JPH09254076A - Heat retaining structure for robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a robot of ordinary temperature specification so that the robot left as is can be used in a low/high temperature environment. SOLUTION: An inner/outer side skin structure 9, 8 is mounted so as to cover a robot main unit A, a heat insulating space E is formed between these skin structures. Air outside a work environment is fed through a tube 9c into an internal space F of the inner side skin structure 9, this air is released to a heat insulating space E through a ventilating path 12 in a tip end part of the inner side skin structure 9, to be circulated between the inner/outer side skin structures 9, 8, the air is returned again to outside the work environment by a tube 8c. By allowing the outside air to flow along an internal surface of the outer side skin structure 8, the heat insulating space E is held at ordinary temperature, a low/high temperature of the work environment is prevented from being transmitted to the robot main unit A.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a heat retaining structure for a robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a general robot designed to be used at room temperature is used in a low temperature environment such as in a freezer, the structural members are weakened, the servo motor magnet is demagnetized, and rubber and plastic parts are used. Various problems such as hardening of the resin occur.

Conventionally, a special material resistant to low temperature has been used for the structure of each part of the robot to cope with such a low temperature environment, but there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the robot is considerably high as compared with a robot of a room temperature specification. there were.

Needless to say, when the robot is used in a high temperature environment, the manufacturing cost of the robot becomes a problem because special materials are required.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat retaining structure for a robot which can be used as it is in a low temperature or high temperature environment.

[0006]

The present invention has achieved the above object by a heat retaining structure for a robot, which has a structure capable of deforming a posture together with the robot and has a skin structure for covering at least the robot main body other than the end effector portion.

Further, by providing the air blowing means for taking in the air outside the work environment, blowing the air into the outer skin structure and sending the air out of the work environment, the temperature inside the outer skin structure cannot be eliminated by the heat insulation effect of the structure. Room temperature (when used in low temperature environment) or temperature rise (when used in high temperature environment) is taken from outside the work environment by heat (when used in low temperature environment) or cold air (when used in high temperature environment) The air taken in from outside the work environment was prevented from directly expanding into the work environment.

Further, the outer skin structure is provided so as to overlap inside and outside to form a heat insulating space between the outer skin structures to enhance the heat retaining effect in the inner outer skin structure.

In the structure in which the outer skin structure is provided so as to overlap with the inner and outer skin structures, the air from the blower means is made to flow by using the inside of the inner skin structure and the space between the inner and outer skin structures as air passages. The temperature inside the structure can be brought closer to room temperature outside the work environment.

Further, the air sent from the outside of the work environment into the inside skin structure is discharged from the outside of the work environment by passing between the inside and outside skin structures. The inside of the outer skin structure is warmed (when used in a low temperature environment) or cooled (when used in a high temperature environment) with fresh air, and its residual heat (when used in a low temperature environment) or cold air (used in a high temperature environment) In this case, the temperature of the heat insulating space between the inner and outer skin structures is brought close to room temperature.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a robot to which the heat insulating structure of the present invention is applied. The robot main body A has a side view when viewed from the side, and the heat insulating outer skin structure B has a side view. Cross-section (view b- in FIG. 2)
It is shown in b).

The robot main body A is a main body of a handling robot using parallel links. As shown in FIG. 2, an end effector (grasping device) C for manipulating articles is attached to the tip of the robot main body A, and the frozen food factory 1 The frozen food 2 manufactured in 1. is placed in the freezer 3 and used as a part of a conveying means for stacking the frozen food 2 in the freezer 3.

The main part of the conveying means is a belt conveyor 4 for carrying the frozen food 2 produced in the frozen food factory 1 to the freezer 3, and the frozen food 2 taken into the freezer 3 by the belt conveyor 4 temporarily. The robot main body A including the pallet 5 for storing the pallet 5 and the storage shelf 6 for storing the pallet 5 filled with the frozen food 2, and the end effector C mounted on the belt main body A is
And the pallet 5 are used as a means for delivering the frozen food 2.

The mounting table 10 is a member for fixing the robot main body A to the floor surface, and 11 is a robot controller.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present embodiment shows an example in which the robot main body A is constituted by a conventionally known parallel link type multi-joint robot. You can do it. Since the structure of the robot main body is the same as that of a conventionally known robot main body, its detailed configuration will be omitted.

The heat-insulating outer skin structure B covered by the robot main body A is constituted by an outer outer skin structure 8 and an inner outer skin structure 9, and the outer outer skin structure 8 and the inner outer skin structure corresponding to the bending movable portion of the robot main body A. A bellows portion D1 which can be expanded and contracted and bent is provided in each of the portions 9. With the end effector mounting surface of the wrist portion 13 of the robot body A exposed to the outside (the end effector exposed to the outside), the entire robot body A is covered with the outer skin structure B to form a sealed internal space F.

