the periphery of the insertion hole 25. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the reinforcing portion may be formed by combining these laminated reinforcements with metal fitting reinforcements.

[0074] 10B is a development view of a modified covering member 21. Covering member 21 of the modified example differs from covering member 21 shown in FIG. 10A in that it includes a tubular portion 27 formed by folding back an end portion generally perpendicular to the extension direction of filamentary body 20, and insertion holes 25 of a predetermined width formed between two notches after two pieces are cut out from tubular portion 27. More specifically, covering member 21 of the modified example includes two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' of a predetermined width formed between two adjacent notches after eight pieces are cut out from tubular portion 27, and fixing members 22a, 22a' are inserted into the pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' in a direction generally perpendicular to the extension direction of filamentary body 20.

[0075] That is, the first fixing member 22a is inserted into the first pair of insertion holes 25a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 9) to fix the covering member 21. The second fixing member 22a' is inserted into the second pair of insertion holes 25a' to fix the covering member 21. The two pairs of insertion holes 25a, 25a' and the two fixing members 22a, 22a' are arranged at an end of the covering member 21 at a predetermined interval.

[0076] In the modified covering member 21, the number of fixing members 22 is reduced compared to other embodiments, and the number of through holes 24 in the fixed member 23 is also reduced compared to other embodiments, so the covering member fixing structure 2 has advantages in terms of manufacturing cost, manufacturing labor, etc.

[0077] Furthermore, even when covering member 21 of the modified example is pulled downward in the figure due to bending of filament 20 or bending and twisting of filament 20, fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of covering member 21 at two lines from a pair of insertion holes 25 of a predetermined width, and therefore fixing member 22 is less likely to break. Consequently, covering member 21 of the modified example has the advantage of being less likely to fall off. In contrast, if fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of covering member 21 at one point from insertion hole 25, fixing member 22 is more likely to break.

[0078] Furthermore, it is preferable that the covering member 21 of the modified example includes the aforementioned reinforcing portion (not shown). The reinforcing portion is formed by laminating multiple sheets of cloth, rubber, or the like at the end where the insertion hole 25 shown in Fig. 10B is formed, but it should be noted that this is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the reinforcing portion may be formed by a loop-shaped metal fitting that reinforces the insertion hole 25 of a predetermined width. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the reinforcing portion may be formed by combining these layered reinforcements and metal fitting reinforcements.

[0079] 10C is a development view of a covering member 21 of another modified example. The covering member 21 of another modified example has generally the same configuration as the covering member 21 shown in FIG. 10B, but differs from the covering member 21 shown in FIG. 10B in that it includes secondary covering portions 28. More specifically, the covering member 21 of another modified example includes two secondary covering portions 28 at the end where the insertion hole 25 is formed. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the covering member 21 of another modified example may include one secondary covering portion 28 at the end where the insertion hole 25 is formed. In this case, it is preferable that one secondary covering portion 28 extends over the entire end where the insertion hole 25 is formed.

[0080] The secondary covering portion 28 is a cloth such as a patch, but is not limited to this, and it should be noted that in other embodiments, the secondary covering portion 28 may be made of rubber such as a rubber patch. The secondary covering portion 28 covers the insertion holes 25 and extends outward from the end where the insertion holes 25 are formed. More specifically, the first secondary covering portion 28 covers the first pair of insertion holes 25a and extends outward from the end where the first pair of insertion holes 25a are formed. The second secondary covering portion 28 covers the second pair of insertion holes 25a' and extends outward from the end where the second pair of insertion holes 25a' are formed.

[0081] In another modified example, even if the covering member 21 is pulled downward in the drawing due to bending of the filament 20 or bending and twisting of the filament 20, the secondary covering portion 28 covers any gap that may form between the covering member 21 and the fixed member 23 (see Figure 8), and therefore the secondary covering portion 28 has the role of protecting the filament 20 from foreign matter such as spatter and chips regardless of the movement of the filament 20.

