Articulated arm robot-type device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10118293-B2
Application number	US-201415035577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2014
Priority date	Nov 11, 2013
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to an articulated arm robot for handling a payload, comprising a robot arm (R), which is attached to a base (1) that can be rotated about a first axis (A1), and at least two arm elements (2 and 3), which are arranged to form a kinematic chain and a first arm element (2) is mounted on the base (1) to pivot about a second axis (A2) that is oriented orthogonally relative to the first axis and a second arm element (3) which is attached to the first arm to be pivotal manner about a third axis (A3) that is oriented parallel to the second axis (A2).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An articulated robot including a base, an arm pivotably attached to the base to rotate about a first axis, the arm comprising a first and a second arm element which are attached together in a kinematic chain, the first arm element being mounted on the base and pivoting about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second arm element is pivotably attached to the first arm element to rotate about a third axis parallel to the second axis, a third arm element attached to an end of the kinematic chain, a first linear actuator for pivoting the first arm element about the second axis, which is coupled to the base by a first coupling structure and which is connected to the first arm element, a second linear actuator which pivots the second arm element about the third axis and which is connected to the base, to the first arm element and to the second arm element by a second coupling structure, the first and second linear actuators each including a power spindle drive and a motor driven spindle nut which engages the spindle and comprising a threaded rod which pivots about a pivot axis parallel to the second axis comprising:
the first coupling structure pivotably connected to the motor driven spindle nut of the first linear actuator by a first universal joint and the second coupling structure is pivotably connected to the motor driven spindle nut of the second linear actuator by a second universal joint;
the first and second universal joints each having a pivot axis parallel to the second axis and a pivot axis orthogonal to the second pivot axis, the second coupling structure including a first coupling and a second coupling which respectively transmit tensile and compressive forces; and
the first coupling including a rigid triangular structure having corners, the first coupling is mounted at the corners to pivot about an axis so that the first coupling is connected to the spindle nut to pivot about a first pivot axis corresponding to the pivot axis of the second universal joint which is connected to the first arm element to pivot about a second pivot axis and is connected to the second coupling to pivot about a third pivot axis and the second coupling includes a rigid connecting brace with one end of the rigid connecting brace end being connected to the first coupling to pivot about the third pivot axis and with another end of the rigid connecting brace being connected to the second arm element to pivot about a pivot axis.

2. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a ring with external gearing engaging with tensioned driving pinions.

3. The robot according to claim 2 , wherein the externally geared ring has a diameter of 2 m.

4. The robot according to claim 2 , comprising two mutually tensioned driving pinions which are part of the tensioned driving pinions mounted to translate and rotate relative to the ring.

5. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein:
the third arm element is a module including a drive controlled by an electric signal from an energy supply, the third arm element including three motor-driven pivot axes that are oriented orthogonal to one another with one of pivot axes being driven via two spatially separated gears by a common driving motor and a belt drive and with two other of the pivoting axes being driven by a driving motor disposed axially on the pivot axes.

6. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the second arm elements comprise double braces each having separate force transmission paths disposed between coupling points of the first and second arm elements.

7. The robot according to claim 6 , wherein the second arm element comprises a double arm rocker on which a tube is rigidly mounted and is detachable.

8. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the second coupling structures each comprise double forks including force transmission paths between coupling points.

9. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first coupling structure is open and comprises one of forks and double braces and includes bearing apertures through which the first, second, third pivot axes are attached to ends of the forks or to the double braces.

10. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first arm element is connected to a hydraulic cylinder with one side thereof being supported on the base about a pivot axis and the hydraulic cylinder pivots about a pivot axis which is parallel to the second axis.

11. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first arm element has a length between 0.5 m and 4 m; and

the second arm element has a length between 0.5 m and 4 m.

12. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first coupling structure includes a first and a second coupling which respectively transmit the tensile and compressive forces, the first coupling is mounted on the base and pivots about a pivot axis oriented parallel to the second axis and is connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator, and the second coupling structure is connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator and is mounted on the first arm element to pivot about a pivot axis that is oriented parallel to the second axis, and the first and the second couplings are pivotally connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator by the first universal joint.

13. The robot according to claim 12 , wherein the pivot axis about which the spindle of the first linear actuator pivots, the pivot axis about which the second coupling of the first linear actuator pivots, and the second axis are each separated on the base and are parallel to each other.

14. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the spindle of the first linear actuator is mounted to pivot on the base.

15. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot axis about which the spindle of the second linear actuator pivots contains the second axis.

16. An articulated robot including a base, an arm pivotably attached to the base to rotate about a first axis, the arm comprising a first and a second arm elements which are attached together in a kinematic chain, the first arm element being mounted on the base and pivoting about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second arm element is pivotably attached to the first arm element to rotate about a third axis parallel to the second axis, a third arm element attached to an end of the kinematic chain, a first linear actuator for pivoting the first arm element about the second axis, which is coupled to the base by a first coupling structure and which is connected to the first arm element, a second linear actuator which pivots the second arm element about the third axis and which is connected to the base, to the first arm element and to the second arm element by a second coupling structure, the first and second linear actuators each including a power spindle drive and a motor driven spindle nut which engages the spindle and comprising a threaded rod which pivots about a pivot axis parallel to the second axis comprising:
the first coupling structure is pivotally connected to the motor-driven spindle nut of the first linear actuator by a first universal joint and the second coupling structure is pivotally connected to the motor-driven spindle nut of the second linear actuator by a second universal joint;
the first and second universal joints each have a pivot axis oriented parallel to the second axis and a pivot axis oriented orthogonal to the second axis; and
the second coupling structure including a first coupling and a second coupling that transmit tensile and compressive forces and the first coupling is a r

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung
• Univ Rostock
• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Wanner Martin Christoph
• Kny Reinhart
• Wollenberg Michael
• Dryba Steffen

Classifications

• Y10S901/15

  Jointed arm · CPC title

• B25J9/046

  Revolute coordinate type · CPC title

• Y10S901/17

  Cylindrical · CPC title

• B25J9/106 Primary

  with articulated links · CPC title

• B25J9/102

  Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears (gearings in general F16H) · CPC title