JPH0453692A - Joint mechanism for robot - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding the joint mechanism of a robot equipped with at least a joint mechanism, it is possible to inexpensively and effectively suppress the scattering of foreign matter and dust generated in the joint mechanism to the outside, thereby increasing productivity. For the purpose of improving the joint mechanism, a flange is provided in the vicinity of the opening corresponding to the movable surface of the fixed cover covering the joint mechanism, which has a groove for collecting grease along the opening and is filled with grease. Configure.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to the structure of a robot joint mechanism, and more particularly to a robot joint mechanism that improves productivity by inexpensively and effectively suppressing the scattering of foreign objects and dust generated in the joint mechanism.

In recent years, in the field of semiconductor devices, as the degree of integration has improved, foreign matter and dust (hereinafter simply referred to as dust) generated in various processes such as elements and wiring have become increasingly influential in degrading characteristics and causing failures. The equipment used in each manufacturing process.

A major problem is how to suppress the scattering of dust generated from devices and the like into the surrounding area.

On the other hand, many robots are used as automation equipment in manufacturing processes, and these robots have many joint mechanisms, and these joint mechanisms are particularly susceptible to mechanical friction such as motors, reducers, and bearings. Since there are contact parts, dust is generated regardless of the amount, and the dust is scattered around the robot from the gap between the rotating shaft and the fixed part cover or other openings.

Therefore, various means have been considered to suppress the scattering of these dust particles, but each of them has drawbacks, so a solution to these problems is desired.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for suppressing the scattering of dust in a robot joint mechanism, and FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are diagrams illustrating other methods for suppressing scattering of dust.

In FIG. 2, which shows a part of the robot, the robot 2 on the base 1 is equipped with, for example, a motor 4 and a speed reducer 5, which are mounted on a frame 3 fixed to the base 1 so that the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the frame 3. A first shaft 7 is attached to the first joint mechanism 6 and rotates as shown by the arrow a, and a first shaft 7 is attached to the first shaft 7 with the same configuration as described above so that the rotation axis is in the horizontal direction, for example. A first arm 9 that is attached to the second joint mechanism section 8 and rotates as shown by the arrow, and a plurality of joints (not shown) that have a similar configuration and are attached to the other end of the first arm 9. It consists of a mechanism part and a wrist attached to the joint mechanism part at the end.

In a normal robot, each of the above-mentioned joint mechanisms 6, 8
．． The arm 9 is attached to each joint mechanism with a motor and a speed reducer that constitute... ...and the wrist is rotated by a predetermined angle in a predetermined direction at a predetermined speed.

Note that each joint mechanism section 6, 8. The motors, speed reducers, etc. of . Connected to the control unit.

Therefore, by sending a predetermined signal from the control section, a tool or jig attached to the wrist attached to the distal joint mechanism section (not shown) is made to perform a predetermined work.

Further, 10 in the figure is an exhaust pipe whose one end is attached to the base 1 and the other end is connected to the pump 11, and by operating the pump 11, the space area connected inside the robot 2 (in other words, The area along the signal line) is depressurized.

On the other hand, a cover 12 is fixed to the frame 3 and covers the first joint mechanism 6, and is attached to the first shaft 7 near the first arm 9. A cover 13 that is fixed and surrounds the second joint mechanism section 8 is attached, and each joint mechanism section (not shown) is also surrounded by a similar cover.

In particular, each cover in this case, for example 12.13, requires a gap between it and the movable parts (rotating shaft, etc.) such as parts A and B shown in the figure, but this gap should be made as small as possible to improve the dustproof effect. It looks like this.

Therefore, when the robot 2 is operated while the pump 11 is operated, most of the dust generated from the above-mentioned joint mechanisms 6, 8°, etc. and the surrounding area will be removed, for example, as indicated by the dotted arrows. Since the dust moves in a spatial area along the signal line inside the robot 2 and is sucked into the pump 11, scattering of dust to the outside can be almost completely eliminated.

However, in order to reduce the pressure inside the robot 2 so that all the generated dust can be sucked into the pump 11, it is necessary to create a gap between the rotating shaft of each joint mechanism and the cover (see A above).

B), flow resistance of the exhaust path to each joint mechanism, pump 1
This method has the disadvantage that the exhaust capacity of No. 1 must be considered as a condition, and that a large number of man-hours must be spent on its design and adjustment.

