Articulated Robot Joint Unit with Groove for Motor Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing articulated industrial robots face challenges in downsizing while ensuring smooth motor replacement, as the size of the motor and the installation space often lead to interference issues during motor removal and replacement, affecting efficiency and potentially causing damage.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a supporting member with a groove-like recessed portion on its opposing face, allowing the motor shaft and gear to slide perpendicular to the motor shaft, increasing the space for motor removal without altering the external shape of the robot, and includes a sealing member for lubrication and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the robot is downsized, then the size of the robot is reduced, but the motor cannot be removed smoothly due to interference with the supporting member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a groove-like recessed portion that extends in a direction perpendicular to the motor shaft axis, creating additional spatial dimension for motor removal. This allows the motor to be pulled out along the shaft axis while the gear engages with the recessed portion, preventing interference with the supporting member and enabling smooth motor replacement even in a downsized robot configuration
2Ease of operation
If the motor overall length is made smaller than the interior space dimension, then the motor can be easily removed, but the robot cannot achieve sufficient downsizing
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is segmented into distinct functional zones: the groove-like recessed portion that accommodates the gear during removal, the interior space that holds the motor, and the mounting surface. This segmentation allows the gear to engage with the recessed portion during motor removal, creating a clear path for motor extraction without requiring excessive interior space dimension, thus enabling robot downsizing while maintaining ease of motor replacement
3Ease of operation
If the second supporting member is enlarged to ensure sufficient distance, then the first motor can be removed without interference, but the robot size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The groove-like recessed portion is nested within the supporting member structure, creating a compact configuration. The recessed portion extends perpendicular to the motor shaft and provides the necessary clearance for gear engagement during motor removal, effectively nesting the clearance space within the existing supporting member volume rather than requiring external enlargement of the second supporting member
Data Source
AI summary
A robot with a downsized joint unit is disclosed. The articulated robot includes a motor which is provided with a gear or a pulley at an end of a motor shaft, and which generates a force for driving a joint, a speed reduction mechanism which reduces the speed of rotation of the gear or pulley rotating integrally with the motor shaft, and a supporting member which supports the motor and the speed reduction mechanism, and which defines an interior space for accommodating the motor, wherein the supporting member has an opposing face opposing the motor in the interior space and spreading in a plane perpendicular to the motor shaft, and the opposing face includes a groove-like recessed portion recessed in a protruding direction of the motor shaft and extending in a direction perpendicular to the motor shaft.