Industrial robots
Flexible heat transfer members in industrial robots address the limitation of rigid heat pipes by facilitating heat dissipation across joints and to lower temperature areas, enhancing thermal management efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DENSO WAVE INC
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing heat pipes in industrial robots are rigid, limiting the heat dissipation performance as they cannot dissipate heat across joints, restricting the improvement of thermal management.
Incorporating flexible heat transfer members, such as coated copper wire, to connect motors and structures via joints, allowing heat to be dissipated across joint areas and to locations with lower temperatures.
Enhances heat dissipation performance by enabling heat transfer across joints and to areas with lower temperatures, reducing the need for dedicated grounding wiring and improving thermal management efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure 2026106062000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to industrial robots.
Background Art
[0002] Industrial robots include motors for rotationally driving structures such as arms. Such industrial robots are required to suppress the influence of heat from the motors because heat stress is generated in peripheral components due to the heat from the motors during continuous operation for a long time. Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 describes radiating the heat of a motor to the outside using a heat pipe.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] However, since the heat pipe is a rigid body, the path connecting it to the motor is fixed, the position of the heat dissipation part is limited, and it cannot dissipate heat across joints, so there is a limit to improving the heat dissipation performance.
[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an industrial robot capable of improving heat dissipation performance.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] An industrial robot according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of structures that are relatively rotatably connected via a joint part, a motor that rotates the structures, and a heat transfer member that has flexibility and transfers the heat of the motor, and the heat transfer member is provided between the motor and the structure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing an example configuration of an industrial robot according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of heat transfer components. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram showing an example of grounding using a heat transfer component. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0008] The embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1 as an example, the industrial robot 1 of this embodiment includes a base 10 fixed to the installation surface, a first arm 12 connected to the base 10 so as to be rotatable relative to it via an articulation 11A, a second arm 13 connected to the first arm 12 so as to be rotatable relative to it via an articulation 11B, and a shaft 14 provided so as to be able to move linearly relative to the second arm 13.
[0009] These base 10, first arm 12, and second arm 13 correspond to a structure that is rotatably connected via joints 11. In this embodiment, a horizontal articulated robot is assumed, but a vertical articulated robot can also be used. The shape of the arms and the arrangement of the motors 20 shown in Figure 1 are examples only and are not limited thereto. Furthermore, if the surface cover of the arms is made of a resin material, for example, a frame supporting the surface cover can also be used as a structure.
[0010] Furthermore, the industrial robot 1 is equipped with multiple motors 20. Specifically, the industrial robot 1 is provided with a first motor 20A that rotates the first arm 12, a second motor 20B that rotates the second arm 13, and a third motor 20C that drives the shaft 14. For the sake of simplicity, the diagrams of the reduction gears and other components that are actually present in the industrial robot 1 have been omitted.
[0011] Each motor 20 is provided with a heat transfer member 30, for example, made of coated copper wire. One end of this heat transfer member 30 is connected to the motor 20, and it transfers the heat from the motor 20 to other members connected to the other end. As a result, the heat from the motor 20 is dissipated from a nearby area including the point where the other end of the heat transfer member 30 is connected. In other words, the heat transfer member 30 transfers the heat from the motor 20 to a location that is far from the motor 20 and has a relatively lower temperature.
[0012] Furthermore, the heat transfer member 30 can be made of any other metal material that has thermal conductivity, or of any other material that has thermal conductivity. In addition, the heat transfer member 30 can be directly connected to the surface of the motor 20, but if the motor 20 is supported by, for example, a support member made of a thermally conductive metal, the heat transfer member 30 can also be installed between the motor 20 and the support member.
[0013] In this embodiment, the heat transfer member 30 is made of coated copper wire and is therefore conductive. Each structure is also conductive, and one of the structures, the base 10, is grounded. Therefore, the heat transfer member 30 also functions as a so-called ground wire for grounding each motor 20 at the same potential via the structure.
[0014] Specifically, the first motor 20A is thermally and electrically connected to the base 10 by a heat transfer member 30A, and thermally and electrically connected to the first arm 12 via a joint 11A by a heat transfer member 30B. The second motor 20B is thermally and electrically connected to the first arm 12 via a joint 11B by a heat transfer member 30C, and thermally and electrically connected to the second arm 13 by a heat transfer member 30D. The third motor 20C is thermally and electrically connected to the second arm 13 by a heat transfer member 30E.
[0015] Note that the arrangement of each heat transfer member 30 and the connection points to the structure shown in Figure 1 are examples only and are not limited thereto. For example, a configuration can be made in which multiple heat transfer members 30 are provided on a single motor 20 and connected to the structure at multiple locations.
[0016] These heat transfer members 30, when positioned via the joint portion 11, have enough flexibility to follow the rotation of the structure. Therefore, the heat transfer members 30 can follow the rotation of the structure and will not break even if the structure rotates relative to it.
[0017] Next, the operation and effects of the above-described configuration will be explained. As mentioned above, for rigid components such as heat pipes, the path connecting them to the motor 20 is fixed, limiting the location of the heat dissipation area, and heat cannot be dissipated across joints, thus limiting the improvement of heat dissipation performance.
[0018] In contrast, as shown in Figure 2(a) as an enlarged portion of arrangement example 1, the heat transfer member 30C is provided between the second motor 20B housed in the second arm 13 and the first arm 12 which rotates relative to it across the joint 11B. This makes it possible to transfer the heat generated in the second arm 13 not only to the surface of the second arm 13 but also to the first arm 12, allowing heat to be dissipated from the first arm 12 as well. In this embodiment, since the first arm 12 does not house the motor 20, its temperature is considered to be relatively lower than that of the second arm 13 which houses two motors 20, making it possible to dissipate the heat from the second motor 20B more efficiently.
