Robots and methods for manufacturing robots

The robot design uses auxiliary fixing screws to stabilize the motor's position, addressing backlash issues and maintaining accuracy in robot arm movements.

JP2026106275APending Publication Date: 2026-06-29KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KK

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KK
Filing Date
2024-12-17
Publication Date
2026-06-29

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing robots experience a decrease in accuracy of arm movements due to an increase in backlash as gears displace over time, especially when motors are used as drive sources for the joints.

Method used

A robot design that incorporates auxiliary fixing screws positioned perpendicularly to the motor's output shaft to restrict movement, fixing the motor in place and preventing gear backlash.

Benefits of technology

The design effectively suppresses backlash, maintaining the accuracy of robot arm movements and reducing the need for frequent maintenance by stabilizing the motor's position.

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Abstract

This invention provides a robot and a robot manufacturing method that can suppress a decrease in the accuracy of robot arm movements by suppressing the increase in backlash when motors are used as drive sources for the joints of the robot arm. [Solution] This robot comprises a motor 40, a fixing member 53 to which the motor 40 is fixed, a fixing screw 60, and auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72. The fixing screw 60 fixes the motor 40 in a positioned state relative to the fixing member 53. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are arranged separately from the fixing screw 60 and fix the motor 40, which is positioned by the fixing screw 60, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, thereby restricting the movement of the motor 40 in a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a robot and a method for manufacturing a robot.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, robots are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an industrial robot including a gear device that transmits a driving force. In this industrial robot, the gear device transmits a rotational driving force from a motor that rotationally drives a wrist at the tip of a robot arm. In this gear device, a movable intermediate gear is disposed between an input gear and an output gear. And in Patent Document 1, when maintaining the industrial robot, by attaching a jig as a backlash adjustment device, the position of a mounting member to which the intermediate gear is attached is adjusted by an adjustment screw provided in the jig, whereby the backlash between each of the input gear and the output gear and the intermediate gear is adjusted. Then, the mounting member to which the intermediate gear is attached is fixed to the casing of the robot arm by bolts, whereby the position of the intermediate gear is fixed in a state where the backlash is adjusted.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, even when the position of the gears is fixed with screw members such as bolts while the backlash is adjusted, as in the gear mechanism of the industrial robot described in Patent Document 1 above, the backlash may increase due to the displacement of the fixed gears as the robot arm is operated over time. In such cases, the accuracy of the robot arm's movement driven by the motor decreases. Therefore, when a motor is used as the drive source for the joints of a robot arm, it is desirable to suppress the increase in backlash and thereby suppress the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm's movement.

[0005] This disclosure was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide a robot and a robot manufacturing method that can suppress a decrease in the accuracy of robot arm movements by suppressing the increase in backlash when motors are used as drive sources for the joints of the robot arm. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a robot according to the first aspect of this disclosure comprises a robot arm, a motor that serves as a drive source for the joints of the robot arm, a fixing member to which the motor is fixed, a fixing screw that fixes the motor in a positioned state relative to the fixing member, and an auxiliary fixing screw that is disposed separately from the fixing screw and fixes the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screw, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor, thereby restricting movement in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor. The joints of the robot arm include at least one of the joints of the robot arm itself, a joint between the robot arm and an end effector attached to the robot arm, and a joint between the robot arm and a base to which the robot arm is attached.

[0007] The robot according to the first aspect of this disclosure, as described above, is equipped with auxiliary fixing screws that are positioned separately from the fixing screws and fix the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screws, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the motor's output shaft, thereby restricting movement in that direction. By restricting the movement of the motor along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft with the auxiliary fixing screws, it is possible to suppress displacement of the motor's position as the robot arm operates over time. As a result, it is possible to suppress the increase in backlash in the mechanism that transmits the motor's driving force. Consequently, when a motor is used as a drive source for the joints of a robot arm, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm's movement by suppressing the increase in backlash.

[0008] The robot manufacturing method according to the second aspect of this disclosure involves fixing a motor, which serves as the drive source for the joints of a robot arm, to a fixed member using fixing screws while it is positioned relative to the fixed member, and then fixing the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screws, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the motor's output shaft using auxiliary fixing screws that are positioned separately from the fixing screws, thereby restricting movement in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the motor's output shaft.

[0009] The robot manufacturing method according to the second aspect of this disclosure, as described above, uses auxiliary fixing screws, positioned separately from the fixing screws, to fix the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screws, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the motor's output shaft, thereby restricting movement in that direction. By restricting the motor's movement in that direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft with the auxiliary fixing screws, it is possible to suppress displacement of the motor's position as the robot arm operates over time. As a result, it is possible to suppress the increase in backlash in the mechanism that transmits the motor's driving force. Consequently, when a motor is used as a drive source for the joints of a robot arm, it is possible to provide a robot manufacturing method that can suppress a decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm's operation by suppressing the increase in backlash. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, as described above, when a motor is used as the drive source for the joints of a robot arm, it is possible to provide a robot and a robot manufacturing method that can suppress a decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm's movement by suppressing the increase in backlash. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing a robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the robot. [Figure 3] This is a top view illustrating the configuration of the drive unit. [Figure 4] This is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the motor and mounting components. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the VV line. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating a robot manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] The configuration of robot 100 according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

[0014] (Robot configuration) As shown in Figure 1, the robot 100 according to this embodiment transports a disc-shaped substrate 101. The substrate 101 is, for example, a glass substrate or a silicon substrate. Here, "disc-shaped" is a broad concept that includes shapes deformed from a circle. That is, a "disc-shaped" substrate 101 includes a substrate 101 that has a notch or orientation flat that serves as a position reference. Furthermore, "disc-shaped" includes not only perfect circles but also ellipses. In a processing system that performs processing treatments such as heating on the substrate 101, the robot 100 transports the substrate 101 to the mounting section on which the substrate 101 is placed. Here, "transport" includes at least one of loading the substrate 101 into the mounting section and unloading the substrate 101 from the mounting section.

