JPH10587A - Extension and storage robot arm - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To operate a robot arm in all the region of reaching mechanically by providing a coil spring arranged between a base and an arm part, and a wire stretched between a drive pulley and an intermediate pulley in such a state that its one end is fixed to the drive pulley and the other end is fixed to a stepper motor. SOLUTION: When a DC stepper motor 2 is operated, a drive pulley 6 is rotated so as to wind a wire 8 and when it reaches a position of a prescribed length by the torque of a coil spring 5 and the tension of the wire 8, the DC stepper motor 2 is stopped. At the same time, a lock bar is pushed against the drive pulley 6 by the coil spring by cutting off the energization of the lock bar of a lock mechanism 9. Then, an L-shaped part in the edge of the lock bar is engaged with an engagement part so as to fix the drive pulley 6 and the arm part 3 is operated in this state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to
The present invention relates to an advanced storage robot arm used in a robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a technique relating to the development of an arm, Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 3-185903 discloses a technique for improving the storage ability of a long arm of a parabolic antenna. At
A technique related to an arm of a welding device driven by a rack and a pinion is disclosed. Further, similar to the technology of the arm, there are technologies relating to a development mast, a pantograph, and the like.

[0003]

However, in the prior art, both the manipulator and the robot arm are movable in multiple directions (assuming a human arm), and an inaccessible range always appears. That is, no matter how many degrees of indirection, for example, about six degrees of freedom, an inaccessible range occurs in the traveling direction of the arm axis. Further, since the progress mast is large and the pantograph requires space, it cannot be applied to a robot arm used in a small work place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has been made to simplify control, reduce costs, and allow storage when not in use, while ensuring that inaccessible areas are eliminated within mechanical reach. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an advanced storage robot arm.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a progressive storage robot arm provided with a base, an arm provided on both sides of the base, and a base provided between the base and the arm. A coil spring, a stepper motor provided on the base, a drive pulley provided on the stepper motor, an intermediate pulley provided on the arm, and a state in which one end is fixed to the drive pulley and the other end is fixed to the stepper motor. The configuration includes a wire wound around the driving pulley and the intermediate pulley, and a cover that houses at least a coil spring portion.

Preferably, a lock mechanism for fixing the driving pulley is provided, and a potentiometer is attached to a shaft of the stepper motor. Further preferably, the cover is formed so as to be extendable or contractible, or includes a tubular fixed cover and a tubular movable cover that covers the fixed cover.

[0007] According to the extension and storage robot arm of the present invention having the above-described structure, the coil spring always tries to extend the arm, the stepper motor rotates the drive pulley, and the drive pulley winds the wire. It can be moved in the direction of the base against the coil spring.

[0008]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a progressive storage robot arm according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the inside of the extended storage robot arm in an extended state,
2 is a plan view showing the inside of the retracted storage robot arm in a retracted state, FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a central portion of the extended storage robot arm, FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of a drive pulley, and FIG.
The middle a-a line sectional view is shown. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a base, and a DC stepper motor 2 having a designated polarity is provided on the base 1. Reference numeral 3 denotes an arm made of stainless steel. Between the arm 3 and the base 1, an extendable cover 4 is provided, and a coil spring 5 made of stainless steel for applying a developing force in the cover 4 is provided. ing. The DC step motor 2 is provided with a large driving pulley 6, the arm 3 is provided with a small intermediate pulley 7, and a wire 8
Has one end fixed to the center of the drive pulley 6 and the other end
While fixed to the root part of the C step motor 2,
It is bridged between the driving pulley 6 and the intermediate pulley 7.

The base 1 is provided with a lock mechanism 9 for fixing the drive pulley 6.
As shown in FIG. 3, an electromagnet type lock bar 10 is provided, and a coil spring 11 for constantly urging the lock bar 10 outward is provided. As shown in FIG. 4, a ridge-shaped engagement portion 12 is formed on the surface of the drive pulley 6 on the lock mechanism 9 side.
As shown in FIG. 2, the circumferential side is formed to be inclined so as to approach the lock mechanism 9. The L-shaped portion at the tip of the lock bar 10 engages with the engaging portion 12 to fix the drive pulley 6.

The DC stepper motor 2 has a DC
8V, and the speed can be reduced by a gear depending on the fineness of the setting of the extension position. The diameter of the coil spring 5 is 30 mm
The diameter of the arm portion 3 is 50 mm, and the length of the arm portion 3 is 3 m in a state where the arm portion 3 is fully extended.

Next, the operation of the above-described advanced storage robot arm will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in the unfolded state, the coil spring 5 serving as a force for extending the arm has been fully extended, and the lock mechanism 9 has not been operated. When the DC stepper motor 2 is operated in this state, as shown in FIG. 2, the drive pulley 6 rotates to wind the wire 8, and the torque of the coil spring 5 and the wire 8
The DC stepper motor 2 is stopped when it reaches a position of a required length (determined by applying an output current of 28 V to the stepper motor 2 and controlled by the time) due to the tension of the DC motor, and the lock bar 10 of the lock mechanism 9 is energized. The lock bar 10 is driven by the coil spring 11 by driving the pulley 6.
Press against Then, the L-shaped portion at the tip of the lock bar 10 is hooked on the engaging portion 12 to fix the drive pulley 6, and the arm 3 is operated in this state. If the DC step motor 2 and the coil spring 5 can be used under stable torque conditions, it is not necessary to use the lock mechanism 9.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of the extension and storage robot arm. In this embodiment, a cylindrical fixed cover 13 and a cylindrical movable cover 14 whose inner diameter is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the fixed cover 13 are provided. I can do it. The fixed cover 13 and the movable cover 14 are formed of glass epoxy resin, CFRP, or the like. The DC stepper motor, the coil spring, and the like may be directly fixed to the fixed cover 13 or a separate base may be fixed to the base.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of the extension and storage robot arm. In this embodiment, a potentiometer 15 is attached to the axis of the DC stepper motor 2,
By feeding back the output of the potentiometer 15 to the control unit, the positioning accuracy in the length direction can be increased.

[0014]

As described above, the progressive storage robot arm of the present invention can be operated in the entire mechanically reachable range, can be reduced in size and weight, and can be simplified in control.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the inside of a development state of an embodiment of a development storage robot arm of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the inside of a storage state of the embodiment of the advance storage robot arm of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged plan view of a central portion of one embodiment of the advance storage robot arm of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged front view of a drive pulley of the embodiment of the advance storage robot arm of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line aa in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the advance storage robot arm of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the advance storage robot arm of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 2 DC stepper motor 3 Arm part 4 Cover 5 Coil spring 6 Drive pulley 7 Intermediate pulley 8 Wire 9 Lock mechanism 12 Engagement part 13 Fixed cover 14 Movable cover 15 Potentiometer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A base, an arm provided on both sides of the base, a coil spring provided between the base and the arm, a stepper motor provided on the base, and a drive pulley provided on the stepper motor An intermediate pulley provided on the arm portion, a wire wound around the drive pulley and the intermediate pulley with one end fixed to the drive pulley and the other end fixed to the stepper motor, and at least a coil spring portion. A progress storage robot arm having a cover. 2. The extension and storage robot arm according to claim 1, further comprising a lock mechanism for fixing the driving pulley. 3. The progress storage robot arm according to claim 1, wherein a potentiometer is attached to a shaft of the stepper motor. 4. The robot arm according to claim 1, wherein the cover is formed to be extendable and contractible. 5. The extension and storage robot arm according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a cylindrical fixed cover and a cylindrical movable cover that covers the fixed cover.