DISPENSING DEVICE FOR INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

Abstract

A dispensing system (1) for industrial robots comprising a base (19) comprising a first end (21) and a second end (23), where the first end comprises a connecting arrangement for a syringe, a connection bracket in connection to the base plate, configured to attach the base to an articulated robot arm (3), a stepping motor (59) that is connected to the second end of the base plate, where the stepping motor comprises a central rotor (61) having a first rotational axis and at least two electromagnets arranged as a stator (63) around the central rotor, a plunger rod (49) having a first longitudinal axis and a second rotational axis and where the plunger rod is in connection to the central rotor, where a rotational movement of the central rotor maneuvers the plunger rod in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the plunger rod, wherein the plunger rod further comprises a rotational lock, where the rotational lock is in connection to the base plate ensuring that the plunger rod is rotationally static during the rotational movement of the central rotor.

Claims

1. A dispensing system for industrial robots comprising: a base comprising a first end and a second end, where the first end comprises a connecting arrangement for a syringe, a connection bracket in connection to the base plate, configured to attach the base to an articulated robot arm, a stepping motor that is connected to the second end of the base plate, where the stepping motor comprises a central rotor having a first rotational axis and at least two electromagnets arranged as a stator around the central rotor, a plunger rod having a first longitudinal axis and a second rotational axis and where the plunger rod is in connection to the central rotor, where a rotational movement of the central rotor maneuvers the plunger rod in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the plunger rod, characterized in that the plunger rod further comprises a rotational lock, where the rotational lock is in connection to the base plate ensuring that the plunger rod is rotationally static during the rotational movement of the central rotor.

2. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 1, wherein the plunger rod may have an outer surface that comprises an outer thread, and where the central rotor may have a central opening having an inner surface that has an inner thread, where the inner thread cooperates with the outer thread.

3. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 2, wherein the inner surface of the central rotor is moulded in relationship to the outer surface of the plunger rod.

4. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 1, wherein the rotational lock comprises a first member connected to the plunger rod and a second member connected to the base plate where the second member prevents the first member from rotating, and the first member prevents the plunger rod from rotating.

5. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 1, wherein the connecting arrangement comprises an inner flange having an outer surface configured to provide a liquid tight seal between the inner flange and an inner surface of the syringe.

6. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 5, wherein the inner flange is removably connected with the base.

7. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the plunger rod comprises a plunger member, where a first end of the plunger member is configured to cooperate with a piston of the syringe and a second end of the plunger member is in connection to the plunger rod.

8. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 7, wherein the plunger member has an outer radial surface, where the outer radial surface has an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the barrel of the syringe.

9. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 7, wherein the plunger member may be removably connected with the plunger rod.

10. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 1, wherein the connection arrangement comprises a first syringe grip and a second syringe grip, where the first and/or the second syringe grip/s comprise a grip surface facing the first end of the base, configured to grip a barrel flange of a syringe between the grip surface and the base.

11. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 10, wherein the distance between the grip surface and the first end is adjustable, so that different thicknesses of barrel flanges may be gripped.

12. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis and/or the second rotational axis of the plunger is coaxial with the first rotational axis of the central rotor.

13. A dispensing system for industrial robots according to claim 1, wherein the rotational movement of the central rotor is proportional to the movement of the central rod.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The following is an explanation of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an articulated robotic arm having a dispensing system,

[0038] FIG. 2 shows the same, seen from the side,

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the dispensing system in accordance with the invention,

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the base of the dispensing system,

[0041] FIG. 5A-5C show cross sectional views of a dispensing system in different positions,

[0042] FIGS. 6A and 6B show, in perspective, an exploded view of an embodiment of the dispensing system and a sideview of an embodiment of the dispensing device, respectively,

[0043] FIGS. 7A and 7B show a cross-sectional side view and a cross-sectional top view of an embodiment of the dispensing device, respectively, and

[0044] FIGS. 8A and 8B show an a cross-sectional side view and cross-sectional top view of an embodiment of the central rod having a key and slot system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Various exemplary embodiments and details are described hereinafter, with reference to the figures when relevant. It should be noted that the figures may or may not be drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are represented by like reference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the disclosure or as a limitation on the scope of the disclosure. In addition, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described. The reference numbers seen may be applied to all of the figures of the present disclosure.