[0015] The robot 100 comprises a robot arm 10 and a hand 20. The hand 20 is positioned at the tip of the robot arm 10. The robot arm 10 is supported by a base 13 and moves the hand 20 by rotating and extending relative to the base 13 through the driving of multiple joints. The robot arm 10 is also operated by control processing by the control unit 91 shown in Figure 2. The robot 100 is, for example, a horizontal articulated robot that loads and unloads a substrate 101. In other words, in this embodiment, the robot 100 is equipped with a horizontal articulated robot arm 10 as a moving mechanism for moving the hand 20 that holds the substrate 101.

[0016] The hand 20 holds a plate-shaped substrate 101. The hand 20 is a passive hand that holds the substrate 101 by frictional force. The hand 20 includes a blade member 21 and a hand base portion 22. Specifically, in the hand 20, one disc-shaped substrate 101 is placed on the blade member 21, which is a thin plate-shaped support plate. The blade member 21 has the substrate 101 placed on the Z1 direction side, which is the upper side in the vertical direction. The blade member 21 has a U-shape with a bifurcated tip and supports the back surface of the disc-shaped substrate 101 from the Z2 direction side, which is the lower side in the vertical direction. The blade member 21 is also positioned on the hand base portion 22. That is, the base end of the blade member 21 is connected to the hand base portion 22. The hand base portion 22 is attached to the robot arm 10 and rotates along the horizontal plane relative to the robot arm 10.

[0017] The robot arm 10 has a base link 11 and an end link 12 that are connected to each other and rotate in a horizontal plane. The base link 11 and the end link 12 rotate relative to each other in a horizontal plane with the vertical direction, the Z direction, as the axis of rotation. The base end of the base link 11 of the robot arm 10 is rotatably attached to the base portion 13 via joint JT1. The base end of the end link 12 is rotatably attached to the end of the base link 11 via joint JT2. The hand 20 is rotatably attached to the end of the end link 12 via joint JT3. Joint JT1 rotates the base link 11 relative to the base portion 13 around a rotation axis A1 that extends vertically. Joint JT2 rotates the end link 12 relative to the base link 11 around a rotation axis A2 that extends vertically. The joint JT3 rotates the hand 20 around the vertical axis A3 relative to the tip link 12. Here, "horizontal" means parallel to the mounting surface on which the robot 100 is installed. If the robot 100 is placed on an inclined surface or a wall, the robot arm 10 rotates in a plane parallel to the mounting surface, which is different from the horizontal plane relative to gravity.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, for each of the joints JT1, JT2, and JT3, drive units 31, 32, and 33 for driving the respective joints of the robot arm 10 are arranged. For example, the drive unit 31 for the joint JT1 and the drive unit 32 for the joint JT2 are arranged inside the base link 11. The drive unit 33 for the joint JT3 is arranged inside the tip link 12. Note that the arrangement of each of the drive units 31, 32, and 33 is not limited to this. Each of the drive units 31, 32, and 33 includes a motor 40, a power transmission unit 50, and an encoder 95. The motor 40 serves as a drive source for each of the joints JT1, JT2, and JT3 of the robot arm 10. The motor 40 is, for example, a servo motor. The power transmission unit 50 transmits the driving force of the motor 40 to drive each of the joints JT1, JT2, and JT3 of the robot arm 10. The encoder 95 is a position sensor that detects the rotational speed of the motor 40. Note that, separately from the drive units 31, 32, and 33, a lifting mechanism for moving the robot arm 10 in the Z direction, which is the vertical direction, is arranged at the base portion 13. This lifting mechanism has, for example, a servo motor as a drive source.

[0019] Also, the robot 100 includes a control unit 91 and a storage unit 92. The control unit 91 is a computer having an arithmetic device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), for example. The storage unit 92 includes a storage device including a flash memory such as an SSD (Solid State Drive). The control unit 91 may be arranged at a position separated from the robot 100 or may be arranged integrally with the robot 100. The control unit 91 is a robot controller that controls the operations of each part of the robot 100 based on the programs and parameters stored in the storage unit 92.

[0020] The control unit 91 controls the transfer operation for transferring the substrate 101. The control unit 91 includes, for example, a main control unit that controls the operation of each joint of the robot arm 10, a servo control unit that controls the drive current output to the motor 40 as a drive source arranged for each joint of the robot arm 10 based on a command from the main control unit, and a drive circuit unit that supplies power to each joint of the robot arm 10. In the control unit 91, for example, each of the main control unit and the servo control unit has an arithmetic device such as a CPU separately from each other. The control unit 91 controls the operation of the robot arm 10 by feedback control by controlling the operation of the motor 40, which is a servo motor as a drive source, based on the output from the encoder 95 for each joint of the robot arm 10. The control unit 91 controls the transfer operation of the substrate 101 based on, for example, a control signal from a higher-level control device that controls a processing system that performs a processing operation on the substrate 101.

