DE10007831C1 - Work chamber with automatically sealed insertion opening for robot manipulator arm using inflatable sealing element - Google Patents

Abstract

The work chamber (10) has an opening for insertion of a robot manipulator arm provided by a sleeve (12) fitted through the work chamber wall (11), provided with a hollow flexible sealing element (20), which is supplied with a pressurized gas via an inflation valve, for providing an automatic seal around the outside of the manipulator arm, by cooperation with the inside surface of the sleeve.

Description

The invention relates to a working chamber with an automa table sealable bushing for one in the work room intervening manipulator arm.

In many areas of industrial manufacturing, auto matically controllable handling devices (manipulators) implements in machine tools and machining centers Automatically feed and discharge workpieces. For the assembly gantry robots of machines that are linear, can be moved in Cartesian coordinates, so that position kidney tasks easily calculated and with fast acceleration can be carried out. However, it is difficult Use of such portal robots in machining centers that sealed off from the environment by a working chamber are, for example painting booths or blasting chambers. Around the manipulator from dirt and / or damage To protect it, it is necessary to protect it outside the ar beitskammer arrange and only individual links, for example as the gripper for the workpiece protrude into the chamber  allow. At the same time, however, at the implementation point the escape of contaminants from the chamber Seals can be prevented.

A positioning device is known from US Pat. No. 4,882,881. which moves on the top of a closed chamber and engages them from the outside, so that workpieces inside can be positioned half of the chamber. In order for a Be Movement of the positioning device while the plant is running piece machining the exit of particles from the work To prevent the chamber from entering the surroundings is very time-consuming Sealing arrangements are provided. The positioning device and the associated seal arrangements are only in movable in two directions so that positioning is not in any orientation of the workpiece in space can be.

Manipulators are also used in industrial production set to work in shielded during editing chambers to hold and / or guide individual workpieces, if staying in these chambers of work for people not hazardous to health or for other reasons shows is. With multi-axis manipulators it is possible to do that Guide the workpiece along a spatial path while doing so also the orientation of the work during the movement pieces, e.g. B. in relation to a jet or paint nozzle change. For guiding workpieces in the effective area of painting nozzles, blasting devices for the abrasive surface Surface treatment or the like have become industrial robots proven with 6-axis articulated kinematics, the three Includes articulated axes and three axes of rotation. With a sol Every point in the work area of the industrial robot can achieve kinematics  with any spatial orientation the end axis are approached.

A blasting chamber arrangement is known from DD 234 823 A1, in which a jet nozzle by means of a six-axis indu strieroboters is guided and held on a stationary Workpiece acts that is held on a movable carriage is. Due to the six degrees of freedom of the In industrial robots positioned anywhere in the working chamber so that the workpieces are treated from all sides can be. Automation enables a big one Throughput. The disadvantage here is that the system is not suitable for blasting with large blast wheels is because they can only be operated stationary and already not for positioning due to its heavy weight are suitable by means of a manipulator. Because the robot with a fixed, jalousette-like seal against is shielded above the working chamber, it is with this type was not possible because of the non-releasable seal Bring the workpiece into the chamber with the industrial robot to lead in and take out.

Another system of this type is open in US 6 004 190 A. beard. Here, too, is the partitioned off from the outside industrial robot intervening, a jet nozzle leads through a flexible but firmly installed seal connected to the wall of the working chamber. So it can no workpieces with the industrial robot in the workroom always brought in and taken out.

The task therefore arises of creating a working chamber with an egg Specify an implementation through which a manipulator can intervene in the chamber, the implementation so automatically before starting work in the chamber  is sealable that an escape of particles from the Ar beitskammer is prevented during operation.

This object is achieved by a working chamber with an automatically sealable bushing for a manipulating arm engaging in the working chamber, with

• - At least one ar provided with a recess working chamber wall;
• - A feed-through tube that fits into the recess in the ar beitskammerwandung is used and connected to this is;
• - A hollow, pressurized gas via a valve ren flexible sealing element, which by means of its little tens an inner recess sealing to one Manipulator arm is to be opened and one is the manipulator has a wall encircling the entire circumference of the door arm, which when pressurized gas is applied to the sealing element the inner wall of the feed-through tube element can be applied is.

In the following, a torus means a body by rotating a circular cross-section along a circular path is defined.

A half torus is to be understood as a body that with a torus in the plane of the circular path Cut an annular body with a semicircular cross cut results.

