Umbilical-member routing in industrial robot wrist
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing umbilical-member processing structures for industrial robots face challenges in stabilizing the behavior of umbilical-members during complex wrist movements, leading to inadequate support and increased load on the robot, which can result in reduced reliability and interference with peripheral equipment.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a forearm with a reduction gear and wrist elements that include a conduit for passing the umbilical-member, where one end is inserted axially and the other end is held in a cantilever fashion by a conduit holding member, allowing for rotational movement without excessive force, thus stabilizing the umbilical-member and enhancing its durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotatable support member is provided on the outer circumference of the conduit, then the conduit can be supported during wrist movement, but the size of the wrist and forearm needs to be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is nested within the hollow portion of the forearm and passes through the wrist, utilizing the existing internal space of the robot structure. This eliminates the need for external support members that would increase the overall size, while still providing stable support for the umbilical-member during wrist movements.
2Reliability
If the rotatable support member is provided on the distal end of the conduit, then the conduit can be supported, but the length of the conduit is increased and the work tool has to be moved away
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is extracted from the distal end of the conduit and relocated to the proximal end, where the conduit enters the wrist. This allows the conduit to be supported at its origin point rather than extending the support to the distal end, thereby maintaining a shorter conduit length and keeping the work tool closer to the robot body.
3Reliability
If the work tool is moved away in the extended direction, then the conduit length is increased, but the load imposed on the robot is increased and interference with peripheral equipment is more likely
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is supported at its entry point into the wrist, which prevents excessive movement and positioning adjustments of the work tool. This preliminary support action eliminates the need to move the work tool away to accommodate conduit length changes, thereby preventing increased load and potential interference with peripheral equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
An umbilical-member processing structure for an industrial robot which includes a forearm having a tool managing and relaying device and a wrist with proximal end rotatably connected to the forearm and having a work tool mounted on the distal end thereof, with an umbilical-member connected to the work tool being disposed to run along the wrist via the tool managing and relaying device: wherein the forearm has a first reduction gear which reduces the rotational speed of a driving source to drive the forearm in rotation; the first reduction gear having a first insertion hole for passing the umbilical-member therein; and wherein the wrist comprises a first wrist element having a through-path in communication with the first insertion hole and rotatably connected to the forearm, and a second wrist element having a second insertion hole in communication with the through-path and rotatably connected to the first wrist element.