JP2018187710A - Multi joint type robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi joint type robot which can efficiently cool a drive motor for rotating a joint part.SOLUTION: A multi joint type robot includes a plurality of joint parts 41, 42, 43, 44 arranged between a plurality of robot frames 11, 12, 13, 14, and a plurality of drive motors 31, 32, 33, 34 for driving the plurality of joint parts. Cavity parts 21, 22, 23, 24 are formed inside the robot frames 11, 12, 13, 14, and refrigerant piping 51 in which a refrigerant circulates is arranged in the cavity parts. Opening parts 54, 55, 56, 53 opening toward the drive motors 31, 32, 33, 34 are arranged on the refrigerant piping 51 in peripheries of the drive motors 31, 32, 33, 34. An inflow port 75 is connected to the opening parts 54, 55, 56, 53 of the refrigerant piping 51, and motor covers 71, 72, 73, 74 cover the drive motors 31, 32, 33, 34.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an articulated robot, and more particularly to a cooling structure for a drive motor of an articulated robot.

  In a conventional industrial articulated robot, connecting portions between robot frames are connected by joints that can rotate with each other, and the robot frame is rotated by a drive motor attached to the joints. When the robot frame is rotated by the drive motor, the drive motor generates heat. Patent Document 1 describes an invention in which a drive motor is cooled by providing a flexible air hose in a hollow robot frame and ejecting cooling air from the air hose toward the drive motor.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-246587

  However, in the invention of Patent Document 1, the cooling air ejected from the air hose is more easily diffused in a wide space in the center of the robot frame than in a narrow space around the drive motor at the end of the robot frame. There is a problem that it cannot be cooled.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide an articulated robot that can efficiently cool a drive motor that rotates a joint portion.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an articulated robot according to the present invention includes a plurality of joint portions provided between a plurality of components, and a plurality of drive motors that drive the plurality of joint portions. In the articulated robot, a hollow portion is formed inside the component, and a pipe through which a coolant flows is provided in the hollow portion, and a pipe near the drive motor is directed toward the drive motor. The opening part which opens is provided, and it has the cover member which has an inflow port connected to the opening part of piping, and covers a drive motor.

  Further, the present invention is an articulated robot including a plurality of joint portions provided between a plurality of components and a plurality of drive motors for driving the plurality of joint portions, and the inside of the components Is formed with a pipe through which a refrigerant flows, a cover member having an inlet and an outlet and covering the drive motor is provided, and an outlet opening of a pipe is a cover member The outlet of the cover member is connected to the inlet opening of another pipe.

  According to the articulated robot according to the present invention, the drive motor that rotates the joint portion can be efficiently cooled.

1 is a cross-sectional plan view of an articulated robot according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the detail of the motor cover which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the motor cover which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the motor cover which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the motor cover which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view of an articulated robot according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  The articulated robot includes a robot base 11, robot frames 12, 13, and 14, a hand 15, and drive motors 31, 32, 33, and 34.

  The robot base 11 has a box shape, and a hollow portion 21 is formed therein. One end of a first robot frame 12 that can rotate around a rotation axis perpendicular to the upper surface is supported on the upper surface of the robot base 11, and a joint is provided between the robot base 11 and the first robot frame 12. A portion 41 is formed.

  A hollow portion 22 is formed inside the first robot frame 12. A drive motor 31 is accommodated in the lower portion of the cavity portion 22. The drive motor 31 rotates the first robot frame 12 with respect to the robot base 11.

  In addition, a part of the drive motor 32 is disposed on the upper portion of the cavity 22. An upper end of the first robot frame 12 supports one end of a second robot frame 13 that can rotate about a rotation axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the first robot frame 12. A joint portion 42 is formed between 12 and the second robot frame 13. The drive motor 32 rotates the second robot frame 13 with respect to the first robot frame 12.

  A hollow portion 23 is formed inside the second robot frame 13. A part of the drive motor 32 is accommodated at one end of the cavity 23, and a part of the drive motor 33 is accommodated at the other end of the cavity 23. The other end of the second robot frame 13 is supported by one end of a third robot frame 14 that is rotatable about a rotation axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the second robot frame 13. A joint portion 43 is formed between the second robot frame 13 and the third robot frame 14. The drive motor 33 rotates the third robot frame 14 with respect to the second robot frame 13.

  A cavity 24 is formed in the third robot frame 14. A part of the drive motor 33 is accommodated at one end of the cavity 24, and a drive motor 34 is accommodated at the other end of the cavity 24. Further, the other end of the third robot frame 14 is supported by a hand 15 that can rotate about a rotation axis parallel to the paper surface of the third robot frame. The drive motor 34 rotates the hand 15 with respect to the third robot frame 14.

  A coolant such as cooling air circulates in the cavity 21 of the robot base 11, the cavity 22 of the first robot frame 12, the cavity 23 of the second robot frame 13, and the cavity 24 of the third robot frame 14. A flexible refrigerant pipe 51 is disposed. An inlet opening 52 of the refrigerant pipe 51 is connected to an air inlet 61 provided in the robot base 11, and an outlet opening 53 of the refrigerant pipe 51 is an inlet of a cylindrical motor cover 74 that covers the drive motor 34. It is connected to the.