Figure 3 shows a means for suppressing the scattering of dust to the outside without requiring much man-hours while using the cover explained in Figure 2.The figure shows area A in Figure 2 as an example. It is shown enlarged as .

In FIG. 3, 7 indicates the first axis of rotation, and 12 represents a cover fixed to the frame 3 of FIG. 2.

Further, around the first shaft 7, an elastic seal 15 made of rubber or the like is fixed at a corresponding position along the gap near the opening side of the inner surface of the cover 12.

Especially in this case, the gap between the cover 12 (part A in Fig. 2)
Since the inside of the robot is sealed by the elastic seal 15, dust generated inside the robot can be easily and completely suppressed from scattering to the outside.

However, since the elastic seal 15 itself is in contact with the cover 12, new dust is generated from the contact area, and the elastic seal 15 is worn out and deformed by long-term use, resulting in a reduction in the dust-proofing effect. .

In FIG. 4, the robot 22 on the base 21 has a first joint mechanism part 2 which rotates as indicated by e around the vertical axis of the base 21.
3a, and a second joint mechanism part 24a that rotates as shown in f.
a first arm 24 integrated with the first arm 24;
A third joint mechanism section 2 that rotates in the g direction provided at the tip of the
5a, a fourth joint mechanism section 26 provided at the tip of the second arm 25 that rotates on an axis, and a wrist 27 provided at the tip of the fourth joint mechanism section 26. h
a fifth joint mechanism section 27a that rotates the wrist 2 in the direction
7 and a sixth joint mechanism section 28 that rotates on an axis, and a tool or jig is attached to the distal end of the sixth joint mechanism section 28.

As in the case of FIG. 2, the robot 22 is configured such that each of the joint mechanisms described above can rotate an arm integrated with each of the joint mechanisms at a predetermined speed and in a predetermined direction by a predetermined angle. .

On the other hand, numeral 29 in the figure shows a bellows made of, for example, coated nylon fabric, which completely covers the robot 22, and an exhaust pipe 30 provided in a part of the bellows 29 is connected to an exhaust pump (not shown).

In this case, since the size of the bellows 29 can have sufficient redundancy, it is possible to completely follow the motion of the robot 22, and by operating an exhaust pump (not shown), each joint mechanism and its surroundings can be The dust generated from the pump can be reliably sucked into the pump without scattering into the surrounding space.

However, in order to cover the entire robot 22, the bellows becomes large, which limits the operating range of the robot 22. Furthermore, the bellows 29 itself becomes a source of dust generation due to wear and deterioration at the bent parts due to long-term use. There is a drawback.

FIG. 5 shows each joint mechanism section 2 of the robot 22 in FIG.
3a and 28 are independently covered by individual bellows 29a and 29e, and in this case, a fourth
The exhaust pipe 30 explained in the figure is provided.

When such bellows 29a to 29e are used, the same effect as shown in FIG. 4 can be obtained, and the overall size can be reduced to 4.
Although it has the advantage of being smaller than the case shown in the figure, it has the disadvantage that it cannot be used in joint mechanisms that involve torsional movements, and each bellows becomes a source of dust after long-term use, as in the case of Fig. 4.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional method of suppressing external scattering of dust in robot joint mechanisms, when a cover is attached to each joint mechanism, the elastic seal provided to suppress external scattering of dust becomes a dust generator itself. There is a problem that the dust-proofing effect decreases due to the use of bellows, and if a bellows is used, there are restrictions on the movement of the robot and where the bellows can be applied, and after long-term use, the bellows itself becomes a dust-generating object, reducing the dust-proofing effect. There was a problem.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above-mentioned problem is that the fixed cover covering the joint mechanism is provided with a flange near the opening corresponding to the movable surface, which has a groove for collecting grease along the opening and is filled with grease. This problem is solved by the robot's joint mechanism.

[For production]

When the gap between the fixed cover and the movable part of the robot is filled with grease, the inside of the cover, the inside of the robot, and the outside are completely cut off by the grease.

In the present invention, a flange having a groove along the opening is installed near the opening of the fixed cover facing the movable part, and the groove of the flange is filled with grease, thereby creating a gap between the cover and the movable part. I try to fill the gaps with grease.

