Actuator device, multi-shaft driving device, and robot device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561585-B2
Application number	US-201214114647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2012
Priority date	Jun 3, 2011
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

Provided is an actuator device used in a plurality of sites of a multi-shaft driving mechanism such as a multi-shaft manipulator, a robot arm, a leg structure and a snake-shaped robot. A torque sensor is connected to a bearing such as a cross roller bearing through a mount part. The torque sensor is driven by an outer ring relative to a stationary part case of an actuator device. An attachment surface of an output shaft frame is arranged in a position offset from the bearing on a side of the stationary part case. An entire length of the actuator device in an output shaft direction does not change also after the output shaft frame is attached and an occupied space does not increase.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An actuator device, comprising:
a motor;
a reducer, which reduces an output of the motor;
a torque sensor driven relative to a stationary part of the motor to measure output torque from the reducer, the torque sensor having a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor, and having a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor; and
an output shaft frame attached to an outer peripheral portion of the torque sensor, the output shaft frame having a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor, and having a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor,
wherein the output shaft frame is arranged in a position offset from an end of the torque sensor in a direction of the stationary part of the motor such that the first end surface of the torque sensor is a first distance from the motor and the first end surface of the output shaft frame is a second distance from the motor, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

2. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein
the end of the torque sensor has a shape approximated to a spherical surface.

3. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein
the output shaft frame attachment portion is arranged on an outer peripheral portion of the torque sensor.

4. The actuator device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotary encoder on a side opposite to the reducer of the motor.

5. The actuator device according to claim 4 , wherein
an end of the rotary encoder has a shape approximated to a spherical surface.

6. The actuator device according to claim 1 ,
having a concave portion in the vicinity of the center.

7. The actuator device according to claim 1 wherein
the torque sensor is a strain gauge type torsion torque sensor.

8. A surgical robot comprising:
the actuator device according to claim 1 .

9. A multi-shaft driving device, comprising:
a first actuator on a preceding stage and a second actuator on a subsequent stage formed of same actuator devices, wherein
each of the actuator devices has a shape approximated to a spherical surface on both ends and a concave portion in the vicinity of the center, and
the first and second actuators are coupled such that the shape approximated to spherical surface of an end on an output side of the first actuator abuts the concave portion in the vicinity of the center of the second actuator,
wherein each of the actuator devices includes a motor, a reducer, which reduces an output of the motor, a torque sensor, and an output shaft frame,
wherein the torque sensor is driven relative to a stationary part of the motor to measure output torque from the reducer, the torque sensor has a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor and has a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor,
wherein the output shaft frame is attached to an outer peripheral portion of the torque sensor, the output shaft frame having a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor, and having a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor, and
wherein the output shaft frame is arranged in a position offset from an end of the torque sensor in a direction of the stationary part of the motor such that the first end surface of the torque sensor is a first distance from the motor and the first end surface of the output shaft frame is a second distance from the motor, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

10. The multi-shaft driving device according to claim 9 ,
further comprising a rotary encoder having an end in a shape approximated to a spherical surface attached to a side opposite to the reducer of the motor,
wherein the first end of the torque sensor has a shape approximated to a spherical surface.

11. The multi-shaft driving device according to claim 9 , wherein
the torque sensor is a strain gauge type torsion torque sensor.

12. The multi-shaft driving device according to claim 9 , further comprising:
an exterior of the first actuator having a diameter corresponding to an occupied space of the second actuator at a time when the first actuator is driven.

13. A robot device, comprising:
a plurality of links and a plurality of joints connecting the links;
a plurality of drive units, which drive the plurality of joints; and
a controller, which controls the plurality of drive units,
wherein at least a part of the plurality of drive units is formed of an actuator device provided with a motor, a reducer, which reduces an output of the motor, a torque sensor driven relative to a stationary part of the motor to measure output torque from the reducer, the torque sensor having a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor, and having a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor, and an output shaft frame, the output shaft frame attached to an outer peripheral portion of the torque sensor, the output shaft frame having a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor, and having a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor,
wherein the output shaft frame is arranged in a position offset from an end of the torque sensor in a direction of the stationary part of the motor such that the first end surface of the torque sensor is a first distance from the motor and the first end surface of the output shaft frame is a second distance from the motor, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

14. The robot device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a moving unit, which moves the robot device.

15. The robot device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a recognizing unit, which recognizes an outer environment, wherein
the controller controls the plurality of drive units based on a recognition result by the recognizing unit.

16. A robot device, comprising:
a plurality of links and a plurality of joints connecting the links;
a plurality of drive units, which drive the plurality of joints; and a controller, which controls the plurality of drive units, wherein
at least a part of the drive units, which drive a joint site formed of orthogonal two degrees of freedom, is driven by a first actuator on a preceding stage and a second actuator on a subsequent stage formed of same actuator devices,
each of the actuator devices has a shape approximated to a spherical surface on both ends and a concave portion in the vicinity of the center, and
the first and second actuators are coupled such that the shape approximated to the spherical surface of an end on an output side of the first actuator abuts the concave portion in the vicinity of the center of the second actuator,
wherein each of the actuator devices includes a motor, a reducer, which reduces an output of the motor, a torque sensor, and an output shaft frame,
wherein the torque sensor is driven relative to a stationary part of the motor to measure output torque from the reducer, the torque sensor has a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor and has a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor,
wherein the output shaft frame is attached to an outer peripheral portion of the torque sensor, the output shaft frame having a first end surface facing in a direction away from the motor, and having a second end surface facing in a direction towards the motor, and
wherein the output shaft frame is arranged in a position offset from an end of the torque sensor in a direction of the stationary part of the motor such that the first end surface of the torque s

Assignees

• Tanaka Akichika
• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Akichika

Classifications

• Y10S901/23

  Electric motor · CPC title

• B25J9/02 Primary

  characterised by movement of the arms, e.g. cartesian coordinate type (B25J9/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T74/18568

  Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary · CPC title

• H02K7/116

  with gears · CPC title

• B25J9/08

  characterised by modular constructions · CPC title