Electricity: motive power systems – Positional servo systems – Program- or pattern-controlled systems
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-09
2004-08-24
Duda, Rina (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Positional servo systems
Program- or pattern-controlled systems
C318S568120, C318S568160, C318S568180, C318S568200, C318S568210, C318S656000, C318S647000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06781337
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-joint type industrial robot with a plurality of arms respectively coupled by a plurality of revolvable joints, which is used, for example, for conveying semiconductor wafers in manufacturing process of semiconductor devices.
An industrial robot with a plurality of revolvable joints is conventionally used for conveying works such as semiconductor wafers in a manufacturing facility of semiconductor devices. A configuration of the conventional industrial robot
71
with a plurality of joints is illustrated in
FIGS. 7 and 8
. In the industrial robot
71
, a first motor
73
is provided in a mounting base
72
. A first arm
74
is coupled with a drive shaft
73
a
of the first motor
73
in the vicinity of an end of the first arm
74
. A second motor
75
is provided in the vicinity of another end of the first arm
74
. A second arm
76
is coupled with a drive shaft
75
a
of a second motor
75
in the vicinity of an end of the second arm
76
. A third motor
77
is provided in the vicinity of another end of the second arm
76
. A robotic hand
78
for nipping a work such as a semiconductor wafer is coupled with a drive shaft
77
a
of the third motor
77
in the vicinity of an end of the robotic hand
78
.
The first arm
74
is revolved by rotation force of the first motor
73
. The second arm
76
is revolved by rotation force of the second motor
75
. The robotic hand
78
is revolved by rotation force of the third motor
77
. A sensor
79
for sensing the existence of the work is provided in the vicinity of a top end of the robotic hand
78
.
A driving controller
80
is further provided in the mounting base
72
. Electric cables
81
,
82
and
83
are respectively provided for supplying the electric powers and driving signals to the first to third motors
73
,
75
and
77
. Furthermore, an electric cable
84
is provided for coupling the sensor
79
and the driving controller
80
.
In the conventional industrial robot
71
, the electric cables
82
to
84
are directly connected from the driving controller
80
to the motors
75
and
77
and the sensor
79
, which are provided on the arms
74
and
76
and the robotic hand
78
. When the arms
46
and
76
and the robotic hand
78
are revolved, the electric cables
82
to
84
are bent and/or twisted, or the electric cables
82
to
84
are wound around the arms
74
and
76
and the robotic hand
78
. Thus, the electric cables
82
to
84
are easily broken down, and the revolution angles of the arms
74
and
76
and the robotic hand
78
are restricted so that the arms
74
and
76
and the robotic hand
78
cannot revolvable endlessly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an industrial robot with a plurality of joints, by which the electric cables are not bent and twisted, and not wound around the arm or robotic hand so as not to be broken by fatigue of the electric wires, and furthermore, the arms and the robotic hand can be revolved endlessly.
An industrial robot in accordance with an aspect of the present invention has a plurality of arms coupled by a plurality of revolvable joints, each of the arms can be moved by a driving force of a motor which drives each of the revolvable joints. Each of the revolvable joints can be rotated endlessly, and has a rotary electric connecting structure which can be rotated endlessly at least for supplying an electric power from a control circuit to the motor.
By such a configuration, the electric power can be supplied to the motor by the rotary electric connecting structure with using no electric cable while the arm is revolved. Thus, the arm can be revolved endlessly without twisting or breaking of electric cables.
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Rotary transformer, 2002, http://www.sansungcorning.com/02_product/P-03_1roters.html, pp 1-2.*
Contactless Rotary Electrical Couplings, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, http://www.nasatech.com/briefs/mar03/ARC12072.html.
Endo Kaoru
Kobiki Takahiro
Sakamoto Masafumi
Yamazoe Katsuhiro
Duda Rina
Japan Servo Co. Ltd.
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