WO1998052724A1

WO1998052724A1 - Robot device

Info

Publication number: WO1998052724A1
Application number: PCT/JP1998/002241
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto; Yasuyuki Shimoda
Original assignee: Fanuc Ltd
Priority date: 1997-05-21
Filing date: 1998-05-21
Publication date: 1998-11-26
Also published as: JPH10315180A

Abstract

A robot device provided with a connecting structure which can make the exchange and maintenance work of a robot controller disposed adjacently to the main body section of a robot more efficient. Rails (RL) are laid adjacently to a mount (100) for the robot body (RB). Many connecting cables (14) connected to each section of a robot controller (RC) are connected to a connector (CN10). When a housing (10) of the controller (RC) is moved nearer to the robot body (RB) and the connector (CN10) is abutted against another connector (CN20) for connecting cables (24) in the robot body (RB), the controller (RC) is electrically connected to the main body (RB). When a locking mechanism (16) is unlocked and the controller (RC) is pulled, the controller (RC) is separated from the robot body (RB). The connectors (CN10 and CN20) are provided with such flexible connecting mechanisms that can smoothly attain connecting operations even when they are positioned with low accuracy.

Description

Specification

Robot device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a robot device of a type in which a robot control device is disposed adjacent to a robot main body, and more specifically, to a robot device in the robot device. The present invention relates to improvement of a connection structure between a bot main body and a mouth bot control device.

Background technology

In general, a robot device includes a robot main body including a robot arm and a driving mechanism thereof, and a robot control device that controls a driving mechanism of the robot main body and the like. . The robot main body and the robot control device constituting one mouth port device are often arranged adjacent to each other from the viewpoint of saving space and the like.

FIG. 1a shows, for example, the patent publication 0 6 7 4 9 7 8

A schematic diagram of the adjacent arrangement of the robot main body and the robot control device, which is described in A1 and has been conventionally used, is an overall view, and Fig. It is shown. In FIG. 1A, a main body of a general robot including a robot arm AM, a base BS, and the like is represented by a code RB. The robot controller RC for controlling the actuators (servo motors) and the like of each axis mechanism of the robot body RB is provided on the side of the base BS on which the robot arm AM is installed. It is located adjacent to the part. In addition, the base BS is an installation part shared with the robot controller RC. 6 is installed on.

Fig. 1b is an enlarged view of the robot controller RC and a part of the robot body RB adjacent to it (the part indicated by the circled area A). As shown in the drawing, a control print board 2 equipped with a main CPU and the like and a servo amplifier 3 are provided in a nosing 1 of the robot controller RC.

Connectors C N1 and C N 2 are provided at appropriate places of the control print board 2 and the servo amplifier 3 (portions close to the robot body RB), such as screw portions S for cable terminals. In addition, a part where the robot housing RB (base BS) is in contact with the nosing 1 of the robot controller RC is provided with a cable lead-in hole 5 having an appropriate size (details are omitted, (Indicated by a broken line).

The connection cable 4 for electrically connecting the robot body RB and the required part of the robot controller RC is provided with a cable lead-in hole from each part of the robot body (servo motor, brake, etc.). It is drawn into the housing 1 of the robot controller RC via 5, and one end of each cable is connected to the connectors CN 1 and CN 2 and the screwing section S.

The housing 1 is fixed to the installation part 6 by an appropriate fixing mechanism in order to set the robot control device RC on the side of the robot body RB. In some cases, as an alternative or for reinforcement, the nosing 1 may be fixed to the side of the robot body RB. The problem with such a conventional arrangement is that the robot controller RC must be replaced before and after maintenance (circuit board replacement, parts replacement, cleaning, inspection, etc.). This requires complicated separation work or restoration work. In other words, when the mouth-bottom control device RC needs to be replaced or required for maintenance, not only does the housing 1 be released from the fixed state, but also a large number of connection cables 4 are generally used. Must be released for all connection cables 4 such as connectors CN 1 and CN 2 to which each terminal of

Furthermore, in order to restore the connection state, the connectors CN 1 and CN 2 to which the respective ends of the connection cables 4 were connected, and the screws S, etc., must be locked again for all the connection cables 4. Must be used (when the robot controller RC is replaced, it is locked and connected to the new connectors CN1, CN2, and the screwing section S). Such a task is complicated and places a heavy burden on users and the like.

Further, in another known example, as described in European Patent Publication No. 07 285 559 A2, the robot control device has a rectifier and a drive device. In addition, a structure is known in which only a driving device is disposed adjacent to a motor in a robot mechanism. However, in this known device, the entire robot control device is not arranged adjacent to the robot mechanism, but the robot mechanism and the robot control device are not arranged. Cannot be made into a compact as a whole. However, it does not teach the configuration for electrically connecting and disconnecting the control device and the robot mechanism for maintenance, especially for replacing parts.