[0021] (Configuration of the drive unit) Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the details of the configuration of the drive unit 31 arranged at the joint JT1 that connects the base unit 13 and the base end link 11 will be described. Note that the description of the drive unit 32 of the joint JT2 and the drive unit 33 of the joint JT3 will be omitted because they have the same configuration.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the drive unit 31 is located inside the housing 11a of the base link 11 of the robot arm 10. The base link 11 is rotatably mounted, for example, in the joint JT1, to a shaft portion 11b that extends in the Z direction and is fixed to the base portion 13. The drive unit 31 rotates the base link 11 around the shaft portion 11b of the joint JT1 by transmitting the driving force from the motor 40 via the power transmission unit 50. The motor 40 of the drive unit 31 includes an output shaft 41 that rotates with the X direction as the axis of rotation. The motor 40 of the drive unit 31 is located inside the housing 11a of the base link 11 such that the output shaft 41 is aligned with the X direction and is positioned towards the Y2 direction. The output shaft 41 is located on the X1 direction side of the motor 40. The motor 40 of the drive unit 32 of the joint JT2 is located inside the housing 11a of the base link 11 on the Y1 direction side. Note that housing 11a is an example of the robot's main body.

[0023] Furthermore, inside the housing 11a of the base link 11, the power transmission unit 50 of the drive unit 31 is located on the X1 direction side of the motor 40 of the drive unit 31. The power transmission unit 50 includes a drive gear 51, a driven gear 52, a fixing member 53, a gearbox 54, and a seat member 55. The drive gear 51 is attached to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40 and rotates integrally with the output shaft 41. The driven gear 52 is meshed with the drive gear 51 and rotates with respect to the rotation of the drive gear 51. The drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 rotate with respect to the X direction as their axis of rotation while meshed with each other. The drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 are, for example, helical gears. The gearbox 54 is a box-shaped member that houses the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 inside. Inside the gearbox 54, in addition to the drive gear 51 and driven gear 52, there are, for example, a bevel gear that transmits driving force from the rotation direction of the motor 40 to the rotation direction of the shaft 11b, and shaft members that serve as the rotation axes of each gear. The gearbox 54 is fixed to the housing 11a. Lubricant 56 is also provided inside the gearbox 54 for the drive gear 51 and driven gear 52. The lubricant 56 is, for example, grease applied to the drive gear 51 and driven gear 52 to lubricate their operation. The seat member 55 is an annular member positioned between the fixing member 53 and the motor 40 to prevent the lubricant 56 from seeping out of the gearbox 54. The seat member 55 is positioned to surround the output shaft 41 while in contact with the fixing member 53 and the motor 40.

[0024] The fixing member 53 is a plate-shaped member to which the motor 40 is fixed. The fixing member 53 is the housing of the gearbox 54. The fixing member 53 is located on the X2 direction side of the box-shaped gearbox 54 and is a lid member that partitions the inside of the gearbox 54 from the outside. The fixing member 53 is arranged along the YZ plane. The fixing member 53 is fixed to the gearbox 54 by fastening members, for example. The motor 40 is also attached to the X2 direction side surface of the fixing member 53 by fastening four fixing screws 60.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the motor 40 has a protrusion 42 and a mounting plate 43 on the X1 direction side. The mounting plate 43 is a rectangular plate-shaped member that aligns with the YZ plane on the X1 direction side of the motor 40. The protrusion 42 is positioned on the mounting plate 43 and protrudes axially along the output shaft 41. The protrusion 42 protrudes in the axial direction (X) in a cylindrical shape surrounding the output shaft 41 on the mounting plate 43. The cylindrical protrusion 42 has a side surface 42a on the radially outer side of the motor 40. The mounting plate 43 also has holes 43a at its four corners into which each of the four fixing screws 60 is inserted. The holes 43a located at the four corners of the mounting plate 43 penetrate the mounting plate 43 in the X direction and have an inner diameter larger than the threaded portion of the fixing screw 60.

[0026] The fixing member 53 has a hole 53a into which the protrusion 42 of the motor 40 fits and into which the output shaft 41 is inserted. The protrusion 42 is a spigot in the motor 40. The hole 53a penetrates the fixing member 53 in the X direction and has a stepped shape in which the inner diameter on the X2 direction side is larger than that on the X1 direction side. The fixing member 53 also has four fixing screw holes 53b on the X2 direction side surface into which fixing screws 60 are screwed. The fixing screw holes 53b are arranged around the hole 53a. The motor 40 is fastened and fixed to the fixing member 53 by screwing each of the four fixing screws 60 into the fixing screw holes 53b via the hole 43a, with the protrusion 42 on the mounting plate 43 fitted into the hole 53a of the fixing member 53. The fixing screws 60 fix the mounting plate 43 to the fixing member 53 along the X direction, which is the axial direction of the motor 40. The annular sheet member 55 is positioned inside the hole 53a together with the protrusion 42.

