JPS6021188Y2 - Joints in manipulators, etc. - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention relates to joints in manipulators, robots, etc.

In manipulators, industrial robots, etc. that have been developed to have functions equivalent to the human arm, multiple joints that correspond to the human shoulder, oblique, wrist, and other joints are linked together. It is composed of

Each of these joints is rotated or bent (swiveled) by an appropriate actuating device, and a finger corresponding to a human finger attached to the tip of the joint is operated to open and close. By doing so, the object to be operated can be operated remotely.

Each joint is operated via a hydraulic operating device,
Alternatively, in a general configuration, the rotational movement or bending movement is transmitted to each joint from a drive device such as a motor attached to the shoulder via a transmission mechanism such as a belt or gears.

However, in the configuration using the above hydraulic operating device,
Not only is it troublesome to handle, but maintenance and inspection work is extremely difficult.

In addition, with the configuration in which each joint is actuated by a drive device attached to the shoulder, the efficiency of the transmitted power transmitted to each joint decreases due to slips and play in the transmission process, and the desired power is not applied to the joint. The major drawback was that power was not transmitted and each joint could not operate accurately.

Moreover, the structure is complicated, and the assembly operation for mutually securing the transmission mechanism is cumbersome, resulting in poor workability not only in assembly work but also in maintenance and inspection work.

Therefore, a configuration has been devised in which a driving device for driving each joint is disposed within each joint, and a plurality of joints each having a built-in unique driving device are interconnected to improve the above-mentioned drawbacks. However, in this configuration, the wiring of the drive device and other accessory devices is exposed to the outside, which causes various problems.

That is, for example, the wiring exposed to the outside is generally fixed to the outside of the machine body such as a manipulator using a wiring duct, but this duct increases the outer diameter of the machine body and prevents it from being made more compact. During work, the duct came into contact with or came into contact with the operated object or its peripheral equipment, causing unnecessary trouble.

Further, due to the presence of ducts, etc., the operating range of rotation and bending operations of each joint is limited, and the joint functions of each joint are not effectively utilized.

This idea was made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, and is designed so that not only transmission mechanisms such as belts and gears, but also wiring and ducts are not exposed outside each joint. This solves the drawbacks of the prior art.

Hereinafter, embodiments of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, generally indicated by 1 is a manipulator for opening and closing the fingers 2 provided at the tip thereof, and connects a plurality of arms 4, 5, 6 to joints. , 8.9 are connected to each other.

A mounting portion 11 having a mounting flange 10 is integrally fixed to the manipulator tough, and the manipulator 1 is fixed to a mounting base 12 via this mounting flange 10.

Joints? , 8.9 can be rotated or bent so that the finger portion 2 can accurately engage with the operated body 3, and have rotation joints 7, 9 and bending joints, respectively. It constitutes joint 8.

Each of the above joints? , 8.9, the rotation joint 7.9 is configured as shown in FIG. The description of the joint portion 7 will be omitted.

Inside the joint portion 9, there is a drive device 13 for rotationally driving the rotated portion (arm) 5, a deceleration device 14 for reducing the rotation speed of this drive device 13, and a rotation angle of the rotated portion 5. An angular position detecting device 15 for detecting the angular position, an actuating force detecting device 16 for detecting the actuating force, etc. are installed inside, and these devices are assembled into a unit to detect the position inside the joint part 9 and the rotated part 5. It is mounted within a hollow interior 17.18.

The drive device 13 is composed of a stator 19 and a rotor 20 like a common electric motor, and has brushes (current collector) fixed to a brush holder 21 attached to the stator 19.
A current flows from 22 to the rotor 20 via the commutator 23, so that the rotor 20 is rotationally driven.

The rotor 20 is fixed and supported via a fixing member 26 and a fixture 27 on a rotating shaft 25 having a hollow portion 24 passing through its axial center so that the fixing force can be freely adjusted.

Note that the rotor 20 may be fixed to the rotating shaft 25 by means such as a key, adhesive, press-fitting, or the like.