An elongated body with a circular, ellipsoidal or polygonal cross section draws.

The working chamber according to the invention is particularly advantageous special that automatically, that is without assembly work or other manual interventions, secure sealing of the manipulator arm  produced in the implementation and solved again can be. The manipulator arm can be used during loading drives while maintaining the seal within the through leadership to be moved.

With the design of the working chamber according to the invention individual workpieces are brought into the working chamber. The seal may be in immediately before the operation the chamber begins to be effected automatically, for example se via a program sequence control, which is a pneumatic Valve opens and so pressurized gas into the sealing element tet, whereby the flexible sealing element is inflated and attaches itself to the feed-through tube from the inside. An on Grip by operating personnel is not necessary.

After completing the work in the chamber, the Sealing on the feed-through pipe is automatically released again be so that the manipulator arm is freely movable and with the workpiece can be moved out of the chamber.

It is also advantageous that the manipulator arm does not necessarily have to be arranged coaxially to the feed-through tube and to which it can be shifted, so that the position of the manipulator arm in the feed-through tube does not have to be exactly defined or adjusted. The working chamber of the invention enables the manipulator arm, which is sealed in the feed-through tube, to move in up to five degrees of freedom, namely:

• - A translational movement parallel to the axis of the Feed-through tube,
• A rotation around the longitudinal axis of the manipulator arm,  
• - a two-dimensional displacement of the longitudinal axis of the Ma low in nipulator relative to the axis of the feed-through tube, in the cross-sectional plane of the feed-through tube, as well
• - An inclination of the manipulator arm with respect to the central axis of the feed-through tube.

Since only the end link of the manipulator engages in the chamber important assemblies of the manipulator that also included the electric drives outside the Kam mer and thus be arranged outside the dirt area.

It is essential to the invention that the sealing element on the one hand has at least one inner recess, so that you tion element on the manipulator arm and Mani low in pulverizer and sealing element thereby ver dirt-tight are bound. On the other hand, it is provided that the seal element is hollow and for example via a valve with compressed gas wise compressed air, is inflatable. As long as the gas from the drained by the sealing element formed hollow body the manipulator arm with the flaccid sealing element ment simply through the feed-through tube. There after the sealing element is pressurized into its volume expands until it attaches to the grommet is pressed.

In a particularly simple and inexpensive version shape is the sealing element toroidal in the manner of a Floating tire.

In a further embodiment, the sealing element tubular and consists of an outer tube, a front the back half torus, a back half torus and one sealing inner hose that can be pulled onto the manipulator arm, where the outer circumference of the half torus with one end of the outer tube and the inner circumference  is. The flexible sealing element has when inflated lies between the manipulator arm and the feed-through tube, the shape a double-walled tube. The advantage here is that an elongated shape results, whereby the contact surface between bushing and sealing element expanded and the sealing effect, especially when manipulating the manipulator Torarms is improved in the feedthrough tube.

In a preferred embodiment, the sealing element tubular from an outer tube, a front Half torus, a rear half torus and two on the Ma Ring flanges that can be sealed with a low nipulator, the outer tube ends with the outer circumference of the half torus and the inner circumference of the Half torus is attached to a ring flange. Here too there is an increased sealing effect. The rigid connection of the Sealing element with the manipulator arm over the ring flanges also prevents that the sealing element by the Be movements of the manipulator arm in continuous operation grazes.

An embodiment in which the through is also advantageous guide tube at least one towards the inside of the ar beitskammer directed flushing nozzle and / or gas nozzle. The flushing nozzle can be used with liquids and the gas nozzle with Compressed air can be operated. After releasing the gas the sealing element creates a clear annular gap between the outer circumference of the sealing element and the inner circumference of the Duct. Contamination that occurs during loading drives have penetrated into this annular gap, can with the at least one nozzle is blown back into the chamber or - be rinsed.  

Further advantageous configurations are the further Un claims and the examples explained below remove.

The invention is described below with reference to the drawing described in more detail. The individual shows:

Fig. 1 shows a section of a jet chamber having a cher externally engaging industrial robot in seitli sectional view;

Figure 2a is an automatically sealable implementation in the working chamber with a Mani pulatorarm introduced therein in a schematic sectional view.

Fig. 2b-2d the implementation of Figure 2 with different positions of the manipulator, each in a schematic sectional view.