[0027] In this embodiment, auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are arranged separately from the fixing screw 60 in the fixing member 53. The fixing member 53 has a pair of auxiliary screw holes 53c into which each of the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 is screwed. The auxiliary screw holes 53c penetrate from the Y2 direction side of the fixing member 53 to the larger inner diameter portion on the X2 direction side of the hole 53a. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 contact the side surface 42a of the cylindrical protrusion 42 when fitted into the hole 53a by being screwed into the auxiliary screw holes 53c that penetrate from the outside in the direction along the YZ plane, which is the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, to the hole 53a. The outer diameter of the head and the outer diameter of the threaded portion of the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are equal to each other. In other words, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are so-called grub screws that have no head and consist only of a threaded portion. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are positioned so that they are completely inside the auxiliary screw holes 53c by being screwed into the auxiliary screw holes 53c.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the outer diameter W1 of the cylindrical protrusion 42 along the YZ plane is smaller than the inner diameter W2 of the opening in the X2 direction side of the hole 53a into which the protrusion 42 fits. That is, the protrusion 42 fits into the hole 53a with a predetermined gap D in the direction along the YZ plane, which is the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. In the robot 100 of this embodiment, the fixing screw 60 is screwed into the fixing screw hole 53b of the fixing member 53, and the motor 40 is fixed to the fixing member 53 in a position adjusted by the predetermined gap D between the hole 53a and the protrusion 42. That is, the motor 40 is fixed in a position adjusted in the YZ plane relative to the fixing member 53. The motor 40 is positioned and fixed to the fixing member 53 by the fixing screw 60 with the backlash between the drive gear 51 fixed to the output shaft 41 and the driven gear 52 adjusted. In other words, with the positional relationship between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 in the YZ plane adjusted, the motor 40 is positioned relative to the fixing member 53 by screwing the fixing screw 60 into the fixing screw hole 53b.

[0029] In this embodiment, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40, which has been positioned by the fixing screws 60 after its position has been adjusted by the predetermined gap D, from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, thereby restricting movement of the motor 40 in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft 41. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40 by screwing them into the auxiliary screw holes 53c from the Y2 direction side of the fixing member 53 to which the motor 40 is fixed by the fixing screws 60, thereby contacting the protrusion 42.

[0030] For example, the fixing by the fixing screws 60 may shift due to lubricant 56 seeping out from inside the gearbox 54. In that case, the positional relationship between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 changes, which increases the backlash between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52. In this embodiment, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40, which is positioned by the fixing screws 60, from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, thereby restricting the movement of the motor 40 in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft 41, which would be caused by lubricant 56 entering between the fixing member 53 and the motor 40. As a result, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 restrict the movement of the motor 40 in the direction away from the driven gear 52 in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40.

[0031] The pair of auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40 from different angular directions along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. Furthermore, the pair of auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are positioned on either side of a straight line L1 connecting the rotation center C1 of the drive gear 51 and the rotation center C2 of the driven gear 52, when viewed from the X2 direction, which is along the output shaft 41. The pair of auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are positioned on the Y2 direction, opposite to the driven gear 52, with respect to the rotation center C1 of the drive gear 51, and are positioned radially outward from the motor 40 toward the rotation center C1 of the drive gear 51. In this embodiment, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40, which is positioned by the fixing screws 60, from the radial direction of the motor 40, thereby restricting the radial movement of the motor 40. For example, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are positioned perpendicular to the side surface 42a of the cylindrical protrusion 42. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, by contacting the motor 40, suppress changes in the distance between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52, thereby suppressing changes in the magnitude of backlash between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52.

[0032] (Robot manufacturing method) Next, with reference to Figure 6, the robot manufacturing method according to this embodiment will be described.

[0033] First, in step S1, the motor 40 is fixed to the fixing member 53 in a positioned state by the fixing screw 60. Specifically, the backlash between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 is adjusted by adjusting the position of the motor 40 in the YZ plane relative to the fixing member 53. Then, with the backlash between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 adjusted, the motor 40 is fixed to the fixing member 53 in a positioned state by tightening the fixing screw 60 into the fixing screw hole 53b.

[0034] Next, in step S2, the motor 40, which was positioned by the fixing screw 60 in step S1, is fixed by auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 from a direction along the YZ plane, which is perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, thereby restricting movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the YZ plane, which is perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are screwed into the auxiliary screw holes 53c of the fixing member 53 to which the motor 40 is fixed, from a different direction than the fixing screw 60, and contact the side surface 42a of the protrusion 42 of the motor 40, thereby fixing the motor 40 in the YZ plane. As a result, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 restrict the movement of the motor 40 in the direction away from the driven gear 52.

[0035] In this embodiment, steps S1 and S2 fix the motor 40 to the fixing member 53 in a positioned state using fixing screws 60, and auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 restrict the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41, thereby creating a drive unit 31 in which the motor 40 and the fixing member 53 are integrally arranged. For example, the drive unit 31 is formed as a set assembly by fixing the motor 40 to the fixing member 53 which is attached to the gearbox 54 outside the housing 11a of the robot arm 10.

[0036] Next, in step S3, the drive unit 31, in which the motor 40 and the fixing member 53 are integrally arranged, is assembled to the housing 11a of the base end link 11 of the robot arm 10. For example, with the motor 40 fixed to the fixing member 53, which is part of the gearbox 54, the gearbox 54 is fastened and secured to the inside of the housing 11a by screwing it in, thereby fixing and assembling the drive unit 31, in which the motor 40 and the fixing member 53 are integrally arranged, to the inside of the housing 11a.

[0037] (Effects of the embodiment) In this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0038] In this embodiment, as described above, the robot 100 is equipped with auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, which are positioned separately from the fixing screws 60 and fix the motor 40, which is positioned by the fixing screws 60, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, thereby restricting the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41. As a result, by restricting the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 with the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the motor 40 as the robot arm 10 is operated over time. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in backlash in the drive gear 51 and driven gear 52, which are mechanisms that transmit the driving force of the motor 40. Consequently, when the motor 40 is arranged as a drive source for the joints of the robot arm 10, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the accuracy of the operation of the robot arm 10 by suppressing the increase in backlash.