[0019] Moreover, the member that serves as the heat transfer destination of the motor 20 is not limited to the structure. For example, as shown in FIG. 2(b) as Arrangement Example 2, the heat transfer member 30F can be provided between the second motor 20B and the radiator 41 of the electrical component 40 in the first arm 12. That is, the heat transfer destination of the motor 20 can be a component housed in the structure or a component thermally connected to the structure. In this case, by making the radiator 41 the size and shape necessary for heat dissipation of the motor 20 and the electrical component 40, the heat of the second motor 20B can be dissipated without interfering with the heat dissipation of the electrical component 40. Although not shown, a configuration can be adopted in which the heat transfer member 30F is provided in addition to the heat transfer member 30C.
[0020] Also, as shown in FIG. 3(a) as a comparative example, conventionally, a dedicated wiring 50 was required to make each motor 20 at the same potential. In contrast, each heat transfer member 30 of the present embodiment has conductivity, and each structure also has conductivity. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3(b) as Grounding Example 1, by providing the heat transfer member 30 between each motor 20 and the structure, each motor 20 can be grounded through the heat transfer member 30 and the structure. That is, the heat transfer member 30 can be used as a so-called ground wire. In FIG. 3, the illustration of the joint portion 11 and the shaft 14 is omitted.
[0021] Also, for example, as shown in FIG. 3(c) as Grounding Example 2, when the heat transfer member 30B is not provided for the first motor 20A, for example, by providing the heat transfer member 30G between the base 10 and the first arm 12, the base 10 and the first arm 12 can be electrically coupled. However, the structures can also be connected by a conductive wire having conductivity instead of the heat transfer member 30G. That is, the heat transfer member 30 only needs to have heat conductivity and does not necessarily need to have conductivity.
[0022] As described above, the industrial robot 1 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of structures that are relatively rotatably connected via a joint portion 11, a motor 20 that rotates the structures, and a heat transfer member 30 that has flexibility and transfers the heat of the motor 20. The heat transfer member 30 is provided between the motor 20 and the structure. By using the heat transfer member 30 having such flexibility, it becomes possible to use any location as a heat dissipation site and also to dissipate heat across the joint portion 11. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently dissipate the heat of the motor 20 and improve the heat dissipation performance.
[0023] Further, the heat transfer member 30 is provided between the motor 20 and the structure connected via a joint. Thereby, for example, heat can be transferred to a structure portion having a relatively large surface area, or heat can be dissipated through a structure that does not accommodate the motor 20 and is assumed to have a relatively low temperature rise, such as the first arm 12 of the embodiment, and the heat dissipation performance can be improved.
[0024] Further, the structure has conductivity, at least one is grounded, the heat transfer member 30 has conductivity, and the motor 20 is grounded through the structure. Thereby, a dedicated wiring 50 for grounding the motor 20 at the same potential becomes unnecessary, and the wiring length for grounding can be reduced.
[0025] Further, the heat transfer member 30 is further provided between the structures connected via the joint portion 11. Thereby, even when the heat transfer member 30 is not disposed across the joint portion 11, the structures can be made to have the same potential. Also, the heat of a relatively high-temperature structure can be transferred to a relatively low-temperature structure, and the heat dissipation performance of the entire industrial robot 1 can be improved.
[0026] Furthermore, the heat transfer member 30 is provided between the motor 20 and the components located within the structure. In other words, a configuration can be made in which areas other than the structure are used as heat dissipation sites for the motor 20. This improves the degree of freedom in the heat dissipation location. Also, by using components such as the heat sink in the embodiment, the heat from the motor 20 can be dissipated efficiently.
[0027] In this embodiment, a configuration is shown in which a heat transfer member 30 is used for connection within a structure housing the motor 20. However, for connections within the same structure, a rigid thermal conductive member can be used instead of the heat transfer member 30, or in addition to the heat transfer member 30.
[0028] In this embodiment, a configuration in which the heat transfer member 30 spans one joint 11 is illustrated, but the heat transfer member 30 can be provided to span two or more joints 11. For example, this would apply to a case where the heat from the motor 20 of the end-effector of a vertically articulated robot is transferred across multiple joints 11 to an arm that is more advantageous for heat dissipation.
[0029] This disclosure is described in accordance with the embodiments, but it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to such embodiments or structures. This disclosure also includes various modifications and variations within the equivalence. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms that include only one, more, or fewer of those elements, fall within the scope and concept of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]
[0030] In the drawing, 1 represents the industrial robot, 10 the base (structure), 11, 11A-11B the joints, 12 the first arm (structure), 13 the second arm (structure), 20 the motor, 20A the first motor, 20B the second motor, 20C the third motor, and 30, 30A-30G the heat transfer members.
Claims
1. Multiple structures connected via joints so as to be able to rotate relative to each other, A motor for rotating the aforementioned structure, It comprises a heat transfer member that is flexible and transmits heat from the motor, The heat transfer member is provided between the motor and the structure in an industrial robot.
2. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer member is provided between the motor and the structure connected via a joint.
3. The aforementioned structure is electrically conductive, and at least one of its components is grounded. The heat transfer member is conductive, and the motor is grounded via the structure, according to claim 1 or 2 of the industrial robot.
4. The industrial robot according to claim 3, wherein the heat transfer member is further provided between the structures connected via joints.
5. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer member is further provided between the motor and the components located within the structure.