Robot arm

Details Robot arm Robot arm

1999-04-15

2001-02-20

Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)

Machine element or mechanism

Control lever and linkage systems

Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element

C414S918000, C901S050000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06189403

ABSTRACT:

This application claims Paris Convention priority of DE 198 17 607.4 filed Apr. 17, 1998 the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by Reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a robot arm, in particular a robot arm bearing a hand arbor motor.
Robots have cables or cable bundles normally guided outside of the arm member. They can thereby be bothersome and are subject to external disruptions. On has therefore proposed guiding the cables within the arm member. This has the disadvantage that the cables have to be threaded through the arm or its housing and there are problems associated with length compensation.
It is therefore the underlying purpose of the invention to configure a robot arm in such a fashion that the cables are disposed in a protected manner and can be guided into their protected position in a simple fashion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This purpose is achieved in accordance with the invention with a robot arm of the above mentioned kind using a cable guide channel which extends substantially along the robot arm and which has a sideward opening along its entire length.
A preferred embodiment provides that the sideward opening travels in an S-shaped fashion, wherein, in particular, the cable guide channel defines a flat cavity as a storage volume for the cable or cable bundles in the cable channel.
Additional preferred embodiments of the invention provide that the cable guide channel travels from one longitudinal side of the robot arm to the other longitudinal side, wherein, in particular, the cable guide channel extends from a front region of a longitudinal side of the robot arm to a rear region of a longitudinal side of the robot arm. In this fashion, the cable channel provides optimum entrance and exit points with regard to feeding the cable from the base of the robot as well as with regard to passage of the individual cables to the individual motors, in particular the hand arbor motor of the corresponding robot arm but also the motor pivoting this robot arm.
An additional preferred configuration of the invention provides that the width of the sideward opening is less than the corresponding transverse dimension of the cable guide channel. In this manner one prevents the cable from unintentionally slipping out of the cable guide channel, since the sideward opening is narrowed compared to the cross section of the cable channel to define confining undercut protrusions or shoulders at which the cable, in particular in the event that the cable channel is S-shaped, at least locally seats to thereby prevent an escape out of the cable guide channel.
The invention generally effects a combined inward and outward cable guide having a storage region for excess cable lengths in the arm housing such that substantially standardized cables can be utilized. In addition, simple insertion and simple accessibility to the cable is effected, in particular e.g. in the event of exchange.
Further advantages and features of the invention can be extracted from the claims and the following description in which an embodiment of the invention is described more closely with reference to the drawing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5115690 (1992-05-01), Torii et al.
patent: 5411443 (1995-05-01), Meier
patent: 5703330 (1997-12-01), Kujawski
patent: 6027679 (2000-02-01), O'Brien et al.
patent: 0 407 616 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 0 891 842 (1999-01-01), None
patent: 1-289042 (1989-11-01), None

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