Figures 3a, 3b a dividable working chamber wall with sliding door elements in different Positionene in a front view. and

Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of an automatically sealable bushing and the manipulator arm introduced therein in a schematic sectional view.

In Fig. 1 a section of a blasting chamber 10 is Darge provides. A blast wheel 110, which is provided in sections, is arranged in the blasting chamber for abrasive surface treatment. A rotating screw conveyor 120 is provided at the bottom of the blasting chamber 10 in order to convey blasting medium falling out of the blasting chamber 10 for the purpose of processing and recycling. An industrial robot 30 is arranged outside the blasting chamber 10 . The industrial robot 30 has six axes 31.1 , 32.1 , 33.1 , 34.1 , 35.1 , 36.1 and thus six degrees of freedom. The vertical axis 31.1 is a rotation axis about which the entire industrial robot 30 is rotatable relative to the foundation 130 . In succession, two articulated axes 32.1 , 33.1 are arranged, with which the so-called upper arm 32.2 and the forearm 33.2 can be inclined. The so-called wrist 35.1 , which is a further articulated joint, can be positioned in this way in space. The orientation of the wrist 35.1 with respect to the forearm 33.2 can be changed by an axis of rotation 34.1 . The robot hand 36.2 with the gripper 37 attached to it can be rotated via the rotary hand axis 36.3 . The gripper can have two or, especially for round workpieces, several clamping fingers and can be actuated electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically, as is known per se.

The curve 39 indicates the work space which can be reached with the wrist 35.1 of the industrial robot 30 .

A workpiece 200 is held in the gripper 37 of the industrial robot 30 and is hereby guided through the effective area of the centrifugal wheel 110 . The wrist 35.1 and 36.2 Robo Terhand with the gripper 37 located at the position shown in Fig. 1 work situation within a working chamber wall 11 through the guide tube 12 passed through. On the robot hand 36.2 , a hollow, flexible sealing element 20 is drawn up, which is pumped up with compressed air and is pressed against the inner wall of the lead-through tube 12 , so that an escape of dirt from the interior of the working chamber 10 is prevented.

The sealing of the robot hand 36.2 at the passage through the working chamber wall 11 and the movements possible under sealing within the feed-through tube 12 are shown in FIGS. 2a to 2d.

In the depicted in Fig. 2a the initial state, the robot hand is 36.2 within the dung into the Arbeitskammerwan 11 inserted through guide tube 12. The center axes of the robot hand 36.2 and the feed- through tube 12 are aligned. A sealing member is gen aufgezo 20 on the robot hand 36.2. This has been inflated with compressed air, so that it is against the inside wall of the sealing member 20 applies and the annular gap between the robot hand 36.2 and the like tung element 20 fills over the entire circumference.

The robot hand according to the invention 36.2 can be moved within the log processing elements 20 and while maintaining the seal effected by the sealing member 20 as follows:

• - Displacement parallel to the central axis of the sealing element 20 along a robot hand displacement direction denoted by 41;
• - Two-dimensional displacement of the robot hand 36.2 in the cross-sectional plane of the feed-through tube 12 , either in a vertical wrist displacement direction designated 42, or in a horizontal wrist displacement direction 45 (see FIG. 3c);
• - Rotation of the robot hand 36.2 around the robot hand axis 36.3 (cf. FIG. 2c) in the direction of rotation of the robot hand axis 43; and
• - Inclination of the robot hand 36.2 with respect to the tube center axis of the feed-through tube 12 by pivoting the wrist 35.1 in the wrist-pivot direction designated 44.

As Fig. 2b shows, the robot hand 36.2 has been pushed by a translational shift in the direction of arrow 41 in the Ar beitskammer 10 . Here, the processing element 20 is partially out of the feed-through tube 12 . However, with a sufficient part of its volume it still lies within the feed-through tube 12 , so that the seal is maintained.

The sealing element 20 consists of a front half-torus 21 and a rear half-torus 22 , the outer peripheries of which are connected by an outer tube 23 , and two ring flanges 26 , 27 , via which a fixed coupling of the respective inner circumference of the half-torus 21 , 22 with the Robot hand 36.2 is made.

Has been in Fig. 2c shows a position is shown in which the robot hand by a shift of the wrist 36.2 35.1 in the wrist-shift direction lifted 42nd The robot hand axis 36.3 lies above the central axis of the feed-through tube 12 , not shown. In the illustrated position, the sealing element 20 has a smaller volume above the robot hand 36.2 . Due to the pressure spreading on all sides in the hollow sealing element 20 , a larger amount of compressed air has been pressed into the lower region with the upward movement of the robot hand 36.2 , so that the seal is maintained there.

