Alignment jig

Abstract

This positioning jig (50) is for a robot in which: two members that constitute a joint and are supported so as to be movable relative to each other have provided thereto machined flat surfaces extending parallel to the relative movement direction; and the machined flat surfaces each have placed therein a linear marking that extends in a direction orthogonal to the relative movement direction. The positioning jig (50) comprises: a base part (54) that is provided with a flat pressing surface (51a) placeable so as to be in close contact with one of the machined flat surfaces and a linear first edge (53) extending along either the pressing surface (51a) or a flat surface parallel to the pressing surface (51a); and a marking indicator part (55) that is placed within a flat surface containing the first edge (53) and being orthogonal to the pressing surface (51a), and that, when the first edge (53) is brought into alignment along a marking in the one of the machined flat surfaces while the two markings are placed in the same flat surface, is placed at a location that corresponds to at least a portion of a marking in the other of the machined flat surfaces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an alignment jig.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a robot in which each of two members that are connected so as to be relatively rotatable and constitute a joint is provided with a scribed linear mark for aligning their positions (see, for example, Patent Document 1). With the joint mastered, by aligning the scribed linear marks provided on the two members of the joint, after replacement of the motor or reducer of the joint, the joint can be easily restored to the origin position by the marks.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The scribed linear marks provided on the two members of the joint are usually visually confirmed to be aligned in a straight line. However, when the marks are separated, it becomes difficult to determine whether they are aligned in a straight line. Therefore, it is desired that even when the marks are separated, it is possible to easily determine whether they are aligned in a straight line.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a robot alignment jig in which each of two members constituting a joint and supported to be relatively movable is provided with a machining plane extending parallel to the relative movement direction, and a linear mark extending in a direction orthogonal to the relative movement direction is arranged on each machining plane. The alignment jig includes a base portion having a planar pressing surface that can be arranged in close contact with one of the machining planes, and a linear first edge extending along the pressing surface or a plane parallel to the pressing surface, and a mark indicating portion that is arranged in a plane including the first edge and orthogonal to the pressing surface, and is arranged at a position where at least a part of the mark on the other machining plane coincides with the mark on one machining plane when the first edge is aligned with the mark on one machining plane with the two marks arranged in the same plane. [[ID=A]] [[ID=B]]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [[ID=F]] [[ID=G]]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] The alignment jig 50 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The alignment jig 50 according to the present embodiment is used, for example, when simply restoring the origin positions of the respective joints of the robot 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0008] The robot 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is, for example, a vertically articulated robot having six rotational joints (joints). The robot 1 includes a base (member) 2 installed on the floor surface, a swivel body (member) 3 rotatably supported with respect to the base 2 around a vertical first axis A, and a first arm (member) 4 rotatably supported with respect to the swivel body 3 around a horizontal second axis B. Further, the robot 1 includes a second arm (member) 5 rotatably supported with respect to the first arm 4 around a third axis C parallel to the second axis B, and a three-axis wrist unit 6 disposed at the tip of the second arm 5.

[0009] The wrist unit 6 includes a first wrist element (member) 7 that is rotatably supported about a fourth axis D that is disposed in a plane orthogonal to the third axis C with respect to the second arm 5. Further, the wrist unit 6 includes a second wrist element (member) 8 that is rotatably supported about a fifth axis E that is orthogonal to the fourth axis D with respect to the first wrist element 7. Furthermore, the wrist unit 6 includes a third wrist element (member) 9 that is rotatably supported about a sixth axis F that is orthogonal to the fifth axis E and intersects the third axis C with respect to the second wrist element 8.

[0010] Each rotary joint includes two members that are relatively rotatable. For example, the first rotary joint includes a base 2 and a swivel body 3 that are relatively rotatable. Also, the second rotary joint includes the swivel body 3 and the first arm 4 that are relatively rotatable. Also, the third rotary joint includes the first arm 4 and the second arm 5 that are relatively rotatable.

[0011] The fourth rotary joint includes the second arm 5 and the first wrist element 7 that are relatively rotatable. The fifth rotary joint includes the first wrist element 7 and the second wrist element 8 that are relatively rotatable. And the sixth rotary joint includes the second wrist element 8 and the third wrist element 9 that are relatively rotatable.

