JP2824170B2 - Laser processing equipment for robots - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus for a robot which is mounted on a wrist of a robot and performs processing such as drilling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various types of processing using laser light.
Thin plate cutting is one of them. In recent years, processing on a three-dimensional shape such as an automobile body has been required. In such a case, the work is generally performed by installing a laser processing head at the hand of the industrial robot. Although there are many operations for drilling a hole having a relatively small diameter, the machining head is driven using all or a majority of the operation axes of the robot. Whether the hole is on a plane or moves on the plane, the robot must drive many axes. The dynamic characteristics of each axis of the robot are not uniform. Therefore, in high-speed cutting, the trajectory of the processing head is distorted due to a difference in the dynamic characteristics.
That is, even if an attempt is made to form a perfect circular hole, the hole is not a perfect circle but a distorted hole.

As a countermeasure, a system has been realized in which a drilling operation axis is added to the end of a robot. This prior art is disclosed in, for example, Robot No. 67, pp. 34-38.
Page. This is where the robot moves to the place where it drills and holds its position and orientation with respect to the work surface,
It draws the trajectory of a hole with the added two axes having high dynamic characteristics, and handles the hole shape in polar coordinates. The tool is gripped by the first axis, and the tool trajectory of a predetermined circle is the rotation trajectory of the second axis which is the rotation axis for rotating the first axis.
The distance between the center of rotation of the first axis and the center of rotation of the second axis is determined by the specifications of the device. A predetermined radius is given by the rotation angle of the first axis, and by controlling the first axis and the second axis based on the information on the peripheral speed, small circle processing can be performed accurately.

[0004]

In this prior art, laser light is transmitted through an optical fiber. For this reason, the flexibility of the optical fiber makes it possible to connect the optical fiber directly to the processing head that moves two-dimensionally. However, when the laser beam has a large output like a CO ₂ laser and cannot be guided by an optical fiber, and if a mirror is used, it is necessary to provide an optical path using a reflecting mirror to the processing head.

A structure in which the above-described prior art concept is applied to a structure using such a reflecting mirror will be simply shown in FIG. First and second reflector M
Reference numerals 1 and M2 are fixed to a supporting member 1, and third and fourth reflecting mirrors M3 and M4 are fixed to another supporting member 2. The support member 2 is angularly displaceable about the first axis A1. The support member 1 can be angularly displaced around the second axis A2, and laser light having an optical axis coinciding with the second axis A2 is guided from a laser light source. The laser beam 3 reflected by the reflecting mirror M1 has an optical axis coinciding with the first axis A1 as shown by reference numeral 4, is reflected by the reflecting mirror M2, passes through the reflecting mirrors M3 and M4, Injected parallel to the first and second axes A1 and A2 via the condenser lens 5a as indicated by reference numeral 5 and used for drilling holes.