The stator 19 is fixed to the first support member 28 via a fastener 29 or by means such as press fitting or adhesive. It is rotatably supported via a bearing 33 by a housing 32 fixed to the circumferential portion via a fixing bolt 31.

Further, the rotating shaft 25 is rotatably supported by the first support member 28 via a bearing 34.

Note that 35 is a holding member for the bearing 33, and the pressing force against the bearing 33 can be adjusted by an adjustment bolt 36.

A second support member 37 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the stator 19 and supports the rotating shaft 25 in cooperation with the first support member 28 . It is rotatably supported via a bearing 41 on a joint-side housing 40 that is fixed to the inner circumference of the jacket tube 38 via fixing bolts 39 .

The second support member 37 is integrally fixed to the first support member 28 via a fastener 42, and is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 25, which is integrally fixed to the fixed member 26 via a bearing 43. I support it.

Note that 44 is a spacer, 45 is a holding member for the bearing 41, and the pressing force against the bearing 41 can be adjusted by an adjustment bolt 46.

The rotary shaft 25 and the first support member 28 are provided to protrude from the jacket tube 38 of the joint portion 9 toward the hollow portion 18 of the rotated portion 5. The devices 14 are mounted on the same axis.

The speed reduction device 14 is for rotating the rotated part 5 in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 25 and changing the rotation speed of the rotated part 5 with respect to the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 25. It is structured as follows.

That is, what is indicated by 47 is a rotary drive body that is interlocked and connected to the rotary shaft 25 by press fitting or other means, and is formed in an elliptical shape.
A flexible ring 48 is rotatably fitted through 7a.

The outer peripheral surface of the flexible ring 48 has a plurality of serrated teeth 4.
8a is formed, and teeth 48a near both ends of the long axis of the flexible ring 48, which is bent into an elliptical shape by the rotary drive body 47, have serrations of the same number as the number of teeth of the flexible ring 48. Teeth 49a of an annular first ring 49 having teeth formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof are engaged with each other.

This first ring 49 is integrally connected to the first support member 28 via a fastener 50 such as a bolt.

Furthermore, the teeth near both ends of the long axis of the flexible ring 48 are the teeth 51 of a second ring 51 having an annular shape and having serration-like teeth appropriately larger than the number of teeth of the flexible ring 48 formed on the inner peripheral surface.
It is meshed with a.

The second ring 51 is integrally connected to the rotated part side housing 32 via a fastener 52 such as a bolt.

As shown in FIG. 3, an actuation force detection member 53 is integrally fixed on the inner end side of the second support member 37.
This actuation force detection member 53 is inserted into a space 56 of a C-shaped ring body part (see FIG. 3) that is integrally provided at the inner end of the joint side housing 40 via a slot 54. ing.

Therefore, the first support member 28 and the second support member 37
As a result, when the rotating shaft 25 is rotationally driven via the drive device 13, the second ring 51 is decelerated by a ratio corresponding to the number of teeth with respect to the first ring 49. The rotated portion 5 is configured to be rotated in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the rotating shaft 25.

In particular, the stator 19 is connected to the first support member 28 and the second support member 3.
7. Rotation with respect to the joint part 9 via the actuation force detection member 53, the C-shaped ring part 55, and the housing 40 is restricted, so the rotated part 5 is will rotate at a relatively reduced speed in the opposite direction.

Both ends 55a, 5 of the opening in the C-shaped ring portion 55
5b is equipped with an actuation force detection device 16 that cooperates with the actuation force detection member 53 to detect the actuation force during operation by the manipulator.

The actuation force detection device 16 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
It is comprised of a detection member (sensor) 57 for detecting the actuation force, a pressing force adjustment member 59 for pressing the actuation force detection member 53 via a steel ball 58, and the like.

The detection member 57 is composed of, for example, a load meter, and C
It is mounted in a recess 60 provided in a surface portion corresponding to the actuating force detection member 53 at the open end 55b on one side of the ring-shaped body portion 55.