[0012] Alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20 are provided at positions adjacent to the boundaries of the two members 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 that constitute each rotary joint, respectively, at the boundaries of the two members 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9. Since the alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20 in each rotary joint are the same, here, the alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20 provided on the first arm 4 and the second arm 5 that constitute the third rotary joint will be described as an example.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, the alignment seat surface 10 of the first arm 4 is provided on a side surface that is adjacent to the boundary with the second arm 5 and orthogonal to the third axis C. Also, the alignment seat surface 20 of the second arm 5 is provided on a side surface that is adjacent to the boundary with the first arm 4.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3, the seating surface 10 for aligning the first arm 4 includes a seating surface portion (machining plane) 11 formed of a plane orthogonal to the third axis line C, and a V-shaped groove 12 formed by cutting out a part of the seating surface portion 11. The V-shaped groove 12 has inclined inner surfaces formed by two planes intersecting at a predetermined angle, for example, an angle of 90°, at a linear groove bottom (mark) 12a extending in a direction orthogonal to the third axis line C. The groove bottom 12a of the V-shaped groove 12 extends in a direction orthogonal to the relative movement direction of the second arm 5 with respect to the first arm 4.

[0015] Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the seating surface 20 for aligning the second arm 5 includes a seating surface portion (machining plane) 21 formed of a plane extending in a tangential direction of a circle centered on the third axis line C, and a V-shaped groove 22 formed by cutting out a part of the seating surface portion 21. The V-shaped groove 22 has inclined inner surfaces formed by two planes intersecting at a predetermined angle, for example, an angle of 90°, at a linear groove bottom (mark) 22a extending parallel to the third axis line C. The relative movement direction of the second arm 5 with respect to the first arm 4 is the tangential direction of a circle centered on the third axis line C, and the groove bottom 22a of the V-shaped groove 22 extends in a direction orthogonal to the relative movement direction of the second arm 5.

[0016] The seating surface 10 for aligning the first arm 4 is formed by machining the seating surface portion 11 and the V-shaped groove 12 during machining of the member constituting the first arm 4. Also, the seating surface 20 for aligning the second arm 5 is formed by machining the seating surface portion 21 and the V-shaped groove 22 during machining of the member constituting the second arm 5. The seating surfaces 10 and 20 for aligning the first arm 4 and the second arm 5 are formed at positions where the groove bottoms 12a and 22a of the V-shaped grooves 12 and 22 are arranged in the same plane when the second arm 5 is arranged at the origin position, for example, the position shown in FIG. 1, with respect to the first arm 4 in the design values.

[0017] Next, the alignment jig 50 according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 4, the alignment jig 50 according to this embodiment is a member formed in an L shape by bending a rectangular strip-shaped flat plate member having a certain width by 90° at the central position in the length direction by a bending line extending in the width direction.

[0018] Therefore, the alignment jig 50 includes two flat plate portions 51 and 52 that are arranged at an angle of 90° to each other, and each flat plate portion 51 and 52 includes planar pressing surfaces 51a and 52a that are arranged on the outer side of the bending. Further, at least one edge in the width direction of the two flat plate portions 51 and 52 is arranged on a plane orthogonal to the two pressing surfaces 51a and 52a.

[0019] Thereby, one flat plate portion 51 constitutes a base portion 54 having a pressing surface 51a that can be arranged in close contact with one seating surface portion 11 and a linear first edge 53 that extends along a plane parallel to the pressing surface 51a. Further, the other flat plate portion 52 includes a second edge (mark indicating portion) 55 that is arranged in a plane that includes the first edge 53 of the base portion 54 and is orthogonal to the pressing surface 51a.

[0020] The length dimension from the bending line of each flat plate portion 51 and 52 is such that when the pressing surface 51a of the base portion 54 is pressed against one seating surface portion 11, the pressing surface (supporting plane) 52a of the other flat plate portion 52 can be pressed against the other seating surface portion 21. Thereby, when the pressing surface 51a of the base portion 54 is brought into close contact with the seating surface portion 11 of the alignment seating surface 10 of the first arm 4 and the first edge 53 of the base portion 54 is aligned with the groove bottom 12a of the V-shaped groove 12 provided in the seating surface portion 11, the linear second edge 55 is arranged at a position along the seating surface portion 21 of the alignment seating surface 20 of the second arm 5.

