Compliance unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864642-B2
Application number	US-201716337368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2017
Priority date	Oct 5, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A compliance unit 10 includes a support plate 11, an attaching plate 12, and a fixing disk 22 that has a cylindrical portion 24 fixed to the support plate 11, and an annular, arc surface 26 is formed in a front surface of an annular portion 25 that is provided at a tip of the cylindrical portion 24 so as to protrude radially outside the cylindrical portion. A movable plate 31 is disposed between the annular portion 25 and the support plate 11, and the movable plate 31 is fastened to the attaching plate 12. The attaching plate 12 is provided with an abutment surface 37 opposing the arc surface 26, and the attaching plate 12 is movable to a position where the abutment surface 37 abuts on the arc surface 26 and a position where the abutment surface 37 is separate from the arc surface 26 via a gap 38 between the abutment surface and the arc surface 26.

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A compliance unit comprising:
a support plate including a pressure chamber incorporating a reciprocatable piston in an axial direction, the support plate being attached to a conveying device;
a cylindrical portion fixed to the support plate;
an annular portion provided at a tip of the cylindrical portion so as to protrude radially outside the cylindrical portion, the annular portion having an annular, arc surface formed in its front surface;
a fixing disk having the cylindrical portion and the annular portion;
a movable plate arranged between the annular portion and the support plate;
an attaching plate provided with an abutment surface opposite to the arc surface, and fastened to the movable plate, a gripping member being attached to the attaching plate; and
a reference position returning mechanism located inside the cylindrical portion, and disposed between the piston and the attaching plate, the reference position returning mechanism locking the attaching plate at a reference position,
wherein the attaching plate is movable in a planar direction extending along the support plate, in the axial direction extending along a central axis of the support plate, and in an inclined direction inclined to the central axis when no fluid is supplied to the pressure chamber, and the attaching plate is locked at the reference position by supplying fluid to the pressure chamber.

2. The compliance unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the attaching plate is movable between a position where the abutment surface abuts on the arc surface and a position separate from the arc surface via a gap between the abutment surface and the arc surface.

3. The compliance unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the arc surface is a convex surface directed at the attaching plate and is part of a spherical surface, a curvature radius of the spherical surface being centered about a center point located on the central axis of the support plate.

4. The compliance unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
alignment pins arranged at a fixing-side notched portion formed in an outer peripheral surface of the fixing disk and at a movable-side notched portion continuous with the fixing-side notched portion and formed in the movable plate;
a first alignment spring member mounted in an annular groove formed in the fixing disk to be engaged with the alignment pins; and
a second alignment spring member mounted in an annular groove formed in the movable plate to be engaged with the alignment pins, the second alignment spring member applying a spring force to the movable plate toward a central axis of the fixing disk along with the first alignment spring member.

5. The compliance unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring member mounted between the piston and the attaching plate, the spring member energizing a spring force in a direction of separating the attaching plate from the fixing disk.

6. The compliance unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the movable plate has a sliding surface slidably contacting with an annular surface of the annular portion in the planar direction, and the attaching plate is guided by the arc surface and aslant moves under states in which the sliding surface is separated from the annular surface and the abutment surface contacts with the arc surface.

7. A compliance unit having a support plate attached to a conveying device, and an attaching plate to which a gripping member is attached, the attaching plate being movably mounted on the support plate in a planar direction extending along the support plate, in an axial direction extending along a central axis of the support plate, and in an inclined direction inclined to the central axis, the compliance unit comprising:
a piston reciprocatably mounted in a pressure chamber in the axial direction, the pressure chamber being provided in the support plate;
a fixing disk having a cylindrical portion fixed to the support plate, and an annular portion provided at a tip of the cylindrical portion so as to protrude radially outside the cylindrical portion, an annular, arc surface being formed in a front surface of the annular portion;
a movable plate having an annular base portion arranged between the annular portion and the support plate, and a linking portion protruding radially outward from the base portion and fastened to the attaching plate;
an abutment surface provided to the attaching plate opposite the arc surface, and guiding movement of the attaching plate in the inclined direction under a state of contacting with the arc surface;
a spring member mounted between the piston and the attaching plate, and energizing a spring force to the attaching plate in a direction separate from the fixing disk; and
a reference position returning mechanism located inside the cylindrical portion, and disposed between the piston and the attaching plate, the reference position returning mechanism locking the attaching plate at a reference position,
wherein the movement of the attaching plate in the inclined direction is guided by the annular, arc surface, and the attaching plate is locked by the reference position returning mechanism located radially inside the arc surface.

8. The compliance unit according to claim 7 ,
wherein the arc surface is a convex surface directed at the attaching plate and is part of a spherical surface, a curvature radius of the spherical surface being centered about a center point located on the central axis of the support plate.

9. The compliance unit according to claim 7 , further comprising:
alignment pins arranged at a fixing-side notched portion formed in an outer peripheral surface of the fixing disk and at a notched portion continuous with the fixing-side notched portion, the notched portion being formed in the movable plate;
a first alignment spring member mounted in an annular groove formed in the fixing disk to be engaged with the alignment pins; and
a second alignment spring member mounted in an annular groove formed in the movable plate to be engaged with the alignment pins, the second alignment spring member applying a spring force to the movable plate toward a central axis of the fixing disk along with the first alignment spring member.

10. The compliance unit according to claim 7 ,
wherein the movable plate has a sliding surface slidably contacting with an annular surface of the annular portion in the planar direction, and the attaching plate is guided by the arc surface and aslant moves under states in which the sliding surface is separated from the annular surface and the abutment surface contacts with the arc surface.

11. The compliance unit according to claim 7 , further comprising:
an annular surface provided on a back surface of the annular portion; and
a sliding surface provided to the base portion of the movable plate,
wherein when locking of the attaching plate is released, the attaching plate is movable between positions in the axial direction, the planar direction, and the inclined direction with respect to the fixing disk, the positions being a position where the abutment surface abuts on the arc surface, and being a position where a gap is formed between the abutment surface and the arc surface by abutment of the annular surface and the sliding surface.

Assignees

• Koganei Ltd

Inventors

• Miyashita Takeshi

Classifications

• B25J17/0275

  Universal joints, e.g. Hooke, Cardan, ball joints · CPC title

• B25J9/102

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

• B25J17/02

  Wrist joints · CPC title

• B25J17/0266

  comprising more than two actuating or connecting rods · CPC title

• B25J17/0208 Primary

  Compliance devices · CPC title