[0082] Furthermore, the secondary covering portion 28 preferably has secondary insertion holes 29 located outward from the end portion where the insertion holes 25 are formed. More specifically, the first secondary covering portion 28 has a first pair of secondary insertion holes 29a arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20. The second secondary covering portion 28 has a second pair of secondary insertion holes 29a' arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20. The fixing members 22a, 22a' are inserted into the pairs of secondary insertion holes 29a, 29a' arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the umbilical member 20, respectively.

[0083] That is, the first fixing member 22a is inserted into the pair of through-holes 25a and the pair of auxiliary through-holes 29a in an area R1 on one side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 9) to fix the covering member 21. The second fixing member 22a' is inserted into the second pair of through-holes 25ba' and the second pair of auxiliary through-holes 29a' in an area R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P (see FIG. 9) to fix the covering member 21. The two pairs of through-holes 25a, 25a', the two pairs of auxiliary through-holes 29a, 29a', and the two fixing members 22a, 22a' are arranged at an end of the covering member 21 at a predetermined interval.

[0084] In covering member 21 of another modified example, fixing member 22 is inserted through insertion hole 25 and auxiliary insertion hole 29 and fixed to fixed member 23 (see FIG. 8 ), so that secondary covering portion 28 and the end of covering member 21 are fastened together to fixed member 23. As a result, secondary covering portion 28 does not roll up even when umbilical member 20 is bent or when umbilical member 20 is bent and twisted. Therefore, covering member 21 of another modified example has the advantage that secondary covering portion 28 protects umbilical member 20 from foreign matter such as spatter and chips regardless of the movement of umbilical member 20.

[0085] Furthermore, in another modified covering member 21, the number of fixing members 22 is reduced compared to other embodiments, and the number of through holes 24 in the fixed member 23 is also reduced compared to other embodiments, so the covering member fixing structure 2 has advantages in terms of manufacturing cost, manufacturing labor, etc.

[0086] Furthermore, even when the covering member 21 of another modified example is pulled downward in the drawing due to bending of the filament 20 or bending and twisting of the filament 20, the fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of the covering member 21 at two lines from the pair of insertion holes 25 of a predetermined width and at two points from the pair of auxiliary insertion holes 29, so the fixing member 22 is less likely to break. Consequently, the covering member 21 of another modified example has the advantage of being less likely to fall off. In contrast, if the fixing member 22 receives the tensile force of the covering member 21 at one point from the insertion hole 25, the fixing member 22 will be more likely to break, and the covering member 21 will be more likely to be torn by the fixing member 22.

[0087] Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a machine 1 equipped with a covering member fixing structure 2 of the fourth embodiment, and Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the covering member fixing structure 2 of the fourth embodiment. The covering member fixing structure 2 of the fourth embodiment is a fixing structure for a covering member 21 that covers a wire body 20 laid on the third link 13 (second arm 13), but it should be noted that this is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the covering member fixing structure 2 may be a fixing structure for a covering member 21 that covers a wire body 20 laid on other links 11 to 12 (swivel body 11 and first arm 12) or the like.

[0088] The covering member 21 covers the exposed portion of the wire 20 that enters from the outside of the second link 12 into the inside of the third link 13, but is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the covering member 21 may cover the wire 20 that is laid from the outside of the second link 12 to the outside of the third link 13, or may cover the wire 20 that is laid from the inside of the second link 12 to the outside of the third link 13, as long as the covering member 21 does not restrict the movement of the wire 20. The covering member 21 and the fixing member 22 are configured as separate members, but is not limited to this, and it is noted that in other embodiments, the covering member 21 and the fixing member 22 may be configured as an integrated single member.

[0089] The covering member fixing structure 2 may further include a fixed member 23 to which the fixing member 22 is fixed. The fixed member 23 is constituted by the cast third link 13 itself, but it is not limited to this and may be a protective cover for the third link 13 as described in the previous embodiment. The fixed member 23 is a flexible protective cover with a smooth surface, such as a resin cover, but it is not limited to this and in other embodiments, it is noted that the fixed member 23 may be constituted by a flexible protective cover with a smooth surface, such as a lightweight metal cover. The fixed member 23 has a pair of through holes 24 (see FIG. 3) through which the ring-shaped fixing member 22 passes. The other configurations are the same as those described in the first to third embodiments.