The seal remains in the sealed according to the invention for a Ma nipulatorarm engaging in the working chamber even if after the displacement 42 shown in Fig. 2c, the robot hand 36.2 is additionally pivoted by a wrist-pivoting movement designated 44 about the wrist axis 35.1 is so that the robot hand axis 36.3 is inclined obliquely with respect to the central axis of the feed-through tube 12 , as shown in FIG. 2d.

As shown in FIG. 3b, the working chamber wall is preferably in two parts, in the form of two sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 that can be displaced relative to one another. The lead-through tube 12 is formed in two parts from two half-shells 12.1 , 12.2 , which are each used in the region of the abutting edge 14 in the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 . If the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 abut against each other at the abutting edge 14 , then the half-shells 12.1 , 12.2 complement one another to form the feedthrough tube 12 . Due to the division, the working chamber 10 between the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 can be opened to such an extent that even large workpieces with the industrial robot 30 can be introduced into the chamber, who can no longer be guided through a one-piece lead-through tube 12 . In addition, the cycle time can be shortened, since it is no longer necessary to wait for the complete slackening of the sealing element 20 by releasing pressure gas. By opening the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 , the robot hand 36.2 together with the sealing element 20 is suddenly exposed. The robot hand 36.2 can immediately be transported with the workpiece 200 held in the gripper 37 out of the working chamber 10 to an unloading position. During the transport of the already machined workpiece and the inclusion of a further workpiece, the pressure can be gradually released from the sealing element 20 so that the sealing element 20 is prepared for the manufacture of the seal in the next production cycle.

The interaction of the industrial robot 30 with the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 will be explained with reference to FIGS . 3a to 3c.

Fig. 3a shows the opened position of the sliding elements 11.1, 11.2 with the half-shells 12.1, 12.2, after the robot hand not shown is about never swung into the working chamber 10 in the region of the Mittelli 15th

Each of the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 can be moved via a pneumatic cylinder 50 . For this purpose, a remotely operable coupling pin 52 is attached to the en de a piston rod 51 of the pneumatic cylinder 50 , which engages in the extended state in a corresponding coupling receptacle 54 on the upper edge of the sliding door element 11.1 , 11.2 . By pressurizing the pneumatic cylinder 50 , the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 are pushed towards the center line 15 until they abut on a butt edge 14 and form a closed working chamber wall 11 , as shown in particular in FIG. 3b. The half-shells 12.1 , 12.2 complement each other at the same time to form a closed feed-through tube 12 which envelops the robot hand. The two sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 are still connected to each other by a not shown, remotely operable coupling device.

The coupling pin 52 is then pulled out of the coupling receptacle 54 by remote control, so that the sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 are decoupled from their drive 50 . The package of interconnected sliding door elements 11.1 , 11.2 can thus be displaced in the direction designated by 45 in FIG. 3c solely by the movement of industrial robot 30 . The robot hand 37 with the workpiece 200 held can be moved within the working chamber 10 over an even greater distance than by the movement of the robot hand within the feed-through tube 12 .

In order to protect the robot hand 36.2 and the flexible sealing bellows of the sealing element 20 from soiling and / or from damage, for example by blasting media, a baffle plate 60 can be arranged between the robot hand 36.2 and the gripper 37 , as shown in FIG. 4. Blasting agent, which acts in the direction of the feed-through tube 12 with the robot 30 guided therein, is retained by the baffle plate 60 . In operations in which the workpiece 200 only needs to be rotated about the robot hand axis 36.3 , without further movement of the robot hand 36.2 within the lead-through tube 12 , an adequate seal can already be achieved by the baffle plate 60 . For this purpose, the baffle plate 60 has a Ringka channel 62 , which surrounds a corresponding projection 13 on the feed-through tube 12 . The Laby rinth seal designed in this way already retains a large part of the dirt from the working chamber 10 . By inflating the sealing device 20 , an additional, hermetically acting seal can be produced independently of the labyrinth seal.

A labyrinth seal can also be aimed by a baffle plate, which has an annular collar on the edge, which in an initial position of the industrial robot surrounds the inner end of the feed-through tube 12 . The baffle plate then protects the entry of the guide tube 12 like a lid on a bowl. This achieves a sufficient sealing effect for many applications.