The configuration shown in FIG. 8 has a problem that the number of reflecting mirrors M1 to M4 is large, so that the optical path length is long and the efficiency is reduced. Further, the configuration is complicated, and the entire configuration becomes large. Furthermore, in this configuration, the laser light from the laser light source must not only match the second axis A2, but also the optical axis 4 of the laser light reflected by the reflecting mirror M2 needs to match the first axis A1. Yes,
It is necessary to prevent the displacement of the reflecting mirrors M1, M2, M3, and M4 and to perform accurate optical axis adjustment, and there is a problem that such an optical axis adjustment operation is complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing apparatus for a robot which has a simple structure and can easily adjust an optical axis.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a laser processing apparatus main body 43 connected to a wrist 8 of an industrial robot 7 and having an axis 45 coincident with the optical axis of a laser beam from the wrist 8 is provided.
A cylindrical portion 48 for guiding a laser beam therein; and a first bearing 46 for supporting the cylindrical portion 48 so as to be angularly displaceable about the axis 45.
And a first motor 5 provided in the laser processing device main body 43.
3, a second motor 83 provided in the laser processing apparatus main body 43, and a second motor 83 interposed between the cylindrical portion 48 and the output shaft of the first motor 53 outside the axis 45 with respect to the first bearing 46. One gear train 50, 51, 52 and the first gear train 50, 51,
A rotating body 77 disposed outside of the axis 45 with respect to the axis 52 and through which the cylindrical portion 48 is inserted, and the rotating body 77 supported by the cylindrical portion 48 and the laser processing apparatus main body 43 so as to be rotatable around the axis 45. Second bearings 78 and 79 to be
8, a storage portion 49 connected to the outer end of the axis 45,
Outside the gear train 50, 51, 52 outside the axis 45,
Second gear trains 80, 81, 82 interposed between the rotating body 77 and the output shaft of the second motor 83, and shafts 73, 7 rotatably provided in the housing 49 and extending along the axis 45.
3a and the laser processing device main body 43 of the shafts 73 and 73a
A third gear train 74, 75, 76 interposed between the closer end and the rotating body 77, and the axis 4 of the shafts 73, 73a.
5, a pinion 66 rotatably provided in the storage portion 49, which is rotatably provided in the storage portion 49, and a rack meshed with the pinion 66 and guided by the storage portion 49 so as to reciprocate in a direction 69 perpendicular to the axis 45. 65, a first reflecting mirror 56 provided in the housing portion 49 and reflecting the laser light in the cylindrical portion 48 perpendicularly to the axis 45, and a laser beam from the first reflecting mirror 56 provided in the housing portion 49. 57 is provided in a second reflecting mirror 58 for reflecting parallel to the axis 45 and a housing 49,
A third reflector 60 for reflecting the laser beam 59 from the reflector 58 perpendicularly to the axis 45 and a rack 65;
A fourth reflecting mirror 62 that reflects the laser beam 61 from the third reflecting mirror 60 in parallel to the axis 45, and a laser beam 84 from the fourth reflecting mirror 62, which is fixed to the rack 65, is emitted to the workpiece. A laser processing apparatus for a robot, comprising: a lens 85;

[0009]

According to the present invention, the power of the output shaft of the first motor 53 is transmitted through the first gear trains 50, 51, 52 to the cylindrical portion 48 and the outer end of the axis 45 of the cylindrical portion 48 (see FIG. 3). Lower edge)
The support member 44 formed of the cylindrical portion 48 and the storage portion 49 is angularly displaced around the axis 45. Therefore, the fourth reflecting mirror 62 is angularly displaced around the axis 45, and the laser beam 84 is emitted to the workpiece through the lens 85 around the axis 45 and parallel to the axis 45. The power from the output shaft of the second motor 83 is transmitted to the rotating body 77 via the second gear trains 80, 81 and 82, and further from the shafts 73 and 73a to the pinion 66 via the third gear trains 74, 75 and 76. The transmitted pinion 66 is rotated.
The pinion 66 meshes with the rack 65, so that the fourth reflecting mirror 62 is reciprocated in a direction 69 perpendicular to the axis 45. Thus, the laser beam 84 obtained from the fourth reflecting mirror 62
Is displaced together with the lens 85 in the approach / separate direction from the axis 45. By driving the first and second motors 53 and 83 at the same time, the trajectory of the laser beam 16 emitted from the lens 85 to the workpiece can be controlled as desired.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the entire configuration which is the premise of the present invention. This robot laser processing device 6 is shown in FIG.
Is attached to a wrist 8 of a 6-axis industrial robot 7 shown in FIG. The robot 7 has a laser emission source 15 such as a CO ₂ laser which has axes 9 to 14 and is provided at a fixed position.
Is guided into the space inside the robot 7 by a reflecting mirror, or is also guided to the laser processing apparatus 6 through an optical path formed by a reflecting mirror provided outside the robot 7. Then, a hole processing or the like is performed using a laser beam indicated by reference numeral 16.