[0090] According to the various embodiments described above, the fixing member 22 does not straddle (cross) the region R1 on one side and the region R2 on the other side of the imaginary plane P that is parallel to the first axis of the machine 1 about which the umbilical member 20 bends and includes the second axis of the machine 1 on which the umbilical member 20 is laid. Therefore, even if the umbilical member 20 bends as the machine 1 operates along the first axis, or even if the umbilical member bends and twists as the machine operates along the first axis and the second axis, the umbilical member 20 does not come into contact with the fixing member 22. Consequently, the fixing member 22 does not hinder the movement of the umbilical member 20, and the umbilical member 20 does not slide against the fixing member 22, which can prevent early damage to the umbilical member 20 and extend the life of the umbilical member 20.

[0091] Although various embodiments have been described herein, it should be recognized that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1. Machines (Robots) 2 Covering member fixing structure 10 base 11 First link (rotating body) 12 Second link (first arm) 13 Third link (second arm) 14 Fourth link (first wrist element) 15 Fifth link (second wrist element) 16 Sixth link (third wrist element) 17 Wrist Unit 20 Striatum 21 Covering material 22, 22a, 22b, 22a', 22b fixing members 23 Fixed member 23a Hollow hole 24, 24a, 24b, 24a', 24b' through hole 25, 25a, 25b, 25a', 25b' Insertion holes 26 Joint 27 Cylindrical part 28 Secondary coating 29, 29a, 29b, 29a', 29b' Sub-insertion holes 30, 30a, 30a' relay members J1~J6 axis P Virtual plane R1 Area on one side R2 Area on the other side

Claims

1. a covering member that covers the wire laid in the machine; a fixing member that fixes the covering member to the machine in an area on one side and an area on the other side of an imaginary plane that is parallel to a first axis of the machine about which the wire is bent and includes a second axis of the machine on which the wire is laid; A covering member fixing structure comprising:

2. 2. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein the machine includes a hollow housing through which the wire is inserted, and the second axis is a central axis of a hollow hole of the hollow housing.

3. 3. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein the machine includes a hollow housing through which the wire is inserted, and the fixing member fixes the covering member to the machine radially outside of a hollow hole of the hollow housing.

4. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1 , wherein the wire has an exposed portion that is exposed to the outside of the machine, and the covering member covers only the exposed portion of the wire.

5. 5. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein the covering member has an insertion hole at an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament, and the fixing member is inserted into the insertion hole in at least one of an area on one side and an area on the other side of the imaginary plane to fix the covering member to the machine.

6. 6. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein the covering member includes an insertion hole formed at an end portion of the covering member that is substantially perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament, and a reinforcing portion that reinforces the insertion hole.

7. 7. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein the covering member comprises a tubular portion formed by folding back an end portion that is generally perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament, and an insertion hole of a predetermined width that is formed between two notches after two pieces are cut out from the tubular portion.

8. 8. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein the covering member comprises: an insertion hole formed at an end portion substantially perpendicular to the extension direction of the filament; and a secondary covering portion covering the insertion hole and extending outward from the end portion in which the insertion hole is formed.

9. 9. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 8, wherein the secondary covering portion has a secondary insertion hole outward from the end portion where the insertion hole is formed, and the fixing member is inserted into the insertion hole and the secondary insertion hole in at least one of the regions on one side and the other side of the imaginary plane to fix the covering member.

10. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a relay member that relays between the covering member and the fixing member.

11. The covering member fixing structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing member fixes the covering member on another imaginary plane that is substantially perpendicular to the imaginary plane or on another imaginary plane that is substantially parallel to the imaginary plane.

12. A machine comprising the covering member fixing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A robot comprising the covering member fixing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images