Speed Variator Backlash Inspection Using Internal Gear Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for inspecting the wear condition of speed variators in robots are complex and costly, requiring external equipment to measure backlash and positioning accuracy, which affects the robot's performance over time.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that use internal components to measure the backlash of speed reducers by determining the position difference between gear teeth contact points, utilizing a motor, position obtainer, and current reader to assess the wear condition without external components, thereby simplifying the process and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external equipment such as vision cameras or laser trackers are used to measure gearbox wear, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system uses its own internal components (motor, encoder, gearbox) to perform the inspection, eliminating the need for external measurement equipment. The motor drives the gearbox through a series of gear reductions, and the encoder measures the input shaft rotations, allowing the system to self-diagnose backlash conditions without external cameras or laser trackers
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection function is extracted from the robot's main control system and implemented as a separate, dedicated inspection program. This allows the backlash measurement to be performed using existing hardware components without requiring modifications to the robot's primary control architecture or adding complex external measurement systems
2Power
If multiple gear reductions are used in the speed variator, then torque amplification is improved, but backlash accumulation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection method proactively measures backlash accumulation before it causes significant positioning errors. By regularly executing the inspection program and monitoring backlash values across multiple gear stages, the system can detect wear trends early and schedule maintenance before positioning accuracy deteriorates to unacceptable levels
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system provides feedback on backlash conditions by measuring the relationship between motor rotations and actual end effector position. This feedback allows operators to monitor gearbox health over time and determine when maintenance is needed, enabling proactive management of the torque amplification versus backlash accumulation trade-off
3Measurement precision
If traditional inspection methods are used requiring robot movement to end positions, then measurement completeness is improved, but inspection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection method uses partial action by measuring backlash at specific, strategically selected positions rather than requiring complete traversal of the robot's full working space. The inspection program drives the end effector to predetermined positions that are sufficient to detect gearbox wear conditions, eliminating the need to move the robot to all possible end positions
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection process is segmented into discrete, independent measurement steps that can be executed efficiently. The backlash measurement is broken down into specific actions at different gear stages (first gear stage, second gear stage, etc.), allowing the inspection to be completed through a series of focused measurements rather than continuous robot movement
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection method for a speed variator including a first gear and a second gear includes obtaining a first position of the first gear based on a contact between a first gear tooth of the first gear and a third gear tooth of the second gear, driving the first gear to rotate in a first direction to bring a second gear tooth of the first gear into contact with the third gear tooth, obtaining a second position of the first gear based on a contact between the second gear tooth and the third gear tooth, and determining a condition of the speed variator based on the first position and the second position. Also, an inspection device is provided.