[0039] The fixing member 53 has auxiliary screw holes 53c into which auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are screwed. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are screwed into the auxiliary screw holes 53c of the fixing member 53 to which the motor 40 is fixed, thereby fixing the motor 40 from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40 and restricting the movement of the motor 40 in that direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. As a result, since the fixing member 53 to which the motor 40 is fixed has auxiliary screw holes 53c into which the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are screwed, the increase in the number of parts arranged on the robot 100 can be suppressed compared to when the member into which the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are screwed is arranged separately from the fixing member 53 to which the motor 40 is fixed.

[0040] The robot 100 includes a drive gear 51 attached to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, and a driven gear 52 that meshes with the drive gear 51. The fixing member 53 includes the housing of the gearbox 54 in which the driven gear 52 is housed. This reduces the number of parts arranged on the robot 100 compared to the case where the fixing member 53 is arranged separately from the housing of the gearbox 54. Furthermore, when the motor 40 is fixed to the fixing member 53, which is the housing of the gearbox 54, the position of the motor 40 may shift in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 due to lubricant 56 such as grease placed inside the gearbox 54 entering between the fixing member 53 and the motor 40. In contrast, in this embodiment, even when the motor 40 is fixed to the fixing member 53, which is the housing of the gearbox 54, the displacement of the motor 40 can be effectively suppressed by arranging auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 that restrict the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41. Therefore, since the backlash can be effectively suppressed, the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movements can be effectively suppressed.

[0041] The robot 100 includes a drive gear 51 attached to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, and a driven gear 52 that meshes with the drive gear 51. Auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 restrict the movement of the motor 40 in a direction away from the driven gear 52, along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. As a result, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 restrict the movement of the motor 40 in a direction away from the driven gear 52, making it easy to suppress an increase in the distance between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52. Therefore, it is easy to suppress an increase in backlash between the drive gear 51 and the driven gear 52 caused by an increase in the distance between them, making it easy to suppress a decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movements.

[0042] The motor 40 has a protrusion 42 that projects axially along the output shaft 41. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40 by contacting the protrusion 42 from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. As a result, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 contact the protrusion 42 along the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, so that the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 that restrict movement can be contacted with the part of the motor 40 that is close to the output shaft 41. Therefore, the backlash caused by the movement of the output shaft 41 can be suppressed more effectively, and the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movement can be suppressed more effectively.

[0043] The motor 40 includes a plate-shaped mounting plate 43 on which a protrusion 42 is arranged. The protrusion 42 protrudes axially in a cylindrical shape on the mounting plate 43, surrounding the output shaft 41. The fixing screws 60 fix the mounting plate 43 to the fixing member 53 along the axial direction of the motor 40. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 contact the side surface 42a of the cylindrical protrusion 42 from the outside in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. As a result, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 contact the side surface 42a of the cylindrical protrusion 42 that protrudes axially on the motor 40, so the motor 40 can be easily fixed by the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 from a direction perpendicular to the side surface 42a. Therefore, the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 can be more easily restricted by the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, so that displacement of the output shaft 41 of the motor 40 can be more easily suppressed. As a result, it becomes easier to suppress the increase in backlash, and thus easier to suppress the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movements.

[0044] The fixing member 53 has a hole 53a into which a protrusion 42 fits, with a predetermined gap D in a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. The fixing screw 60 fixes the motor 40 to the fixing member 53 in a position adjusted by the predetermined gap D between the hole 53a and the protrusion 42. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40, which is in a position adjusted by the predetermined gap D, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. As a result, a predetermined gap D is provided between the hole 53a and the protrusion 42 of the fixing member 53 for positioning, so the backlash in the motor 40 can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, even when a predetermined gap D is provided for positioning, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 can effectively suppress the movement of the motor 40 along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41, thus effectively suppressing an increase in backlash. As a result, a decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movement can be effectively suppressed.

[0045] The robot 100 includes a plurality of auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72. The plurality of auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40 from different angular directions along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40. As a result, the movement of the motor 40 in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft 41 can be more reliably suppressed because a plurality of auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are arranged to fix the motor 40 from different angular directions. Therefore, the increase in backlash can be further suppressed, and the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movement can be further suppressed.

[0046] The robot 100 includes a drive gear 51 attached to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, and a driven gear 52 that meshes with the drive gear 51. At least one pair of the multiple auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are positioned on either side of a straight line L1 connecting the rotation center C1 of the drive gear 51 and the rotation center C2 of the driven gear 52, when viewed from a direction along the output shaft 41. As a result, since at least one pair of auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are positioned on either side of the straight line L1 connecting the rotation center C1 of the drive gear 51 and the rotation center C2 of the driven gear 52, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 can further suppress the movement of the drive gear 51 away from the driven gear 52. Therefore, backlash can be further suppressed, and thus the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movement can be further suppressed.

[0047] The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 have heads with threads that are equal in diameter. This allows the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 to be positioned inside the auxiliary screw holes 53c into which they are screwed when the motor 40 is restricted by screwing the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 into place, because their heads and threads are equal. As a result, physical interference between the heads of the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 and surrounding components is suppressed compared to when the heads of the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are exposed from the auxiliary screw holes 53c. Consequently, it is no longer necessary to secure a placement area for the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 while considering physical interference with surrounding components, thus preventing the robot 100 from becoming larger due to the placement of the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72.

