Industrial robot with at least one drive

Abstract

A robotic arm of an industrial robot includes successive links connected by joints having respective drives and associated transmissions for moving the links. First and second links have respective first and second housings that transfer forces and moments arising from the weight of the robotic arm, or a load carried by the arm, to adjacent links. A first drive rotatably connecting the first and second links includes a drive housing, a rotor, and a stator connected to the drive housing. The drive housing is fastened to the first housing of the first link and forms an external wall of the robotic arm. The transmission associated with the first drive includes an input link that is joined with the rotor of the first drive. An output of the first drive is connected to a flange that is fastened to the second housing and rotatable relative to the drive housing.

Claims

1. An industrial robot, comprising: a robotic arm including links configured to carry and move a load in space, and joints movably connecting the links to each other by respective drives and transmissions allocated to the drives; wherein at least a first link comprises a first housing, and at least a second link comprises a second housing, the first and second housings configured to transfer, respectively, to at least an adjacent link, forces and moments that arise because of the weight of the robotic arm and/or the weight of the load; wherein the first link is rotatably joined to the second link by a first drive of the drives, and the first drive comprises a drive housing, a rotor, and a stator rigidly and non-rotatably connected to the drive housing, and the drive housing is fastened to the first housing of the first link and forms an external wall section of the robotic arm that transfers the forces and moments; wherein the transmission allocated to the first drive comprises an output link and an input link that is joined with the rotor of the first drive; the output link of the transmission is connected to a flange; and the flange is rotatable relative to the drive housing and fastened to the second housing of the second link.

2. The industrial robot of claim 1, wherein the flange is rotatably coupled with the drive housing.

3. The industrial robot of claim 1, wherein the flange is positioned and oriented on an inner side of a wall section rigidly connected to the drive housing.

4. The industrial robot of claim 3, wherein the wall section forms an external wall section of the robotic arm that transfers the forces and moments.

5. The industrial robot of claim 3, wherein the wall section is part of a separate ring component that is fastened to the drive housing.

6. The industrial robot of claim 5, wherein the ring component is fastened on a front wall of the drive housing.

7. The industrial robot of claim 5, wherein the wall section is part of, or is fastened to, a transmission housing of the transmission.

8. The industrial robot of claim 7, wherein the ring component is part of, or is fastened to, a transmission housing of the transmission.

9. The industrial robot of claim 7, wherein the wall section is formed by the transmission housing of the transmission.

10. The industrial robot of claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises a hollow driveshaft configured as a conduit for supply lines.

11. The industrial robot of claim 10, wherein the hollow driveshaft is configured as a conduit for at least one of: electric lines of the drives; or supply lines of a tool carried by the robotic arm.

12. The industrial robot of claim 1, wherein at least one of the input link or the output link of the transmission comprises a hollow transmission shaft that is configured as a conduit for supply lines.

13. The industrial robot of claim 12, wherein the hollow transmission shaft is configured as a conduit for at least one of: electric lines of the drives; or supply lines of a tool carried by the robotic arm.

14. The industrial robot of claim 1, wherein the second housing of the second link comprises a housing front wall by which the second link is coupled flatly to a flange surface of the flange.

15. The industrial robot of claim 14, wherein the housing front wall is fastened to the flange surface of the flange.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the attached schematic drawings. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of an industrial robot with a robotic arm that features an inventive drive and inventive transmission,

(3) FIG. 2 a sectional view in the area of a typical joint of the industrial robot as per FIG. 1 with the inventive drive and the inventive transmission in a typical assembly situation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows an industrial robot 1, that features a robotic arm 2. In the case of the present embodiment, the robotic arm 2 includes multiple links 9, 10, 12 arranged one after another and connected by means of joint 11. In the present embodiment, with regard to links 12 in particular, it involves a frame 3 and carousel 4 positioned and oriented around an axis A1 that extends vertically in relation to frame 3. In the case of the present embodiment, additional links 12 of the robotic arm 2 are, for example, a link arm 5, and an arm jib 6, and a preferably multi-axis robotic hand 7 with a mounting device designed as a connective flange 8 for mounting an end effector, which is not presented in greater detail. On the lower end, link arm 5 is pivotally positioned and orientedthat is, on joint 12 of the link arm 5, which can also be described as linked head bearingon the carousel 4 around a preferably horizontal rotational axis A2. In turn, on the upper end of swing arm 5, pivotally positioned and oriented on an additional joint 11 of link arm 5 is the arm jib 6, likewise around a preferably horizontal rotational axis A3. On the end it bears the robotic hand 7 with its preferable three rotational axes A4, A5, A6.