Further, a connecting portion between the robot body side portion 8a and the mounting table side portion 8b constituting the outer skin structure 8 and the robot body side portion 9a constituting the inner skin structure 9 are formed.
The bellows portion D2 of the connecting portion between the mounting table side portion 9b and the mounting table side portion 9b is formed in a joint shape in which the bellows portion D2 is rotatable to allow rotation of the main body side portions 8a, 9a with respect to the mounting table side portions 8b, 9b. The robot main body A can freely rotate with respect to the mounting table 10 fixed to the floor.

Robot body side portion 8a of the outer skin structure 8
The mounting table side portion 8b and the robot body side portion 9a of the inner skin structure 9 and the mounting table side portion 9b may be integrally configured by blow molding or the like, or only the bellows portions D1 and D2. May be made of a flexible material such as synthetic rubber or synthetic resin, and the other portions may be made of a material having high rigidity.

In this embodiment, a bellows structure is adopted so that the outer skin structure 8 and the inner skin structure 9 can be flexibly bent according to the posture deformation of the robot body A. Need not be provided, and a straight structure may be used as long as the constituent material itself has sufficient flexibility and stretchability.

As described above, since rubber and plastics exhibit brittleness at low temperatures, if they are used for a long time at low temperatures, cracks or tears may occur in the bellows portions D1 and D2. The outer skin structure 8 and the inner skin structure 9 are extremely simple in structure and inexpensive to manufacture, so that frequent replacement of them does not pose an economic problem. When only the bellows parts D1 and D2 are made of a flexible material such as rubber, only the bellows is replaced, and when the parts are integrally formed by blow molding or the like, the entire parts are collectively replaced.

On the inner surface of the outer skin structure 8 or the outer surface of the inner skin structure 9, rib-shaped projections are provided at appropriate intervals.
The inner surface of the outer skin structure 8 and the outer surface of the inner skin structure 9 are prevented from coming into close contact with each other, and this gap forms a heat insulating space E as shown in FIG.

Further, the mounting table side portion 8b of the outer skin structure 8
And the lower end of the mounting table side portion 9b of the inner skin structure 9 are attached in close contact with the floor surface, between the environment inside the inner skin structure 9 and the heat insulating space E, and between the heat insulating space E and the freezer. The environment inside 3 is completely cut off.

Further, the mounting table side portion 8b of the outer skin structure 8
While the extension tube 8c is integrally connected from the lower end of the tube, the extension tube 9c having a diameter slightly smaller than the tube 8c is provided at the lower end of the mounting table side portion 9b of the inner skin structure 9 corresponding thereto. The tubes 8c-9c are connected together and the space between the tubes 8c-9c communicates with the heat insulating space E, and the space inside the tube 9c communicates with the internal space F of the inner skin structure 9. The ends of the extension tubes 8c and 9c are relatively warmer than the environment outside the freezer 3, for example, the inside of the freezer 3, the frozen food factory 1
Inside of the frozen food factory 1 or outside of the freezer 3 by a blowing means such as a compressor, which is installed inside the frozen food factory 1 or outside of the freezer 3.
Air outside the work environment is supplied from the end of c.

Also, the extension tubes 8c and 9
c is separated and attached to the mounting table side portion 8b of the outer skin structure 8 and the mounting table side portion 9b of the inner skin structure 9, for example, in the state shown in FIG. The blower G may be installed near the robot body A (in the freezer 3) to take in air outside the work environment. Of course, also in this case, the ends of the extension tubes 8c and 9c are opened in the environment outside the freezer 3, for example, inside the frozen food factory 1 or outside the freezer 3.

In this embodiment, the inner skin structure 9 is arranged with a space between it and the robot body A, and the outer skin structure 8 is arranged on the outer side with a space of the heat insulation space E. Therefore, even when the outer skin structure 8 is completely cooled by the cool air in the freezer 3, most of the cool air is air filled in the heat insulating space E and the gap between the robot body A and the inner skin structure 9. Therefore, the conduction is blunted, and the temperature of the robot body A itself is not easily lowered.

Of course, even though the conduction of cold air becomes dull, if it is kept in the low temperature environment in the freezer 3 for a long time, both the air in the heat insulating space E and the air in the inner skin structure 9 gradually cool, Eventually, the robot body A will also be gradually cooled. What is provided to prevent this is a blower that blows air outside the working environment from the end of the extension tube 9c.

The air outside the working environment sent from the end of the extension tube 9c by the blowing means first flows into the inner space F of the inner skin structure 9 along the path indicated by the white arrow in FIG. The cool air that has accumulated in the inner space F up to the inner skin structure 9 and the outer skin structure 8 is passed through the ventilation passage 12 provided at the lower end of the inner skin structure 9 (position of the wrist 13). Drive out to heat insulation space E.

At this time, since the air outside the working environment is warmer than the environment inside the internal space F, the robot main body A can be warmed to some extent by the air outside the working environment, and the outside of the working environment can be transferred to the internal space F. The air that has flowed in is deprived of heat to some extent and cooled. However, originally the internal space F
Since the environment temperature of the heat insulating space E is lower than the environment temperature of the above, even if the air outside the working environment, which has a higher temperature than any of them, is deprived of heat to some extent in the inner space F, The temperature is much higher than the temperature of the air staying in the heat insulating space E until then. That is, the air sent from the ventilation passage 12 to the heat insulating space E has the effect of warming the environmental temperature of the heat insulating space E.