[0048] The robot 100 includes a horizontally articulated robot arm 10. In the horizontally articulated robot arm 10, gravity does not cause the gaps between the gears to close, resulting in a significant decrease in the accuracy of the movement due to backlash. In contrast, in this embodiment, when a motor 40 is used as the drive source for the joints of the horizontally articulated robot arm 10, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 can suppress the increase in backlash, thereby effectively suppressing the decrease in the accuracy of the movement of the horizontally articulated robot arm 10.

[0049] The robot 100 is equipped with a hand 20 positioned at the tip of the robot arm 10 to hold the substrate 101. Auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40, which is the drive source for the joint of the robot arm 10 that moves the hand 20. Here, when the substrate 101 is held and transported by the hand 20, it is desirable that the robot arm 10 be operated with precision during the transport operation in order to process the substrate 101 with precision. For example, in a substrate transport robot 100 that transports a substrate 101, positioning precision with respect to the substrate placement position where the substrate 101 is placed and repeatability in repeated transport operations are required. In addition, the substrate transport robot 100 may be placed in a confined space, in which case precision of the movement trajectory during transport operations is also required. Considering these factors, in this embodiment, when the motor 40 is used as the drive source for the joints of the robot arm 10 that moves the hand 20 holding the substrate 101, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 can suppress the increase in backlash, thereby effectively suppressing a decrease in the accuracy of the transport operation of the substrate 101, including positioning accuracy, repeatability, and accuracy of the movement trajectory. Furthermore, the robot 100 that transports the substrate 101 may be placed in a clean room partitioned from the outside to suppress the generation of particles. In this case, if an operator enters the clean room for maintenance of the robot 100, the cleanliness of the clean room will decrease, so it is desirable to reduce the frequency of maintenance of the robot 100. Considering this, in this embodiment, when the motor 40 is used as the drive source for the joints of the robot arm 10 that moves the hand 20 holding the substrate 101, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 can suppress the increase in backlash, thereby reducing the frequency of backlash adjustment work. Therefore, by restricting the movement of the motor 40 with auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, the frequency of maintenance of the robot 100 can be reduced.

[0050] The robot 100 includes a drive gear 51 attached to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, a driven gear 52 that meshes with the drive gear 51, and a lubricant 56 placed on the driven gear 52. The auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 fix the motor 40, which is positioned by the fixing screws 60, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, thereby restricting the movement of the motor 40 in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft 41 caused by the lubricant 56 entering between the fixing member 53 and the motor 40. As a result, the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 can effectively suppress displacement of the motor 40 by restricting the movement of the motor 40 caused by the lubricant 56 entering between the fixing member 53 and the motor 40. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress the increase in backlash caused by the lubricant 56, and thus effectively suppress the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's movements.

[0051] Furthermore, in the robot manufacturing method according to this embodiment, as described above, auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, which are arranged separately from the fixing screw 60, fix the motor 40, which is positioned by the fixing screw 60, from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, thereby restricting the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41. As a result, by restricting the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 with the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the motor 40's position as the robot arm 10 operates. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in backlash in the drive gear 51 and driven gear 52, which are the mechanisms that transmit the driving force of the motor 40. As a result, when the motor 40 is arranged as the drive source for the joints of the robot arm 10, it is possible to provide a robot manufacturing method that can suppress the decrease in the accuracy of the robot arm 10's operation by suppressing the increase in backlash.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the robot manufacturing method, the motor 40 is fixed to the fixing member 53 in a positioned state using fixing screws 60, and the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 is restricted using auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, thereby creating a drive unit 31 in which the motor 40 and the fixing member 53 are integrally arranged, and this drive unit 31, in which the motor 40 and the fixing member 53 are integrally arranged, is assembled to the housing 11a which serves as the robot body. As a result, the motor 40 can be fixed to the fixing member 53 in a positioned state outside the housing 11a, and auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 that restrict the movement of the motor 40 in the direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 can be placed. Therefore, the screw tightening work can be made easier compared to the case where the fixing screws 60 and auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are tightened after the motor 40 has been placed inside the housing 11a. As a result, the screw tightening work in the robot manufacturing method can be made easier.

[0053] [Differentiation] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the embodiments above, and further includes all modifications (modifications) within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0054] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 contact the side surface 42a of the protrusion 42 of the motor 40 by being screwed into auxiliary screw holes 53c located in the fixing member 53, but the disclosure is not limited to this. In the disclosure, the auxiliary fixing screws may be screwed into a member separate from the fixing member to which the motor is fixed. Alternatively, the auxiliary fixing screws may be arranged to contact a part of the housing other than the protrusion of the motor.

[0055] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the mounting plate portion 43 of the motor 40 is fixed to the fixing member 53, which is the housing of the gearbox 54 in which the drive gear 51 and driven gear 52 are housed, by four fixing screws 60, but the disclosure is not limited to this. In the disclosure, the motor may be fixed to a fixing member that is arranged separately from the gearbox. Also, a portion of the motor other than the mounting plate portion may be fixed to the fixing member by fixing screws. Also, the fixing screws may be arranged to fix the motor from a direction different from the axial direction of the output shaft. Also, there may be three or fewer fixing screws, or five or more. Also, when multiple fixing screws are arranged, the orientation of the multiple fixing screws may be different from that of the others.

[0056] Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows an example in which the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 restrict the movement of the motor 40 in a direction away from the driven gear 52 in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 41 of the motor 40, the present disclosure is not limited to this. In this disclosure, the auxiliary fixing screws may be configured to restrict the movement of the motor in multiple directions, including not only in the direction away from the driven gear, but also in the direction approaching the driven gear. Also, the auxiliary fixing screws may be configured to fix the motor from a direction different from the radial direction of the motor.

