Apparatus for shielding an articulated structure

Details Apparatus for shielding an articulated structure Apparatus for shielding an articulated structure

1998-07-22

2000-03-21

Chambers, A. Michael

Fluid handling

With casing, support, protector or static constructional...

Guards and shields

137580, 901 27, 901 49, B25J 300, F16L 3500

Patent

active

060390689

ABSTRACT:
According to a first embodiment, an apparatus for shielding a movable articulated structure such as robot arm to be protected from a hard working environment comprises one or more shielding sections forming with the outer surface of the robot arm a cavity which is filled with pressurized air. Adjacent portions of the shielding sections are coupled through a rotary joint allowing escape of the pressurized air out of the cavity while maintaining within the cavity a positive pressure relative to the ambient environment pressure which is sufficient to substantially prevent contamination of the robot arm from the working environment. According to a second embodiment, the apparatus comprises a shielding cover comprised of one or more cover sections forming with the outer surface of the robot arm a cavity which is filled with pressurized air. A positive gas pressure relative to environment ambient pressure is maintained which is sufficient to substantially prevent contamination of the robot arm from the working environment. The cover section is essentially made of a substantially gastight and impermeable flexible material which is sufficiently stiff to provide the cover section with sufficiently smooth and stiff outer surface under the positive pressure, to substantially prevent physical contact between the robot arm outer surface and the cover section which could otherwise result in cover damage.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3620253 (1971-11-01), Walker et al.
patent: 4668146 (1987-05-01), Ageta
patent: 4984745 (1991-01-01), Akeel et al.
patent: 5054523 (1991-10-01), Rink
patent: 5065062 (1991-11-01), Uehara et al.
patent: 5212432 (1993-05-01), Ohtani et al.
patent: 5772520 (1998-06-01), Nicholas et al.

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