JPH11226062A - Flexible robot arm - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small-sized, lightweight and inexpensive robot arm for nursing gentle to a human, that is soft, non-cold and good for holding and hitting without dangers even at the time of erroneous operations and malfunctions. SOLUTION: To a joint part 3 for connecting an arm 2 to a supporting member 1 to be fixed to a structure such as a bed or the like, an arm turning driving motor is loaded. To the joint part 5 for connecting the arm 2 and a hand 4, a ratchet mechanism is loaded. The surface layer of a hand part is covered with a soft material and a hinge opening/closing table and an arm driving switch are loaded to the hand part. The arm 2 can be turned to an air bag provided with a frame material.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a robotic arm for assisting nursing care, and more particularly to an arm for assisting waking up and sleeping on a bed, standing up and sitting on a sofa and a chair, and a bed and a sofa equipped with the arm.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional robot arm is made of a hard material such as steel, and has a discomfort or an unpleasant sensation such as being painful when hit, and being cold and hard when touched. In addition, the movement is mechanical and unfriendly, large and heavy, not only expensive, but also dangerous if there is a misoperation or malfunction, it is not used for nursing care or training for rehabilitation etc. Was.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is human-friendly,
That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a small, lightweight, and inexpensive nursing care robot arm that is soft, not cold, may be hugged or hit, has no danger of erroneous operation or malfunction, and is inexpensive.

[0004]

The present invention is configured as follows. (1) An arm turning drive motor is mounted on a first joint connecting the arm to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, and one arm is connected to a second joint connecting the arm and the hand. The rotation of the direction is free, and the rotation of the other direction is equipped with a ratchet mechanism that can be switched between free and restricted, and the surface of the hand part is covered with flexible material,
A flexible robot arm characterized by having a hinge opening / closing table and an arm drive switch mounted on a hand portion. (2) An arm aggregate turning drive motor is mounted on a joint for connecting the arm aggregate to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, and no aggregate is present near the free end of the arm. A flexible robot arm, which is an air bladder, wherein an arm drive switch is mounted on the arm or the air bladder.

[0005]

[Structure 1] An arm turning drive motor is mounted on a first joint for connecting an arm to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed. The support member is fixed to a structure in a living space such as a bed, a sofa or a pillar. The arm is turned by an arm turning motor. The rotation of the motor can be converted to a speed suitable for practical use by a speed reducer or electric control. The direction of the pivoting movement of the arm can be selected in advance according to the purpose, and can be designed and manufactured. A ratchet mechanism is mounted on the second joint unit connecting the arm and the hand, which can be selectively switched between free rotation in one direction and free rotation in the other direction. A known mechanism can be used as the ratchet mechanism. The direction of the turning motion of the hand can be selected in advance according to the purpose, and can be designed and manufactured. The hand can be driven to rotate by mounting a turning drive motor on the second joint. In this case, too, a large turning drive force is generated in one direction, but harmful to the human body in the other direction. It is necessary to provide a function similar to that of the ratchet so that the driving force is limited to an insignificantly weak turning drive force.
A flexible robot arm is characterized in that the surface of the hand portion is covered with a flexible material including a cushion material and the like, and the hand portion is provided with a hinge opening / closing table capable of eating and the like and an arm drive switch. In the present invention, in addition to the arm drive switch, when the hand portion is touched, its capacitance change, or its electric resistance change, or its vibration,
Alternatively, any one or more of the stress changes can be used as a switch signal. Many of these switches are commercially available and have sufficient sensitivity, and these may be used.