[0057] Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows an example in which two auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are positioned on either side of the straight line L1 connecting the rotation center C1 of the drive gear 51 and the rotation center C2 of the driven gear 52, the present disclosure is not limited to this. In this disclosure, one auxiliary fixing screw may be provided, or three or more auxiliary fixing screws may be provided. Also, when providing multiple auxiliary fixing screws, they may be positioned so as not to straddle the straight line connecting the rotation center of the drive gear and the rotation center of the driven gear.

[0058] Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows an example where the outer diameter of the head and the outer diameter of the threaded portion of the auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72 are equal, the present disclosure is not limited to this. In this disclosure, the outer diameter of the head of the auxiliary fixing screw may be different from the outer diameter of the threaded portion. Also, the auxiliary fixing screw may be positioned so that a portion of it is exposed from the auxiliary screw hole.

[0059] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example in which the robot 100 is equipped with a horizontally articulated robot arm 10, the disclosure is not limited thereto. In this disclosure, the robot arm may be a vertically articulated robot arm, or a robot arm with a parallel link mechanism. It may also be a robot arm in a Cartesian coordinate system, a cylindrical coordinate system, or a polar coordinate system. In other words, it may be a robot arm having not only a link mechanism but also a linear movement mechanism.

[0060] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example in which a passive hand 20 having a bifurcated plate-shaped blade member 21 holds a disc-shaped substrate 101, the present disclosure is not limited to this. In this disclosure, the blade member of the hand does not have to be bifurcated. The blade member may be rectangular plate-shaped. Also, the blade member may be branched into three or more parts. Also, the hand may be an active type substrate holding hand that fixes the substrate in a held state. For example, the hand may be an edge grip hand that contacts and holds the end face of the substrate, or a vacuum hand that vacuum-suctions the front or back surface of the substrate. Also, the hand may be configured to hold a rectangular substrate or panel. Also, the hand may be configured to hold a workpiece other than a substrate. Also, instead of a hand that holds a workpiece such as a substrate, an end effector that performs processing on a workpiece may be attached to the robot arm.

[0061] Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows an example in which the robot 100 comprises one robot arm 10 and one hand 20, the disclosure is not limited thereto. In this disclosure, the robot may be configured to hold multiple workpieces. For example, multiple hands may be arranged around one robot arm, or multiple robot arms, each with a hand attached, may be arranged to hold multiple workpieces. In this case, the multiple robot arms may share some joints with each other.

[0062] Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows an example in which the movement of the motor 40 caused by the lubricant 56 placed on the driven gear 52 entering between the fixing member 53 and the motor 40 is restricted by auxiliary fixing screws 71 and 72, the disclosure is not limited to this. In the disclosure, the auxiliary fixing screws may be used to restrict the movement of the motor caused by factors other than the lubricant.

[0063] The functions of the elements disclosed herein can be performed using circuits or processing circuits, including general-purpose processors, dedicated processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. A processor is considered a processing circuit or circuit because it includes transistors and other circuits. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the enumerated functions, or hardware programmed to perform the enumerated functions. The hardware may be hardware disclosed herein, or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the enumerated functions. If the hardware is a processor, which is considered a type of circuit, then the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software, and the software is used to configure the hardware and / or the processor.

[0064] [Pattern] Those skilled in the art will understand that the exemplary embodiments described above are specific examples of the following embodiments.

[0065] (Aspect 1) A robotic arm and A motor that serves as the drive source for the joints of the robot arm, The fixing member to which the motor is fixed, A fixing screw for fixing the motor in a positioned state relative to the fixing member, A robot comprising: an auxiliary fixing screw, which is positioned separately from the aforementioned fixing screw, and which fixes the motor, which is positioned by the aforementioned fixing screw, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor, thereby restricting the movement of the motor in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0066] (Aspect 2) The fixing member has an auxiliary screw hole into which the auxiliary fixing screw is screwed, The robot according to embodiment 1, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw is screwed into the auxiliary screw hole of the fixing member to which the motor is fixed, thereby fixing the motor from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor and restricting the movement of the motor in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0067] (Aspect 3) A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, The system further comprises a driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The robot according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, wherein the fixing member includes the housing of a gearbox in which the driven gear is housed.

[0068] (Aspect 4) A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, The system further comprises a driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw restricts the movement of the motor in a direction away from the driven gear in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0069] (Aspect 5) The motor has a protrusion that protrudes axially along the output shaft, The robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor by contacting the protrusion from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0070] (Aspect 6) The motor includes a plate-shaped mounting plate portion on which the protrusions are arranged. The aforementioned protrusion is cylindrical in shape and protrudes axially from the mounting plate portion, surrounding the output shaft. The aforementioned fixing screw secures the mounting plate portion to the fixing member along the axial direction of the motor. The robot according to embodiment 5, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw abuts against the side surface of the cylindrical protrusion from the outside in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0071] (Aspect 7) The fixing member has a hole into which the protrusion fits with a predetermined gap in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor, The fixing screw is positioned by adjusting its position due to the predetermined gap between the hole and the protrusion, and then fixes the motor to the fixing member. The robot according to embodiment 5 or embodiment 6, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor in a position adjusted and positioned by the arrangement of the predetermined gap, from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0072] (Pattern 8) The auxiliary fixing screw includes a plurality of auxiliary fixing screws, The robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the plurality of auxiliary fixing screws fix the motor from different angular directions in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0073] (Aspect 9) A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, The system further comprises a driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The robot according to embodiment 8, wherein at least one pair of the plurality of auxiliary fixing screws is positioned on either side of a straight line connecting the rotation center of the drive gear and the rotation center of the driven gear, when viewed from a direction along the output shaft.

