Industrial robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12109694-B2
Application number	US-202217575549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2022
Priority date	Jul 25, 2019
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

An industrial robot comprises a modular robot arm having a plurality of arm modules, where a rotation transfer device for optical signal transmission is provided in an arm module or between a first and a second arm module. The rotation transfer device comprises an optomechanical rotation interface having a first interface side and a second interface side, which face each other and are substantially rotationally symmetrical and complementary. The first and second interface sides are configured to rotate relative to each other. The first and second interface sides are mechanically mounted with respect to each other, with a radial plain bearing on one interface side and a slide bearing shell complementary thereto on the other interface side. A gap is formed between the first and second interface sides, in the axial direction of the rotation transfer device, across which the optical signal transmission takes place.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An industrial robot comprising:
a modular robot arm having a plurality of arm modules, wherein at least one arm module comprises a housing with a first connection side and a second connection side, wherein the first connection side is configured to be controllably rotatable relative to the second connection side about an axis of rotation,
wherein an optical rotation transfer device is arranged between the first connection side and the second connection side, which has an optomechanical rotation interface with a first interface side and a second interface side which face each other and are each formed essentially rotationally symmetrically and complementarily to each other, and
wherein the first interface side is connected to a first optical waveguide and the second interface side is connected to a second optical waveguide, the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide each being configured for guiding and transmitting optical signals;
wherein the first interface side has an optomechanical rotary plug-in device with a first optical device and the second interface side has an optomechanical rotary mating plug-in device with a second optical device, which are set up so as to be rotatable relative to one another and are mounted mechanically relative to one another with a radial plain bearing and a plain bearing shell complementary thereto, and
wherein the optomechanical rotary plug-in device and the optomechanical rotary mating plug-in device are formed as a cylindrical hollow system, wherein a gap is formed between the first optical device and the second optical device in the axial direction of the rotation transfer device, across which gap optical signal transmission of the optical signals takes place from the first optical waveguide to the second optical waveguide and vice-versa from the second optical waveguide to the first optical waveguide.

2. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the mutually rotatable first and second interface sides of the optical rotation transfer device have a substantially fixed position in the axial direction, wherein the first interface side and the second interface side are mechanically biased against each other in the axial direction.

3. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary plug-in device comprises a first ferrule and the rotary mating plug-in device comprises a second ferrule, wherein the first ferrule and the second ferrule are each arranged rotatably relative to one another within a radial bearing sleeve at least in sections.

4. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary plug-in device comprises a first lens having a first lens receptacle and the rotary mating plug-in device comprises a second lens having a second lens receptacle, the first lens receptacle and the second lens receptacle forming the radial plain bearing and the complementary plain bearing shell.

5. The industrial robot according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first lens receptacle is arranged radially outwardly on an outer peripheral edge of the first lens, in the rotary mating device, the first lens receptacle is fixed with a bonded first portion on a rear part of the first lens, and a hollow-cylindrical engagement space is configured between a second portion of the first lens receptacle adjacent to the first portion and the front part of the first lens, and
in the rotary mating plug-in device, radially outwardly on an outer peripheral edge of the second lens, the second lens receptacle is seated with a bound first portion on the rear part of the second lens and protrudes with a free second portion of the second lens receptacle adjoining the first portion from the second lens in the axial direction,
wherein the free second portion of the second lens receptacle is cylindrical in shape and engages the hollow cylindrical engagement space formed between the second portion of the first lens receptacle and the front part of the first lens.

6. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first connection side may be rotated about the axis of rotation and the second connection side is set up in a torque-proof manner.

7. The industrial robot according to claim 6 , wherein a drive device is set up in the housing by which a rotatable connection device of the first connection side may be rotated, wherein the rotatable connection device is connected to an output shaft of the drive device extending into the housing in a torque-proof manner.

8. An industrial robot comprising:
a modular robot arm having a plurality of arm modules, a first and a second arm module each having a housing with a first connection side and a second connection side, the first connection side being configured to be controllably rotatable about a rotation axis relative to the second connection side,
wherein a first interface side of an optical rotation transfer device is arranged in the first connection side of the first arm module and a second interface side of the optical rotation transfer device is arranged in the second connection side of the second arm module,
wherein the first interface side and the second interface side face each other and are each formed substantially rotationally symmetrically and complementarily to each other, wherein the first interface side is connected to a first optical waveguide and the second interface side is connected to a second optical waveguide, the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide each being configured for guiding and transmitting optical signals,
wherein the first interface side has an optomechanical rotary plug-in device with a first optical device and the second interface side has an optomechanical rotary mating plug-in device with a second optical device, which are set up to be rotatable with respect to one another and are mounted with respect to one another mechanically with a radial plain bearing and a plain bearing shell complementary thereto, and
wherein the optomechanical rotary plug-in device and the optomechanical rotary mating plug-in device are formed as a cylindrical hollow system, wherein a gap is formed between the first optical device and the second optical device in the axial direction of the rotation transfer device, across which gap optical signal transmission of the optical signals takes place from the first optical waveguide to the second optical waveguide and vice versa from the second optical waveguide to the first optical waveguide.

9. The industrial robot according to claim 8 , wherein the mutually rotatable first and second interface sides of the optical rotation transfer device have a substantially fixed position in the axial direction, wherein the first interface side and the second interface side are mechanically biased against each other in the axial direction.

10. The industrial robot according to claim 8 , wherein the rotary plug-in device comprises a first ferrule and the rotary mating plug-in device comprises a second ferrule, wherein the first ferrule and the second ferrule are each arranged rotatably relative to one another within a radial bearing sleeve at least in sections.

11. The industrial robot according to claim 8 , wherein the rotary plug-in device comprises a first lens having a first lens receptacle and the rotary mating plug-in device comprises a second lens having a second lens receptacle, the first lens receptacle and the second lens receptacle forming the radial plain bearing and the complementary plain bearing shell.

12. The industrial robot according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first lens receptacle is arranged radially outwardly on an outer peripheral edge of the first lens, in the rotary mating device,

Assignees

• Beckhoff Automation Gmbh

Inventors

• Kastler Peter
• Maier Clemens
• Morscher Thomas
• Pehlivan Armin
• Zech Christoph
• Büchinger Leo
• Beckhoff Hans
• Janssen Dirk
• Prüssmeier Uwe
• Pfister Michael

Classifications

• B25J19/0029

  arranged within the different robot elements · CPC title

• B25J9/126

  Rotary actuators · CPC title

• G02B6/3874

  using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules · CPC title

• G02B6/3604

  Rotary joints allowing relative rotational movement between opposing fibre or fibre bundle ends · CPC title

• B25J19/00

  Accessories fitted to manipulators, e.g. for monitoring, for viewing; Safety devices combined with or specially adapted for use in connection with manipulators (safety-devices in general F16P; protection against radiation in general G21F) · CPC title