Device for driving a robot hand

Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C901S029000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06223618

ABSTRACT:

This application claims Paris Convention priority of DE 198 17 606.6 filed Apr. 17, 1998 the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a device for driving a robot hand of a robot arm having a plurality of cardan shafts.
Cardan shafts, driven by electrical motors, are disposed in an axially secure fashion on a robot arm provided for bearing a robot hand. The cardan shafts drive the robot hand. When mounting the robot hand or its gear head, motors are often damaged due to the strong axial forces acting on the shaft ends of the cardan shafts when the ends of the hand drive shafts do not slide with sufficient ease into the bushings of the cardan shafts. This is particularly the case for shaft couplings having gear teeth. Moreover, the assembly is difficult and complicated, since the gear head of the robot hand or its housing must be mounted to the robot arm and, at the same time, the shaft couplings between the gear head and the cardan shafts must be brought into mutual engagement.
It is therefore the underlying purpose of the invention to simplify assembly of a robot hand and its gear head to a robot arm while simultaneously preventing the danger of damage to the motors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This above mentioned purpose is achieved in accordance with the invention with a device of the above mentioned kind in that the cardan shafts are borne at their ends distant from the hand on a bearing plate which can be displaced relative to the robot arm.
The disposal of the bearing plate distant from the hand on the robot arm in an axially displaceable fashion allows same to be disengaged prior to assembly of the gear head of the robot hand (after loosening the mounting bolts). It can be pushed somewhat away from the robot arm, wherein it carries along with it the shaft couplings axially mounted thereto. The required displacement is thereby somewhat larger than the engagement length of the shaft couplings.
The gear head or its housing can then be mounted to the robot arm. The bearing plate having the cardan shafts is then once more coupled in with the shaft couplings being successively engaged. The bearing plate is then bolted to the robot arm. The separation of the connection between the gear housing and the robot arm from the shaft coupling facilitates a simpler assembly with which damaging axial forces acting on the motors and an associated damage to the motors during successive engagement of the couplings is also avoided.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are distinguished in that the bearing plate is borne in a displaceable manner using guide pins, wherein the bearing plate can be preferentially mounted to the robot arm in the operational position using bolts. A further improvement provides that the motors are mounted to the bearing plate for operation of the cardan shafts.
Further advantages and features of the invention can be extracted from the claims and the subsequent description in which an embodiment of the invention is described in detail with reference to the drawing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4047448 (1977-09-01), Pardo
patent: 4300362 (1981-11-01), Lande et al.
patent: 4548097 (1985-10-01), Zimmer
patent: 4907937 (1990-03-01), Milenkovic
patent: 5305652 (1994-04-01), Zimmer
patent: 5699695 (1997-12-01), Canfield et al.

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