[0046] FIGS. 1 and 2 show perspective views of an industrial articulated robotic arm 3, where a dispensing system 1 is attached to the free end 7 of the robotic arm 3. The robotic arm may be a multi axis robotic arm 3 having a base 5, a first arm 9, a second arm 11, and a plurality of articulations 13 between the base, the arms 9, 11 and the free end 7. Such a robotic arm 3 is capable of maneuvering the free end 7 in three dimensions into a plurality of positions, allowing the dispensing system 1 to be applied in a plurality of positions around the robotic arm 3. Thus, the tip 15 of the syringe 17 of the dispensing system 1 may be moved into a plurality of positions, upwards, downwards, sideways or otherwise in order to apply a liquid from the tip 15 of the syringe.

[0047] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the dispensing system 1, where the dispensing system comprises a base 19, having a first end 21 and a second end 23. The first end 23 is configured to receive a syringe 17, where a distal end 25 of the syringe is in connection with the first end 21 of the base 19. The syringe 17 comprises a liquid (shown in FIG. 5A-5C) which is adapted to be dispensed out of the tip 15 of the syringe 17 at the proximal end 27 of the syringe 17. The distal end 25 of the syringe 17 comprises syringe flanges 29 (shown in FIG. 4), which are gripped by two gripping parts 31 that are connected to the base 19, in order to fix the syringe 17 to the base 19. The second end 23 of the base 19 is connected to a housing 33, where the housing may be in the form of a motor housing 35 and a plunger housing 37 that are connected to the base. The plunger housing and the motor housing may be made in one part. The dispensing device 1 further comprises a connection bracket 39, which is configured to attach the base 19 to the industrial robot 3, seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0048] FIG. 5A shows a cross sectional view of the dispensing device 1, having a syringe 17 attached to the base 19, and where the syringe 17 comprises a syringe barrel 41, defining a volume 43 to hold a liquid 45, where distal part of the volume 43 is defined by a moveable piston 47, and the proximal part of the volume 43 is open to the environment via a dispensing tip 15, which is hollow and provides fluid communication from the environment into the volume 43, or vice versa.

[0049] The dispensing device 1 further comprises a plunger rod 49, having a longitudinal axis A, where the plunger rod 49 comprises a proximal end 51 and a distal end 53. The proximal end 51 is attached to a plunger 55 which abuts the piston 47 and is adapted to apply force to the piston 47. The plunger rod extends through an opening 57 in the base 19 so that a distal end 53 of the rod extends into the plunger housing 37, where the plunger housing is adapted to accommodate the distal end 53 of the plunger rod 49 when the plunger rod is in its fully retracted position, as is shown in FIG. 5A.

[0050] The dispensing device 1 further comprises an electrical motor 59, which may be a stepping motor, having a central rotor 61 and a stator 63, where the central rotor 61 has a rotational axis that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis A of the plunger rod 49. The plunger rod 49 extends through a central area 65 of the central rotor 61, where the central rotor 61 has an inner thread 62 while the plunger rod 49 may have an outer thread 64 which matches the inner thread 62 of the central rotor 61. Thus, any rotational movement of the central rotor 61 results in a longitudinal displacement of the plunger rod 49 along the longitudinal axis A, in order to reduce the size of the volume 43 of the syringe 17 to dispense a liquid inside the volume 43 out of the tip 15.