The main body 17 of the laser processing apparatus 6 has the flange 1
8 connects to the wrist 8 of the robot 7. A support 21 is provided on the main body 17 so as to be angularly displaceable about an axis 20 of the main body 17 by a bearing 19. Laser emission source 1
5 and each component such as a reflector forming an optical path for guiding the laser light generated from the laser light source constitute a laser light source. The laser light from this laser light source has an optical axis coincident with the axis 20. Have. The support 21 has a cylindrical portion 22 and a storage portion 23, and an annular external gear 24 is fixed to the cylindrical body 22. A motor 25 is provided in the main body 17, and a drive gear 26 fixed to an output shaft of the motor 25 meshes with the gear 24.
Thus, the support 21 is provided so as to be angularly displaceable about the axis 20. A first optical unit 27 is provided in the storage section 23 of the support 21. This first optical means 27 is
A first reflecting mirror 29 for reflecting a laser beam having an optical axis coinciding with zero as indicated by reference numeral 28;
8 as indicated by reference numeral 30
And Laser light 30 emitted from reflecting mirror 31
Has an optical axis that intersects the axis 20 and is perpendicular to the axis 20. The reflecting mirrors 29 and 31 are supported by the support 21.
Fixed to

The laser beam 30 is reflected and guided by a third reflecting mirror 33 constituting the second optical means 32 in parallel to the axis 20 as indicated by reference numeral 34. Second optical means 3
The second condenser lens 35 focuses and irradiates the laser light 34 as a laser light 16 parallel to the axis 20 onto a workpiece, for example, a thin plate. The third reflecting mirror 33 and the lens 35 are fixed by a mounting member 36, and a rack 37 is fixed to the mounting member 36. A pinion 38 meshes with the rack 37. A motor 39 is attached to the storage section 23 of the support 21, and its output shaft is connected to a pinion 38. Thus, the motor 39 causes the third reflecting mirror 33 and the lens 35 to move, and the laser beams 34 and 16
While maintaining a state parallel to, as shown by the arrow 40,
The displacement can be adjusted in the radial direction about the axis 20 by making it possible to approach and separate from the axis 20. The mounting member 36 is movable in the radial direction around the axis 20 by the guide means 41 on the support 21.

The laser beam 16 for cutting or welding the workpiece in this manner is positioned two-dimensionally by the rotation angle around the axis 20 and the distance from the axis 20. For example, while the motor 39 is stopped, the motor 2
By driving the laser beam 5, the laser beam 16 draws a circular locus about the axis 20 on the workpiece. Since the positioning of the laser beam 16 is performed in a polar coordinate system, the laser beam 16
Is converted into the rotation angle of the axis 20 and the radial direction of the axis 20, and the motor 2 is controlled to realize those values.
5 and 39 are driven.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-I in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a simplified cross-sectional view as viewed from V, and FIG. 5 is a simplified view as viewed from the front. A support body 44 is provided on the laser processing apparatus main body 43 by bearings 46 and 47 so as to be angularly displaceable about an axis 45 of the main body 43. Support 44
Has a tubular portion 48 and a storage portion 49. A gear 50 is fixed to the cylindrical portion 48, and the gear 50 meshes with a drive gear 52 via a gear 51 rotatably provided on the main body 43.
The gear 52 is connected to an output shaft of a motor 53 fixed to the main body 43. Thus, the support body 44 is angularly displaced around the axis 45 by the motor 53.

A first optical means 54 and a second optical means 55 are provided in a storage portion 49 of the support 44. The first optical unit 54 includes a first reflecting mirror 56 that reflects a laser beam having an optical axis coinciding with the axis 45, a second reflecting mirror 58 that reflects a laser beam 57 reflected by the reflecting mirror 56, 2
And a third reflecting mirror 60 that reflects the laser light 59 reflected by the reflecting mirror 58. The laser beam 61 emitted from the third reflecting mirror 60 crosses the axis 45 and is perpendicular to the axis 45. Laser light 57 is perpendicular to axis 45, and laser light 59 is parallel to axis 45. The first to third reflecting mirrors 56, 58, 60 are fixed to the support 44.

The fourth reflecting mirror 6 constituting the second optical means 55
2 is fixed to the moving body 63 and is provided so as to be displaceable in parallel with the optical axis of the laser beam 61 by the guide member 64. A rack 65 is fixed to the moving body 63.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. Referring to these drawings, a rack 65 fixed to the mounting member 63 has a pinion 66
Are engaged. The pinion 66 is rotatably provided in the storage portion 49 of the support body 44 by a mounting piece 67. As shown by an arrow 69 in FIG. 6, the mounting member 63 can reciprocate in a direction 69 that intersects the axis 45 and is perpendicular to the axis 45, as indicated by an arrow 69 in FIG.

