Robot Wrist Structure with Integral Cover for Oil Seal Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wrist structures of robots face challenges in preventing oil leakage and external contamination during high-pressure cleaning, as the oil seals are vulnerable to displacement and adherence of foreign matter.
Innovation Solution
A wrist structure design featuring a wrist body, a holder with an integrally formed cover, a wrist flange, and an oil seal between the holder and the wrist flange, which prevents direct impingement of high-pressure jets and external contaminants from adhering to the oil seal, while reducing the number of parts and enhancing structural strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the oil seal is exposed for sealing purposes, then oil leakage can be prevented, but the oil seal becomes vulnerable to high-pressure jet displacement and foreign matter adherence
Solution Approach 1:
A cover member is introduced as an intermediary protective element between the high-pressure jet/foreign matter and the oil seal. The cover member has a through-hole that allows the oil seal to function while protecting it from external harmful factors during cleaning operations
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing structure is divided into separate functional components: the oil seal for sealing, the cover member for protection, and the through-hole for fluid passage. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the others
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate parts are used for the cover and holder, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the number of parts increases and structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member and holder are merged into a single integrally formed component. This reduces the total number of parts, simplifies assembly, and enhances structural strength while maintaining the protective function of the cover and the supporting function of the holder
3Ease of repair
If the cover is made separate from the holder, then manufacturing and replacement are easier, but structural strength and rigidity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cover and holder are combined into a single molded part with integrated geometry. The design includes distinct functional regions (cover portion, holder portion, through-hole) that are structurally unified, providing enhanced strength and rigidity while maintaining ease of manufacturing through integral forming
Data Source
AI summary
A wrist structure of a robot capable of protecting an oil seal of a wrist structure from a high-pressure jet for cleaning or from external foreign matter or the like. A wrist structure of a robot includes a wrist body, a holder attached to the wrist body, a wrist flange rotatably supported by the holder, an oil storage provided between the wrist body and the holder, an oil seal disposed between the holder and the wrist flange and configured to prevent oil from leaking from the oil storage, and a cover that is formed integrally with the holder and that covers the oil seal from the outside between the holder and the wrist flange.