[0051] The housing 35, may be provided with a guide path 67, which extends coaxial to the longitudinal axis A, and is coaxial with the plunger rod 49 and/or the rotational axis of the central rotor 61. The distal end 53 of the rod 49 may comprise a first locking member 69, where the first locking member 69 may have an outer shape that matches the inner shape of the guide path 67, so that the rod 49 is prevented from rotating while the first locking member 69 is in contact with the guide path 67, so that the guide path operates as a second locking member. Thus, when the central rotor 61 rotates around its rotational axis, the plunger rod 49 remains static (rotationally) while being maneuvered in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis A, and when moved in a proximal direction, the plunger 55 applies a force to the piston 47, where the force is transferred from the central rotor from a rotational movement via the threads into a longitudinal movement of the plunger rod 49.

[0052] FIG. 5B shows the dispensing device in a second position, where the plunger rod 49 has been maneuvered a distance in the proximal direction, where the plunger 55 has pushed the piston in a proximal direction and is causing the reduction of the volume 43 allowing the liquid to be forced out of the tip 15.

[0053] FIG. 5C shows the dispensing device 1 in a third position, where the plunger rod 49 has been maneuvered fully into an extreme proximal position, where the piston has reached the proximal end 71 of the syringe barrel, and where the piston 55 cannot move any further in the proximal direction.

[0054] FIGS. 6A and 6B show an embodiment of the dispensing system where FIG. 6A shows an exploded perspective view of the embodiment and FIG. 6B shows an exploded side view of the same. The dispensing system in FIGS. 6-8 are shown without a syringe 17, but where the syringe 17 may be mounted on the base, similarly to what is shown in FIGS. 3-5. In FIGS. 6A and 6B the same reference numbers are used for the same parts as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0055] FIGS. 6A and 6B show the dispensing system 1, where the dispensing system comprises a base 19, where the base 19 is adapted to receive a syringe (not shown) where the syringe flanges 29 (not shown) are gripped by two gripping parts 31 that are configured to be connected to the base 19 via fastening members 22. The plunger housing 37 may comprise a first end 34 and a second end 36, where the first end 34 is configured to be attached to the base 19 or the motor housing 35, allowing the housing 37 to enclose the plunger. The plunger housing comprises a guide path 67, where the guide path has an internal surface shape which is adapted to match the outer surface shape of a first locking member 69, where the first locking member may be positioned inside the guide path 67 when the system 1 is fully assembled. The first locking member 69 may be attached to the distal end 53 of the rod 49 and may be configured to prevent the rod 49 from rotating, and thereby be rotationally static, while allowing the rod 49 and the first locking member to move in a longitudinal direction along the guide path 67. The proximal end 51 of the rod 49 is connected to a piston 47 where the longitudinal movement of the rod 49 results in a longitudinal movement of the piston 47, so that the rod 49 applies a force on the piston 47 and ensures that the piston can apply a force to the inner volume 43 of the syringe 17 (not shown).

[0056] The electrical motor 59 may have a central rotor 61 and a stator 63, where the rod 49 extends through a central area 65 (not shown) of the central rotor 61. The stator 63 is rotationally static and may be connected to the motor housing 35. The central rotor is configured to rotate along the central axis, and where the central rotor has an inner thread 62 (not shown) that matches an outer thread 64 (not shown) of the rod 49. Thus, when the central rotor 61 is rotated, the rotational movement of the rotor 61 is transformed into longitudinal movement of the rod 49 as the rod 49 is rotationally fixed using the first locking member 69 and the guide path 67 of the housing 33.

[0057] FIGS. 7A and 7B show a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the dispensing system. FIG. 7A shows a cross-sectional side view of the dispensing system 1, similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, where the present disclosure shows how the locking member 69 is attached to the plunger rod 49. The first locking member 69 may have a proximal end 101 and a distal end 103, where the proximal end 101 is connected to the distal end 53 of the plunger rod 49. The proximal end 101 and the distal end 53 are connected in such a manner that the plunger rod 49 is rotationally fixed relative to the first locking member 69, so that the plunger rod 49 and the first locking member 69 are rotationally fixed relative to each other.

[0058] The plunger rod 49 and the first locking member 69 are slidably arranged inside a guide path 67 formed inside the plunger housing 37, so that the plunger rod 49 and the first locking member may slide in a direction towards the first end 34 of the housing 37, or alternatively in a direction towards the second end 36 of the housing 37. This allows the plunger rod 49 to extend into the syringe 17 (as shown in FIGS. 5A-5C) when the syringe 17 is attached to the dispensing device 1.