Reference list

10

Chamber of Labor

11

Working chamber wall

11.1

.

11.2

Sliding doors

12th

Feed-through tube

13

head Start

14

Butt edge

15

Central door axis

20th

Sealing element

21

front half torus

22

back half torus

23

Outer hose

26

.

27

Ring flange

31.1

Vertical axis

32.1

Articulation axis

31.2

upper arm

33.1

Articulation axis

33.2

forearm

34.1

Axis of rotation

35.1

wrist

36.1

Axis of rotation

36.2

Robotic hand

36.3

Robotic hand axis

37

Gripper

39

working space

41

Robot hand displacement direction

42

Wrist displacement direction

43

Robot hand axis rotation direction

44

Wrist swivel direction

50

Pneumatic cylinder

51

Piston rod

52

Coupling pin

54

Coupling pocket

60

Baffle plate

62

Ring channel

110

Centrifugal wheel

120

Auger

130

foundation

200

workpiece

Claims (11)

1. Working chamber ( 10 ) with an automatically sealable bushing for an intervention in the working chamber with the manipulator arm

• - At least one with a recess Ar beitskammerwandung ( 11 );
• - A lead-through tube ( 12 ) which is inserted into the recess in the working chamber wall ( 11 ) and is connected to the latter;
• - A hollow, via a valve with pressurized gas flexible sealing element ( 20 ), which is to be sealed by means of its at least one internal recess sealingly on a manipulator arm and which has a fully enveloping wall of the manipulator arm, which with loading of the sealing element ( 20 ) Pressurized gas can be applied to the inner wall ( 23 ) of the feed-through tube ( 12 ).

2. Working chamber ( 10 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing element ( 20 ) is toroidal. 3. Working chamber ( 10 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing element ( 20 ) is tubular and from an outer tube ( 23 ), a front half torus ( 21 ), a rear half torus ( 22 ) and two sealing on the manipulator arm retractable ring flanges ( 26 , 27 ) formed, the outer tube ( 23 ) is connected at the end to the outer circumference of the half-torus ( 21 , 22 ) and the inner circumference of the half-torus ( 21 , 22 ) is attached to an annular flange ( 26 , 27 ) is done. 4. Working chamber ( 10 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing element ( 20 ) is tubular and from an outer tube ( 23 ), a front half torus ( 21 ), a rear half torus ( 22 ) and a tight on the manipulator arm retractable inner tube is formed, wherein the outer circumference of the half-torus ( 21 , 22 ) is connected to one end of the outer hose and the inner circumference of the half-torus ( 21 , 22 ) is connected to one end of the inner hose. 5. Working chamber ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the feed-through tube ( 12 ) is formed in two parts from two half-shells ( 12.1 , 12.2 ) and the working chamber wall ( 11 ) on a butt edge ( 14 ) is divisible and comprising two mutually displaceable sliding door elements (11.1, 11.2) shell, each with a half (12.1, 12.2) on the abutting edge (14), wherein at the abutting of the abutting edge (14) sliding door elements (11.1, 11.2) the half-shells (12.1, 12.2 ) to the feed-through tube ( 12 ). 6. Working chamber ( 10 ) according to claim 5, characterized in that the sliding door elements ( 11.1 , 11.2 ) can be coupled via a coupling element with a translatory drive. 7. working chamber ( 10 ) according to claim 6, characterized in that the coupling element is a coupling pin ( 52 ) and the translational drive is effected by means of a pneu matikyzlinders ( 50 ). 8. Working chamber ( 10 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the feed-through tube ( 12 ) has at least one flushing nozzle directed towards the inside of the working chamber ( 10 ). 9. working chamber ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by a baffle plate ( 60 ) between a robot hand ( 36.2 ) and a gripper ( 37 ) of the manipulating arm engaging in the working chamber ( 10 ) can be fastened and the covers the flexible bellows of the sealing element ( 20 ) towards the working chamber. 10. Working chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that the baffle plate ( 60 ) has an annular collar at the edge, which surrounds the inside end of the feed-through tube ( 12 ). 11. Working chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that the baffle plate ( 60 ) has an annular channel ( 62 ) and the feed-through tube ( 12 ) has a projection ( 13 ) which is compatible with the annular channel ( 62 ), the annular channel in an initial position of the manipulator arm ( 62 ) and the projection ( 13 ) interlock and form a labyrinth seal.