(5) In the case of the present embodiment, the arm jib 6 features a first link 9 pivotally positioned and oriented on the link arm 5. Position and oriented rotatably around the axis A4 on the first link 9 is a second link 10 of the arm jib 6.

(6) The area of the robotic arm 2, in which the first link 9 and the second link 10 are rotatably connected to each other by joints, is more closely described in FIG. 2.

(7) FIG. 2 shows schematically the area of joint 11, which rotatably connects the first link 9 with the second link 10. The first link 9 features a first housing 9a. The second link 10 features a second housing 10a. The housings 9a, 10a are each designed to transfer forces and moments that arise because of the robotic arm's 2 and/or load's own weight, respectively to at least to an adjacent link 9, 10.

(8) The illustrated joint 11 shows, in addition, a drive 13 and a transmission 14 allocated to this drive 13. The drive 13 and the transmission 14 are represented in a typical construction in a highly schematic manner and can be designed in various construction variants that are basically known to specialists. This pertains in particular to the arrangement and design of the bearings, such as for example a rotor bearing, of roller bearings in general, the sealing arrangements, which can include the radial shaft seals, and various designs of flange geometries and fasteners, such as screws.

(9) The first link 9 is rotatably joinedrelative to the second link 10by means of the drive 13. In the embodiment, the drive 13 comprises a drive housing 15, a rotor 16, and in addition a stator 17 that is connected to the drive housing 15. The drive housing 15 is detachably fastened to the first housing 9a of the link 9. Intended for this purpose are the first fasteners 18 in the form of screws. The drive housing 15 forms an exterior wall section 2a of the robotic arm 2 that transfer the forces and moments.

(10) The transmission 14 features an output link 19 and an input link 20 that is connected to the rotor 16 of drive 13. The input link 20 is connected to a first hollow shaft 21, which for its part is connected to rotor 16. The input link 20 can be designed with the hollow shaft 21 as a single piece. Alternatively, the input link 20 can be connected to the hollow shaft 21 as a separate component. The output link 19 of the transmission 14 is connected to a flange 22. The flange 22 is positioned and oriented rotatably in relation to the drive housing 15, namely, in the illustrated embodiment via a roller bearing arrangement 23, through which the flange 22 is rotatably positioned and oriented on a transmission housing 24 of the transmission 14, whereby for its part the transmission housing 24 is firmly connected to the drive housing 15. The transmission housing 24 is detachably connected to the drive housing 15. Intended for this purpose are the second fasteners 25 in the form of screws. At the same time, the transmission housing 24 forms an exterior wall section 2b of the robotic arm 2 that transfers the forces and moments. In addition, the flange 22 is connected to the second housing 10a of the second link 10, respectively, is fastened to the same. Intended for this purpose are the third fasteners 26 in the form of screws.

(11) In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the transmission 14 is designated, by way of example, as a strain wave gear or as a harmonic drive gear. In the process, in the embodiment the input link 20 forms a shaft generator of the transmission 14, the transmission housing 24 forms an annulus gear and the output link 19 a flexible gearwheel (flex ring) of the strain wave gear.

(12) The flange 22 is rotatably positioned and oriented on the transmission housing 24 via the roller bearing arrangement 23. In having the transmission housing 24 firmly connected to the drive housing 15 by means of the fasteners 25, the flange 22 is also positioned and oriented rotatably in relation to the drive housing 15.

(13) The flange 22 is positioned and oriented on an inner side of a wall section 24a that is rigidly connected to the drive housing 15. At the same time, the flange 22 is positioned and oriented in particular on the inner side of the wall section 24a that is rigidly connected to the transmission housing 24, whose external side forms an exterior wall section 24b of the robotic arm 2 that transfers the forces and moments.

(14) In the illustrated embodiment, the wall section 24a is designed on a separate ring component 27, which is fastened on the front wall 28 of the drive housing 15. In this case the separate ring component 27 is formed in this respect by the transmission housing 24.

(15) In the embodiment, the wall section 24a, in particular the ring component 27, is thus designed on the transmission housing 24 of the transmission 14, alternatively can be fastened to it as a separate component.

(16) The rotor 16 features a hollow driveshaft 21a, which is designed to be conduit for supply lines, in particular electrical lines of the drive 13 of the industrial robot 1 and/or supply lines of a tool borne by the robotic arm 2.

(17) In the illustrated embodiment, the output link 19 of the transmission 14 also features a hollow transmission shaft 21b, which is designed to be conduit for supply lines, in particular electrical lines of the drive 13 of the industrial robot 1 and/or supply lines of a tool borne by the robotic arm 2.

(18) The second housing 10a of the second link 10 features a housing front wall 28 with which, lying flat against a flange surface 29 of the flange 22, the second link 10 is connected to the flange 22, in particular fastened to the flange by means of the third fasteners 26.