  The refrigerant pipe 51 near the drive motor 31 located in the robot base 11 is provided with an opening 54 that opens toward the drive motor 31, and the opening 54 connects the drive motor 31 via a branch pipe 81. It is connected to the inflow port of the cylindrical motor cover 71 to cover. The motor cover 71 is preferably made of a metal having high thermal conductivity and high strength, such as aluminum.

  As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the opening 54 of the refrigerant pipe 51 and the inlet 75 of the motor cover 71 are connected by a branch pipe 81, and the end of the motor cover 71 is fixed to the inner wall of the robot base 11. Has been. As a method for fixing the motor cover 71, welding, adhesion, screwing, or the like can be considered. Further, it is preferable to adjust the position and orientation of the motor cover 71 so that the refrigerant flowing in the cover directly hits the encoder cover of the drive motor 31.

  Further, the end of the motor cover 71 is provided with a discharge port 76 for discharging the refrigerant flowing into the cover from the opening 54 of the refrigerant pipe 51 through the branch pipe 81 to the outside of the cover. Further, an electromagnetic valve 82 for adjusting the amount of refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant pipe 51 into the motor cover 71 is provided in the middle of the branch pipe 81. In addition, the outside of the refrigerant pipe 51 and the branch pipe 81 is covered with a heat insulating member 83. Further, a temperature sensor 84 for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant discharged outside the cover is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port 76 of the motor cover 71.

  Further, as shown in detail in FIG. 3, a turbulent flow promoting structure 77 is provided on the inner side of the motor cover 71 from the motor cover 71 toward the drive motor 31. As a method of providing the turbulent flow promoting structure 77, there are a method in which a conical protrusion is fixed to the cover by welding, bonding, screwing or the like, and a method in which the inner surface of the motor cover 71 is cut and raised to be bent. Conceivable.

  A motor cover 72 of the drive motor 32, a motor cover 73 of the drive motor 33, and a motor cover 74 of the drive motor 34 are formed by the same configuration as described above. Further, in order to prevent the refrigerant pipe 51 from moving during the operation of the articulated robot, the refrigerant pipe 51 is fixed to the wall surfaces of the cavities 21, 22, 23, and 24 by a fixture (not shown).

  Supply of the refrigerant to the refrigerant pipe 51 is performed from an air inlet 61 provided in the robot base 11. As a refrigerant supply method, a method of attaching a fan to the intake port 61, a method of attaching an air compressor outside the robot, and the like are conceivable. In the former case, it is preferable to attach a filter to the air inlet 61 in order to prevent dust and the like from flowing in from the fan. In the latter case, if the refrigerant is supplied to a plurality of robots by one air compressor, the air compressor can be shared.

  When the refrigerant is supplied from the inlet opening 52 into the refrigerant pipe 51, a part of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 51 passes from the openings 54, 55, 56, 53 to the drive motors 31, 32, 33, 53. It ejects toward 34, flows while contacting the surface of each drive motor 31, 32, 33, 34, and each drive motor 31, 32, 33, 34 is cooled.

  The refrigerant deprived of heat from each drive motor 31, 32, 33, 34 is discharged from each discharge port of the motor covers 71, 72, 73, 74, and the cavity 24, cavity 23, cavity 22, cavity 21 And is discharged from the exhaust port 62 of the robot base 11 to the outside of the robot. At this time, a filter is preferably attached to the exhaust port 62 in order to prevent dust and the like from flowing in.

  As described above, in the articulated robot according to the present invention, the refrigerant pipes 51 near the drive motors 31, 32, 33, 34 are provided with the openings 54, 55, 56, which open toward the drive motor. 53, provided with motor covers 71, 72, 73, 74 that are connected to the openings via branch pipes and cover the drive motor. As a result, the refrigerant ejected toward the drive motor does not diffuse away from the drive motor, so that the drive motor can be efficiently cooled.

  Each motor cover 71, 72, 73, 74 is provided with a discharge port 76 for discharging the refrigerant that has flowed into the cover from the opening of the refrigerant pipe 51 through the branch pipe to the outside of the cover. As a result, the refrigerant whose temperature has risen due to the heat of the drive motor does not enter the refrigerant pipe again, and the refrigerant with a substantially uniform temperature flows from the inlet to the outlet of the refrigerant pipe, so that the drive motor can be cooled more efficiently. Can do.

  A temperature sensor 84 is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port 76 of each motor cover, and an electromagnetic valve 82 for adjusting the amount of refrigerant flowing into the cover is provided. Thus, the drive motor can be further efficiently cooled by detecting the heat generation state of the drive motor with the temperature sensor and adjusting the supply amount of the refrigerant with the electromagnetic valve.

  Further, since the turbulent flow promoting structure 77 is provided inside each motor cover, a vortex is generated in the refrigerant flowing in the cover, so that the drive motor can be cooled more efficiently.

