DE29616401U1 - Multi-axis industrial robot - Google Patents

Description

Patent attorneys^.*: j. j ·*····'··:·": mg. HEINER LlCHTI · ^: "'· ^# * '·**

DlPL-PHYS. DR. RER. NAT. JOST LEMPERT D-76207 KARLSRUHE (DURLACH)

PO BOX 410760 DIPL-ING. HARTMUT LASCH TELEPHONE: (0721) 9432815 FAX: {07211 9432840

KUKA Robotics GmbH 14041.0/96 Lj/ja

BlücherStreet 144

D-86165 Augsburg

Multi-axis industrial robot

The invention relates to a multi-axis industrial robot with a frame, a carousel mounted thereon on a vertical axis of rotation, a multi-part work unit arranged thereon and with a stop device for limiting the angle of rotation of the carousel.

Industrial robots have a multi-part work unit on the carousel. The number of parts or the movement axes connecting them depends on the respective application. What all types have in common, however, is that the work unit is built on a carousel that is mounted on the stationary frame so that it can rotate around a vertical axis. During the work processes, the rotary movements of the carousel are usually controlled by programming. The individual parts of the work unit or their drives, as well as the tools arranged on the last part, are supplied via cables and lines that are routed to the carousel via a cable drag within the frame. To avoid

To avoid malfunctions, the carousel must be limited in rotation to approx. 3 60°. Such a rotation limit is often also necessary for safety reasons.

In known industrial robots, the rotation limitation is achieved by fixed stops on the frame and the carousel. The maximum angle of rotation of the carousels is 3 60° or, due to the spatial extent of the fixed stops, slightly less than 360°.

The invention is based on the object of designing an industrial robot of the type mentioned above in such a way that the carousel can travel through an angle of rotation of more than 360°, but at the same time a safe mechanical rotation limitation is ensured.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the stop device consists of a part-circular guide arranged on the frame concentrically to the axis of rotation, a drag stop sliding therein and at least one driver attached to the carousel, which in one direction of rotation, when the guide is reached, interacts with one side of the drag stop, in the opposite direction 5 with the opposite side and carries the drag stop along until it stops at the opposite closed end of the guide.

The driver arranged on the carousel only comes into 0 contact with the drag stop when it reaches the fixed link with the frame in one or the other direction of rotation. It pushes the drag stop in the direction of rotation until it reaches the stop at the opposite end of the link. When the

When the carousel reaches the slide, the driver comes into contact with the opposite side of the drag stop and pushes it to the other end of the slide, so that the maximum angle of rotation is 360° plus the arc angle of the slide. This also allows the rotation of the carousel to be controlled within this larger angle of rotation during robot operation.

The maximum angle of rotation thus specified can be varied according to the invention by arranging two carriers on the carousel, the distance between which can be adjusted.

This design makes it possible to adjust the angle of rotation of the carousel within the arc angle specified by the link or, if necessary, even to less than 360° by increasing the distance between the carriers.

In an advantageous embodiment, the arc angle of the backdrop is approximately 90°, so that the maximum

The carousel's angle of rotation is approximately 450°. If two carriers with an adjustable distance are provided, the rotation limit can be set between 360° and 450°, and if necessary even between 90° and 450°. 25

The design of the stop device with the drag stop according to the invention is characterized by its structural and functional simplicity, so that it is inexpensive to implement and functionally reliable in operation.

An embodiment of the invention contributes to this in that the gate has a substantially U-shaped cross-section and is connected to the opposing

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the curved sections are drawn inwards, spanning the drag stop, while at both ends it has a recess open at the top for the driver to pass through.

Preferably, the recessed section is formed on at least one curved side of the slide by a detachably attached strip.

The link, with its essentially U-shaped cross-section, can be made as a single piece on the frame. The drag stop is loosely inserted into the link and the upper side is covered by the strip to such an extent that the drag stop is perfectly guided in the link on all sides, while the necessary space for the driver is available.

In a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the drag stop has two spaced-apart radially extending strips, the outer sides of which interact with the ends of the guide, and two spaced-apart, partially circular strips which are guided on the opposite walls of the guide, the strips running with their lower end faces on the floor of the guide and being overlapped by the retracted sections of the guide on their upper end faces and all the strips being connected to one another via a common web plate.

0 This design of the drag stop means that the guide surfaces are limited to a minimum, and the web plate provides sufficient rigidity to absorb the guide and stop forces without causing damage.

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The invention is described below using an embodiment shown in the drawing. In the drawing:

Fig.1

Fig.2

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Fig.3

Fig.4

Fig.5

Fig.6

Fig.7

a schematic perspective view of a multi-jointed industrial robot ;

an enlarged detailed view of the frame and the carousel, partly in section;

a section III-III according to Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

a view from below in the area of the driver;

a top view of the drag stop;

a section VI-VI according to Fig. 5 and a section VII-VII according to Fig. 5.

The robot shown in Figure 1 has a frame 1 on which a carousel 2 is rotatably mounted. On the carousel there is a console 3 with a horizontal bearing for a swing arm 4, at the end of which a boom 5 is mounted on a horizontal axis, which carries a three-axis robot hand 6 at its end. The carousel 2 is moved relative to the stationary

fixed frame 1. A motor 8 is used to drive the swing arm 4 and a motor 9 for the boom 5. The three-axis robot hand 6 is driven by three motors 10, 11 and 12 arranged at the opposite end of the boom 5.