The shaft 73a of the pinion 66 is
1, 72 and a gear 73 rotatably provided on the support 44 via a shaft 73. The gear 74 meshes with a gear 76 via a gear 75 rotatably provided on the support 44. The gear 76 is fixed to the rotating body 77. The rotator 77 is attached to the cylindrical portion 48 of the support 44 by the
5 and the main body 43 by a gear 79.
It is rotatably mounted on. A gear 80 is fixed to the rotating body 77, and the gear 80 meshes with a driving gear 82 via a gear 81 rotatably provided on the main body 43. The gear 82 is connected to an output shaft of a motor 83 provided on the main body 43. Thus, the pinion 66 is driven by the motor 83.
Is driven, so that the support member 65 and the fourth reflecting mirror 62 can be displaced in the direction of the arrow 69 in FIG. 4th
The laser beam 61 incident on the reflecting mirror 62 is converted into a laser beam 8 driven parallel to the axis 45 by the fourth reflecting mirror 62.
4 is projected onto the workpiece via the lens 85 as indicated by reference numeral 16. The lens 85 is attached to the mounting member 63.
It is fixed to. The laser processing device 86 shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 is fixed by a flange 87 formed on the main body 43 on the wrist 8 of the robot 7 of the above-described embodiment. The laser light from the laser light source is guided from the wrist 8 as indicated by an arrow 88, is converted into a laser light 45 having an optical axis coinciding with the axis 45 by the reflecting mirror 89, and is guided to the first reflecting mirror 56. I will The reflecting mirror 89 is also
It constitutes a part of the laser light source.

The rotation operation by the motor 83 is
These motors 5
A coordinated operation is needed to compensate for the mutual interference of the 3,833.

The configuration of the above embodiment will be further described. The laser processing device main body 43 is connected to the wrist 8 of the industrial robot 7, and has an axis 4 that matches the optical axis of the laser beam from the wrist 8.
5 The cylindrical portion 48 guides the laser light inside. First
The bearing 46 supports the cylindrical portion 48 so as to be angularly displaceable about the axis 45. The first motor 53 is provided in the laser processing device main body 43. The second motor 83 is provided on the laser processing device main body 43. First gear train 50, 51, 52
Is interposed between the cylindrical portion 48 and the output shaft of the first motor 53 outside of the axis 45 (downward in FIG. 3) with respect to the first bearing 46. The rotating body 77 includes first gear trains 50, 51, 52
And the cylindrical portion 48 is inserted outside the axis 45. The second bearings 78 and 79 attach the rotating body 77 to the cylindrical portion 48.
And the laser processing device main body 43 rotatably supports it around the axis 45. The storage part 49 is a cylindrical part 4
8 is connected to the outer end of the axis 45. The second gear train 80,
The first and second gears 81 and 82 are interposed between the rotating body 77 and the output shaft of the second motor 83 outside the axis 45 with respect to the first gear trains 50, 51 and 52. The shafts 73 and 73a are
, And extends along the axis 45.
The third gear trains 74, 75, 76 are interposed between the rotating body 77 and the ends of the shafts 73, 73 a near the laser processing device main body 43. The pinion 66 is connected to the shafts 73 and 73a near the outside of the axis 45, and is rotatably provided in the storage portion 49. The rack 65 meshes with the pinion 66 and is guided by the storage portion 49 so as to be able to reciprocate in a direction 69 perpendicular to the axis 45. The first reflecting mirror 56 is
9, the laser beam in the cylindrical portion 48
Is reflected vertically. The second reflecting mirror 58 is provided in the storage part 49 and reflects the laser beam 57 from the first reflecting mirror 56 in parallel with the axis 45. The third reflecting mirror 60 is provided in the storage part 49 and has a laser beam 59 from the second reflecting mirror 58.
Is reflected perpendicularly to the axis 45. Fourth reflector 62
Is fixed to the rack 65 and reflects the laser beam 61 from the third reflecting mirror 60 in parallel to the axis 45. Lens 8
5 is fixed to the rack 65 and emits the laser beam 84 from the fourth reflecting mirror 62 to the workpiece. Motors 25, 39,
53 and 83 are pulse motors, for example, and may be provided with a sensor or the like for detecting the rotation angle and the amount of movement by them. Reflecting mirrors 29, 31, 33, 5
6, 58, 60, and 62 may be flat surfaces, but may be curved surfaces, for example, concave curved surfaces.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, a laser light coincident with the axis 45 of the laser processing apparatus main body 43 is guided from the laser light source, and the laser light can be angularly displaced around the axis of the main body 43. The laser beam 84 is guided in parallel to the axis 45 through the first to fourth reflecting mirrors 56, 58, 60, and 62 in the storage portion 49 connected to the cylindrical portion 48 provided in the above, so that drilling and the like can be performed. Since the processing is performed, the configuration can be made relatively simple, the optical path length can be shortened, the efficiency can be reduced, the configuration can be made small, and processing can be performed using laser light. Further, first to fourth reflecting mirrors 5
6, 58, 60 and 62 optical axis adjustments can be realized relatively simply. By driving the first and second motors 53 and 83 at the same time, the laser beam 16 from the lens 85 can make a hole in a desired shape on the workpiece. Both the first and second motors 53 and 83 are provided in the laser processing apparatus main body 43, so that the structure near the lens 85 close to the workpiece can be simplified as much as possible. Therefore, fine processing of the workpiece can be easily performed, and problems such as arrangement of places can be solved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall cross-sectional view of a configuration that is a premise of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a laser processing apparatus 6 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram showing a state where the camera is mounted on the camera.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a laser processing apparatus 86 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;
FIG. 3 is a simplified front view of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along section line VI-VI in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along section line VII-VII in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration easily considered by the present inventor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6,86 Laser processing device 7 Robot 8 Wrist 17,43 Main body 20,45 Axis 21,44 Support 25,39,53,83 Motor 29,31,33,56,58,60,62 Reflector 27,54 1 optical means 32, 55 second optical means 35, 85 lens

