JP2008221357A - Multi-joint robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wiring structure of an arm part capable of preventing cables from disconnection and connectors from being damaged and manufacturable at low cost by disposing the cables along a frame and fixing the cables, connectors, and cables at both ends of the connectors by a cover and an arm. <P>SOLUTION: This multi-joint robot comprises a frame 22, a joint part 9 to which the frame is movably connected, the cover 5 installed over the frame 22, and the cables 1 disposed on the frame 22 and the joint part 9 to which the frame 22 is movably connected. The cables 1 disposed on the frame 22 and the joint part 9 to which the frame 22 is movably connected are disposed along the frame 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an articulated robot having a plurality of joints.

In a wiring structure of an arm part of an articulated robot comprising a frame, a joint part movably connected to the frame, a cover attached to the frame, and a cable disposed at the joint part movably connected to the frame and the frame In the conventional articulated robot, there is a cable wiring in a joint portion in which a flexible tube or a flat cable is swung within a joint (for example, see Patent Document 1). As shown in the side sectional view of the bending portion wiring structure of the conventional articulated robot of FIG. 6, the flexible tube 27 is located on the inner peripheral side of the periphery of the distal end side of the output shaft 25 in the joint portion. It is arranged to be wound around in a spiral (spiral direction) gently (with a gap between it and the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 25) (this spiral portion is referred to as a winding portion 27a). At this time, as shown in the side view showing the distal end surface of the arm of the conventional articulated robot of FIG. 7, the upper portion of the connection plate 21 and the end plate 22a of the frame 22 of the arm 4 are located on the inner periphery. The curved tube insertion holes 21b and 22b through which the flexible tube 27 passes are formed so as to wrap around each other. The tube insertion holes 21b and 22b also have a function of holding the end portion on the distal end side of the winding portion 27a of the flexible tube 27 by, for example, a frictional force.
On the other hand, the flat cable 28 is positioned at the outer peripheral side of the periphery of the front end side of the output shaft 25 at the joint, and is gently wound (with a gap between the winding layers) and disposed (this winding). This portion is referred to as a winding portion 28a). At this time, as shown also in FIG. 7, in the figure of the connection plate 21 and the end plate 22a of the frame 22 of the arm 4, the lower portion is positioned in the outer peripheral portion and is curved so that the flat cable 28 is passed therethrough. Cable insertion holes 21c and 22c are formed so as to wrap around each other. The cable insertion holes 21c and 22c also have a function of holding the inner peripheral end of the winding portion 28a of the flat cable 28.
JP 2004-90135 A (page 9, FIGS. 1 and 2)

In the conventional articulated robot arm wiring structure, it is necessary to fix the cable near the joint in order to prevent fatigue and disconnection of the entire cable due to the movement of the joint, but the cable is stored in the frame. Therefore, fixing the cable was very difficult.
In order to facilitate cable replacement, it is conceivable to connect several parts of the cable to the connector. However, if the connector or the cable at both ends of the connector is not fixed, the connector may be disconnected or the connector body may be damaged. There was a risk of problems such as this.
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, the cable is arranged along the frame, the cable and the connector and the cable at both ends of the connector are fixed by the cover and the arm, the cable is disconnected, An object of the present invention is to provide a wiring structure of an arm portion that can prevent damage to a connector and can be constructed at low cost.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention is configured as follows.
The invention according to claim 1 includes a frame, a joint part movably connected to the frame, a cover attached to the frame, and a cable disposed at the joint part movably connected to the frame and the frame. In an articulated robot, a frame and a cable arranged at a joint part movably connected to the frame are arranged along the frame.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the cable is fixed by fitting the cover and the frame.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the cable is connected by a connector before and after passing through the at least one joint.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the frame forms a structure for locking the cable.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the frame has a hook-like structure so as to lock the cable.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the covers includes a protruding portion that locks the cable.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the protrusion includes an elastic member.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the cable is connected by a connector, and a connector housing portion that houses the connector is formed in the frame.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the connector storage portion includes a cable system stop portion for storing the connector and locking the cable.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, a cover is attached so as to lock the cable locked to the cable locking portion.

