Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-04
2001-08-28
Herrmann, Allan D. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element
C074S490030, C074S490050, C414S917000, C414S918000, C901S028000, C901S050000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279413
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a articulated robot, which has a robot arm of double arm structure composed of one arm piece formed as an endoskeletal arm to transmit a drive force and the other arm piece formed as an arm to house cables and pipes or the like and is available for an arc welding robot, a trimming robot, a handling robot or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A articulated robot having a robot arm of double arm structure composed of one arm piece formed as an endoskeletal arm to transmit a drive force and the other arm piece formed as an arm to house cables and pipes or the like has been already known. A description will now be given of the well-known articulated robot having the robot arm of double arm structure with reference to
FIGS. 3 and 4
.
A base
1
is mounted with a turn portion
2
which turns about the center of axis perpendicular to a mounting surface (not shown) of the base
1
. One end of a first arm piece
3
a
and that of a second arm piece
3
b
are fitted to the turn portion
2
so that these arm pieces
3
a
and
3
b
can rotate about the common axis perpendicular to the turning axis of the turn portion
2
. The first arm piece
3
a
and the second arm piece
3
b
constitute a first robot arm
3
in double arm structure.
The first arm piece
3
a,
serving as one of the arms constituting the first robot arm
3
, is of endoskeletal structure to transmit a drive force, and one end of the first arm piece
3
a
is rotatably fitted to the turn portion
2
. On the other hand, the second arm piece
3
b,
serving as the other of the arms constituting the first robot arm
3
, is of structure to house cables and pipes or the like, and one end of the second arm piece is rotatably supported by the turn portion
2
.
A housing
4
c
is mounted to the other end of the first arm piece
3
a
and that of the second arm piece
3
b
so that the housing
4
c
can rotate about the common axis perpendicular to the center of turning axis of the turn portion
2
. The housing
4
c
constitutes a second robot arm
4
. A motor and a speed reducer (not shown) or the like for causing the second robot arm
4
to rotate relatively to the first robot arm
3
, a motor and a speed reducer for causing a wrist
5
, which will be later described, to rotate and air pipes and valves or the like for an end effector (not shown) are housed in the housing
4
c.
The housing
4
c
is open at its top, and a cover
4
d
for covering an open portion of the housing is mounted to the housing
4
c
with a fixing tool such as bolts. Further, the wrist
5
adapted to mount the end effector thereto is connected to the housing
4
c
(the second robot arm
4
).
When a drive source (not shown) to drive the turn portion
2
is operated to drive the turn portion
2
, the turn portion
2
makes a pivotal motion about the axis perpendicular to the mounting surface of the base
1
, and the first robot arm
3
, the second robot arm
4
and the wrist
5
are also turned together with the turn portion
2
. Further, when a drive source (not shown) to drive the first robot arm
3
is operated to drive the first arm piece
3
a,
the first arm piece
3
a
makes a pivotal motion relatively to the turn portion
2
to move the second robot arm
4
. The second arm piece
3
b
is also rotatably moved whenever the first arm piece
3
a
is rotatably moved. The reason is that one end of the second arm piece
3
b
is rotatably supported by the turn portion
2
, while the other end thereof is rotatably supported by the housing
4
c
(the second robot arm
4
).
Further, when a drive source (not shown) to drive the second robot arm
4
is operated to drive the second robot arm
4
, the second robot arm
4
makes a pivotal motion relatively to the first robot arm
3
(the first arm piece
3
a
and the second arm piece
3
b
).
In the articulated robot having the robot arm of double arm structure as described above, when maintenance of equipment such as the motors, the speed reducers and the valves housed in the housing
4
c
is carried out, there is a need for access to the equipment and parts inside the housing
4
c
as shown in
FIG. 4
in the manner of removing the cover
4
d
and also a cover of the second arm piece
3
b
containing the cable and pipes. However, since only the upper surface of the housing
4
c
is opened, and cables and pipes are installed in the housing
4
c,
it is necessary to carry out maintenance of the equipment and parts contained in the housing
4
c
while operating cables and pipes in the uncovered second arm piece
3
b,
so that operability of the robot is degraded, making maintenance of the robot difficult.
Further, it may also be necessary to insert cables and pipes into the housing
4
c
when assembling the robot, and installation of the cover to the second arm piece
3
b
of the first robot arm
3
, in which cables and pipes are arranged and installation of cables and pipes in the housing
4
c
can not be carried out concurrently with each other and in respective processes, resulting in the degradation in efficiency of production.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a articulated robot, which facilitates the maintenance of equipment and parts in a housing and is easily assembled.
For attaining the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a articulated robot comprising a first robot arm of double arm structure in which a first arm piece formed as an endoskeletal arm to transmit a drive force is installed parallel to a second arm piece to house a cable or pipe, and a second robot arm having one end rotatably supported by the end of the first robot arm, wherein a housing of the second robot arm is rotatably supported by the end of the first arm piece, a cover of the housing of the second robot arm is rotatably supported by the end of the second arm piece, the cover is fixed to the housing through a fixing tool, and the housing is permitted to be opened by separating the housing and the cover from each other in the manner of causing the second arm piece to rotate relatively to the first arm piece after the removal of the fixing tool.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5375480 (1994-12-01), Nihei et al.
patent: 5581166 (1996-12-01), Eismann et al.
patent: 5732599 (1998-03-01), Iriyama
patent: 5949209 (1999-09-01), Okamoto et al.
patent: 0593786A1 (1994-04-01), None
patent: 07124887 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 08281580 (1996-10-01), None
Hase Takahiro
Ogawa Hisashi
Tamura Toshinari
Terada Akihiro
Fanuc Ltd.
Herrmann Allan D.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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