The motors 7 to 12 are controlled according to the robot's work program. The rotary movement imparted to the carousel 2 by the drive motor 7 must be limited for safety reasons. Usually, the angle of rotation is less than 360°, with the carousel running against corresponding fixed stops. With the design according to the invention, a rotary movement of over 360° is possible and the angle of rotation can also be adjusted if necessary.

For this purpose, a stop device is provided, which consists of a guide 13 arranged on the frame 1 with a drag stop 14 guided therein and a stop 15 fixedly arranged on the carousel 2, as can be seen from Figures 2 and 3. Figure 3 also shows the pivot bearing 16 with which the carousel 2 is mounted on the frame 1.

The guide 13 extends, as shown in Figure 3, over an arc angle of approximately 90°. The guide 13 has a substantially U-shaped cross-section with a base 17 and a guide step 18 on the outside and a guide 19 on the inside, between which the drag stop 14 is guided. Furthermore, the guide 13 is drawn inwards on its upper side. In the embodiment shown, an inwardly drawn section 20 is provided on the frame on the side facing the center and a

A bar 21 is provided which is detachably attached to the frame so that when the bar 21 is loosened the stop can be inserted into the guide. After fastening the bar 21, the drag stop 14 is guided on all sides. The guide is recessed at both ends from above so that the driver 15 on the carousel 2 can move into the groove and run onto one of the two, approximately radial, active surfaces 22, 23 of the drag stop 14.

The drag stop consists of a concentric bar 24 attached to the carousel, which in the embodiment shown has three equidistant mounting holes 25 for the driver 15. The driver consists of a rigid middle part 26, which is attached to the bar 24, and driver projections 27 arranged on both sides of the middle part, which are made of an elastic material.

The drag stop 14 has two opposing strips 28, 29 which run essentially concentrically to the axis of rotation of the carousel and which slide with their underside 30 and 31 on the floor 17 of the guide (Figure 6). The outer strip 29 has an outwardly shaped nose 32. Its outer surface 33 runs approximately concentrically, as do the inner surfaces 34 on the strip 28. They work together with the guide step 18 and the guide wall 19 according to Figure 2. The drag stop 14 can be covered on all sides or only at the points subject to friction and impact with a dampening coating, e.g.

vulcanized rubber.

The two strips 28 and 29 are connected by approximately radially extending strips 35, 36, the outer surfaces of which

or 23 have already been described with reference to Figure 3. The driver 15 runs against these surfaces. The strips 28, 29 and 35, 36 are connected by a common web plate 37 to form a stable component.

The rotational position of the rotation limit of the carousel can be varied by means of the several mounting holes 25 for the driver 15 shown in Figure 4. The angle of rotation exceeding 360° can be reduced by means of an additional bar of the corresponding design and an additional driver.

Claims (6)

PATENT ATTORNEYS
. HEINER LlCHTI DIPL.-PHYS. DR. RER. NAT. JOST LEMPERT .*" \ \ &idiagr;&idiagr;&idigr;^&Ogr;&Tgr;&iacgr;&Kgr;&Agr;&Pgr;^&Igr;^&Egr; (DURLACH) PO BOX 410760 DIPL.-ING. HARTMUT LASCH TELEPHONE: |O72U 9432&bgr;15 FAX: (0721)9432840 KUKA Robotics GmbH 14041.0/96 Lj/ja Blücherstrasse 144 D-8 6165 Augsburg Protection claims 1. Multi-axis industrial robot with a frame (1), a carousel (2) mounted thereon on a vertical axis of rotation, a multi-part work unit (4, 5, 6) arranged thereon and with a stop device (13, 14, 15) for limiting the angle of rotation of the carousel, characterized in that the stop device consists of a part-circular guide (13) arranged on the frame (1) concentrically to the axis of rotation, a drag stop (14) sliding therein and at least one driver (15) attached to the carousel (2), which in one direction of rotation, when the guide is reached, cooperates with one side (22) of the drag stop, in the opposite direction with the opposite side (23) and carries the drag stop along until it stops at the opposite closed end of the guide (13). 2. Industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that on the carousel (2) two drivers (15) are provided, the distance between which can be adjusted. 3. Industrial robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized characterized in that the guide (13) extends over an arc angle of approximately 90°. 4. Industrial robot according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the guide (13) has a substantially U-shaped cross-section and is drawn inwards at the opposing arcuate sections, overlapping the drag stop (14), while at the two ends it has a recess open at the top for the passage of the driver (15). 5. Industrial robot according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the retracted section on at least one curved side of the guide (13) is formed by a detachably attached strip (21). 6. Industrial robot according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drag stop (14) 5 has two spaced-apart, approximately radially extending strips (35, 36), the outer sides (22, 23) of which interact with the ends of the guide (13), and two spaced-apart, partially circular strips (28, 29) which are guided on the opposite walls (18, 19) of the guide, the strips running with their lower end faces (30, 31) on the floor (17) of the guide (13) and are overlapped on their upper end faces by the retracted sections (20, 21) of the guide and all Strips are connected to each other via a common web plate (37).