Material or article handling – Load carried along a horizontal linear path – Having gripper means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-07-24
Underwood, Donald W. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Load carried along a horizontal linear path
Having gripper means
C294S119100, C901S016000, C901S021000, C901S039000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264419
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a robot arm according to the preamble of claim
1
. Such equipment is used for instance for the insertion of sample containers into and their removal from laboratory instruments or also for the handling and assembly of components on assembly belts.
PRIOR ART
From DE-A-38 06 148 there is known a robot arm of the generic type with a gripper mounted on a control rod. The opening and closing movements of the gripping fingers are actuated by pneumatic means. A gear wheel positioned between gear racks connected to the gripping fingers and meshing with the racks merely serves to make sure that their movements are in opposite directions. On account of the pneumatic drive, the resolution and accuracy with which particular positions can be approached is limited to values which are not sufficient for all applications. The pneumatic drives furthermore increase the weight of the modules and require pneumatic connections which complicate the construction. The gripper is not rotatable.
From the brochure “Automatische Handhabungstechnologie” [Automated handling technology] of the company AFAG AG in CH-4950 Huttwil, there is known a robot arm which is composed of two linear modules and a rotatable gripper module. Here, too, the modules are pneumatically driven, which entails the disadvantages mentioned above. Arrangements of linear and rotary modules which permit substantial freedom in the positioning of a working device are also known from EP-A-0 700 733 and EP-A-0 371 872. However, in neither of these documents the working device is formed as a gripper, so that the specific problems presented by a robot arm of the generic type will not occur there.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the aim of the invention to provide a robot arm of the generic type comprising a gripper the gripping movement of which is very accurate, reproducible and controllable with high resolution, and which furthermore is able to execute a rotational movement meeting the same requirements.
This aim is achieved by the features in the characterising part of patent claim
1
. The robot arm according to the invention comprises a gripper which apart from its gripping movement is also able to execute a rotational movement and can be very precisely controlled with respect to both movements. The movements are transmitted to the gripper by mechanical means and can be generated by drives housed in a carrier that is stationary or merely displaceable along one axis. Since the gripper need not contain its own drives, its weight may thus be kept low. Also, pneumatic or electrical connections which otherwise often are disturbing and difficult to accommodate are not required for the same reasons.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3076673 (1963-02-01), Kaplan et al.
patent: 4005782 (1977-02-01), Crockett
patent: 4591198 (1986-05-01), Monforte
Notaro & Michalos P.C.
Tecan Schweig AG
Underwood Donald W.
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