JPS62282886A - Module type manipulator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a manipulator, and is particularly applicable to maintenance and inspection work of nuclear power plants that are difficult for humans to access, underwater or in outer space. The present invention relates to a modular manipulator suitable for performing work remotely.

[Conventional technology]

In the conventional manipulator, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-214578, the rotary drive unit has a structure that can be connected to two connecting units.

Therefore, in order to combine a plurality of single rotation type drive units to form a manipulator, it was necessary to prepare two types of drive units: a row rotation type drive unit and a pitch rotation type drive unit. However, no consideration was given to creating a structure in which one rotary drive unit can be connected to three or more units so that it can perform both roll rotation and pitch rotation.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, one rotary drive unit can only perform either roll rotation or pitch rotation, so it is necessary to prepare various rotary drive units for maintenance of the manipulator.

An object of the present invention is to improve the maintainability of a manipulator by making one joint module capable of either roll rotation or pitch rotation.

[Means for solving problems]

The above purpose is to provide the joints of the manipulator with attachment/detachment surfaces that can be connected to other joints at two locations, one on the circumference of the rotating body of the joint that rotates in conjunction with the rotor of the motor, and one on the end surface, and also to provide attachment/detachment surfaces that can be connected to other joints in conjunction with the motor's stator. By providing the joint with attachment/detachment surfaces that can be connected to other joints at two places, one on the circumference of the rotating body and one on the end surface of the rotating body of the joint that rotates relative to the rotor, and by connecting a plurality of these joints to form a manipulator, achieved.

[Effect]

The other joint is connected to one of the two attachment/detachment surfaces provided on the circumference and the end face of the rotating body of the joint that rotates in conjunction with the rotor of the motor, and the joint that rotates relative to the rotor in conjunction with the stator of the motor is connected to the other joint. This joint, which connects the second other joint to one of the two attachment/detachment surfaces provided on the circumference and on the end face of the rotating body, is capable of any one of roll rotation, pitch rotation, and offset type roll rotation.

[Example] A first example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the motor 1, the stator is fixed to the inside of the pitch rotating body B14, and the rotor is fixed to the outside of the motor shaft 2, and the motor shaft 2 also rotates as the rotor rotates. The motor shaft 2 has bearings 4-a and 4-b installed on both sides of the motor shaft 2 extending outside the motor 1 to prevent rotational wobbling. In addition, in order to directly transmit the rotational motion of the motor shaft 2 to the roll rotation body A13, the motor shaft 2 and the roll rotation body A13 are fixed so that they cannot make relative rotational movements. .

The bearings 4-a and 4-b are fixed so that the inner shaft cannot rotate relative to the motor shaft 2, and the outer ring cannot rotate relative to the pitch rotating body B14. Therefore, motor shaft 2 and pitch rotating body B
14 can perform relative rotational movement.

The bearing 5-a is fixed so that the inner ring cannot rotate relative to the pitch rotating body B14, and the outer shaft cannot rotate relative to the pitch rotating body A12. The bearing 5-b has an inner ring fixed to the pitch rotating body B14, and an outer shaft fixed to the bearing stop B7 so that they cannot rotate relative to each other. By the bearings 5-a and 5-b, the pitch rotating body B14, the pitch rotating body A12°, the pitch rotating body B14, and the bearing stop B7 can each rotate relative to each other about the same axis. The pitch flange A8 is fixed to the outer periphery of the pitch rotating body A12.

The pitch flange BIO is fixed to the outer periphery of the pitch rotating body B14. The roll rotating body A13 is the pitch rotating body A
12 and rotates around the same axis. The roll rotating body B15 is fixed to the pitch rotating body B14 and rotates coaxially.

The roll flange A9 is fixed to the roll rotating body A13 and rotates coaxially. The roll flange Bll is fixed to the roll rotating body B15 and rotates coaxially.