[0006]

[Function 1] The arm is soft because it does not expose the metal, and unlike the metal, it has no hardness or coldness and is lightweight. Since the arm turning drive motor is mounted on the first joint that connects the arm to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, the arm can be driven at a planned trajectory and speed. The second joint that connects the arm and the hand has a ratchet mechanism that can be switched between one direction of rotation and the other direction of rotation. Movement becomes possible, and the effect of the ratchet mechanism can prevent an accident in which the human body is injured by being caught between the hand and a structural part such as a bed. A person can easily get up and go to bed in the bed by holding this hand, and can assist in standing up and sitting on a sofa or chair. The ratchet engages and supports or transmits the rotational force in the direction in which the human force acts, but the ratchet engagement can be easily released by a button operation or the like, which is safe against erroneous operation or erroneous operation. Even when the hand is driven to turn by mounting the turning drive motor on the second joint, a predetermined large turning drive force is generated in one direction,
A safety function similar to that of the ratchet described above is provided so that it is limited to a weak turning drive force that does not harm the human body in the other direction. Can be. And the surface of the hand part is covered with flexible material, and the hand part is equipped with a hinge opening and closing table and an arm drive switch, so the contact point with the person is soft, not cold, it may be hugged or hit, It is convenient for eating and reading, and easy to operate. In addition to the arm drive switch, when the capacitance change when touching the hand portion, or its electric resistance change, or its vibration, or its stress, if any one or more as a switch signal, The switch operation can be performed by an extremely simple operation such as hitting a hand portion, and the operation can be simplified to the utmost.

[0007]

Embodiment 1-1 As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an arm turning drive motor is mounted on a first joint 3 connecting an arm 2 to a support member 1 fixed to a structure such as a bed. The second joint 5 connecting the arm 2 and the hand 4 is provided with a ratchet mechanism capable of freely selecting one direction of rotation and freely selecting the other direction of rotation. The flexible robot arm is characterized in that the surface of the unit is covered with a flexible material, the hand unit is equipped with a hinge opening / closing table 6 and an arm drive switch, and the movement of the arm and the hand is substantially in a horizontal plane.

[0008]

Embodiment 1-2 As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, an arm turning drive motor is mounted on a first joint 3 connecting an arm 2 to a support member 1 fixed to a structure such as a bed. The second joint 5 connecting the arm 2 and the hand 4 is provided with a ratchet mechanism capable of freely selecting one direction of rotation and freely selecting the other direction of rotation. The surface of the unit is covered with a flexible material, the hand unit is equipped with a hinge opening / closing table 6 and an arm drive switch, and the movement of the arm and the hand is inclined or perpendicular to a horizontal plane. Flexible robot arm.

[0009]

Embodiment 1-3 In the technique described in Embodiment 1 or 2, in addition to the arm drive switch, a change in capacitance, a change in electric resistance, or a change in vibration when the hand portion is touched. A flexible robot arm characterized in that at least one of the stresses is used as a switch signal.

[0010]

Configuration 2 Configuration 2 is different from configuration 1 in that at least the vicinity of the free end of the arm is an air bag, and the second joint and the ratchet are not necessarily required. That is, an arm aggregate turning drive motor is mounted on a joint that connects the arm aggregate to a supporting member fixed to a structure such as a bed. The support member is fixed to a structure such as a bed, a sofa or a pillar.
The arm aggregate is pivotally driven by an arm pivot motor. The rotation of the motor can be converted to a speed suitable for practical use by a speed reducer or electric control. The direction of the pivoting movement of the arm can be selected in advance according to the purpose, and can be designed and manufactured. A portion near the free end of the arm is an air bag portion having no aggregate, and the arm portion or the air bag portion is a flexible robot arm having an arm drive switch mounted thereon. The direction of the turning motion of the hand can be selected in advance according to the purpose, and can be designed and manufactured.

