1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to joint mechanism and, particularly, to a joint mechanism for robots.
2. Description of Related Art
Industrial robotic machines are used to carry out repetitious, precise, burdensome, and even dangerous tasks, such as welding and painting of components. Therefore, industrial robotic machines are popular in the many fields such as mechanical manufacturing, metallurgy, and atomic domain. The robotic machine usually has a plurality of rotary joints to perform complex movements. Two rotary units having rotary joints are usually connected together and rotate relative to each other. A gap exists between the rotary units because there needs to be a space that allows the rotary units to rotate relative to each other.
However, when the robotic machine runs under poor conditions, for example in an environment contaminated with grease and dirt, the adjoining surfaces of the rotary units easily collect contaminants such as oil, dirt, and liquid substances. Thus, contaminants can easily enter the rotary units when the rotary joints rotate, and impair internal components of the robotic machine, as a result, affecting the performance of the robotic machine.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic.
Referring to
Referring to
The base 11 defines at least one mounting hole 111.
The housing 13 may be a cylinder extending from a surface of the base 11. The housing 13 includes a first joining end 131 defining an opening (not labeled), a first positioning portion 133, and a wire receptacle 135. The first joining end 131 is at an end of the housing 13 opposite to the base 11. The first joining end 131 is circular in shape so as to rotatably connect to the second rotary unit 30. The first joining end 131 defines a first chamfered rim 1311. A chamfered angle of the first chamfered rim 1311 may be in a range of about 30˜60 degrees, and is 45 degrees in the illustrated exemplary embodiment. An inner surface of the first chamfered rim 1311 has a length larger than an outer surface of the first chamfered rim 1311. The first positioning portion 133 is formed on an outside surface of the housing 13 and adjacent to the first joining end 131. A top surface of the first positioning portion 133 is substantially level with a base of the first chamfered rim 1311. The first positioning portion 133 defines a first positioning hole 1331. The wire receptacle 135 is formed on the outside surface of the housing 13 and adjacent to the base 11. The wire receptacle 135 has a channel communicating with an interior of the housing 13. The wire receptacle 135 is to receive wires.
The first mounting portion 15 extends from a center of the base 11 and is inside the housing 13. The first mounting portion 15 is to mount components such as a motor or a gearbox. An annular space is defined between the housing 13 and the first mounting portion 15 to receive the wires. The limiting portion 17 is detachably fixed on the first positioning portion 133 of the housing 13. The limiting portion 17 acts as a bumper and may be made of rubber or plastic.
Referring to
The connecting seat 31 has a connecting surface 311, a sidewall 313 extending from an edge of the connecting surface 311, a second mounting portion 315 formed in a center of the connecting seat 31, and a plurality of strengthening ribs 317 formed between the sidewall 313 and the second mounting portion 315. The sidewall 313 has a second joining end 3131. The second joining end 3131 is at an end of the connecting seat 31 opposite to the mounting seat 33. The first joining end 3131 is circular in shape so as to rotatably connect to the first rotary unit 10. The second joining end 3131 defines a second chamfered rim 3135. A chamfered angle of the second chamfered rim 3135 may be in a range of about 30˜60 degrees, and is 45 degrees in the illustrated exemplary embodiment. An inner surface of the second chamfered rim 3135 has a length smaller than an outer surface of the second chamfered rim 3135. A second positioning portion 3133 is formed on an outside surface of the sidewall 313 and adjacent to the second joining end 3131. The second positioning portion 3133 defines a second positioning hole 3137. The gearbox received in the first mounting portion 15 is partially received in the second mounting portion 315. The strengthening ribs 317 are configured for strengthening the second rotary unit 30.
The mounting seat 33 is obliquely formed from the connecting seat 31. The mounting seat 33 is for mounting components such as a motor or a gearbox.
Referring to
After the first rotary unit 10 and the second rotary unit 30 are connected together, the first and second joining ends 131, 3131 are adjoined to each other and the first and second chamfered rims 1311, 3135 cooperatively form a slanted groove 50 (
Finally, while various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200910300132.5 | Jan 2009 | CN | national |