Electric heating – Metal heating – By arc
Patent
1989-02-02
1990-06-05
Shaw, Clifford C.
Electric heating
Metal heating
By arc
174 35MS, 901 42, B23K 932
Patent
active
049316176
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an industrial robot used in arc welding or the like, and more particularly to an industrial robot provided with a plastic cover having an electrically conductive coating to reduce the influence of noise.
BACKGROUND ART
When industrial robots for arc welding or the like are used for a welding process in which high-frequency noise is produced, for example, TIG welding, the high-frequency noise caused by an arc enters signal lines and causes problems such as malfunctions or the generation of an alarm. To avoid such problems, covers for components such as servomotors are made of a metallic plate, e.g., iron plate or the like. The iron plate cover is fixed by screws, although a coating thereon is removed from the portion at which the screws are used, to provide a shielding effect for signal lines to be arranged therein. Obviously, all of the signal lines may use shielded wires to avoid the influence of noise, but it is difficult to use shielded wires for all of the signal lines, due to structural limitations peculiar to industrial robots.
Plastic covers are now widely used as the covers for industrial robots, to meet demands for a reduction of manufacturing costs and for a lighter weight, but this type of cover does not provide the shielding effect obtained from the iron plate cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an industrial robot which solves the above-mentioned problems and which uses a plastic cover coated with an electrically conductive coating to reduce the influence of noise.
To solve the above problems, the present invention provides, as shown in FIG. 1, an industrial robot for use in TIG arc welding or the like, including:
a plastic cover for a motor or other components; and
an electrically conductive coating on the plastic cover, the plastic cover being electrically connected to a robot body.
The plastic cover with the electrically conductive coating has an electrically conductive property and, since it is electrically connected to the robot body, provides a shielding effect equal to that of an iron plate cover or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an entire arrangement of an industrial robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective partially exploded view illustrating part of the robot in detail, as viewed from arrow A in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective partially exploded view illustrating part of the robot in detail, as viewed from arrow B in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the entire arrangement of an industrial robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated robot is a vertical joint type. Numeral 1 denotes a robot body, which although not shown, is connected at the bottom thereof to a shielded wire grounded on the side of a control apparatus. Therefore, the robot body 1 has a ground level potential. Denoted at 2 is a W-axis motor cover, 3 a U-axis motor cover, and 4 a U-axis cover. The inside surfaces of these covers, all made of a plastic material, have an electrically conductive coating and are secured to the robot body 1 by screws. Consequently, the plastic covers have a shielding effect equal to that of iron plate covers employed in the prior art.
FIG. 2 illustrates part of the robot in more detail, as viewed from arrow A in FIG. 1. In the figure, the W-axis motor cover 2 appearing in FIG. 1 is made of a plastic material, the inside surface of which includes an electrically conductive coating containing nickel. Numeral 5 denotes a W-axis motor, and 6 a pulse coder for the W-axis motor 5. The pulse coder 6 is connected to the control apparatus by a pulse coder cable 7. If, for example, the pulse coder cable 7 does not use a shielded wire and the W-axis motor cover 2 the electrically conductive coating, problems such as an incorrect pos
REFERENCES:
patent: 4670347 (1987-06-01), Lasik et al.
patent: 4738875 (1988-04-01), Hammond et al.
patent: 4831210 (1989-05-01), Larson et al.
Abstract from European Patent 0200513, 11/1986.
Miyawaki Masanao
Mizuno Hitoshi
Torii Nobutoshi
Toyoda Kenichi
Fanuc Ltd.
Shaw Clifford C.
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