JPH02292186A - Robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To bring no floating body into contact with a robot directly even in case of its collision while under working, to ease the impact force thereof as well and to prevent the breakdown of the robot by coating the external surface of the robot by a bumping member. CONSTITUTION:A space robot 10 performs the assembly work of a truss in the state of its external surface being covered by a cushion 15. During this work, a floating body 20 is not collided with a manipulator 13 directly even in case of the floating body 20 trying to collide with the manipulator 13 because of this manipulator 13 being covered by a cushion material 15. The impact force is hardly transmitted to the manipulator 13 with the impact force being eased by the cushion material 15.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Fields The present invention relates to a robot that operates in a weightless equivalent space such as outer space, the sea where buoyancy and gravity are balanced, or underwater.

(Conventional technology) In a zero-gravity equivalent space such as a space station quake, gravity hardly acts on an object, so even if a structure requires rigidity against gravity on the ground, a space structure may have a small rigidity. good. For example, on the ground, a force is applied to beams used in buildings in a direction substantially perpendicular to their longitudinal direction due to gravity. Therefore, the beam itself needs to have enough rigidity to withstand this force. However, since gravity is very small in outer space, almost no force in the vertical direction acts on the beam, and depending on the application, the beam may be a structure with almost no rigidity in the direction of gravity.

By the way, the four space bots are used on the space station to assemble the space station, inspect equipment, and operate experiments on behalf of humans.

The rigidity of space structures such as space robots or space antennas used in outer space is reduced as much as possible due to the phenomenon of reduced gravity and the need to reduce payload. Therefore, even if a floating object such as a tool or an assembly part collides with this space structure at a relatively low speed, the impact received by it will be extremely large and will damage the space robot 1 itself. It may cause damage. Therefore, conventional space robots have a structure that prevents them from colliding with such floating objects.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a conventional space robot. As shown in FIG. 11, the space robot 1 has visual i!
! It includes a recognition device 2, two manipulators 3 as robot arms, two fixed arms 4, and a propulsion device 5. Then, it is moved to the working position by the propulsion device 5,
The robot 1 is fixed at that position by the fixed arm 4 grasping the truss 6 so as not to collide with floating objects. The work is then performed by the manipulator 3.

In order to prevent collisions with floating objects, this space robot 1 is equipped with a position control device, a sensing device, a navigation device, etc. for the space robot 1 on the side of the fixed arm 4.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a conventional four-bot, the space robot 1 is equipped with the above-mentioned position control device, sensing device, navigation device, or fixed arm 4.
There were problems in that the weight of the device increased and the device itself became larger.

Also, in the weightless space of outer space, Space 4 Bot 1
It is difficult to control the position and movement of the space robot 1, and the position control device, sensing device, navigation device, etc. to prevent the space robot 1 from colliding with floating objects must be extremely accurate. Therefore, the cost increases.

The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and aims to provide a robot that is smaller in size and lighter in weight and has improved reliability.

Means for Solving the Problems> To achieve the above object, the robot of the present invention is a robot that works in a weightless equivalent space, and is characterized in that the outer surface of the stomach bot is covered with a buffer member. It must be something you do.

Function: Since the outer surface of the robot is covered with a buffer material, even if a floating object collides with the robot during work, it will not come into direct contact with the robot, and the impact force will be alleviated.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of its arm, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the arm showing a state in which a floating object collides with it.

As shown in FIG. 1, the space four bot 10 is equipped with a visual recognition device 12, a manipulator 13, and a propulsion device 14 in a hotpot body 11.

In addition, since gravity is extremely small in outer space, the structure is made with almost no rigidity in the direction of gravity. Also,
The outer surface of this space robot 10 is covered with a cushion material 15 as a buffer member. For example,
As shown in FIG. 2, the periphery of the manipulator 13 of the space robot 10 is covered with a cushion material 15, and only the robot hand 6 attached to the tip thereof is exposed to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 1, the space four bot 10 assembles the truss 17 with its outer surface covered with the cushion 15. During this work, even if the floating object 20 tries to collide with the manipulator 13, as shown in FIG. There is no direct collision. and,
The impact force is alleviated by the bush binding material 15, so that almost no impact force is transmitted to the manipulator 13.

