Robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9475190-B2
Application number	US-201514593269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2015
Priority date	Aug 9, 2012
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

A robot includes a tool shaft, a first supporting mechanism attached to one portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a second supporting mechanism attached to a different portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a first in-plane movement mechanism that moves the first supporting mechanism in a first plane, a second in-plane movement mechanism that moves the second supporting mechanism in a second plane, and a controller that controls an in-plane position and an inclination angle of the tool shaft to control the first in-plane movement mechanism and the second in-plane movement mechanism. The first supporting mechanism or the second supporting mechanism supports the tool shaft movably in an axial direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot, comprising:
a tool shaft;
a first supporting mechanism attached to one portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft;
a second supporting mechanism attached to a different portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft;
a first in-plane movement mechanism that moves the first supporting mechanism in a first plane;
a second in-plane movement mechanism that moves the second supporting mechanism in a second plane; and
a controller that controls an in-plane position and an inclination angle of the tool shaft by controlling the first in-plane movement mechanism and the second in-plane movement mechanism; and wherein
the first supporting mechanism or the second supporting mechanism supports the tool shaft movably in an axial direction;
the controller, by controlling the first in-plane movement mechanism and the second in-plane movement mechanism, separately moves the first supporting mechanism and the second supporting mechanism, and displaces the positions of the first supporting mechanism and the second supporting mechanism to tilt the tool shaft.

2. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first plane and the second plane extend in parallel to each other.

3. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first supporting mechanism is a universal joint that supports the tool shaft rotatably around two axes orthogonal to an axis extending in a direction along the tool shaft;
the second supporting mechanism is a universal joint that supports the tool shaft rotatably around two axes orthogonal to the axis extending in the direction along the tool shaft; and
the first supporting mechanism or the second supporting mechanism is the universal joint that includes a slider capable of sliding the tool shaft in the axial direction.

4. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first in-plane movement mechanism is a first parallel movement mechanism that parallel moves the first supporting mechanism in the first plane or a first rotation movement mechanism that rotationally moves the first supporting mechanism in the first plane;
the second in-plane movement mechanism is a second parallel movement mechanism that parallel moves the second supporting mechanism in the second plane or a second rotation movement mechanism that rotationally moves the second supporting mechanism in the second plane.

5. The robot according to claim 4 , wherein the first parallel movement mechanism includes a first rail extending in one direction along the first plane, a first table that moves parallel along the first rail, a first table driving unit that drives the first table, a second rail provided on the first table and extending in the other direction orthogonal to the one direction along the first plane, a second table that moves parallel along the second rail, and a second table driving unit that drives the second table, and the first supporting mechanism is provided on the second table; and
the second parallel movement mechanism includes a third rail extending in one direction along the second plane, a third table that moves parallel along the third rail, a third table driving unit that drives the third table, a fourth rail provided on the third table and extending in the other direction orthogonal to the one direction along the second plane, a fourth table that moves parallel along the fourth rail, and a fourth table driving unit that drives the fourth table, and the second supporting mechanism is provided on the fourth table.

6. The robot according to claim 5 , wherein the first table driving unit includes a first table ball screw attached to the first table and a first table motor that drives the first table ball screw;
the second table driving unit includes a second table ball screw attached to the second table and a second table motor that drives the second table ball screw;
the third table driving unit includes a third table ball screw attached to the third table and a third table motor that drives the third table ball screw; and
the fourth table driving unit includes a fourth table ball screw attached to the fourth table and a fourth table motor that drives the fourth table ball screw.

7. The robot according to claim 4 , wherein the first rotation movement mechanism includes a first arm that rotates in a direction along the first plane around one end portion thereof as a rotation center, a first arm driving unit that drives the first arm, a second arm that has one end portion to which the other end portion of the first arm is attached and rotates in a direction along the first plane around the one end portion thereof as a rotation center, and a second arm driving unit that drives the second arm, and the first supporting mechanism is provided at the other end portion of the second arm; and
the second rotation movement mechanism includes a third arm that rotates in a direction along the second plane around one end portion thereof as a rotation center, a third arm driving unit that drives the third arm, a fourth arm that has one end portion to which the other end portion of the third arm is attached and rotates in a direction along the second plane around the one end portion thereof as a rotation center, and a fourth arm driving unit that drives the fourth arm, and the second supporting mechanism is provided at the other end portion of the fourth arm.

8. The robot according to claim 7 , wherein the first arm driving unit includes a first arm motor attached to the one end portion of the first arm;
the second arm driving unit includes a second arm motor attached to the one end portion of the second arm;
the third arm driving unit includes a third arm motor attached to the one end portion of the third arm; and
the fourth arm driving unit includes a fourth arm motor attached to the one end portion of the fourth arm.

9. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a tool shaft rotation driving unit that rotates the tool shaft; wherein
the first supporting mechanism and the second supporting mechanism rotatably support the tool shaft; and
the controller controls rotation of the tool shaft by controlling the tool shaft rotation driving unit.

10. The robot according to claim 9 , wherein the tool shaft rotation driving unit includes a tool shaft motor attached to an end portion of the tool shaft.

11. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an axial direction movement mechanism that moves the tool shaft in an axial direction; wherein
the controller controls an axial direction position of the tool shaft by controlling the axial direction movement mechanism.

12. The robot according to claim 11 , wherein the axial direction movement mechanism includes a guide that moves the first supporting mechanism or the second supporting mechanism in a direction in which the first supporting mechanism and the second supporting mechanism move toward and away from each other, and a guide driving unit that drives the guide.

13. The robot according to claim 12 , wherein the guide driving unit includes a guide ball screw attached to the guide, and a guide motor that drives the guide ball screw.

14. The robot according to claim 7 , wherein the second arm includes, at the other end portion thereof, a ball screw spline including a ball screw spline shaft, a ball screw nut and a ball spline nut, and the robot further comprises a ball screw nut driving unit that drives the ball screw nut and a ball spline nut driving unit that drives the ball spline nut;
the first supporting mechanism is a constant velocity joint that couples an end portion of the ball screw spline shaft with an end

Assignees

• Fujitsu Ltd

Inventors

• Takeda Ikuo

Classifications

• Y10S901/19

  Drive system for arm · CPC title

• B25J9/048

  Pendulum type · CPC title

• B25J17/0275 Primary

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

• Y10S901/14

  Arm movement, spatial · CPC title

• Y10S901/23

  Electric motor · CPC title