[0011]

[Function 2] Function 2 is different from function 1 in the same manner as the configuration 2 is different from the configuration 1. That is, since at least the vicinity of the free end of the arm is an air bag, the risk of being pinched between the arm and the bed or the like is small, so that the second joint and the ratchet are not necessarily required. The shape of the air bag can be curved in advance for convenience. An arm-aggregate turning drive motor is mounted on a joint that connects the arm aggregate to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, so that the arm can be driven at a planned trajectory and speed. A person can use this hand to assist in getting up and going to bed on a bed, standing up on a sofa or chair, and sitting. For example, in a bed, a person can be hugged by the arm and use the power of the arm to raise the upper body. And the surface of the hand part is covered with flexible material, and the hand part is equipped with a hinge opening and closing table and an arm drive switch, so the contact point with the person is soft, not cold, it may be hugged or hit,
It is convenient for eating and reading, and operation is easy. The vicinity of the free end of the arm is an air bag portion having no aggregate, and an arm drive switch is mounted on the arm portion or the air bag portion, so that the contact portion with a person is soft and not cold, It can be hugged or bumped, is convenient for eating and reading, and is easy to operate. In addition to the arm drive switch, the internal pressure change of the air bag when touching the hand portion, or its capacitance change, or its electrical resistance change, or its vibration, or its stress, one or more If a switch signal is used, the switch operation can be extremely simplified, such as hitting the hand.

[0012]

Embodiment 2-1 As shown in FIG. 5, an arm aggregate turning drive motor is mounted on a joint 3 connecting an arm aggregate 7 to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, and Near the free end of this arm is a bladder section 8 with no aggregate.
The arm 2 or the air bladder 8 is provided with an arm drive switch, and the movement of the arm 2 and the air bladder 8 is substantially in a horizontal plane.

[0013]

Embodiment 2-2 As shown in FIG. 6, an arm aggregate turning drive motor is mounted on a joint 3 connecting an arm aggregate 7 to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, and Near the free end of this arm is a bladder section 8 with no aggregate.
The arm 2 or the air bladder 8 is provided with an arm drive switch, and the movement of the arm 2 and the air bladder 8 is inclined or perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Robot arm.

[0014]

[Structure 3] A bed equipped with the robot arm according to Structure 1 or 2.

[0015]

[Function 3] By mounting the flexible robot arm described in the configuration 1 or 2 on the bed at the support member thereof, it is easy to get up and sleep in the bed.

[0016]

Embodiment 3 Embodiments 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1 and
By mounting the flexible robot arm described in 2-2 on the bed at the support member thereof, getting up and sleeping on the bed are facilitated.

[0017]

According to the present invention, human-friendly, that is,
It is possible to provide a small, lightweight and inexpensive nursing care robot arm which is soft, not cold, may be hugged or bumped, has no danger of erroneous operation or malfunction, and is inexpensive.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a flexible robot arm according to the present invention, in which the movement of an arm and a hand are substantially horizontal.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual view of a flexible robot arm according to the present invention, in which the movement of the arm and the hand is inclined or vertical from a horizontal plane.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a hinge opening / closing table of the hand of FIG. 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a hinge opening / closing table of the hand of FIG. 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of the flexible robot arm of the present invention, in which the movement of the arm and the air bladder is substantially horizontal.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the flexible robot arm of the present invention, in which the movement of the arm and the air bladder is inclined or vertical from a horizontal plane.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: support member, 2: arm, 3: first joint, joint,
Rotation drive motor, 4: Hand, 5: Second joint, ratchet, 6: Hinge opening / closing table 7: Aggregate, 8: Air bladder, 9: Bed, 10: Floor, 11: Joint between arm and hand, 12: Compressor and accumulator, 13: Swiveling position of arm etc., 14: Gripping part

Claims (2)

[Claims] An arm turning drive motor is mounted on a first joint for connecting an arm to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, and a second joint for connecting the arm and a hand is provided on a first joint. Is equipped with a ratchet mechanism that can freely rotate in one direction and switch freely and restraint in the other direction, and the surface layer of the hand part is covered with flexible material, and the hand part has a hinge opening and closing table and A flexible robot arm comprising an arm drive switch. 2. An arm aggregate turning drive motor is mounted on a joint for connecting the arm aggregate to a support member fixed to a structure such as a bed, and an aggregate is provided near a free end of the arm. A flexible robot arm, characterized in that it is an air bag portion without the arm, and an arm drive switch is mounted on the arm portion or the air bag portion.