In this way, the space robot 10 has the manibulator 1
3 as well as the outer surface of the main body 11 and the visual identification device 12, a bushing material 15 is attached to the outer surface of the main body 11 and the visual identification device 12, so even if a floating object 20 collides with the space robot 10 during work, it will not come into direct contact with the space robot 10. Moreover, the impact force is also alleviated.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an arm according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. It is a partially cutaway detailed view.

In this embodiment, a spring is used as a buffer member to deflect the cushion material 15 described above. That is, the fourth
As shown in the figure and FIG. 5, a cylindrical member 21 is arranged as a protective member around the outer periphery of the manipulator 13 with a slight gap, and a spring 22 is stretched between the manipulator 13 and the cylindrical member. There is. The springs 22 are attached, for example, to both ends of the manibulator 13 at four locations on its outer circumference at equal intervals. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a boss part 23 is formed at the outer part of the manipulator 13, while a boss part 24 and a flange part 25 are formed on the outer peripheral part of the cylindrical member 21 facing the boss part 23.
A support member 26 having a diameter is attached by a fixing screw 27. And spring 2 on each boss @23.24
Each end of 2 is fixed. In addition, each spring 22
is installed in a compressed state.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
Since the impact force is alleviated by the spring 22,
#i's striking power is hardly transmitted to Manibi-Rator 13.

In this embodiment as well, the space robot 10 includes not only the manipulator 13 but also the main body 11 and the visual object recognition device 1a.
An SIm retaining material 21 and a spring 22 are attached to the outer surface of the space robot 12, so that even if a floating object 20 collides with the space robot 10 during work, it will not come into direct contact with the space robot 10.
The impact force is also alleviated.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an arm according to a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of its operation.

In this embodiment, a damper is provided as a buffer member, together with the above-mentioned spring, to damp vibrations in the event of a collision.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a cylindrical member 21 is arranged around the outer periphery of the manipulator 13 with a slight gap between the manipulator 13 and the cylindrical member 21, as in the previous embodiment. Between them, springs 22 are stretched at both ends of the manibulator 13 at four locations equally spaced on its outer circumference.

A damper 31 is installed between the manipulator 13 and the cylindrical member 21 corresponding to the mounting position of the spring 22. This damper 31 is for absorbing the kinetic energy at the time of the collision of the floating object 20, damping the vibration, and reducing the repulsive force.

As shown in FIG.
Forces and repulsions are relieved.

In this embodiment as well, the space robot 10 has a protective member 21 and a spring 22 attached to the outer surface of not only the manibulator 13 but also the main body 11 and the visual recognition device 8I12.

In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, a space robot used in outer space was explained as an example, but the robot of the present invention is not limited to this. It may also be used as a robot that performs work in a zero-gravity equivalent space such as underwater, where the gravity and gravity are balanced.

Effects of the Invention> As described above in detail with reference to the embodiments, according to the robot of the present invention, the outer surface of the stomach bot is covered with the llllf member, so that floating objects do not collide with it during work. Since the robot does not come into direct contact with the robot, and the impact force is alleviated, damage to the robot can be prevented.

As a result, there is no need for a highly accurate position control device, sensing device, starvation device, fixed arm, etc., making it possible to reduce the size and weight of the robot and improve its reliability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of its arm, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the arm showing a state in which a floating object collides with it, and FIG. 4 5 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an arm according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG.
The figure is a partially cutaway detailed view of the arm, FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the arm according to the third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IK in FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a conventional space robot. In the drawing, 10 is a space robot, 11 is a four-bot body, 12 is a visual VG recognition device, 13 is a manibulator, 14 is a propulsion device, 15 is a cushion material (loose m member), 20 is a floating object, and 21 is a cylinder members, 22 is a spring rong ($1tR member), 31 is a damper (
buffer member).

Claims (1)

[Claims] A robot that performs work in a zero-gravity equivalent space, characterized in that the outer surface of the robot is covered with a buffer member.