[0021] The alignment method using the alignment jig 50 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described below. For example, when aligning the first arm 4 and the second arm 5, the operator first roughly aligns the alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20 provided on the first arm 4 and the second arm 5 as shown in FIG. 5. Then, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pressing surface 51a of the base portion 54 provided on one flat plate portion 51 of the alignment jig 50 is brought into close contact with the seat surface portion 21 of the alignment seat surface 20 of either one, for example, the second arm 5. Also, the pressing surface 52a of the other flat plate portion 52 of the alignment jig 50 is brought into contact with the seat surface portion 11 of the alignment seat surface 10 of the first arm 4.

[0022] Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the position of the base portion 54 is adjusted so that the first edge 53 of the base portion 54 coincides with the groove bottom 22a of the V-shaped groove 22 provided in the seat surface portion 21 of the alignment seat surface 20. Since the second edge 55 is arranged in a plane including the first edge 53 of the base portion 54 and orthogonal to the pressing surface 51a, at this time, the second edge 55 is arranged at a position indicating the position of the groove bottom 12a of the V-shaped groove 12 provided in the seat surface portion 11 of the first arm 4 in a state where it is aligned with the second arm 5.

[0023] According to the alignment jig 50 according to the present embodiment, since it includes the pressing surfaces 51a and 52a that are pressed against the seat surface portions 11 and 21, the alignment jig 50 in a state where the pressing surfaces 51a and 52a are pressed against the seat surface portions 11 and 21 can stably maintain its posture. In this state, while the operator maintains the pressing surface 51a of the base portion 54 of the alignment jig 50 pressed against the seat surface portion 21 of the second arm 5 with one hand, the operator operates the teaching operation panel with the other hand to slightly rotate the second arm 5 with respect to the first arm 4 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 6.

[0024] Then, as shown in FIG. 7, when the groove bottom 12a of the V-shaped groove 12 provided in the seat surface portion 11 of the first arm 4 coincides with the second edge 55 of the alignment jig 50, the first arm 4 and the second arm 5 can be easily aligned to the origin position. Thus, the alignment jig 50 according to this embodiment has a length such that the abutting surfaces 51a and 52a of the two flat plate portions 51 and 52 can be arranged on the two seat surfaces 11 and 21. As a result, even when the seat surfaces 11 and 21 are separated from each other, there is an advantage that the first arm 4 and the second arm 5 can be accurately aligned visually.

[0025] That is, even when the two members 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 to be aligned are separated by a speed reducer or the like disposed therebetween, it is not necessary to provide the seat surfaces 11 and 21 at positions where they are excessively raised from the surfaces of the members 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 in order to make the V-grooves 12 and 22 provided in the respective seat surfaces 11 and 21 adjacent to each other. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide unnecessary protrusions on each member 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 of the robot 1, and it can be ensured that the robot 1 does not interfere with its operation.

[0026] Further, since the base portion 54 has an abutting surface 51a that can abut against one of the seat surfaces 11 and 21, an operator can easily maintain with one hand a state in which the abutting surface 51a is in close contact with the seat surface 11 and 21 and the first edge 53 is aligned with the groove bottoms 12a and 22a of the V-grooves 12 and 22. Therefore, when performing alignment, it is not necessary to alternately hold the alignment jig 50 and the teaching operation panel, and the alignment operation can be performed simply and quickly.

[0027] In this embodiment, an L-shaped alignment jig having two flat plate portions 51 and 52 is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Any form can be adopted as long as it has a base portion 54 having an abutting surface 51a and a first edge 53, and a second edge 55 that is located in a direction away from the abutting surface 51a opposite to the abutting surface 51a and is disposed in a plane orthogonal to the abutting surface 51a and including the first edge 53.

[0028] In addition, as long as the mark indicating portion includes the same second edge 55 as described above, it may be in any form such as the triangular prism block shape shown in FIG. 8, the rectangular parallelepiped block shape shown in FIG. 9, the square tube shape shown in FIG. 10, etc. Also, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, on another flat plate portion 52 connected to the base portion 54, a rod-shaped portion having a second edge 55 may be provided without providing a pressing surface 52a. Also, as the mark indicating portion 55, as shown in FIG. 12, an arrow-shaped form pointing to a point within a plane orthogonal to the pressing surface 51a and including the first edge 53 may be adopted.

[0029] Also, as the alignment jig 50, as shown in FIG. 13, one in which a plate magnet (magnet) 60 is attached to the pressing surface 51a may be adopted. In this case, the plate magnet 60 may be attached to one pressing surface 51a, or may be attached to the two pressing surfaces 51a, 52a. When at least one of the alignment seat surfaces 10, 20 is made of a magnetic material such as iron, the pressing surfaces 51a, 52a can be held in close contact with the seat surface portions 11, 21 by the magnetic force of the plate magnet 60. Thereby, it is not necessary for the operator to hold the alignment jig 50 with one hand, and it is more convenient to use.