  According to the invention described in claims 1 to 10, since the cable can be easily fixed, the number of members related to the fixing can be reduced, and the arm part and the joint part can be configured to be small. Assembling and maintainability can be improved, and the size can be reduced at low cost. Moreover, since it is a several single core cable, a multicore cable, and an optical cable, a cable outer diameter can be made smaller and it can respond flexibly by the shape of the space to wire.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an articulated robot according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram with the cover of the articulated robot according to the first embodiment of the present invention removed, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the arm portion of the articulated robot according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the articulated robot according to the first embodiment with one of the joint covers removed. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a multicore cable, which is arranged along the frame 22, and covers 5 are attached from both sides so as to cover the multicore cable 1 and the frame 22. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 2 denotes a connector for connecting each multi-core cable, and two connectors are provided, one at the base of each joint portion 9. The multi-core cable 1 is connected to a controller (not shown) by a main body connector 7.
In FIG. 4, a cable locking portion 3 formed in a hook shape on the frame 22 is provided before and after each connector 2, and the multicore cable 1 is accommodated. Corresponding to this, the cover 5 is provided with a projection 8 capable of fixing the multi-core cable 1 to the cable locking portion 3 together with the cable locking portion 3, and the cover 5 is attached to the frame 22. Thus, the fixing of the multi-core cable 1 in the arm portion is completed.
The present invention is different from the prior art in that a hook-shaped cable locking portion integrated with the frame and a protrusion that can fix the cable to the cable locking portion together with the cable locking portion on the cover so as to correspond to this. This is the part where is provided.
According to this configuration, the multi-core cable 1 can be easily fixed, the number of members related to the fixing can be reduced, and the arm portion and the joint portion 9 can be made small. In addition, maintainability can be improved, and the size can be reduced at low cost.
Here, although one multi-core cable has been described as an example, when the thickness of the cable is changed or the number of cables increases, for example, the protrusion 8 of the cover 5 is provided with an elastic member such as a spring. As a result, it is possible to adjust the locking pressure of the multicore cable 1 and cope with changes in the thickness and number of the multicore cable 1.

  FIG. 5 is a view in which the cover of the joint portion 9 of the multi-joint robot according to the second embodiment of the present invention is removed. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that it has a box-shaped connector housing portion 6 that is integrated with the frame 22 and opened on one side, and is provided with cable locking portions 3 at both ends thereof. Is a point. The connector housing 6 and the cable locking portion 3 associated therewith and a projection (not shown) provided on the cover allow the connector 2 and the multi-core cable 1 at both ends to be placed in the arm portion in the manner shown in FIG. Can be fixed.

According to this configuration, the cable and the connector can be easily fixed, the number of members related to the fixing can be reduced, and the arm portion and the joint portion 9 can be configured to be small. Assembly and maintainability can be improved, and the size can be reduced at low cost.
The material of the cover and the frame has not been described, but may be a material used for a general industrial robot, or may be formed from a synthetic resin such as an ABS resin. Moreover, although one multi-core cable was illustrated about the cable, it is obvious that a plurality of cables may be passed, and piping such as a tube may be used instead of the cable.

1 is an overall view of an articulated robot according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The figure which removed the cover of the articulated robot which is 1st Example of this invention The figure which removed one of the covers of the joint part of the articulated robot which is a 1st Example of this invention Sectional drawing of the arm part of the articulated robot which is 1st Example of this invention The figure which removed the cover of the joint part of the articulated robot which is a 2nd Example of this invention Side cross-sectional view of a conventional articulated robot bending part wiring structure Side view showing the tip of the arm of a conventional articulated robot

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multicore cable 2 Connector 3 Cable latching part 4 Arm 5 Cover 6 Connector accommodating part 7 Main body connector 8 Protrusion part 9 Joint part 21 Connection board 21b, 22b Tube insertion hole 22 Frame 22a End plate 21c, 22c Cable insertion hole 25 Output Shaft 27 Flexible tube 27a Winding portion 28 Flat cable 28a Winding portion

Claims (10)

In an articulated robot comprising a frame, a joint part movably connected to the frame, a cover attached to the frame, and a cable disposed in the joint part movably connecting the frame and the frame,
A multi-joint robot characterized in that a frame and a cable arranged at a joint part movably connected to the frame are arranged along the frame.   The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the cable is fixed by fitting the cover and the frame.   The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the cable is connected by a connector before and after passing through at least one of the joint portions.   2. The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the frame is formed with a structure for locking the cable.   The articulated robot according to claim 4, wherein the frame has a hook-like structure so as to lock the cable.   The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the covers is provided with a protruding portion for locking the cable.   The articulated robot according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion includes an elastic member.   The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the cable is connected by a connector, and a connector housing portion for housing the connector is formed in the frame.   The articulated robot according to claim 8, wherein the connector storage portion includes a cable system stop portion for storing the connector and locking the cable.   The articulated robot according to claim 9, wherein a cover is attached so as to lock the cable locked to the cable locking portion.

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