Patent Application
20210023722
The present invention relates to a joint arrangement for an articulated arm robot, an articulated arm robot having the joint arrangement, and to a method for assembly, and to a use of the joint arrangement.
The object of the present invention is that of improving an articulated arm robot.
This object is achieved by a joint arrangement having the features disclosed herein, an articulated arm robot comprising at least one joint arrangement described herein, a method for the assembly thereof, and the use thereof.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a joint arrangement for an articulated arm robot, in particular one or more joint arrangements of an articulated arm robot (in each case) comprises a first structural member and a second structural member of the robot, which member is mounted, in one embodiment in a cantilever manner, in a pivot bearing on the first structural member.
As a result, in one embodiment larger adjustment (angle) ranges can be achieved and/or possible pinch points between structural members of an articulated arm robot can be reduced.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the or one or more of the joint arrangement(s in each case) comprises a first cable having a first cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the first structural member (in each case), and a second cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the second structural member (in each case), the first and second cable portion being interconnected in a first, in particular open, cable loop.
In one embodiment, the or one or more of the joint arrangement(s in each case) comprises one or more further cables, each having a first cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the first structural member (in each case), and a second cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the second structural member (in each case), the first and second cable portion likewise being interconnected in a (further), in particular open, cable loop.
In one embodiment, the (first and/or further) cable loop (in each case) adjoins or transitions into the (respective) first and/or second cable portion.
In one embodiment, the (first and/or further) cable loop extends or rolls on or against one another, in the case of twisting of the first and second structural member, and thus advantageously compensates the change in the spacing between the first and second cable portion or is provided for this purpose, in particular is designed or used for this purpose.
It has surprisingly been found that cable loops of this kind can be used particularly advantageously, in particular in the case of articulated arm robots having cantilever-mounted structural members.
In one embodiment, the cable loops of the (in one embodiment all) cable(s) in which in each case one first cable portion arranged, in particular fastened, on, in particular in, the first structural member, and one second cable portion arranged, in particular fastened, on, in particular in, the second structural member, are connected, arranged one inside the other, and/or curved in the same direction, and/or extend or roll in the same direction or on one side, and/or encompass the pivot bearing in the same direction or on one or the same side, or are arranged in such a way or used in such a way.
As a result, in one embodiment, a diameter of the joint arrangement can advantageously be reduced compared with an embodiment in which at least two cable loops oppose one another in a manner curved in opposing directions, extend away in opposite directions, or encompass the pivot bearing from two sides.
In one embodiment, a radial offset between the first cable portions, a radial offset between the second cable portions, and/or a radial offset between the cable loops is (in each case) smaller than an, in particular minimum, maximum and/or average, cable diameter, in particular in one or more cable loops. In the present case, a radial offset is understood in particular as a spacing in a radial direction, which is in particular perpendicular on an axis of rotation and rotational direction of the pivot bearing, between surface centers of the corresponding cables.
As a result, in one embodiment, a diameter of the joint arrangement can advantageously be (further) reduced compared with an embodiment in which at least two cable loops overlap one another in opposing directions.
In another embodiment the joint arrangement comprises a second cable, having a first cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the first structural member, and a second cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the second structural member, the first and second cable portion of the second cable being connected in a second cable loop, and, in one embodiment, the second cable loop being opposite the first cable loop of the first cable, always without any overlap, or the first and second cable loops being arranged or used in this way.
In a development, the joint arrangement can comprise one or more further cables, each having a first cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the first structural member, and a second cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the second structural member, the first and second cable portion each being connected in a cable loop, and said cable loop and the first cable loop being arranged one inside the other and/or being curved in the same direction and/or extending in the same direction and/or encompassing the pivot bearing in the same direction, and said cable loop(s) also being arranged such that it/they is/are opposite the second cable loop, always without any overlap.
In addition or alternatively, in one embodiment the joint arrangement can comprise one or more further cables, each having a first cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the first structural member, and a second cable portion that is arranged, in particular fixed, on, in particular in, the second structural member, the first and second cable portion each being connected in a cable loop, and said cable loop and the second cable loop being arranged one inside the other and/or being curved in the same direction and/or extending in the same direction and/or encompassing the pivot bearing in the same direction, and said cable loop(s) also being arranged such that it/they is/are opposite the first cable loop, always without any overlap.