[0074] (Aspect 10) The robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw has an outer diameter of the head and an outer diameter of the threaded portion that are equal to each other.

[0075] (Aspect 11) The robot arm is a robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the robot arm includes a horizontally articulated robot arm.

[0076] (Aspect 12) The robot arm is further equipped with a hand positioned at its tip for holding a circuit board, The robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor which is the drive source for the joint of the robot arm that moves the hand.

[0077] (Aspect 13) A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, A driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The system further comprises a lubricant placed on the driven gear, The robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screw, from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor, thereby restricting movement of the motor in the direction perpendicular to the plane perpendicular to the output shaft caused by the lubricant entering between the fixing member and the motor.

[0078] (Aspect 14) The motors that drive the joints of the robot arm are fixed to the fixed member with fixing screws in a positioned manner. A robot manufacturing method comprising fixing the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screws, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor using auxiliary fixing screws positioned separately from the aforementioned fixing screws, thereby restricting the movement of the motor in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

[0079] (Aspect 15) The aforementioned fixing screws fix the motor in a positioned state relative to the fixing member, and the auxiliary fixing screws restrict the movement of the motor in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft, thereby creating a drive unit in which the motor and the fixing member are integrally arranged. The robot manufacturing method according to embodiment 14, wherein the drive unit, in which the motor and the fixing member are integrally arranged, is assembled to the robot body.

[0080] (Aspect 16) The robot according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screw, from the radial direction of the motor, thereby restricting the radial movement of the motor. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 10 Robot Arms 11a Enclosure (Robot body) 20 hands 31, 32, 33 Drive unit 40 motors 41 Output shaft 42 Convex part 42a side 43 Mounting plate section 51 Drive Gear 52 Driven gear 53 Fixing member 53a Hole 53c Auxiliary screw hole 54 Gearbox 56 Lubricant 60 Fixing screws 71, 72 Auxiliary fixing screws 100 robots 101 circuit board

Claims

1. A robotic arm and A motor that serves as the drive source for the joints of the robot arm, The fixing member to which the motor is fixed, A fixing screw for fixing the motor in a positioned state relative to the fixing member, A robot comprising: an auxiliary fixing screw, which is positioned separately from the aforementioned fixing screw, and which fixes the motor, which is positioned by the aforementioned fixing screw, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor, thereby restricting the movement of the motor in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

2. The fixing member has an auxiliary screw hole into which the auxiliary fixing screw is screwed, The robot according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw is screwed into the auxiliary screw hole of the fixing member to which the motor is fixed, thereby fixing the motor from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor and restricting the movement of the motor in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

3. A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, The system further comprises a driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing member includes the housing of a gearbox in which the driven gear is housed.

4. A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, The system further comprises a driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw restricts the movement of the motor in a direction away from the driven gear, in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

5. The motor has a protrusion that protrudes axially along the output shaft, The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor by contacting the protrusion from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

6. The motor includes a plate-shaped mounting plate portion on which the protrusions are arranged. The aforementioned protrusion is cylindrical in shape and protrudes axially from the mounting plate portion, surrounding the output shaft. The aforementioned fixing screw secures the mounting plate portion to the fixing member along the axial direction of the motor. The robot according to claim 5, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw abuts against the side surface of the cylindrical protrusion from the outside in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

7. The fixing member has a hole into which the protrusion fits with a predetermined gap in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor, The fixing screw is positioned by adjusting its position due to the predetermined gap between the hole and the protrusion, and then fixes the motor to the fixing member. The robot according to claim 5, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor in a position adjusted and positioned by the predetermined gap provided, from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

8. The auxiliary fixing screw includes a plurality of auxiliary fixing screws, The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of auxiliary fixing screws fix the motor from different angular directions in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

9. A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, The system further comprises a driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The robot according to claim 8, wherein at least one pair of the plurality of auxiliary fixing screws is positioned to straddle a straight line connecting the rotation center of the drive gear and the rotation center of the driven gear, when viewed from a direction along the output shaft.

10. The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw has an outer diameter of the head and an outer diameter of the threaded portion that are equal to each other.

11. The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the robot arm includes a horizontally articulated robot arm.

12. The robot arm is further equipped with a hand positioned at its tip for holding a circuit board, The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor which is the drive source for the joint of the robot arm that moves the hand.

13. A drive gear attached to the output shaft of the motor, A driven gear that meshes with the aforementioned drive gear, The system further comprises a lubricant placed on the driven gear, The robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary fixing screw fixes the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screw, from a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor, thereby restricting movement of the motor in the direction perpendicular to the plane perpendicular to the output shaft caused by the lubricant entering between the fixing member and the motor.

14. The motors that drive the joints of the robot arm are fixed to the fixed member with fixing screws in a positioned manner. A robot manufacturing method comprising fixing the motor, which is positioned by the fixing screws, from a direction along a plane perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor using auxiliary fixing screws positioned separately from the aforementioned fixing screws, thereby restricting the movement of the motor in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft of the motor.

15. The aforementioned fixing screws fix the motor in a positioned state relative to the fixing member, and the auxiliary fixing screws restrict the movement of the motor in a direction along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft, thereby creating a drive unit in which the motor and the fixing member are integrally arranged. The robot manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the drive unit, in which the motor and the fixing member are integrally arranged, is assembled to the robot body.