Therefore, since the inside and outside of the cover and the inside and outside of the robot are shut off, it is possible to completely suppress the scattering of dust generated in and around each joint mechanism of the robot to the outside without reducing the pressure inside the robot or using bellows. Productivity can be improved.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a robot joint mechanism according to the present invention, (A) is an overall view, (A-1), (A-
2) is an enlarged view of the main parts.

The figure shows the first part of the robot 2 in FIG. 2 as an example.
The second joint mechanism parts 6 and 8 are replaced with joint mechanism parts 31 and 41 according to the present invention, and the other configurations are completely the same as in FIG. 2, so corresponding identical parts are They are shown with the same number.

In FIG. 1 (1), which shows a part of the robot similarly to FIG. a first shaft 7 attached to a first joint mechanism section 31;
The first arm 9 is attached to the second joint mechanism section 41 which is attached to the shaft 7 in the same configuration as above, and the first arm 9 is attached to the other end of the first arm 9 and has a similar configuration. It consists of a plurality of joint mechanisms that are not connected to each other, and a wrist that is attached to the joint mechanism at the end.

Note that the exhaust pipe 11 explained in FIG. 2 is not particularly required for the base 1, so it is omitted in this figure.

On the other hand, a fixed cover 32 that is fixed to the frame 3 and covers the first joint mechanism section 31 is attached around the first shaft 7 described above, and a fixed cover 32 is attached near the first arm 9. A fixed cover 4 that is fixed to and surrounds the second joint mechanism section 41
2 is installed.

Here, each of the fixed covers 32, 42 will be explained below.

As explained in FIG. 2, the fixed cover 32 shown in (A-1) has one end (not shown) located at the bottom of the drawing attached to the frame 3.
A cover body 33 is fixed to the other end and is formed close to the first shaft 7, and an opening of the cover body 33 that surrounds the first shaft 7 surrounds the first shaft 7. A ring-shaped flange 34 mounted parallel to the peripheral wall surface.
In particular, a groove 34a is formed along the peripheral wall surface of the shaft 7 on the inner surface of the flange 34 facing the shaft 7, and the groove 34a is filled with low vapor pressure oil grease (for example, Daikin). Made by Industrial ■Product name “Demnum L 200”) 3
5 is filled.

Further, the fixed cover 42 shown in (A-2) has one end fixed to the first shaft 7 and the other end formed close to the movable surface of the first arm 9, as explained in FIG. The cover main body 43 is made up of a cover main body 43, and a circular arc-shaped flange 44, which is long in the thickness direction of the paper, is attached to an opening of the cover main body 43 close to the first arm 9 so as to be parallel to the wall surface of the arm 9. In particular, a groove 44a is formed along the wall surface of the arm 9 on the surface of the flange 44 facing the first arm 9, and the groove 44a is filled with the above-mentioned low vapor pressure oil grease. 35 is filled.

If the fixed covers 32.42 having such a configuration are attached to the robot 2 instead of the covers 12 and 13 described in FIG. 2, each flange 34. The grease 35 filled in 44 is automatically applied between each movable surface and fills the gap therebetween.

Note that the grease 35 in this case is a low vapor pressure oil grease as described above.

Therefore, since it can withstand long-term use, dust generated from each joint mechanism of the robot explained in FIG. As a result, it is possible to obtain a desired robot joint mechanism that can inexpensively and effectively suppress the scattering of foreign matter and dust generated in the joint mechanism portion to the outside.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a robot joint mechanism that inexpensively and effectively suppresses the scattering of foreign objects and dust generated in and around the joint mechanism to the outside, thereby improving productivity. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a robot joint mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a method for suppressing dust scattering in the robot joint mechanism, and FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another method of suppressing dust scattering. In the figure, 1 is a base, 2 is a robot, 3 is a frame, 4 is a motor, 5 is a reducer, 7 is a first shaft, 9 is a first arm, 31 is a first joint mechanism, 32. 4
2 is the fixed cover, 33.43 is the cover body, 34.4
4 is a flange; 34a and 44a are grooves; 35 is grease; and 41 is a second joint mechanism. %2 Figure (A-1) Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] The fixed cover covering the joint mechanism includes a flange having a groove for collecting grease in the vicinity of the opening corresponding to the movable surface of the fixed cover along the opening, and the groove is filled with grease. The robot's joint mechanism.