Planetary gear transmission systems or components – Planet periphery surrounds axis of interacting gear – Circumferentially spaced connector pins
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-04-10
Marmor, Charles A (Department: 3681)
Planetary gear transmission systems or components
Planet periphery surrounds axis of interacting gear
Circumferentially spaced connector pins
C074S490030, C901S025000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213906
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a device for supporting and pivoting a swinging arm, such as an arm of a manipulator robot.
The invention has been devised for application to a manipulator robot which is to form part of a panelling machine, that is, a machine comprising the robot and a bending press for processing sheet-metal panels. It may, however, be used for pivoting any swinging arm having, at its free end remote from the axis of rotation, a working head which has to be positioned with maximum accuracy.
In many cases it is desirable, for gripping the panels, to have a manipulator having a manipulator head which is movable along three Cartesian axes and rotatable about these axes.
Amongst other things, a manipulator of this type would enable vertical panels to be picked up, to be arranged horizontally for bending in the press and, finally, to be placed in a vertical or inclined position in an output station.
It would also permit mechanized changing of the bending tools of the press.
The use of robots with swinging arms similar to welding robots has already been tried for this operation.
In robots of this type, the swinging of the arm is brought about by a reversible electric motor, by means of a mechanical transmission in the form of a reduction gear unit.
For example, document EP-A-0 188 233, more particularly on its page 23 and FIGS. 8, 9, discloses a manipulator robot.
In this known robot the swinging of the arm is brought about by a reversible electric motor, by means of a mechanical transmission which includes a primary reduction gear for reducing the rotation of the electric motor and a secondary, planetary reduction gear for further reducing the rotation of the output of the primary reduction gear.
A transmission of this type suffers from inevitable play because of which accurate positioning of a manipulator head situated at the free end of the arm is not possible.
If, for example, the play in the reduction unit is of the order of 1′ of a degree, a manipulator head situated at 3 m from the axis of rotation can be positioned with an accuracy of the order of 0.9 mm, which is unacceptable.
The object of the present invention is to provide a device which, in spite of the length of the arm, ensures accurate positioning of a manipulator head or other type of head.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a device as claimed.
By virtue of the solution claimed, the drive can be transmitted from the output shaft of the electric motor to the pillar with practically zero angular play.
Document WO 87/06671 discloses a planetary gear train which includes a pair of reduction units, both of which are of the planetary type and each of which has a driving member, a driven member, a fixed peripheral ring, and internal gearing.
The angular position of one of the peripheral rings is adjustable about the axis of the gear train relative to the other ring to enable the play in the internal gearing of the reduction units to be cancelled out.
As will be understood further from the description with reference to the drawings, amongst other things, the device claimed enables a robot with a swinging arm to be used as a manipulator robot in a numerically-controlled panelling machine.
The invention also relates to a manipulator robot including the device claimed.
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Marmor Charles A
Pang Roger
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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