JP2020097109A - Robot and method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a robot and a method capable of decreasing the number of components and facilitating installation work so as to easily change a working range and an arm form at a low cost without disassembling or replacing a component part of a drive mechanism.SOLUTION: A robot 1 comprises: a first axial unit relatively driving a second component 8 with respect to a first component 4 by a first motor 7; a second axial unit relatively driving a fourth component 16 with respect to a third component 9 by a second motor 10; and a fixed component 11 removably arranged between the second component 8 and the third component 9 to integrally fix the second component 8 and the third component 9, wherein the fixed component 11 can be fixed to at least one of the second component 8 and the third component 9 at different positions, and when changing the fixing position of at least one of the second component 8 and the third component 9, the working range of a wrist 6 can be changed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to robots and methods.

Conventionally, the forearm can be replaced with one having a different length, and the operation range can be changed when the work position by the robot is concentrated at a short distance or a long distance with respect to the installation position of the robot. A robot that can be used is known (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
The robot of Patent Document 1 has a structure in which a plurality of concentric hollow tubes each having a gear portion for transmitting a driving force from a motor at both ends are detachably detachable from the gear portions at both ends. The length of the forearm can be changed by exchanging it with a different length.

JP-A-61-30396

However, the robot of Patent Document 1 transmits power between the wrist portion arranged at the tip of the forearm and the gear portion arranged at the base end side of the forearm in order to change the length of the forearm. It is necessary to prepare a plurality of hollow tubes having different lengths for three axes. In addition, in order to assemble the gears at both ends with high accuracy so as not to cause misalignment when replacing the hollow tubes for three axes, it is necessary to have an attachment/detachment structure that is accurately configured, and it takes time to assemble. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the cost is high.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and reduces the number of components without disassembling or exchanging drive mechanism components, facilitating assembly work, operating range at low cost, and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot and a method capable of easily changing the arm form.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
One aspect of the present invention is a first shaft unit that relatively drives a second member with respect to a first member by a first motor, and a second shaft unit that relatively drives a fourth member with respect to a third member by a second motor. And a fixing member that is detachably provided between the second member and the third member and integrally fixes the second member and the third member, wherein the fixing member is It is possible to fix at different positions with respect to at least one of the second member and the third member, and by changing the fixing position with respect to at least one of the second member and the third member, Provide a robot whose size can be changed.

According to this aspect, by attaching the third member of the second shaft unit to the second member of the first shaft unit by the fixing member, the second member and the third member with respect to the first member are operated by the operation of the first motor. A robot that relatively drives the member and that relatively drives the fourth member with respect to the second member and the third member by the operation of the second motor is configured. In this case, since the fixing member is detachably provided between the second member and the third member, it is possible to easily change the operation range of the robot by replacing the fixing member with a fixing member having a different length. it can.

That is, without disassembling the second shaft unit that drives the fourth member relative to the third member by the second motor, the second shaft unit is used as it is and the operating range is changed only by shifting the position with respect to the first shaft unit by the fixing member. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced, the assembling work can be facilitated, and the operating range can be changed at low cost. In addition, since the fixing member is provided so as to be able to be fixed at different positions with respect to at least one of the second member and the third member, the fixing member is also made common, further reducing the number of parts, and reducing the cost. Can be promoted.

In the above aspect, a relay member that relays two members may be provided between at least one of the second member and the fixing member and between at least one of the third member and the fixing member.
By doing so, the work of attaching and detaching the fixing member to the relay member can be performed more easily.

Further, in the above aspect, in the first shaft unit, the second member is rotationally driven with respect to the first member, and in the second shaft unit, the fourth member is rotated with respect to the third member. You may drive.
By doing so, a biaxial drive unit can be provided relatively easily.

Further, in the above aspect, at least one of the first shaft unit and the second shaft unit may be linearly driven.
By doing so, a part of the robot can be linearly moved.

In the above aspect, the rotation axis of the fourth member with respect to the third member may extend in a plane substantially orthogonal to the rotation axis of the second member with respect to the first member.
By doing so, it can be applied to a robot in which two adjacent axes are substantially orthogonal axes.

Further, in the above aspect, the fixing member is integrally provided on one of the second member and the third member, and can be fixed at a different position with respect to the other of the second member and the third member. It may be provided.
By doing so, one of the second member or the third member and the fixing member are integrated with each other, whereby the number of parts can be further reduced and the cost can be reduced.

Further, in the above aspect, the fixing member may be provided so as to be able to fix both the second member and the third member only on both sides thereof.
By doing so, the third member can be fixed to the second member in a double-supported structure, and the rigidity can be improved.

Further, in the above aspect, the fixing member may be a flat plate member.
By doing so, the fixing member made of a flat plate member can be manufactured easily and at low cost, and the front and back surfaces can be reversed to connect the first shaft unit and the second shaft unit in various modes. You can

Further, in the above aspect, at least a part of the fixing member includes a plurality of beam members that reinforce between the second member and the third member, and at least one reinforcing member that reinforces each beam member. It may be composed of an aggregate.
By doing so, a lightweight and strong fixing member can be obtained.

In the above aspect, the beam member or the reinforcing member assembly may be bolted.
By doing so, it is possible to change to a fixing member having a different offset amount by exchanging only some of the beam members and the reinforcing members according to the intended use of the robot.

Further, in the above aspect, the second shaft unit includes a third motor that rotationally drives the fifth member with respect to the fourth member, and a fourth motor that rotationally drives the sixth member with respect to the fifth member. And a wrist portion may be configured by the fourth member, the fifth member, and the sixth member.

By doing so, it is possible to disassemble the fourth member, the fifth member, and the sixth member that form the wrist portion and the second shaft unit that includes the second motor, the third motor, and the fourth motor that drive them. The operating range can be changed simply by shifting, the number of parts can be reduced, the time required for assembly work can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

Another aspect of the present invention is a first shaft unit that relatively drives a second member with respect to a first member by a first motor, and a second shaft unit that relatively drives a fourth member with respect to a third member by a second motor. Changing the operating range of a robot including a shaft unit and a fixing member that is detachably provided between the second member and the third member and integrally fixes the second member and the third member A method of changing the size of the operating range of the wrist by changing the fixing position of the fixing member with respect to at least one of the second member and the third member.
Another aspect of the present invention is a first shaft unit that relatively drives a second member with respect to a first member by a first motor, and a second shaft unit that relatively drives a fourth member with respect to a third member by a second motor. Changing the operating range of a robot including a shaft unit and a fixing member that is detachably provided between the second member and the third member and integrally fixes the second member and the third member A method of changing the size of the operating range of the wrist by replacing the fixing member for fixing the second member and the third member with another fixing member having a different length. Is.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, facilitate the assembling work, and change the operating range at low cost.

It is a typical side view showing the whole robot (short arm) composition concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a typical side view which shows the whole structure of the robot (long arm) of FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a shaft configuration in which a first shaft unit of the robot shown in FIG. 1 is shifted upside down. 2 is a partial side view of the robot of FIG. 1. FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the 2nd axis unit of the robot of Drawing 1 from the slanting lower part. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a bolt attaching the fixing member of FIG. 5 is removed. It is the perspective view which looked at the 2nd axis unit of the robot of Drawing 2 from the slanting lower part. FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the robot of FIG. 2. It is the partial perspective view which looked at the robot of FIG. 1 from diagonally upward. FIG. 10 is a perspective view partially showing a robot in which a second axis unit is inverted and attached to the robot of FIG. 9; (It is also a partial perspective view of the second axis unit of the robot of FIG. 3 as seen from diagonally above.) It is a partial side view which shows the modification of the robot of FIG. It is a partial side view which shows the modification of the robot of FIG. It is a partial perspective view explaining the effect of the robot of FIG. It is a partial side view explaining the effect of FIG. It is a partial perspective view which shows the other modification of the robot of FIG. It is a partial side view which shows the other modification of the robot of FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of the robot of FIG. 16 in one direction. FIG. FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of the robot of FIG. 16 in the other direction. It is a typical side view which shows the whole structure of the other modification of the robot of FIG.

A robot 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 1 according to the present embodiment is a 6-axis articulated robot, and includes a base 2 installed on the floor and a first axis A perpendicular to the base 2. A swivel body 3 that is rotated around, a first arm (first member) 4 that is rotated around a second axis B that is horizontal to the swivel body 3, and a second axis line at the tip of the first arm 4. A second arm 5 that is rotated about a third axis C that is parallel to B and a wrist (wrist portion) 6 having a triaxial structure that is provided at the tip of the second arm 5 are provided.

The second arm 5 includes a motor (first motor) 7 attached to the tip of the first arm 4, and a first bracket that is rotated by the motor 7 about the third axis C with respect to the first arm 4. (Second member) 8, second bracket (third member) 9, and motor for rotating the wrist 6 around a fourth axis D extending in a plane orthogonal to the third axis C with respect to the second bracket 9. (Second motor) 10 and a fixing member 11 that detachably connects the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9.

In the present embodiment, the first arm 4, the first bracket 8 attached to the first arm 4 so as to be swingable around the third axis C, and the first bracket 8 are attached to the third axis C. A first shaft unit is constituted by a motor 7 which is rotationally driven around, a second bracket 9, a wrist 6 rotatably attached to the second bracket 9 around a fourth axis D, and the wrist 6 The second shaft unit is constituted by the motor 10 that rotationally drives the motor about the fourth axis D. The first shaft unit includes a power transmission mechanism (reduction mechanism) that transmits the power of the first motor 7 to the first bracket 8, and the second shaft unit transmits the power of the second motor 10 to the second arm 5 ( Deceleration mechanism). In the example of FIG. 1, the power transmission mechanism is arranged between the first arm 4 and the first bracket 8, and the first motor 7 and the first bracket 8 rotate integrally around the third axis C.

The wrist 6 rotates about a base shaft (fourth member) 16 rotatable around a fourth axis D by a motor 10 and an axis extending in a plane orthogonal to the fourth shaft D with respect to the base shaft 16. It is composed of a possible intermediate shaft (fifth member) 17 and a tip shaft (sixth member) 18 which is rotatable with respect to the intermediate shaft 17 and which is arranged in the same plane as the fourth axis D. There is.
Of the three shafts 16, 17, and 18 that form the wrist 6, two motors (third motor, fourth motor: not shown) that rotationally drive the two tip shafts 17, 18 and a power transmission mechanism (not shown). ) Is arranged inside the second arm 5.

In the present embodiment, the fixing member 11 is a flat plate member, is arranged so as to straddle the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9, and is fixed by the bolt (see FIG. 6) 12 to the first bracket 8 and the second bracket. It is designed to be detachably fixed to the 9.
Further, as the fixing member 11, the short member shown in FIG. 1 and the long member shown in FIG. 2 are prepared.
The long fixing member 11 is configured such that the distance between the attachment position on the first bracket 8 and the attachment position on the second bracket 9 is longer than that of the short fixing member 11.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the fixing member 11 is an L-shaped flat plate member, and the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 having the same width dimension in the horizontal direction. The first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 are detachably fixed by being fastened with the bolts 12 on both side surfaces sandwiching the horizontal direction.

The operation of the robot 1 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
According to the robot 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first bracket 8 of the first shaft unit and the second bracket 9 of the second shaft unit are provided with a pair of horizontal side surfaces. In a state in which the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 are arranged so as to be sandwiched by the short fixing members 11 and fixed by the bolts 12, the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 are integrated by the fixing member 11, so that the operation of the motor 7 The entire second shaft unit can be swung around the third axis C with respect to the first arm 4.

From this state, as shown in FIG. 6, the bolt 12 is loosened to remove the fixing member 11, and as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the fixing member 11 is replaced with a long fixing member 11 and fixed again with the bolt 12. As a result, the entire second shaft unit can be shifted toward the distal end side of the wrist 6.
Thereby, the operation range can be changed so as to extend the maximum reaching position of the tip of the wrist 6.

In this case, according to the robot 1 according to the present embodiment, the second axis unit as a whole can be shifted forward without disassembling the second axis unit in order to change the operation range of the robot 1. That is, since the movable cable to the motor for driving the wrist 6 is arranged in the second axis unit, or the power transmission mechanism from the motor to the wrist 6 is arranged as in the conventional case, When disassembling, changing to a different size and reassembling, assembly work and adjustment work are required.

If the operation range can be changed without disassembling the second axis unit as in the present embodiment, all the members constituting the second axis unit can be shared before and after the operation range is changed, and the number of parts can be increased. It is also possible to reduce the time required for the adjustment work and the assembling work, and to significantly reduce the cost. Further, since the fixing member 11 is composed of a flat plate member, there is an advantage that it is easy to process and can be manufactured at low cost. Further, when the motor is arranged in the wrist 6, the shift amount of the second shaft unit is taken into consideration, and the motor 10 and the second arm 5 are provided between the first arm 4 and the second shaft unit. It suffices if the motor driving cable (not shown) has an extra length, which allows the cable to be shared.

Further, in the present embodiment, assuming that the vertical direction in the figure is the vertical direction, the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 are fixed by a pair of fixing members 11 arranged at positions sandwiching in the horizontal direction. Therefore, there is an advantage that the second shaft unit can be supported in a both-supported state and the rigidity can be improved.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, by shifting the second shaft unit forward, a space is formed between the two fixing members 11. Therefore, using this space, for example, The wire feeder 13 for the welding wire can be arranged and can be used as an arc welding robot.
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the fixing members 11 made of L-shaped flat plate members are arranged on both side surfaces of the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 in the horizontal direction. In a region surrounded by a broken line, the fixing member 11 does not have to project to the lower portion of the base end of the second shaft unit, and there is also an advantage that interference with peripheral devices can be reduced.

In this embodiment, two types of fixing members 11, short and long, are adopted, but instead of this, three or more types of fixing members 11 are prepared so that the operating range can be changed stepwise. You may decide.
Further, since the fixing member 11 made of a flat plate member is adopted, it is possible to use it by reversing the front and back surfaces. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, the second shaft unit arranged above the motor 7 for swinging the second arm 5 is inverted to the upper limit as shown in FIGS. 3 and 10. By fixing the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 with the fixing member 11 which is reversed right and left, it is possible to configure the robot 1 having an axis configuration in which the fourth axis is offset in the up-down direction.

Further, instead of changing the operation range by preparing and exchanging two types of fixing members 11, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the fixing position to the second bracket 9 is changed in the front-rear direction. One type of fixing member 15 having a plurality of through holes 14 may be prepared so as to be able to do so.
The fixing position to the first bracket 8 may be changed instead of or in addition to changing the fixing position to the second bracket 9.

Further, when a plurality of fixing positions are prepared for one type of fixing member 15 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the fixing member 15 may be integrated with the first bracket 8 or the second bracket 9. ..
Thereby, there is an advantage that the number of parts can be further reduced and the cost can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, the second shaft unit is supported in a double-sided manner by fixing the fixing members 11 on both side surfaces sandwiching the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9 in the horizontal direction. Instead of this, as shown in FIG. 15, it may be arranged on one of the side surfaces and supported in a cantilever manner.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the structure in which the second shaft unit can be shifted in the front-rear direction at the position where the second arm 5 is attached to the first arm 4 has been exemplified, but the structure is not limited to this, and the swing cylinder is not limited thereto. It may be applied to the case where the second shaft that swings the first arm 4 with respect to 3 is shifted in the front-rear direction or the second shaft unit is shifted in the longitudinal direction of the first arm 4.

Further, in the present embodiment, as the fixing member 11, the one made of a flat plate member is adopted, but instead of this, in order to improve the strength of the fixing member 11, a fixing member 11 having a rib is adopted. Good. Moreover, you may make it fix using three or more fixing members 11.
Further, in the present embodiment, as the robot 1, the fourth axis D extends in the plane orthogonal to the third axis C, and the third axis C and the fourth axis D are vertically arranged. Instead, a plane in which the plane orthogonal to the third axis C and the plane orthogonal to the fourth axis D are parallel to each other, in which the third axis C and the fourth axis D are arranged in parallel, Good.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, at least a part of the fixing member 11 includes a plurality of beam members 19 that connect the first bracket 8 and the second bracket 9, and a plurality of beam members 19. It may be configured by a group of a plurality of reinforcing members 20 that reinforce the beam member 19. Further, the beam member 19 and the reinforcing member 20 may be provided with a plurality of holes and taps so that the attachment site can be changed. In this case, it is preferable that the aggregate of the beam member 19 and the reinforcing member 20 is bolted. As a result, the fixing member 11 is reduced in weight and improved in strength, and by exchanging only some of the beam members 19 and the reinforcing members 20 depending on the intended use of the robot 1, the fixing members 11 having different offset amounts can be obtained. Can be changed.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, at least one of the first bracket 8 and the beam member 19 and the at least one of the beam member 19 and the second bracket 9 relays the two members. May be provided. Accordingly, it is not necessary to remove the fixing member 11 on the output shaft or the like to reduce the sealing property of the drive unit, and the attaching/detaching work can be performed more easily.

Further, in the present embodiment, a 6-axis articulated robot is illustrated as the axis configuration of the robot 1, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the present invention is also applicable to a 7-axis articulated robot in which one rotation axis is added to the first arm 4 in FIG. 1 in the direction of twisting the first arm 4. It is also possible that the first arm 4 is divided in the middle and each divided portion of the first arm 4 is configured as a fixing member for the newly added uniaxial unit.

As a result, the length of the first arm 4 can be adjusted, and the number of axes can be changed to 6 axes or 7 axes. This is not limited to vertical articulated robots, but can be applied to horizontal articulated scalar type robots and parallel link robots.

Further, the first shaft unit and the second shaft unit can be not only the rotary shaft but also the direct drive shaft. For example, to explain using a robot mounted on a traveling axis, the operation range of the robot 1 can be expanded by setting the installation base of the robot 1 as a robot base offset from the slider unit installation surface of the traveling axis. Is possible. At this time, by configuring the robot base as the fixed member 11, the offset amount can be adjusted, and the operation range of the robot 1 can be adjusted.

Further, in the present embodiment, as the first shaft unit and the second shaft unit, the first bracket 8 is rotated about the third axis C with respect to the first arm 4, and the second bracket 9 is a base. Although the one in which the end shaft 16 is rotated about the fourth axis D has been illustrated, the present invention is not limited to this, and the base shaft 16 for the first arm 8 and the second bracket 9 is not limited to this. You may use what drives relative. For example, the first bracket 8 is linearly driven in the direction along the third axis C with respect to the first arm 4, and the base end shaft 16 is linearly driven in the direction along the fourth axis D with respect to the second bracket 9. You may use the thing. Further, as shown in FIG. 19, the one in which the first shaft unit is rotationally driven and the second shaft unit is linearly driven, or the one in which the first shaft unit is linearly driven and the second shaft unit is rotationally driven is used. May be.

1 Robot 4 1st arm (1st member)
6 wrist (wrist part)
8 1st bracket (2nd member)
9 Second bracket (third member)
7,10 Motor (first motor, second motor)
11, 15 Fixing member 16 Base shaft (4th member)
19 Beam member 20 Reinforcing member 21 Relay member C Third axis (rotating shaft)
D 4th axis (rotating axis)

Claims (13)

A first shaft unit that relatively drives the second member with respect to the first member by the first motor;
A second shaft unit that relatively drives the fourth member with respect to the third member by the second motor;
A fixing member that is detachably provided between the second member and the third member and integrally fixes the second member and the third member,
The fixing member can be fixed at different positions with respect to at least one of the second member and the third member, and by changing the fixing position with respect to at least one of the second member and the third member, A robot that can change the size of the wrist movement range. The robot according to claim 1, wherein a relay member that relays two members is provided between at least one of the second member and the fixing member and between at least one of the third member and the fixing member. In the first shaft unit, the second member is rotationally driven with respect to the first member,
The robot according to claim 1, wherein in the second shaft unit, the fourth member is rotationally driven with respect to the third member. The robot according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first axis unit and the second axis unit is linearly driven. The robot according to claim 3, wherein a rotation axis of the fourth member with respect to the third member extends in a plane substantially orthogonal to a rotation axis of the second member with respect to the first member. The fixing member is integrally provided on one of the second member and the third member, and is provided so as to be fixable at a different position with respect to the other of the second member and the third member. 6. The robot according to claim 5. The robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fixing member is provided so as to be able to fix both the second member and the third member only on both sides thereof. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is a flat plate member. At least a part of the fixing member is composed of a plurality of beam members that reinforce between the second member and the third member, and an assembly of at least one reinforcing member that reinforces each of the beam members. The robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The robot according to claim 9, wherein the beam member or the assembly of the reinforcing members is bolted. The second shaft unit includes a third motor that rotationally drives a fifth member with respect to the fourth member, and a fourth motor that rotationally drives a sixth member with respect to the fifth member,
The robot according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a wrist portion is constituted by the fourth member, the fifth member, and the sixth member. A first shaft unit that relatively drives the second member with respect to the first member by the first motor;
A second shaft unit that relatively drives the fourth member with respect to the third member by the second motor;
A method for changing an operation range of a robot, comprising: a fixing member that is detachably provided between the second member and the third member and that integrally fixes the second member and the third member. hand,
A method of changing a size of an operation range of a wrist by changing a fixing position of the fixing member with respect to at least one of the second member and the third member. A first shaft unit that relatively drives the second member with respect to the first member by the first motor;
A second shaft unit that relatively drives the fourth member with respect to the third member by the second motor;
A method for changing an operation range of a robot, comprising: a fixing member that is detachably provided between the second member and the third member and that integrally fixes the second member and the third member. hand,
A method of changing the size of the operating range of the wrist by replacing the fixing member that fixes the second member and the third member with another fixing member having a different length.

Images