The air outside the work environment in which the internal space F has been warmed as described above further warms the environmental temperature of the heat insulating space E by the residual heat thereof and flows along the path indicated by the black arrow in FIG. It flows along the gap between the extension tubes 8c-9c and is discharged again to the outside of the work environment. As described above, the inner surface of the outer skin structure 8 or the outer surface of the inner skin structure 9 is provided with projections or the like to prevent the inner surface of the outer skin structure 8 and the outer surface of the inner skin structure 9 from coming into close contact with each other, so that ventilation is prevented. Road 1
The air sent from 2 to the heat insulation space E can flow around the heat insulation space E evenly, and the cold air conducted from the outside of the outer skin structure 8 toward the inner skin structure 9
This cold air can be efficiently absorbed and discharged to the outside (outside the working environment) before being transmitted to the outside.

Further, since the outer skin structure 8 completely shuts off the flow of air introduced from the outside of the working environment and the environment of the freezer 3, the air taken in from the outside of the working environment may be slightly dusty. Even if it is included, it is possible to secure a hygienic environment for food.

As described above, as one embodiment, the air outside the work environment is circulated between the inner and outer skin structures 9 and 8 provided so as to overlap the inside and outside so that cold air in the low temperature work environment is transmitted to the robot body A. As described above, the outer skin structure B is provided as a single layer, and the extension tubes 8c and 9c are separately attached to the base of the outer skin structure B to allow the air outside the work environment to flow to some extent. Can be expected. In this case, it is difficult to efficiently remove the cool air by forming a hierarchical flow that flows along the inner surface of the outer skin structure B, but one of the extension tubes 8c or 9c is made of a flexible material. By configuring it and extending its tip to the tip of the robot body A in the outer skin structure B, the problem of internal air retention can be solved to some extent and the overall heat retention effect can be enhanced.

Of course, a certain degree of heat retaining effect can be expected only by mounting a one-layer or two-layer outer skin structure around the robot body A without providing a special blowing means. This is because the environmental temperature in the outer skin structure is warmed to a certain extent by the heat generated by the servo motor or the like that drives the robot body A, and this heat is retained inside by the outer skin structure. Of course, when the robot body A is used in a high-temperature environment by utilizing the outer skin structure, that is, when the outer skin structure is used as a heat-resistant means, the heat generated by the servomotor or the like is filled and Therefore, it is desirable to provide ventilation means to ventilate the air in the outer skin structure.

Although it depends on the structure of the end effector C that handles the article, for example, if the structure is such that a metal product is attracted and held by using a magnet, even if there is a rotational movement of the wrist, 1 to cover this end effector C
A two-layer or two-layer outer skin structure is provided and connected to the robot body side portion 9a having the inner outer skin structure or the robot body side portion 8a having the outer outer skin structure to form the heat insulating space E or the inner space F.
It is possible to make it possible to circulate the outside air integrally with.

[0034]

According to the present invention, a room temperature robot can be used as it is in a low temperature or high temperature environment without using a special material for the structure of each part of the robot.

Further, even if the robot of the room temperature specification is used in a low temperature environment, no abnormality such as magnet demagnetization of the servo motor occurs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a robot according to an embodiment to which a heat insulating structure of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a product carrying means in which the robot of the same embodiment is installed.

FIG. 3 is another embodiment showing a method of attaching the extension tube.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Frozen Food Factory 2 Frozen Foods 3 Freezer 4 Belt Conveyor 5 Pallet 6 Storage Shelf 7 Base Part 8 Outer Skin Structure 8a Outer Skin Structure Robot Main Body Side 8b Outer Skin Structure Mount Side 8c Extension Tube 9 Inner Skin Structure 9a Robot body side part of inner skin structure 9b Mounting table side part of inner skin structure 9c Extension tube 10 Mounting table 11 Robot controller 12 Ventilation path A Robot body B Skin structure C End effector D1 Bellows part D2 Bellows part E Insulated space F internal space

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A heat retaining structure for a robot, comprising a structure capable of deforming a posture together with the robot and comprising an outer skin structure for covering at least the robot main body other than the end effector portion. 2. The heat retaining structure for a robot according to claim 1, further comprising a blowing unit that takes in air outside the work environment, blows the air into the outer skin structure, and sends the air out of the work environment. 3. The heat retaining structure for a robot according to claim 2, wherein a heat insulating space is formed between the outer skin structures by overlapping the outer skin structures inside and outside. 4. The heat retaining structure for a robot according to claim 3, wherein an air passage is provided between the inside and the inside and outside of the inner skin structure. 5. The air blown by the blower means is blown into the inner skin structure and discharged between the inner and outer skin structures to the outside of the work environment. The heat insulation structure of the robot. 6. The heat retaining structure for a robot according to claim 1, wherein the environment is a low temperature environment.