  Further, since each motor cover is fixed to the robot base 11 or the robot frames 12, 13, and 14, heat transferred from the drive motor to the motor cover via the refrigerant is efficiently radiated to the robot base or the robot frame. Can be made.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the first embodiment, the turbulent flow promoting structure 77 is provided inside the motor cover 71. However, instead of the turbulent flow promoting structure 77, as shown in FIG. 204 and a rib 205 may be provided. As a result, heat transferred from the drive motor 31 to the rib 205 and the motor cover 271 is transferred to the cooling fins 204 and radiated to the refrigerant flowing in the motor cover 271, so that the heat dissipation area of the drive motor 31 is substantially enlarged. As a result, the cooling performance is improved. The shape of the cooling fin 204 may be a comb shape, a corrugated shape, a prism, a cylinder, or the like. Further, the comb-shaped straight fins may be divided in the axial direction and arranged in a staggered manner.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the second embodiment, the tips of the ribs 205 of the motor cover 271 are independent. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the coolant channel holes 306 and the ribs 305 may be provided inside the motor cover 371. Even with such a structure, the heat transmitted from the drive motor 31 to the motor cover 371 is dissipated to the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant flow path hole 306 of the motor cover 371, so that the same effect as in the second embodiment is obtained. Can be obtained.

Other embodiments.
In the first to third embodiments, the robot base or robot frame and the motor cover are individually molded and joined, but the robot base or robot frame and the motor cover may be integrally molded. This eliminates the need to join the motor cover to the robot base or the robot frame, and facilitates assembly. In addition, casting, die casting, etc. can be considered as a method of integral molding.

  In the second embodiment, the cooling fins 204 are provided only on the inner side of the motor cover 271. However, the cooling fins may be provided on the outer side of the motor cover 271. As a result, the refrigerant flowing through the cavity of the robot frame also flows outside the motor cover, so that the drive motor can be cooled more efficiently.

  In the first to third embodiments, cooling fins may be provided inside the robot frame. In that case, the heat of the drive motor is transferred to the robot frame through the motor cover, and is transferred to the cooling fins inside the robot frame. As a result, the refrigerant flowing through the hollow portion of the robot frame flows to the cooling fins on the inner wall of the robot frame and is dissipated, so that the drive motor can be cooled more efficiently.

  In the first to third embodiments, the refrigerant pipe is branched by the branch pipe and the refrigerant is supplied to each drive motor. However, the outlet opening of a certain refrigerant pipe is connected to the inlet of the motor cover without branching the refrigerant pipe. Each drive motor may be cooled by connecting directly to the outlet and repeatedly connecting the outlet of the motor cover to the inlet opening of another refrigerant pipe. Thereby, it is not necessary to branch the refrigerant pipe by the branch pipe, and the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified.

  11 Robot base (component), 12, 13, 14 Robot frame (component) 21, 22, 23, 24 Cavity, 31, 32, 33, 34 Drive motor, 41, 42, 43, 44 Joint, 51 refrigerant piping (piping), 52 inlet opening, 53 outlet opening (opening), 54, 55, 56 opening, 71, 72, 73, 74, 271, 371 motor cover (cover member), 77 turbulent flow Acceleration structure, 81 branch pipe, 82 solenoid valve (regulation valve), 83 heat insulation member, 84 temperature sensor, 204 fin, 205 rib, 305 rib, 306 refrigerant flow hole.

Claims (10)

An articulated robot comprising a plurality of joints provided between a plurality of components and a plurality of drive motors for driving the plurality of joints,
A cavity is formed inside the component, and a pipe through which a refrigerant flows is provided in the cavity,
The pipe in the vicinity of the drive motor is provided with an opening that opens toward the drive motor.
An articulated robot comprising an inflow port connected to the opening of the pipe and a cover member covering the drive motor.   2. The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is provided with a discharge port for discharging the refrigerant flowing into the cover member from the opening of the pipe to the outside of the cover member.   The articulated robot according to claim 1, further comprising a branch pipe that connects the opening of the pipe and the inlet of the cover member.   The articulated robot according to claim 3, further comprising a heat insulating member that covers an outside of the pipe and the branch pipe.   5. The temperature sensor is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port of the cover member, and further includes an adjustment valve that adjusts the amount of refrigerant flowing into the cover member. Articulated robot.   The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is fixed to the component.   The articulated robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a turbulent flow promoting structure is provided inside the cover member.   The articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein fins and ribs are provided inside the cover member.   The articulated robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a coolant channel hole and a rib are provided inside the cover member. An articulated robot comprising a plurality of joints provided between a plurality of components and a plurality of drive motors for driving the plurality of joints,
A cavity is formed inside the component, and a pipe through which a refrigerant flows is provided in the cavity,
A cover member that has an inlet and an outlet and covers the drive motor is provided,
An articulated robot in which an outlet opening of one pipe is connected to the inlet of the cover member, and the outlet of the cover member is repeatedly connected to an inlet opening of another pipe.

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