The four corners of the bearing 5-a are the roll rotating body A13. Pitch rotating body A12. Bearing stop A6 and pitch rotating body B
It is fixed at 14. The four corners of the bearing 5-b are the bearing stops B7. Pitch rotating body A12. It is fixed by a roll rotating body B15 and a pitch rotating body B14. Roll flange A9. Even if tensile and compressive forces are applied to the roll flange Bll, the four corners of the bearings 5-a and 5-b remain constant, so the pitch rotating body A12 and the pitch rotating body B14 will not separate. The bearing stopper 86 is fixed to the end face of the pitch rotating body B14 to stop movement of the bearings 4-a and 5-a. Encoder 3 has pitch flange A
8 and pitch flange BIO or roll flange A9 and roll flange Bll are detected.

Pitch flange A8. BIO, roll flange A9. B
Each flange of ll has the same shape.

FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the joint module 20.

Flange A8. A9. Bolt hole 16 on BIO, Bll
, 17, 18, and 19 are located every 90 degrees.

FIG. 3 shows the roll flange A9. of the joint module 20.
It shows the roll rotation movement of the joint module 20 when another joint module is flange-coupled to the roll flange Bll.

FIG. 4 shows the pitch flange A8. of the joint module 2o.
It shows the pitch rotation movement of the joint module 20 when other joint modules of the pitch flange BIO are flange-coupled.

FIG. 5 shows pitch flange A8. Roll flange Bll
3 shows the offset type roll rotation movement of the joint module 20 when another joint module is flange-coupled to the pitch flange BIO or the roll flange A9.

As described above, one type of joint module 20 can perform three types of roll rotation, pitch rotation, and offset type roll rotation by changing the flanges that connect with other joint modules.
This has the effect of allowing you to select one of the following functions.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

The traveling rail 23 guides the manipulator 30 to the work place. The traveling trolley 22 follows the traveling rail 23,
Move the manipulator 30.

The flange of the traveling truck 22 and the pitch flange A8 of the joint module 20-a, the pitch flange BIO of the joint module 20-a and the roll flange Bll of the joint module 20-b, and the roll flange A9 of the joint module 20-b. Pitch flange A8 of joint module 20-c
, the pitch flange BIO of the joint module 20-c, the roll flange Bll of the joint module 20-d, and the roll flange A9 of the joint module 20-d and the flange of the end effector 21 are respectively flange-coupled to form the end effector 21. This is an example of a manipulator 30 having five degrees of freedom, including one degree of freedom.

In this example, the joint modules 20-a and 20-C perform pitch rotation, and the joint modules 20-d and 20-b perform roll rotation.

As described above, by connecting a plurality of joint modules 20, it is possible to configure the manipulator 30 that can move the end effector 21 to any position and posture. Furthermore, since the joint modules 20 that constitute the manipulator 30 have the same structure, if one joint module 20 fails, normal operation can be achieved by replacing only the failed joint module 2o. Furthermore, it is economical to prepare only one type of spare joint module.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.

In this example, the pitch flange BI in the embodiment of FIG.
Since the structure is such that O is removed, only roll rotation and offset type roll rotation are possible. but,
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, roll rotation and offset type roll rotation could not be performed continuously, but in this embodiment,
Continuous rotation is possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, one type of joint can be given the function of roll rotation or pitch rotation by changing the connection location with other joints, so that a manipulator configured by connecting a plurality of joints can malfunction. If the malfunctioning joint is replaced, the manipulator will operate normally, and only one type of joint needs to be prepared for maintenance, so the manipulator is easy to maintain.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the roll rotation operation of the first embodiment, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the pitch rotation operation of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the offset type roll rotation operation of the first embodiment, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the pitch rotation of the first embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment in which a plurality of joint modules of the embodiment are combined, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Motor, 2...Motor shaft, 3...Encoder, 8...Pitch flange A, 9...Roll flange A.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In the joints of a manipulator that has multiple joints, detachable surfaces that can be connected to other joints are provided at two locations on the circumference and on the end surface of the rotating body of the joint that is fixed to the rotor of the motor and rotates with the rotation of the rotor. A modular manipulator characterized by: