JP2023041529A - Work assisting device - Google Patents

Abstract

To solve the problem of a conventional work assisting device that a position of a hand part with respect to a wrist part cannot be easily changed.SOLUTION: A work assisting device 1 includes an arm part, a wrist part 5 supported by the arm part, and a hand part 6 supported by the wrist part 5 so as to be rotatable around a hand rotation shaft 68 with respect to the wrist part 5. A position of the hand part 6 with respect to the wrist part 5 is displaceable in plan view by the rotation of the hand part 6 around the hand rotation shaft. The work assisting device makes it possible to easily change the position of the hand part with respect to the wrist part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a work assisting device having a structure in which a wrist portion is attached to an arm portion.

BACKGROUND ART When a worker performs a predetermined work, it is convenient to have a work assisting device for supporting tools such as tools and objects in addition to the worker's hands. As such a device, for example, a device for use in electrical work by an indirect hot-line construction method using a so-called hot stick has been proposed. In this type of electrical work, a worker generally rides on a bucket of an aerial work platform or the like, approaches an electric wire, and uses a hot stick to handle the electric wire.

For example, Patent Literature 1, Patent Literature 2, and Patent Literature 3 below disclose structures of balance support devices for operating rods. As such a balance support device, a structure including a gas spring for supporting the balance of the arm and a gas spring for assisting the tilting of the operating rod has been proposed.

In addition, in the following patent document 4, two gas springs are provided in parallel for applying an auxiliary force to raise the parallel link against the load acting in the direction of lofting the parallel link. An arm structure is disclosed.

JP-A-11-225407 JP-A-11-18227 JP-A-10-94126 JP-A-10-180665

By the way, as the work assisting device, it is possible to use one having a structure in which a wrist portion to which a hand portion for supporting tools such as tools and objects is attached is attached to an arm portion. In a work assisting device having such a structure, it would be convenient if the posture of the hand portion with respect to the wrist portion could be changed. For example, the position of the hand portion with respect to the wrist portion can be switched between the right side and the left side as viewed from the operator. That is, the position in the horizontal plane of the hand portion can be switched with respect to the wrist portion. Then, the hand part can be arranged at a position that is easy to use according to the content of the work and the dominant hand of the operator, so that the work can be easily performed. Regarding such a need, for example, the above patent documents do not disclose or suggest anything.

It is desirable that the method of switching the position of the hand portion with respect to the wrist portion be an easy method. For example, it is troublesome to remove the hand part from the wrist part and reattach the hand part in a different posture to the wrist part.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a work assisting device capable of easily changing the position of the hand portion relative to the wrist portion.

A work assisting device according to a first aspect of the invention comprises an arm, a wrist supported by the arm, and a hand supported by the wrist so as to be rotatable relative to the wrist about a hand rotation axis. and a portion, and is configured such that the position of the hand portion relative to the wrist portion in plan view is displaced by rotating the hand portion around the hand rotation axis.

With such a configuration, the position of the hand portion relative to the wrist portion can be easily changed.

In addition, in the work assisting device of the second invention, in contrast to the first invention, the wrist portion rotates around the wrist rotation axis with respect to the wrist base portion arranged on the arm portion side and the wrist base portion. The wrist rotation axis and the hand rotation axis are not parallel, and the hand part can rotate about the hand rotation axis with respect to the wrist rotation part. It is a work auxiliary device.

With such a configuration, it is possible to widen the range in which the position of the hand portion with respect to the arm portion can be changed.

In addition, in the work assisting device of the third invention, in contrast to the first or second invention, the hand rotation shaft is substantially parallel to the direction from the arm portion toward the tip and is disposed substantially horizontally. It is a work assistance device.

With this configuration, the direction of the hand in the direction from the arm toward the tip can be kept unchanged before and after the position of the hand changes.

Further, in the work assisting device of the fourth invention, in contrast to any one of the first to third inventions, the hand portion engages the wrist portion when the hand portion is at a predetermined position with respect to the wrist portion. It is a work assisting device having a rotation lock mechanism that prevents the hand from being displaced.

Such a configuration can prevent unintended displacement of the hand portion with respect to the wrist portion.

In addition, in the work assisting device of the fifth invention, in contrast to any one of the first to fourth inventions, the hand part includes a housing having an opening in which the tool is arranged, and rotating shafts parallel to each other. A plurality of rollers rotatable and arranged to sandwich and hold a tool arranged to pass through the opening, and at least one of the plurality of rollers is displaced with respect to the housing. and a position adjusting mechanism.

With such a configuration, the position of the hand portion to which the tool can be attached can be easily changed with respect to the wrist portion.

According to the work assisting device of the present invention, the position of the hand portion relative to the wrist portion can be easily changed.

A side view of the work assistance device according to the present embodiment The perspective view which shows the wrist part and hand part of the work assistance apparatus. Disassembled perspective view of the wrist part and the hand part A perspective view of the wrist portion and the hand portion viewed from the hand portion side. A plan view of the wrist part and the hand part of the same Front view of the same wrist part and hand part A plan view of a wrist portion and a hand portion of a work assisting device according to a modified example of the present embodiment.

A work assisting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the following description, the coordinates shown in the drawings are common to each drawing. The Z direction of the coordinates is the direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and is the direction in which the joint portion and the wrist portion (which may also be referred to as the tip portion) can be displaced with respect to the base portion. The X direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z direction, and is a direction in which the joint and wrist can be displaced with respect to the base. The Y direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z direction and perpendicular to the X direction. The Z direction is sometimes referred to as the up-down direction (the positive direction of the Z axis as viewed from the origin is the top), and the X direction is the front-back direction (the positive direction of the X axis as viewed from the origin is the front). The Y direction is sometimes referred to as the left-right direction. Regarding the work assisting device, the direction from the base toward the wrist is sometimes called the "distal direction", and the opposite direction is sometimes called the "proximal direction". That is, as shown in FIG. 1, when the longitudinal direction of each arm is horizontal, the distal direction is forward and the proximal direction is backward. In the following, the shape and positional relationship of each part may be described by indicating each direction in this way, but these are defined for the convenience of explanation only, and the use of the work assistance device according to the present invention It does not limit the direction or posture of time.

(Embodiment)

In this embodiment, the work assisting device has two arms connected in series, and by deploying the two arms, it is possible to secure a long distance from the base to the wrist. is configured to A gas spring is provided for each of the two arm portions, and the forces generated by the gas springs can be used to easily fold the arm portions and maintain the posture of the work assist device. ing. The wrist part has a wrist rotating part that can be displaced in the vertical direction by rotating about the wrist rotating shaft with respect to the wrist base part. A hand portion capable of acting on a support object such as a tool is attached to the wrist rotating portion. The vertical position of the hand portion can be displaced along with the displacement of the wrist rotating portion. The hand section is rotatably supported by the wrist rotation section about the hand rotation axis. That is, the position of the hand portion relative to the wrist portion can be changed. The work assisting device 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a work assistance device 1 according to this embodiment.

In each figure below, for convenience of explanation, hidden lines are shown as solid lines, hidden lines are omitted, depiction of details is simplified, and illustration of specific members is omitted. may occur.

As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the work assisting device 1 roughly includes a base portion 3, a joint portion 4, a wrist portion 5, a hand portion 6, a base portion 8, a first arm portion 11, and A second arm portion 21 is provided. The first arm portion 11, the joint portion 4, the second arm portion 21, the wrist portion 5, and the hand portion 6 are arranged in this order from the base portion 3 toward the tip side. The base portion 3 is attached above the base portion 8 .

The base portion 8 is attached to a mounting wall 80 that is part of the bucket of the aerial work vehicle, for example. The base portion 8 is configured, for example, like a clamp that sandwiches the mounting wall 80 from both sides, but is not limited to this. Based on the base portion 8 attached to the mounting wall 80, the other portions of the work assisting device 1 are operably supported.

The base portion 3 is a member extending upward from the base portion 8 . The base 3 is configured in a substantially vertical columnar shape. Note that the base 3 may be tilted obliquely. The base 3 can be horizontally rotated (revolved) with respect to the base 8 . That is, the work assisting device 1 is horizontally rotatable with respect to the base portion 8 . A mechanism for locking the rotation of the base 3 may be provided.

The first arm portion 11 is connected to the base portion 3 on the proximal end side. A proximal end portion of the first arm portion 11 is connected to the upper portion of the base portion 3 .

The joint portion 4 is connected to the distal end side of the first arm portion 11 . That is, the first arm portion 11 is connected to the joint portion 4 on the distal end side. The joint part 4 is formed, for example, by cutting a metal block, but is not limited to this.

The second arm portion 21 is connected to the joint portion 4 on the proximal end side. In other words, the proximal end portion of the second arm portion 21 is connected to the distal end portion of the joint portion 4 .

The wrist portion 5 is connected to the distal end side of the second arm portion 21 . That is, the second arm portion 21 is connected to the wrist portion 5 on the distal end side.

The hand section 6 is attached to the wrist section 5 . The hand part 6 is detachable from the main body of the wrist part 5, but is not limited to this. It can be said that the hand part 6 is a structure supported by the wrist part 5 .

In the present embodiment, the object to be supported by the work assisting device 1 is the tool 90 used in the indirect live wire construction method. The tool 90 is, for example, what is called a hot stick. The hot stick has, for example, a rod-shaped portion (not shown) made of an insulating material, and a grip portion (not shown) attached to the upper end of the rod-shaped portion for gripping, for example, an electric wire. In this embodiment, the tool 90 is held by the hand section 6 . In addition, the support object is not limited to the hot stick, but other work tools and members to be worked (for example, in the case of electrical work at high places, electric wires and accompanying members), etc. may be For example, the object to be supported may be an applicator or the like for applying paint to the structure to be maintained. Alternatively, the hand unit 6 itself may be expressed as the object to be supported. For example, a hand portion configured to have a function different from the holding function of the tool 90 may be attachable to the wrist portion 5 .

In this embodiment, the first arm portion 11 has a first upper link 12 and a first lower link 13 . Each of the links 12 and 13 is composed of, for example, a beam-like member or a member covering it, but may have other structures.

The first upper link 12 and the first lower link 13 are arranged vertically to form a parallel link. That is, the first arm portion 11 has two links 12 and 13 forming parallel links. The first upper link 12 is connected to the base portion 3 on the proximal end side and connected to the joint portion 4 on the distal end side. The first lower link 13 is also connected to the base portion 3 on the proximal end side and connected to the joint portion 4 on the distal end side. The joint that connects each member has a rotation axis in the left-right direction. The distance between the two joints on the side of the base 3 and the distance between the two joints on the side of the joint 4 are equal, and the distance between the joint on the distal side of the first upper link 12 and the joint on the proximal side of the first upper link 12 is equal to the distance between the joints on the side of the joint 4. The distance between the joint on the distal end side of the lower link 13 and the joint on the proximal end side is equal. Since the base portion 3 and the joint portion 4 are connected to each other through the two links 12 and 13 in this manner, the joint portion 4 can be vertically displaced with respect to the base portion 3, and the joint portion 4 can be displaced. However, the posture of the joint 4 with respect to the horizontal plane does not change.

A first gas spring 16 is connected to the first arm portion 11 . In the present embodiment, the first gas spring 16 is of a compression type that generates a substantially constant reaction force when compressed (variation in generated reaction force is relatively small), but is not limited to this. , for example of the tension type that generates a reaction force when pulled. Also, the reaction force may vary greatly depending on the amount of compression.

Two attachment portions at both ends of the first gas spring 16 are connected to one of the two links of the first arm portion 11 and the base portion 3 respectively. In this embodiment, the first gas spring 16 is connected between the first upper link 12 and a position below the joint portion between the first upper link 12 and the base portion 3 . That is, the repulsive force of the first gas spring acts in the direction of pushing up the first arm portion 11 against gravity. It should be noted that the first gas spring 16 may be of tension type, and the two mounting portions may be connected to the first lower link 13 and the base portion 3, respectively. Also, the first gas spring 16 may be provided between the first arm portion 11 and the joint portion 4 .

The second arm portion 21 has a second upper link 22 and a second lower link 23 . Each of the links 22 and 23 is composed of, for example, a beam-like member or a member covering it, but may have other structures.

The second upper link 22 and the second lower link 23 are arranged vertically to form a parallel link. That is, the second arm portion 21 has two links 22 and 23 that form parallel links. The second upper link 22 is connected to the joint portion 4 on the proximal end side and connected to the wrist portion 5 on the distal end side. The second lower link 23 is also connected to the joint portion 4 on the proximal end side and connected to the wrist portion 5 on the distal end side. The joint that connects each member has a rotation axis in the left-right direction. The distance between the two joints on the joint portion 4 side and the distance between the two joints on the wrist portion 5 side are equal, and the distance between the distal end side joint and the base end side joint of the second upper link 22 is equal to the distance between the two joints on the wrist portion 5 side. The distance between the joint on the distal end side and the joint on the proximal end side of the two lower links 23 is equal. Since the joint portion 4 and the wrist portion 5 are connected to each other through the two links 22 and 23 in this manner, the wrist portion 5 can be vertically displaced with respect to the joint portion 4, and the wrist portion 5 can be displaced vertically. Even if it is displaced, the posture of the base end side of the wrist portion 5 with respect to the horizontal plane does not change. That is, the wrist portion 5 can be vertically displaced with respect to the base portion 3, and regardless of the positions of the wrist portion 5 and the joint portion 4, the posture of the proximal side of the wrist portion 5 with respect to the horizontal plane is maintained.

A second gas spring 26 is connected to the second arm portion 21 . In the present embodiment, the second gas spring 26 is of a compression type that generates a substantially constant reaction force, but is not limited to this, and may be of a tension type, or may be of a tension type. It may be one with a large change in reaction force.

Two attachment portions at both ends of the second gas spring 26 are connected to one of the two links of the second arm portion 21 and the joint portion 4 respectively. In this embodiment, the second gas spring 26 is connected between the second upper link 22 and a position below the joint portion between the second upper link 22 and the joint portion 4 . That is, the repulsive force of the second gas spring acts in the direction of pushing up the second arm portion 21 against gravity. It should be noted that the second gas spring 26 may be of tension type, and the two mounting portions may be connected to the second lower link 23 and the joint portion 4, respectively. Also, the second gas spring 26 may be provided between the second arm portion 21 and the wrist portion 5 .

In this embodiment, the fixing mechanism that prevents the first arm portion 11 from being displaced with respect to the base portion 3 and the fixing mechanism that prevents the second arm portion 21 from being displaced with respect to the joint portion 4 are respectively (not shown). Such a fixing mechanism can be realized, for example, by combining a fixing plate that rotates with the rotation of the arms 11 and 21 and a locking member that sandwiches the fixing plate between the base 3 or the joint 4. be.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the wrist portion 5 and the hand portion 6 of the work assisting device 1. As shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the wrist portion 5 includes a wrist base portion 51 , a wrist rotating portion 52 , a fixing mechanism 54 and a cushioning mechanism 56 . The wrist base portion 51 and the wrist rotation portion 52 are each formed by cutting, for example, a metal block, but are not limited to this.

The wrist base portion 51 is arranged on the arm portion 21 side. In this embodiment, an arm attachment portion 519 is provided on the base end side of the wrist base portion 51 . To the arm attachment portion 519 are attached tip-side portions of the second upper link 22 and the second lower link 23 .

The wrist rotating portion 52 is supported by the wrist base portion 51 so as to be rotatable with respect to the wrist base portion 51 about the wrist rotating shaft 58 . A support plate portion 527 to which the hand portion 6 is attached is provided on the distal end side of the wrist rotating portion 52 . By adjusting the position of the wrist rotating portion 52 with respect to the wrist base portion 51, the attitude of the hand portion 6 can be adjusted, and the tool 90 can be put in a state suitable for work. In this embodiment, the support plate portion 527 is provided so as to assume a substantially vertical posture in a normal state (a state in which the tool 90 supported by the hand portion 6 is in a substantially vertical posture). A protruding portion 529 protruding forward is formed in the vicinity of the lower end of the support plate portion 527 .

In addition, in the present embodiment, the wrist rotating shaft 58 is provided integrally with the wrist rotating portion 52 . The wrist rotation axis 58 is parallel to the left-right direction. That is, the wrist rotating portion 52 can be vertically displaced with respect to the wrist base portion 51 by rotating around the wrist rotating shaft 58 . It should be noted that the fact that the wrist rotating portion 52 is vertically displaceable means that the support plate portion 527 is vertically displaceable. In addition, the fact that the wrist rotating portion 52 can be displaced up and down can be said to mean that the wrist rotating portion 52 is rotatable in the forward tilting direction and the backward tilting direction.

The wrist rotation shaft 58 extends in both left and right directions from the portion of the wrist rotation portion 52 that is arranged inside a recess provided in the wrist base portion 51 . The wrist rotating shaft 58 is supported by the wrist base 51 on both left and right sides. In this way, since the wrist rotating portion 52 is supported by the wrist base portion 51 in a "both-supported" manner, even if a force is applied between the wrist base portion 51 and the wrist rotating portion 52, the wrist rotating portion 52 can operate stably. becomes. The wrist rotating shaft 58 may be configured separately from the wrist rotating portion 52 and the wrist base portion 51, or may be formed integrally with the wrist base portion 51. .

The fixing mechanism 54 is arranged on the right side surface of the wrist base 51 . The fixing mechanism 54 is a part that fixes the position of the wrist rotating portion 52 with respect to the wrist base portion 51 . In the present embodiment, the fixing mechanism 54 includes, for example, a plate-shaped fixing plate substantially perpendicular to the wrist rotation axis 58 and fixing screws. The fixed plate is provided, for example, so as to rotate with respect to the wrist base 51 together with the wrist rotating portion 52 . The fixation screw is arranged to engage the fixation plate and is screwed into the wrist base 51 from the side of the fixation plate, for example, through the fixation plate. By screwing the fixing screw into the wrist base 51, the seat surface (which may be a washer) of the fixing screw is pressed against the side surface of the fixing plate, and the frictional force between the fixing plate and the fixing screw and the wrist base is reduced. Become stronger. Thereby, the wrist rotating portion 52 is fixed to the wrist base portion 51 .

In addition, in the present embodiment, the fixing screw is, for example, a so-called clamp lever, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a bolt with a knob or a simple bolt. Also, the fixing plate may be fixed by a member having a clamping mechanism such as a cam lever.

Since the fixing mechanism 54 is provided in this manner, the position of the wrist rotating portion 52 with respect to the wrist base portion 51 can be easily fixed. Therefore, the work assistance device 1 can be used more conveniently.

The buffer mechanism 56 is arranged on the left side of the wrist base 51 . The cushioning mechanism 56 is a part configured to apply a reaction force to the wrist rotating portion 52 at least when the wrist rotating portion 52 rotates in a predetermined direction with respect to the wrist base portion 51 . In other words, the cushioning mechanism 56 is configured to apply a force in a direction that hinders the rotation of the wrist rotating portion 52 at least when the wrist rotating portion 52 rotates in a predetermined direction with respect to the wrist base portion 51 . .

In the present embodiment, the damping mechanism 56 is a one-way rotary damper, for example, a rotary damper incorporating a one-way clutch. The buffer mechanism 56 is configured to apply a force in a direction that prevents the rotation of the wrist rotating portion 52 when the wrist rotating portion 52 is displaced downward. The cushioning mechanism 56 is configured not to apply a force that prevents the rotation of the wrist rotating portion 52 when the wrist rotating portion 52 is displaced upward. By providing such a buffer mechanism 56, when an object having a relatively large mass is supported by the wrist rotating portion 52, or when an external force causes the wrist rotating portion 52 to be displaced downward, Even when it is energized, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an event in which the wrist rotating portion 52 is suddenly displaced downward. Further, when displacing the wrist rotating portion 52 upward, the wrist rotating portion 52 can be easily rotated with a relatively small force without the resistance force of the buffer mechanism 56 being applied. Note that the structure of the buffer mechanism 56 is not limited to this. The damping mechanism 56 may be a two-way rotary damper. Further, as the cushioning mechanism 56, a torsion spring or the like arranged to urge the wrist rotating portion 52 in an upward displacement direction may be used. As the buffer mechanism 56, a linear damper, gas spring, or the like is used, one end of which is attached to the wrist rotating portion 52 side and the other end of which is attached to a portion closer to the base end than the wrist rotating portion 52. may Even in this case, the buffer mechanism 56 may be configured to generate a force in a direction that prevents the rotation of the wrist rotating portion 52 at least in a predetermined direction.

In this embodiment, the wrist portion 5 is provided with a rotation restricting structure (not shown) that restricts the rotatable range of the wrist rotating portion 52 with respect to the wrist base portion 51 . The rotation restricting structure is such that when the wrist rotating portion 52 is at a predetermined position with respect to the wrist base portion 51, the contact surface on the wrist rotating portion 52 side comes into contact with the support surface on the wrist base portion 51 side. That is, the rotation restricting structure is configured to restrict further rotation of the wrist rotating portion 52 with respect to the wrist base portion 51 by bringing the contact surface into contact with the supporting surface. In this embodiment, the support surface is provided inside a recess provided in the wrist base portion 51, and the contact surface is provided in a portion of the wrist rotating portion 52 disposed inside the recess. ing.

The hand section 6 has a housing 61 , four rollers 65 and 66 , a position adjustment mechanism 64 and a hand support section 67 . The hand part 6 is positioned at the tip of the work assisting device 1 . That is, the hand portion 6 is attached to the distal end side of the wrist portion 5 . The hand portion 6 is supported by the wrist portion 5 via a hand support portion 67 attached to the wrist portion 5 .

In the present embodiment, the hand portion 6 is located laterally from the wrist portion 5 in the left-right direction. The hand portion 6 is configured to be positioned on either the left or right side of the wrist portion 5 (each figure shows a state of being positioned on the right side of the wrist portion 5). . That is, the hand portion 6 is offset to the left or right from the vertical plane on which the base portion 3, the arm portions 11 and 21, and the wrist portion 5 are positioned.

The structure of the hand portion 6 will be described in more detail below.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wrist portion 5 and the hand portion 6. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wrist portion 5 and the hand portion 6 viewed from the hand portion 6 side.

In the present embodiment, the housing 61 as a whole has a rectangular parallelepiped shape having an outer surface perpendicular to each of the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The housing 61 is provided with an opening 62 that opens vertically and a slit 63 that opens laterally from the opening 62 . The opening 62 is a portion where the tool 90 can be arranged. That is, the bar-shaped tool 90 can be arranged so as to extend vertically through the opening 62 . The slit portion 63 is provided on the opposite side (outer side) of the housing 61 to the side closer to the wrist portion 5 in the left-right direction. A space inside the housing 61 through which the tool 90 can be placed through the opening 62 communicates with the outside of the housing 61 through the slit 63 . The slit portion 63 has a width dimension slightly wider than the outer diameter of the tool 90 , so that the tool 90 can be arranged in the housing 61 through the slit portion 63 .

The hand portion 6 is provided with four rollers 65 and 66 . In other words, the hand portion 6 is provided with two movable rollers 65 whose rotation axes are behind the opening 62 and two support rollers 66 whose rotation axes are ahead of the opening 62 .

Each of the four rollers 65 and 66 has a cylindrical shape with a relatively long dimension in the vertical direction. The rotation axes of the four rollers 65, 66 are parallel to each other. Each axis of rotation is parallel to the vertical direction. The outer peripheral surfaces of the four rollers 65 and 66 are made of resin such as rubber. The four rollers 65 and 66 are arranged so as to surround the rod-shaped portion of the tool 90 held by the hand portion 6 . The four rollers 65 and 66 are positioned around the opening 62 in plan view.

The two support rollers 66 are rotatably supported by the housing 61 . The two support rollers 66 are arranged side by side.

Further, the housing 61 is provided with a position adjusting mechanism 64 . The positions of the two movable rollers 65 with respect to the housing 61 can be changed by the position adjustment mechanism 64 . In the present embodiment, the two movable rollers 65 are rotatably supported by a supporting portion (not shown) arranged to be displaceable in the front-rear direction. The two movable rollers 65 are arranged side by side. The position adjustment mechanism 64 can displace the support portion with respect to the housing 61 by, for example, a direct acting mechanism using screws. That is, in this embodiment, the two movable rollers 65 can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to their rotation axes by the position adjustment mechanism 64 . The two movable rollers 65 can be displaced toward or away from the support roller 66 . That is, the two movable rollers 65 can be displaced in the front-rear direction. Note that the position adjustment mechanism 64 may be configured to displace at least one of the plurality of rollers 65 and 66 with respect to the housing 61 .

In the present embodiment, the position adjusting mechanism 64 has a screw extending substantially horizontally rearward from the inside of the housing 61 . The end of the screw is provided with a knob for turning the screw. The hand unit 6 displaces the two movable rollers 65 in the direction toward or away from the support roller 66 by the position adjustment mechanism 64, that is, in the front-back direction. It can be held.

The attachment of the tool 90 to the hand portion 6 can be performed as follows. That is, the movable roller 65 is retracted. A tool 90 is arranged between the movable roller 65 and the support roller 66 through the slit portion 63 . Then, in this state, the movable roller 65 is moved forward so that the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped portion of the tool 90 contacts the four rollers 65 and 66 . When the tool 90 is arranged in this manner, the tool 90 is held so as not to be vertically displaced. Since the rollers 65 and 66 are rotatable with respect to the housing 61, the tool 90 held by the hand section 6 is rotatable in the vertical direction (horizontal direction) with respect to the hand section 6. . As a result, the tool 90 supported by the work assisting device 1 can be rotated in the horizontal direction according to the content of the work to perform the work. When removing the tool 90 from the hand portion 6, the procedure may be reversed.

The operator can perform such attachment/detachment work while operating the knob of the position adjustment mechanism 64 . For example, the operator can easily attach and detach the tool 90 by operating the knob with the other hand while holding the tool 90 with one hand.

Note that the position adjusting mechanism 64 is not limited to those using screws. If the position adjusting mechanism 64 is configured to displace the support portion of the movable roller 65 between a holding position for holding the tool 90 and a retracted position behind the holding position, good. The position adjustment mechanism 64 may have a cam or the like configured to directly or indirectly push the support into the holding position. Position adjustment mechanism 64 may be, for example, a toggle clamp. For example, it has an operating section operated by a worker, and a link mechanism disposed between the operating section and the supporting section configured to displace the supporting section in accordance with the displacement of the operating section. may Further, for example, the urging force of an urging member such as a spring or other elastic body configured to urge the support portion toward the holding position is configured to be changed according to the operation of the operating portion. can be anything.

The hand support portion 67 is attached to the housing 61 . In this embodiment, the hand support portion 67 is attached to one side surface (the left side surface in FIG. 2) of the housing 61 . It can be said that the hand support portion 67 is a beam-shaped portion extending in the left-right direction from the housing 61 . The hand support portion 67 is a plate-like member substantially parallel to the support plate portion 527 . The hand support portion 67 is attached to the support plate portion 527 so as to be rotatable around the hand rotating shaft 68 supported by the support plate portion 527 . That is, the hand portion 6 is supported by the wrist portion 5 so as to be rotatable about the hand rotating shaft 68 with respect to the wrist portion 5 . More specifically, the hand portion 6 is supported by the wrist rotating portion 52 so as to be rotatable about the hand rotating shaft 68 with respect to the wrist rotating portion 52 .

Here, in the present embodiment, a hole 528 is formed in the support plate portion 527 and the hand rotating shaft 68 is attached to the hole 528 . Specifically, for example, a screw is formed at the rear end portion of the hand rotation shaft 68, and the hand rotation shaft 68 is fixed to the support plate portion 527 by being screwed into the hole portion 528, which is a screw hole. . The hand rotation axis 68 takes a posture substantially perpendicular to the support plate portion 527, and the wrist rotation axis 58 and the hand rotation axis 68 are not parallel to each other. That is, in a normal state in which the support plate portion 527 is substantially vertical, the hand rotating shaft 68 is substantially parallel to the front-rear direction. In other words, the hand rotation axis 68 is substantially parallel to the direction from the arms 11 and 21 toward the tip. It can be said that the hand rotation shaft 68 is arranged substantially horizontally. Note that the hand rotation shaft 68 may be formed on the wrist portion 5 side. The mounting structure of the hand part 6 to the wrist part 5 which is rotatable around the hand rotation shaft 68 can take various other structures.

Here, the hand support portion 67 is provided with a rotation lock mechanism 69 . The rotation lock mechanism 69 prevents the hand section 6 from being displaced by engaging with the wrist section 5 when the hand section 6 is at a predetermined position with respect to the wrist section 5 . In the present embodiment, the rotation lock mechanism 69 is, for example, a plunger that is held by the hand support portion 67 and has a tip that protrudes from the support plate portion 527 . When the hand support portion 67 is substantially parallel to the left-right direction, the rotation lock mechanism 69 engages the tip of the hand support portion 67 in a recess formed in the support plate portion 527 , thereby locking the hand support portion 67 against the support plate portion 527 . to prevent it from rotating. The operator pulls the rotation lock mechanism 69 forward to release the engagement between the rotation lock mechanism 69 and the support plate portion 527 (by pulling out the distal end portion of the rotation lock mechanism 69 from the concave portion), so that the hand support portion 67 is released. It can be made rotatable with respect to the support plate portion 527 . Note that the rotation lock mechanism 69 may be a knock pin, a screw, or the like. The rotation lock mechanism 69 may be configured to fix the hand portion 6 to the wrist portion 5 by frictional force or the like generated by pressing the hand portion 6 against the attachment surface of the wrist portion 5. .

Since the hand portion 6 is attached to the wrist portion 5 in this manner, the hand portion 6 rotates around the hand rotation shaft 68, thereby making the wrist portion of the hand portion 6 in plan view (viewed from above). The position relative to the portion 5 is configured to be displaced.

5 is a plan view of the wrist portion 5 and the hand portion 6. FIG. 6 is a front view of the wrist portion 5 and the hand portion 6. FIG.

5 and 6, the wrist portion 5 is indicated by a chain double-dashed line. A hand portion (reference numeral 6L) indicated by a dashed line indicates the position of the hand portion 6 in a displaced state with respect to the wrist portion 5. As shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the hand portion 6 can be arranged on the left and right sides of the wrist portion 5 . That is, the hand part 6 rotates about the wrist rotation axis 58 as indicated by the arrow R1 (shown in FIG. 6) from the state of being arranged on the right side of the wrist part 5 as indicated by the solid line in the figure. , and placed on the left side of the list section 5 (reference numeral 6L). Note that the rotation lock mechanism 69 is engaged with the support plate portion 527 in each of the state in which the hand portion 6 is arranged on the right side of the wrist portion 5 and the state in which the hand portion 6 is arranged on the left side of the wrist portion 5. is configured to Thereby, the position of the hand portion 6 can be fixed in a state where the hand portion 6 is at a predetermined position on the right side or the left side of the wrist portion 5 .

A protruding portion 529 formed near the lower end of the support plate portion 527 is positioned below the hand support portion 67 . The hand support portion 67 is arranged above the projecting portion 529 . That is, the projecting portion 529 is configured to restrict the range in which the hand portion 6 can be displaced by coming into contact with the hand support portion 67 . In this embodiment, the upper surface of the protruding portion 529 is in contact with or very close to the hand support portion 67 when the hand portion 6 is positioned on the right and left sides of the wrist portion 5 . That is, the projecting portion 529 restricts the rotation of the hand portion 6 by contacting a part of the hand portion 6 positioned at a predetermined position. Thereby, when the hand portion 6 is rotated with respect to the wrist portion 5 , the hand portion 6 can be easily positioned so that the rotation lock mechanism 69 engages with the support plate portion 527 . Further, since the hand portion 6 can be supported by the support plate portion 527, the hand portion 6 can withstand a large downward load.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the hand portion 6 is rotatable about the hand rotation shaft 68 with respect to the wrist portion 5, the position of the hand portion 6 with respect to the wrist portion 5 can be changed. can. The position of the hand portion 6 can be easily changed without requiring work such as removing the hand portion 6 from the wrist portion 5 . Therefore, the work assistance device 1 can be used more conveniently.

Here, since the hand rotation shaft 68 is a substantially horizontal axis, the positional relationship of the hand portion 6 in the front-rear direction does not change whether the hand portion 6 is on the right side or the left side of the wrist portion 5 . Therefore, regardless of the position of the hand portion 6, the knob of the position adjusting mechanism 64 is always positioned on the rear side of the housing 61, so that the operator can easily operate the position adjusting mechanism 64. Further, even if the tool 90 has a structure that approaches the side peripheral surface of the housing 61, the tool 90 can be used in a similar manner regardless of the position of the hand section 6. FIG. That is, regardless of whether the hand portion 6 is on the right side or the left side, the tool 90 remains in the same posture to avoid interference with the position adjustment mechanism 64 having a portion projecting rearward from the housing 61. be able to.

The hand part 6 has a symmetrical shape with respect to the horizontal plane (has a vertically symmetrical shape). Therefore, regardless of the left and right positions of the hand portion 6, the attachment of the tool 90 and the like can be performed in the same manner.

In addition, the attachment structure to the wrist part 5 which can rotate the hand part 6 is not restricted to this. For example, the posture of the hand rotation axis 68 may be different from that of the above embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the wrist portion 5 and the hand portion 6 of the work assisting device according to one modification of the present embodiment.

Also in FIG. 7, the wrist portion 5 is indicated by a chain double-dashed line as in FIG. 5 and the like. Also, the hand portions (reference numerals 6F and 6L) indicated by dashed lines indicate the positions of the hand portion 6 displaced with respect to the wrist portion 5 .

In the modification shown in FIG. 7, the wrist rotation portion 52B of the wrist portion 5 has a substantially horizontal support plate portion 527B. A projecting portion 529B projecting upward from the upper surface of the supporting plate portion 527B is provided near the rear end of the supporting plate portion 527B. In the hand portion 6, the hand support portion 67 is attached substantially horizontally so as to be substantially parallel to the support plate portion 527B. A substantially vertical hand rotation shaft 68 is attached to the support plate portion 527B. That is, the hand portion 6 is attached to the support plate portion 527B so as to be rotatable about the hand rotating shaft 68 in the direction indicated by the arrow R2 within a substantially horizontal plane.

In this modified example, the hand unit 6 rotates about the wrist rotation axis 58 from the right side of the wrist portion 5 as indicated by the solid line in the figure, and is placed on the left side of the wrist portion 5. (6L). In addition, it can also be arranged on the front side of the wrist portion 5 before reaching the left side of the wrist portion 5 (reference numeral 6F). The rotation lock mechanism 69 is configured to engage with the support plate portion 527B when the hand portion 6 is positioned on the right side, the left side, and the front side of the wrist portion 5, respectively. As a result, the position of the hand portion 6 can be fixed while the hand portion 6 is at a predetermined position with respect to the wrist portion 5 .

The projecting portion 529B is located behind the hand support portion 67. As shown in FIG. That is, the protruding portion 529B is configured to restrict the range in which the hand portion 6 can be displaced by coming into contact with the hand support portion 67 . In this modified example, the front surface of the protruding portion 529B is in contact with or very close to the hand support portion 67 when the hand portion 6 is at predetermined positions on the right and left sides of the wrist portion 5 . Thereby, when the hand portion 6 is rotated with respect to the wrist portion 5, the hand portion 6 can be easily positioned so that the rotation lock mechanism 69 engages with the support plate portion 527B.

Also in this modified example, the position of the hand portion 6 with respect to the wrist portion 5 can be easily changed as in the above-described embodiment. Therefore, the work assistance device 1 can be used more conveniently. In the present embodiment, since the hand portion 6 is supported from below by the substantially horizontal support plate portion 527B, the hand portion 6 can withstand a large downward load.

(others)

The hand section is not limited to having four rollers as described above, and may be capable of holding tools in other ways. When a plurality of rollers are used, it is preferable to have three or more rollers whose axes of rotation are parallel to each other. It suffices if they are arranged so as to surround each other. At this time, by displacing one or more rollers out of the three or more rollers in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, it is possible to hold various tools having rod-like portions with different thicknesses in the hand portion. can.

Also, the hand section may have a structure without rollers. For example, the hand section may be configured to hold the tool so as not to be displaced with respect to the hand section. Alternatively, the hand portion may not be attached to the wrist portion, and the object to be supported such as a tool may be arranged directly on the distal end side of the wrist portion.

The number of arm parts is not limited to two. Joints may not be provided. That is, the work assist device may have a structure in which the base supports the wrist via one arm, for example. It should be noted that the arm portion may not have a gas spring. Moreover, each arm part is not restricted to what comprises a parallel link structure. Each arm may have only one link.

The structures of the base and the base are not limited to those of the above embodiments. A structure in which the arm is attached to a base, frame, or the like (an example of the base) that supports the arm may be used. In other words, the application of the work assistance device is not limited to high-place work. For example, it may be one that is used by being installed on a workbench or the like in a factory, warehouse, or the like.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible and are also included within the scope of the present invention.

It is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment itself, and each component of the above-described embodiment may be appropriately replaced or combined with a component of another embodiment. Also, some components and functions may be omitted from the above-described embodiments.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the work assisting device according to the present invention has the effect that the position of the hand portion with respect to the wrist portion can be easily changed and can be conveniently used, and is useful as a work assisting device or the like.

1 Work Auxiliary Device 3 Base 5 Wrist Part 6 Hand Part 11 First Arm Part 21 Second Arm Part 51 Wrist Base Part 52 Wrist Rotating Part 61 Case 62 Opening Part 64 Position Adjustment Mechanism , 65, 66 rollers, 68 hand rotating shaft, 69 rotation lock mechanism, 90 tool

Claims (5)

an arm section;
a wrist portion supported by the arm portion;
a hand portion supported by the wrist portion so as to be rotatable about the hand rotation axis with respect to the wrist portion;
A work assisting device, wherein the position of the hand portion relative to the wrist portion in plan view is displaced by rotating the hand portion around the hand rotation axis. The list part includes:
a wrist base disposed on the arm side;
a wrist rotating portion that can be displaced in the vertical direction by rotating about the wrist rotating shaft with respect to the wrist base;
The wrist rotation axis and the hand rotation axis are not parallel,
2. The work assisting device according to claim 1, wherein said hand portion is rotatable about said hand rotating shaft with respect to said wrist rotating portion. 3. The work assisting device according to claim 1, wherein said hand rotating shaft is substantially parallel to a direction from said arm portion toward its tip and is disposed substantially horizontally. 2. The hand portion has a rotation lock mechanism that prevents the hand portion from being displaced by engaging the wrist portion when the hand portion is at a predetermined position with respect to the wrist portion. 4. The work assistance device according to any one of 3. The hand part
a housing having an opening in which the tool is placed;
a plurality of rollers rotatable about rotation axes parallel to each other and arranged so as to sandwich and hold a tool arranged to pass through the opening;
5. The work assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a position adjusting mechanism for displacing at least one of said plurality of rollers with respect to said housing.

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