The detection portion 61 of the detection member 57 is configured to be able to come into contact with one side of the actuation force detection member 53, and the load is detected by pressing the detection member 57.

The detection unit 61 is disposed at a certain distance from the axis of the rotating shaft 25, and is configured so that the load detected via the detection unit 61 can be detected as an operating force (operating torque). It has become.

The steel ball 58 and the pressing force adjustment member 59 are arranged in the recess 6.
It is installed in a screw hole 62 provided in the open end 55a of the C-shaped ring part 55 on the same straight line as the axis of the C-shaped ring part 55,
The pressing force adjusting member 59 is screwed into the hole 62.

The steel ball 58 is configured to be constantly brought into contact with the actuation force detection member 53 via a pressing force adjustment member 59 and to be able to press the detection portion 61 via the actuation force detection member 53.

The pressing force for pressing the detection section 61 can be adjusted freely by operating the pressing force adjusting member 59.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the connecting portion of the C-shaped annular portion 55 is provided with a mounting plate 64 for mounting an angular position detector 63 for detecting the rotation angle of the rotated portion 5. is fixed via a fastener 65, and the angular position detector 63 includes a rotation transmission tube 66 for transmitting rotation angle, a rotation spur gear 67, etc. rotated by this rotation transmission tube 66, and the like. angular position detection device 1
5.

The rotation transmission tube 66 is inserted into the hollow portion 24 of the rotating shaft 25 and fixed to the housing 32 at one end via a fastener 68 such as a bolt, and at the other end.
A gear 69 that meshes with the rotating spur gear 67 is fixed.

The gear 69 is fixed to the rotation transmission tube 66 by a fixing screw 72 screwed onto a member 71 that supports the rotation transmission tube 66 via a bearing 70 .

The rotating spur gear 67 is fixed to the detection shaft 74 of the angular position detector 63 via a set screw 73. Therefore, the rotating angle of the rotated portion 5 is determined by the rotation transmission tube 66, the rotating spur gear 67
It is now detected through.

The wiring cable 75 to the brush holder 21 is connected to the second
The cable is routed through a cable insertion hole 76 provided in the support member 37 and merges with a cable bundle 77 of cables for adjacent joints and the like introduced into the hollow portion 24 .

A wiring cable 78 to the angular position detector 63 and a wiring cable 79 to the detection member 57 are similarly merged with the cable bundle 77, and all the cables in the so-called rotation joints are connected to the axial center hollow part of each joint. It is designed to be wired after.

What is shown in FIG. 4 is the vicinity of the bending joint 8 illustrated in FIG. 80 is configured to be freely bendable with respect to a bending operation side arm 81 that is interlocked and connected to the arm 4 and the like on the mounting portion 11 side.

Holes 82, 83 are provided in the mutual sliding surfaces of both arms 80, 81, and are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of each arm 80, 81. is installed.

That is, the drive device 13 is fixed to the hole 83 of the bending operation side arm 81 via a fastener 84 such as a bolt, and the output shaft side of the reduction mechanism 14 is fixed to the fastener 84 such as a bolt.
5, and when the drive device 13 is driven, the bending operation side arm 80 is bent with respect to the bending operation side arm 81.

Note that the configuration of the unitized drive device 13 and the like is the same as that of the above-mentioned rotational link, so a description thereof will be omitted.

The bending operation side arm 80 and the bending operation side arm 81
Each has a hole 8 for wiring that communicates with the hole 82, 83.
6.87 is provided, and the wiring cable 88 from inside the finger part 2 etc. is connected to the hole 86, the axial center hollow part 24 of the drive unit part,
Wiring can be done through the hole 87.

Of course, the wiring cable inside the drive unit section also joins this cable 88.

Note that 89 indicates a sealing member.

By appropriately combining and connecting a plurality of the rotation joints 7, 9 and bending joints 8 having the above configuration, a manipulator, robot, or the like having a desired operating range can be obtained.

