A robot includes a first member and a second member, the first member includes a housing having a first wall and a second wall disposed to face each other, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion, a drive section having a motor body, a drive pulley and a flange, a joint section having a driven pulley and a belt, the first protrusion and the second protrusion having support sections that support both end portions of the flange, a separation distance between the support sections being shorter than a length of the flange in which the flange protrudes, and missing sections configured such that a separation distance between the missing sections is longer than the length of the flange in the direction in which the flange protrudes, both end portions of the flange passing through the missing sections.

A robot includes a first member and a second member, the first member includes a housing having a first wall and a second wall disposed to face each other, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion, a drive section having a motor body, a drive pulley and a flange, a joint section having a driven pulley and a belt, the first protrusion and the second protrusion having support sections that support both end portions of the flange, a separation distance between the support sections being shorter than a length of the flange in which the flange protrudes, and missing sections configured such that a separation distance between the missing sections is longer than the length of the flange in the direction in which the flange protrudes, both end portions of the flange passing through the missing sections.

Provided is a joint structure for a robot which can prevent leakage of a lubricant which is charged to the interior of the joint structure while improving a drip-proof property. The joint structure for the robot includes: a first arm which is hollow; a second arm which is rotatably mounted to the first arm; a power transmission mechanism which is provided adjacent to the outside of the first arm, the power transmission mechanism including a gear and an inner space which houses the gear and is charged with a lubricant; a booster section which increases a pressure in an interior of the first arm to be higher than an outside pressure; and a one-way communication section which allows the interior of the first arm and the inner space to communicate with each other and a gas in the interior of the first arm to flow into the inner space, while preventing the lubricant in the inner space from flowing out to the interior of the first arm.

Provided is a joint structure for a robot which can prevent leakage of a lubricant which is charged to the interior of the joint structure while improving a drip-proof property. The joint structure for the robot includes: a first arm which is hollow; a second arm which is rotatably mounted to the first arm; a power transmission mechanism which is provided adjacent to the outside of the first arm, the power transmission mechanism including a gear and an inner space which houses the gear and is charged with a lubricant; a booster section which increases a pressure in an interior of the first arm to be higher than an outside pressure; and a one-way communication section which allows the interior of the first arm and the inner space to communicate with each other and a gas in the interior of the first arm to flow into the inner space, while preventing the lubricant in the inner space from flowing out to the interior of the first arm.

An articulate joint mechanism includes a first link (L1, A1, M1, U1), a second link (L2, A2, M2, U2), a coupling (KR, KR1, ER, ER1, ER2, MR, UR) mechanically connecting the first link with the second link in a mutually moveable manner at least with one degree of freedom, and an optical fiber cable (11, 21, 31, 41) extending from the first link to the second link via the coupling, the optical fiber cable including a fiber cable core (F1, F2, F3, F4) and a sheath (C1, C2, C3, C4) surrounding the fiber cable core. The joint mechanism comprises a first cable retaining part (P1) provided in a part of the first link and including a sheath fixing part (P1-2) for fixedly securing the sheath to the first link and a core fixing part (P1-1) for fixedly securing the fiber cable core to the first link, and a first cable engaging part (Q1) provided in a part of the first link located between the first cable retaining part and the coupling and including a sheath fixing part (Q1-2) for fixedly securing the sheath to the first link while allowing the optical fiber core to deflect freely.

An articulate joint mechanism includes a first link (L1, A1, M1, U1), a second link (L2, A2, M2, U2), a coupling (KR, KR1, ER, ER1, ER2, MR, UR) mechanically connecting the first link with the second link in a mutually moveable manner at least with one degree of freedom, and an optical fiber cable (11, 21, 31, 41) extending from the first link to the second link via the coupling, the optical fiber cable including a fiber cable core (F1, F2, F3, F4) and a sheath (C1, C2, C3, C4) surrounding the fiber cable core. The joint mechanism comprises a first cable retaining part (P1) provided in a part of the first link and including a sheath fixing part (P1-2) for fixedly securing the sheath to the first link and a core fixing part (P1-1) for fixedly securing the fiber cable core to the first link, and a first cable engaging part (Q1) provided in a part of the first link located between the first cable retaining part and the coupling and including a sheath fixing part (Q1-2) for fixedly securing the sheath to the first link while allowing the optical fiber core to deflect freely.

A mechanical stopper device having a desirable stopper function while having a simple structure, and a multi-joint robot having the mechanical stopper device. A mechanical stopper is constituted by an elastically deformable body arranged on a second arm, and a contacting member arranged on a first arm so that the deformable body comes into contact with the contacting member when the second arm is rotated by a predetermined angle. The spring pin has a slit extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the extending direction of the slit when the pin is inserted into a hole intersects with a contact direction of the spring pin against the contacting member.

An example actuator is provided to be used in robots and robotic devices. The actuator includes: a first plate, a second plate, and an elastic element disposed between the first plate and the second plate and including a center portion and an edge portion, the center portion corresponding to a first thickness and the edge portion corresponding to a second thickness larger than the first thickness, a first shear stress associated with the center portion being approximately equal to a second shear stress associated with the edge portion.

A robot includes a base, a multi-joint arm provided in the base, and a wrist member configuring a part of the multi-joint arm. The wrist member includes: a motor including a rotor, a rotor shaft, and a stator; and a housing including a motor housing recess, in which the motor is positioned and housed, and forming an external shape of the wrist member. The housing has a motor incorporating recess including a positioning section for the stator, a hole section for fixing the stator incorporated in the motor incorporating recess, and a heat radiation groove section on a sidewall of the motor incorporating recess. A heat radiation member is filled in the heat radiation groove section.

An electric motor has a first carrier having an array of electromagnetic elements and a second carrier having electromagnetic elements defining magnetic poles. The first and second carriers each define an axis. An airgap is formed between the first and second carriers when in an operational position. An inner thrust bearing connects the first and second carriers and is arranged to allow relative rotary motion of the carriers. An outer thrust bearing connects the first and second carriers and is arranged to allow relative rotary motion of the carriers. The electromagnetic elements of each of the first and second carriers are arranged radially inward of the outer thrust bearing and radially outward of the inner thrust bearing. The inner thrust bearing and the outer thrust bearing are arranged to maintain the airgap against a magnetic attraction of the electromagnetic elements of the first and second carriers.