Robot arm and robot system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414044-B2
Application number	US-201715604655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2017
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A robot arm includes a first holder and a second holder. The first holder includes a first base portion and a first distal portion. The first distal portion has a first distal thickness smaller than a thickness of the first base portion. The second holder includes a second base and a second distal portion. The second distal portion has a second distal thickness smaller than a thickness of the second base portion. A first rotator is supported by the first distal portion and the second distal portion. A second rotator is supported by the first rotator. A first bevel gear is provided in the first distal portion. Another first bevel gear is provided in the second distal portion. A second bevel gear engages with the first bevel gear and the another first bevel gear.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A robot arm comprising:
a first holder having a first distal end and a first base end to be connected to a robot body and opposite to the first distal end in a first longitudinal direction of the first holder and comprising:
a first base portion having the first base end and a first base thickness in a first axis direction along a first axis substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal direction; and
a first distal portion having the first distal end and connected to the first base portion, the first distal portion having a first distal thickness smaller than the first base thickness in the first axis direction;

a second holder having a second distal end and a second base end to be connected to the robot body and opposite to the second distal end in a second longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the first longitudinal direction and comprising:
a second base portion having the second base end and a second base thickness in the first axis direction; and
a second distal portion having the second distal end and connected to the second base portion, the second distal portion having a second distal thickness smaller than the second base thickness in the first axis direction;

a first rotator supported by and between the first distal portion and the second distal portion to be rotatable around the first axis;
a second rotator supported by the first rotator to be rotatable around a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
at least one motor;
a first bevel gear provided in the first distal portion to be driven by the at least one motor to rotate the first rotator around the first axis;
an another first bevel gear provided in the second distal portion to be driven by the at least one motor to rotate the second rotator around the second axis;
a second bevel gear engaging with the first bevel gear and the another first bevel gear to rotate the second rotator around the second axis;
a hypoid pinion disposed in the first base portion to be turnable about a second turning axis extending in the first longitudinal direction;
a hypoid gear provided to engage with the hypoid pinion to be turnable about a first turning axis substantially parallel to the first axis; and
spur gears provided in the first distal portion between the hypoid gear and the first bevel gear to transfer motive power force from the hypoid gear to the first bevel gear, each of the spur gears being turnable about each of axes substantially parallel to the first axis.

2. The robot arm according to claim 1 , wherein a first region of the first holder and second holder in which the first distal portion and the second distal portion are disposed corresponds to a movable range of the first rotator.

3. The robot arm according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotator and the second rotator each comprise a hollow structure.

4. The robot arm according to claim 1 , wherein an arm frame comprises:
the first holder;
the second holder; and
a motor container in which the at least one motor is contained, the motor container being disposed at a position in the arm frame opposite to the first rotator in an elongated portion direction in which the arm frame extends.

5. The robot arm according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a motive power transferer comprising:
gears to transfer motive power of the at least one motor to at least one of the first rotator and the second rotator.

6. The robot arm according to claim 5 ,
wherein the motive power transferer comprises bearings supporting the hypoid pinion, and
wherein a bearing among the bearings is disposed in the first distal portion and the second distal portion.

7. The robot arm according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a motive power transferer comprising:
first gears to transfer motive power of the at least one motor to the second rotator; and
second gears engaged with each other, each of the second gears being turnable about a turning axis extending along the first axis, and

wherein a gear among the second gears is disposed in the second distal portion.

8. The robot arm according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a frame retainer supported by the first distal portion and the second distal portion and turnable about the first axis, the frame retainer comprising one end connected to the first rotator and an another end pressing an outer surface of the first distal portion and the second distal portion.

9. A robot system comprising:
a robot arm comprising:
a first holder having a first distal end and a first base end to be connected to a robot body and opposite to the first distal end in a first longitudinal direction of the first holder and comprising:
a first base portion having the first base end and a first base thickness in a first axis direction along a first axis substantially perpendicular to first longitudinal direction; and
a first distal portion having the first distal end and connected to the first base portion, the first distal portion having a first distal thickness smaller than the first base thickness in the first axis direction;

a second holder having a second distal end and a second base end to be connected to the robot body and opposite to the second distal end in a second longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the first longitudinal direction and comprising:
a second base portion having the second base end and a second base thickness in the first axis direction; and
a second distal portion having the second distal end and connected to the second base portion, the second distal portion having a second distal thickness smaller than the second base thickness in the first axis direction;

a first rotator supported by and between the first distal portion and the second distal portion to be rotatable around the first axis;
a second rotator supported by the first rotator to be rotatable around the second axis;
at least one motor;
a first bevel gear provided in the first distal portion to be driven by the at least one motor to rotate the first rotator around the first axis;
an another first bevel gear provided in the second distal portion to be driven by the at least one motor to rotate the second rotator around the second axis;
a second bevel gear engaging with the first bevel gear and the another first bevel gear to rotate the second rotator around the second axis;
a hypoid pinion disposed in the first base portion to be turnable about a second turning axis extending in the first longitudinal direction;
a hypoid gear provided to engage with the hypoid pinion to be turnable about a first turning axis substantially parallel to the first axis;
spur gears provided in the first distal portion between the hypoid gear and the first bevel gear to transfer motive power force of the hypoid gear to the first bevel gear, each of the spur gears being turnable about each of axes substantially parallel to the first axis; and

a controller configured to control the robot arm.

10. The robot arm according to claim 2 , wherein the first rotator and the second rotator each comprise a hollow structure.

11. The robot arm according to claim 2 , wherein an arm frame comprises:
the first holder;
the second holder; and
a motor container in which the at least one motor is contained, the motor container being disposed at a position in the arm frame opposite to the first rotator in an elongated portion direction in which the arm frame extends.

12. The robot arm according to claim 3 , wherein an arm frame comprises:
the first holder;
the second holder; and
a motor container in which the at least o

Assignees

• Yaskawa Electric Corp

Inventors

• Motomura Youichi
• Tanaka Kentaro

Classifications

• B25J19/0025

  Means for supplying energy to the end effector · CPC title

• B25J17/0258

  Two-dimensional joints · CPC title

• B25J9/0009

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• Y10S901/23

  Electric motor · CPC title

• B25J9/102 Primary

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