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An industrial robot connected to a wrist of an industrial robot,
A laser processing apparatus main body 43 having an axis 45 coinciding with the optical axis of the laser light from the wrist 8, a cylindrical portion 48 for guiding the laser light therein, and a second portion for supporting the cylindrical portion 48 so as to be angularly displaceable about the axis 45. One bearing 46 and a first motor 53 provided in the laser processing device main body 43
A second motor 83 provided in the laser processing device main body 43
A first gear train 50, 51, 52 interposed between the cylindrical portion 48 and the output shaft of the first motor 53 outside the axis 45 with respect to the first bearing 46; , 51, 52 and a rotating body 77 which is disposed outside the axis 45 and through which the cylindrical portion 48 is inserted.
A second bearing 78, 79 rotatably supporting the axis 45, and a housing 49 connected to the outer end of the axis 45 of the cylindrical portion 48.
A second gear train 80, 81, 82 interposed between the rotating body 77 and the output shaft of the second motor 83 outside the first gear train 50, 51, 52 outside the axis 45; A shaft 73, 73 a rotatably provided in the storage portion 49 and extending along the axis 45, and a shaft 73, 73 a interposed between an end of the shaft 73, 73 a near the laser processing apparatus main body 43 and the rotating body 77. 3 gear train 74, 7
5 and 76, and a pinion 66 that is connected to the shafts 73 and 73 a toward the outside of the axis 45 and is rotatably provided in the storage unit 49.
And a rack 65 meshed with the pinion 66 and guided by the storage portion 49 so as to be able to reciprocate in a direction 69 perpendicular to the axis 45.
A first reflecting mirror 56 provided in the storage portion 49 and reflecting the laser light in the cylindrical portion 48 perpendicularly to the axis 45; and a laser beam 57 from the first reflecting mirror 56 provided in the storage portion 49. Is reflected in parallel to the axis 45 by a second reflecting mirror 5.
8, a third reflecting mirror 60 provided in the storage portion 49 and reflecting the laser beam 59 from the second reflecting mirror 58 perpendicularly to the axis 45.
And a fourth reflecting mirror 62 fixed to the rack 65 and reflecting the laser beam 61 from the third reflecting mirror 60 in parallel with the axis 45.
And a lens 85 fixed to the rack 65 and emitting a laser beam 84 from the fourth reflecting mirror 62 to the workpiece.