Joints and connections – Articulated members – Including static joint
Patent
1987-08-05
1990-03-06
Reese, Randolph A.
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Including static joint
403113, 403164, 901 28, F16C 1100
Patent
active
049061216
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
The subject matter of the present application is related to that of U.S. application Ser. No. 117,195 filed Oct. 5, 1987.
The present invention relates to a cable guiding apparatus for an industrial robot, and more particularly to a cable guiding apparatus for grinding a cable disposed between a support casing and a swing casing of an industrial robot having a swing shaft.
BACKGROUND ART
Industrial robots are either fixed to a floor or mounted on a base movable along a floor. FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing by way of example an idustrial robot having a base fixed to a floor.
Designated at 1 is a base fixed to a floor at an installation site. A support casing 2, which is fixed with respect to a central axis, is mounted on the base 1, and a swing casing 3 which is movable with respect to the central axis is mounted on the support casing 2, the swing casing 3 being rotatable through a certain angular range (2).
A support 5' by which a first arm 4' is swingably supported is mounted on the swing casing 3, and a second arm 6' having a wrist 7' is swingably mounted on an upper end of the first arm 4'.
In such an industrial robot, power and signal cables are led from the exterior into the swing casing 3 which supports the first arm 4' and others. These cables extend through the base 1 into the support casing 2 and then into the swing casing 3. Within the swing casing 3, the cables are moved in a direction of swinging movement of the swing casing 3 as the swing casing 3 swings. Therefore, the cables in the support casing 2 should be long enough not to obstruct operation operation of the swing casing 3, and the casings accommodated in the support casing 2 need to be treated in a prescribed manner.
According to the conventional cable arrangement, a special consideration has been required to prevent the cables in the support casing 2 from contacting the internal members of the swing casing 3 and the support casing 2 upon swinging movement of the swing casing 3 so that the surfaces of the cables will not be damaged. Since the cables are normally treated to meet such a requirement simply be increasing the thickness of their coverings, the cables themselves may be subjected to undue bending stresses dependent on the angle of swinging movement, resuling in a reduced service life of the cables.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the aforesaid problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable guiding apparatus for an industrial robot, in which cables introduced through a support casing into a swing casing will not be damaged at their surfaces and will not be subjected to undue bending stresses.
According to the present invention, there is provided a cable guiding apparatus for an industrial robot, for guiding cables interconnecting a swing shaft swingable through a prescribed angle and a support supporting the swing shaft, comprising a cylindrical support casing, a swing casing rotatably supported on said support casing and swingable around said swing shaft, a substantially C-shaped cable guide having one end pivotally supported in said swing casing on the axis of said swing shaft and an opposite end pivotally supported in said support casing on the axis of said swing shaft, and openings defined in said swing casing and said support casing, respectively, for allowing said cable guide to swing therein through a prescribed angle.
When the swing casing swings, the cable guide supporting the cables is freely swung in the openings in the swing and support casings according to stresses applied to the cables. Therefore, the cables are bent to an arcuate shape having a large curvature to distribute applied bending stresses to a wide area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a cable guiding apparatus for an industrial robot according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 2A-2C are partial top views showing condition
REFERENCES:
patent: 1551332 (1925-08-01), Schramm
patent: 1822260 (1931-09-01), Adams
patent: 2826440 (1958-03-01), Robboy
patent: 3322886 (1967-05-01), Warshawsky
patent: 3593952 (1971-07-01), Smith
patent: 4659279 (1987-04-01), Akeel et al.
patent: 4700017 (1987-10-01), Morand
Mizuno Hitoshi
Nihei Ryo
Torii Nobutoshi
Cuomo Peter M.
Fanuc Ltd.
Reese Randolph A.
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