As a result, in one embodiment, an axial installation height of the joint arrangement can be reduced.
In one embodiment, the joint arrangement comprises a torque sensor for recording an axial torque between the first and second structural member, and/or an electric drive for adjusting the first and second structural member with respect to one another.
In particular on account of an advantageously reduced influence of the cable rigidity or cable restoring force, the present invention can be used particularly advantageously in joint arrangements comprising torque sensors.
In one embodiment the torque sensor and/or the electric drive is/are covered in particular axially by the first cable loop, at least in part (in each case).
As a result, in one embodiment, an axial installation height of the joint arrangement can be reduced.
In one embodiment, the first cable, and in a development also the second and/or one or more of the mentioned further cables, can (in each case) comprise one or more electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic line(s), in particular for supplying a robot drive. Said cables can, in turn, be designed as (individual) cables and/or be combined with the first, second or further cable, in particular packed, twisted and/or connected for example by individual fastening means such as cable ties or the like, and in one embodiment can be shrouded together, at least in part. In one embodiment, the first cable, and in a development also the second and/or one or more of the mentioned further cables, can (in each case) be an individual cable or a cable bundle consisting of a plurality of loose or connected (individual) cables.
As a result, in on embodiment distal actuators and/or sensors, or ones remote from the (robot) base can advantageously be supplied with energy, signals and/or drive means.
In one embodiment the axis of rotation of the pivot bearing of the joint arrangement is an articulation axis of the robot.
It has surprisingly been found that straight distal articulation axes or those remote from the (robot) base can be represented advantageously with joint arrangements according to the invention. Accordingly, in one embodiment the axis of rotation of the pivot bearing of the joint arrangement is used as an articulation axis of the robot.
In one embodiment, the articulated arm robot comprises at least two of the joint arrangements described herein, the axes of rotation (of the pivot bearings) of said joint arrangements in one embodiment being in parallel or being perpendicular to one another and/or following one another.
It has surprisingly been found that parallel and mutually perpendicular, in particular successive, axes of rotation, in particular a second, third and/or fifth axis of rotation (counted proceeding from the robot base), can be represented particularly advantageously using joint arrangements of this kind. Accordingly, in one embodiment a second, third and/or fifth axis of rotation (counted proceeding from the robot base) is an axis of rotation (of the pivot bearing) of a joint arrangement described here.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, in order to assemble a joint arrangement described herein the first cable loop is laid, and in a development the further cable loops described herein are also laid.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The joint arrangement comprises a pivot bearing 100 which is shown only schematically and in which a first structural member 1i and a second structural member 1 (i+1) of the robot, i.e. for example the structural members 15, 16, are mounted in a cantilever manner against one another.
In addition or alternatively, a torque sensor for recording an axial torque between the first and second structural member, and/or an electric drive for adjusting the first and second structural member with respect to one another, can also be indicated or denoted by 100.
The joint arrangement comprises a total of four cables 20, 30, 40, 50, each comprising a first cable portion (of which, for the sake of clarity, only the first cable portion 51 of the cable 50 is denoted in
In the embodiment of
In the joint arrangement of
Although embodiments given by way of example have been explained in the preceding description, it is noted that a plurality of modifications are possible. It should furthermore be noted that the embodiments given by way of example are merely examples which are not intended to restrict the scope of protection, the applications and the structure in any ways. Instead, the above description provides guidance for a person skilled in the art to implement at least one embodiment given by way of example, it being possible for various amendments to be made, in particular in view of the function and arrangement of the described components, without departing from the scope of protection as emerges from the claims and the combinations of features equivalent thereto.
While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments, and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such de-tail. The various features shown and described herein may be used alone or in any combination. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative example shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit and scope of the general inventive concept.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2018 204 308.6 | Mar 2018 | DE | national |
This application is a national phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2019/055964, filed Mar. 11, 2019 (pending), which claims the benefit of priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2018 204 308.6, filed Mar. 21, 2018, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2019/055964 | 3/11/2019 | WO | 00 |