[0030] The magnet may be a plate magnet 60, or may be provided on the surface of one flat plate portion 51a opposite to the pressing surface 51a. Also, it may be embedded inside one flat plate portion 51 so as not to protrude from the pressing surface 51a. Also, the plate magnet 60 may be detachably attached to the pressing surface 51a. As a method of detachably attaching the plate magnet 60 to the pressing surface 51a, the alignment jig 50 may be made of a magnetic material, or a peelable adhesive sheet for the plate magnet 60 may be provided on the pressing surface 51a. As the adhesive sheet, for example, a double-sided tape and an adhesive with a weak adhesive strength may be adopted.

[0031] Further, as the alignment jig 50, one having an adhesive sheet detachably adhered to the alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20 and provided on the pressing surface 51a may be employed. Thereby, even when the alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20 are made of a non-magnetic material, the pressing surfaces 51a and 52a can be held in close contact with the seat surface portions 11 and 21 by adhesive force or tackiness.

[0032] In the present embodiment, the case where the alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20 have V-grooves 12 and 22 as marks has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a simple scribed line or a seal with a straight line drawn thereon may be attached to the seat surface portions 11 and 21. In addition, although the positioning between the first arm 4 and the second arm 5 has been exemplified, instead of this, it may be similarly applied to the positioning between any other two members 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9.

[0033] In addition, as the alignment jig 50 according to the present embodiment, one using a member formed in an L shape by being bent at 90° has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the robot 1, as shown in FIG. 14, when the groove bottom 12a of the V-groove 12 extends in a direction intersecting the relative movement direction of the second arm 5 with respect to the first arm 4, or when the groove bottom 22a of the V-groove 22 extends in a direction orthogonal to the relative movement direction of the second arm 5, the alignment seat surface 10 of the first arm 4 and the alignment seat surface 20 of the first arm 5 are provided at a predetermined angle θ (0° < θ < 180°). In this case, as shown in FIG. 15, the alignment jig 50 is formed by bending a member in accordance with the predetermined angle θ between the two alignment seat surfaces 10 and 20.

[0034] In addition, as the robot 1 to which the present invention is applied, a 6-axis articulated robot has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be applied to any other type and axis configuration of robot. Further, it may be applied not only to a robot having a rotary joint but also to a robot having a linear motion mechanism.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1 Robot 2 Base (member) 3 Swivel body (member) 4 First arm (member) 5 Second arm (member) 7 First wrist element (member) 8 Second wrist element (member) 9 Third wrist element (member) 11, 21 Seating surface (machined surface) 12a, 22a Groove bottom (mark) 50 Alignment jig 51a Pushing surface 52a Pushing surface (supporting plane) 53 First edge 54 Base portion 55 Mark indicating portion (second edge) 60 Plate magnet (magnet)

Claims

1. A robot alignment jig in which each of two members constituting a joint and supported so as to be relatively movable is provided with a machined plane extending parallel to the relative movement direction, and a linear mark extending in a direction orthogonal to the relative movement direction is arranged on each said machined plane, a base portion comprising a planar abutting surface that can be arranged in close contact with one of the machined planes, and a linear first edge extending along the abutting surface or a plane parallel to the abutting surface, an alignment jig comprising a mark indicating portion that is arranged in a plane orthogonal to the abutting surface and includes the first edge, and is arranged at a position where at least a part of the mark on the other machined plane coincides with the mark on one machined plane when the first edge is aligned with the mark on one machined plane with the two said marks arranged in the same plane.

2. The alignment jig according to claim 1, wherein the mark indicating portion is a linear second edge extending along a support plane that can be arranged along the other machined plane with the abutting surface in close contact with one of the machined planes.

3. The alignment jig according to claim 2, wherein the abutting surface and the support plane are arranged perpendicular to each other.

4. The alignment jig according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having an L-shaped form in which a flat plate in the shape of a strip having a certain width is bent at a right angle.

5. The alignment jig according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least the abutting surface is provided with a magnet capable of maintaining the abutting surface in close contact with one of the machined planes by magnetic force.

6. The alignment jig according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least the abutting surface is provided with an adhesive sheet that adhesively attaches the abutting surface to one of the machined planes in a peelable manner.

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