[0059] FIG. 7B shows a top cross-sectional view of the plunger housing, taken along axis VII-VII seen in FIG. 7A, where the plunger housing 37 comprises a guide path 67, where the guide path may be connected to the plunger housing 37 via one or more connecting members 105. The connecting members 105 may be in any shape or form, provided that the connecting members 105 fix the guide path member 67 relative to the plunger housing 37. The guide path member 67 may have an inner surface 107, which in this case is essentially rectangular, and where the locking member 69 has an outer surface 109 that matches the inner surface 107 of the guide path member 67. The matching inner surface 107 and the outer surface 109 ensures that the locking member 69 cannot rotate relative to the guide path member 67 and is therefore rotationally fixed relative to the guide path member 67. The plunger rod 47 may also be rotationally fixed relative to the first locking member 69, ensuring that the plunger rod 47 is rotationally fixed relative to the first locking member 69, the guide path member 67 and the plunger housing 37. Thus, when the central rotor 61 of the motor 59 rotates relative to the stator 63, the inner thread 62 of the central rotor 61 engages the outer thread 64 of the plunger rod 47 and maneuvers the plunger rod 47 in a longitudinal direction A (as shown in FIG. 5A-5C).

[0060] FIG. 8A-8B show an embodiment of the first locking member 69 having a projection 109 extending along the longitudinal axis A, where the guide path member 67 has a matching slot 111 extending along the longitudinal axis A. This embodiment of the dispensing device may be similar to that shown in the previous embodiments, with the exception of the guide path member 67 and the first locking device 69. The guide path member 67 and the first locking device 69 may be formed as a key and slot system, where the projection 109 may be seen as the key, and the slot 111 is the matching slot. As seen in FIG. 8B, taken along axis VIII-VIII, the guide path member 67 may have an inner surface 113 that has a circular inner shape, where the projection slot interrupts the circular inner surface in a radial direction away from the central axis A. The first locking member 49 may have a circular outer shape 115 that matches the circular inner surface 113 of the guide path member 67, and where outer surface of the projection 109 matches the inner surface of the slot 111. This allows the key (projection) 109 to move in a direction along the longitudinal axis A in the slot extending the full length of the guide path member 67 in a direction along the longitudinal axis A. The projection 109 matches a groove 111 in the housing and/or the guide path. In this way, it is achieved that the plunger rod 49 does not rotate when a rotational force is applied via the central rotor 59. As understood by the present disclosure, an alternative embodiment of the dispensing system 1 may be provided in form of a groove on the plunger rod and/or the locking device 69 and a matching projection from the housing 37 or the guide path that engages the groove, i.e. where the first locking device 69 has a groove and the guide path member has a projection, to prevent rotation, while allowing longitudinal movement of the plunger rod 49.

[0061] Within the understanding of the present disclosure, the person skilled in the art would not have to provide a locking device and/or a guide path, where it may be understood that the functioning of the locking device may be part of the plunger, and the functioning of the guide path may be part of the plunger housing, ensuring that the plunger rod is rotationally fixed relative to the housing.

[0062] The use of the terms first, second, third and fourth, primary, secondary, tertiary etc. does not imply any particular order, but are included to identify individual elements. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, third and fourth, primary, secondary, tertiary etc. does not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, third and fourth, primary, secondary, tertiary etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Note that the words first, second, third and fourth, primary, secondary, tertiary etc. are used here and elsewhere for labelling purposes only and are not intended to denote any specific spatial or temporal ordering.

[0063] Furthermore, the labelling of a first element does not imply the presence of a second element and vice versa.

[0064] It is to be noted that the word comprising does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed.

[0065] It is to be noted that the words a or an preceding an element do not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0066] It should further be noted that any reference signs do not limit the scope of the claims.

[0067] Although features have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed invention, and it will be made obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The claimed invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.