In particular, in this invention, the driving device 13, the speed reduction device 14, the angular position detecting device 15, the actuating force detecting device 16, etc., which are installed in each joint as a power source, are integrated into an integrated unit, and this unitized drive Since the joint part is simply installed in each joint part, the construction of the joint part is simple, and the outer diameter and length of the joint part can be reduced and the joint part can be made compact.

Also, cables 77 for control lines and signal lines at each joint.
88 can be inserted into the axial center hollow part 24 of the unitized drive part of each joint part and wired, so there is no need to attach a wiring duct to the outer periphery of the joint part or arm as in the past. This makes it possible to obtain a joint with an extremely small outer diameter, and since there is no duct, the rotation angle of the joint on the operated side can be increased.

Moreover, since the cables 77 and 88 pass through the axial center hollow part of the joint part, the cables are not twisted greatly during operation.In particular, since the cables are twisted within the relatively good hollow part 24, the influence of twisting is small, and the cables will not be damaged.

Furthermore, since the cable is configured to be protected by the rotation transmission tube 66, it is more reliably protected from damage.

In addition, if a certain preload is applied to the detection member 57 via the pressing force adjustment member 59 and the steel ball 58, for example, a preload (load) corresponding to /2 of the rated load can be applied to the detection member 57 to reduce the load resistance during work. It can be detected as a load torque, and the operating force in either the forward or reverse rotation direction can be accurately detected.

Furthermore, since the rotation transmission tube 66 is supported via the bearing 70, there is no risk of axial runout, and the rotation angle of the rotated part 5 is accurately transmitted to the angular position detector 63, resulting in high precision. It can be detected by

As described above, this invention is a joint in a manipulator etc. in which a plurality of joints are connected so as to be rotatable or bendable, and each outer cover of the joint and a rotated part connected to the joint is A stator of a drive device is fixed to the inner periphery of a support member that is rotatably supported on the inner periphery of the pipe, and the support member rotatably supports a rotary shaft having a hollow portion passing through the shaft center. A rotor of a drive device facing the stator is fixedly mounted on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft, one end of the supporting member and the rotating shaft is connected to the jacket tube of the rotated part via a reduction gear; A rotation transmission tube is inserted into the hollow part of the rotating shaft, and one end of the rotation transmission tube is fixed to the jacket tube of the rotated part, and the other end is fixed to the jacket tube of the joint part. The angular position detector is connected to the detection shaft of the angular position detector, and the angular position detector is connected to the detection shaft of the angular position detector, and the load resistance during operation is detected as an operating force between the other end of the support member and the inner periphery of the jacket tube of the joint. Since the actuation force detection device is provided to configure the joints in the manipulator, etc., and since the rotation angle detection device and the actuation force detection device are assembled integrally with the drive device, the detection by each detection device is High accuracy can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of this invention; FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a manipulator equipped with a joint according to this invention, FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory plan view of the invention, and is an explanatory view with a part of the bending joint section cut away. 5... Rotated part, 13... Drive device,
14... Speed reduction device, 15... Angular position detection device, 16... Actuation force detection device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A joint in a manipulator, etc. in which a plurality of joints are connected so as to be rotatable or bendable, and each outer cover of the joint and a rotated part connected to the joint. A stator of a drive device is fixed to the inner periphery of a support member rotatably supported on the inner periphery of the pipe, and the support member rotatably supports a rotary shaft having a hollow portion passing through the shaft center. A rotor of a drive device facing the stator is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft, and one end of the supporting member and the rotating shaft is connected to the jacket tube of the rotated part via a speed reduction device. A rotation transmission tube is inserted into the hollow part of the rotating shaft, and one end of the rotation transmission tube is fixed to the jacket tube of the rotated part, and the other end is fixed to the jacket tube of the joint part. An operation detection device is provided between the other end of the support member and the inner periphery of the outer jacket tube of the joint, which constitutes a detection axis of the angular position detector and detects load resistance during operation as an operation force. joints in manipulators, etc.