Disclosure of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a robot device of a type in which the robot control device is arranged adjacent to the robot main body. An object of the present invention is to improve a robot device of the above-mentioned type so as to reduce a work load such as the above.

The robot apparatus according to the present invention includes the robot control device mounted on the robot main body such that the robot control device takes a position adjacent to and separated from the robot main body. A movable mounting mechanism that is movably mounted on the other hand, and the robot control device and the robot body are electrically coupled when the robot control device is moved to an adjacent position. A connection mechanism for releasing the electrical connection between the robot control device and the mouth body when the robot control device is moved to the separated position. As a result, the robot control device is positioned adjacent to the robot body without the connection cable being pulled into the robot body and the mouth robot control device. A robot device of a type to be arranged is provided.

In the above configuration, when the robot control device and the robot main body are combined, the two are electrically coupled, and when separated, the electrical coupling is released. The connection and disconnection between the robot controller and the robot body are This is performed by moving the robot control device closer to and away from the mouth robot body using a movable mounting mechanism.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the connecting mechanism includes a first connecting connector provided on the robot control device side and a second connecting connector provided on the mouth-bot main body. And a connecting connector support mechanism for absorbing a positioning error between the connecting connectors. By providing such a flexible connecting connector support mechanism, it is possible to alleviate the requirement regarding the positioning accuracy of both connecting connectors.

The movable mounting mechanism can be composed of a rail laid adjacent to the robot main body, wheels provided on the robot controller, and wheels that roll on the rail. I can do it.

Further, a locking mechanism for holding the robot control device at an adjacent position, and a mechanism for preventing the robot control device from approaching the robot body more than the adjacent position. A cushioning member may be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1a is an overall view showing the outline of the conventional adjoining structure of the robot body and the mouth robot control device. Fig. Lb is the robot body and robot control. Enlarged view of the connection with the device

FIG. 2A is an overall view schematically showing an adjacent arrangement structure of a robot body and a robot control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a main part of a movable mounting mechanism. Arrow C inside FIG. 2c is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by a circle A in FIG. 2a.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the connection connector on the robot body side.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a state before the two connection connectors are connected.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C, FIG. 3 and FIG. The reference numerals of each element in these figures are shared where appropriate if common.

In FIG. 2A, a main body of a general robot having a robot arm A M, a base B S, and the like is represented by a symbol RB. The robot controller RC for controlling the actuators (servo motors) of each axis mechanism of the robot main body RB is provided on the side of the base BS on which the robot arm AM is installed. It is located adjacent to the part. The base B S is installed on the mounting part 100.

As shown in FIG. 2b or FIG. 2c, a rail laying portion 101 is provided adjacent to the mounting portion 100, and two rail laying portions 101 are provided on the rail laying portion 101. The robot control device RC having the housing 10 on which the rail RL is laid is mounted on the rail RL by a plurality of wheels WH. That is, the rail laying portion 101, the rule RL, and the wheel WH constitute a movable mounting mechanism of the mouth-bottom control device RC.

In the right place of the rail laying section 101, the robot controller R To prevent C from deviating from the movable mounting mechanism (laying range of the rail RL), a stopper, ° 102, is provided. Also, in order to prevent the robot control device RC and / or the robot body RB from excessively approaching each other and protect the connecting connector described later, rubber or the like is used. Such a buffer member 15 is provided. Further, in order to fix the mouth port control device RC and the robot body RB in a connected state during normal use, appropriate locking members or mechanisms 16 (16a, 16b), They are set up in the right places for both.

As shown in FIG. 2c, the housing 10 of the robot controller RC includes a control print board 11 having a main CPU and the like, and a servo amplifier 1 in the housing 10 of the robot controller RC. The control print board 11 and the servo amplifier 12 on which the 2 is installed are connected to the CN 1 and CN 2 or cable terminal screws in the right places (the part close to the mouth bot body RB). It has a stop S etc.

The required number of cables 14 is connected to the cable connection part on the robot controller RC side, but unlike the conventional case, these cables 14 extend to the inside of the robot body RB. It does not have to be installed, but functions as a connection cable inside the robot controller. In other words, the order of connection cable electrically coupling the robot body RB and robotic control device RC, the respective internal connection Ke - is divided into table 1 ⁴ 2 4.

The cable 14 for internal connection of the robot controller is opposed to the robot body RB of the nosing 10. Robot control device side connection connector CN

They are all connected to 10. On the other hand, the robot body R

B also has a connection connector CN 20 on the robot body RB side at a position facing the connection connector CN 10 on the robot controller RB side, and this connection is provided. The connection cable 24 inside the mouth body RB is collectively connected to the connector CN 20.

The connection connectors CN 10 and CN 20 are automatically connected by pressing the operator power robot control device RC against the robot main body RB, and the connection is appropriately controlled. The structure is such that the connection is released naturally by applying a great separation force. Further, at the time of connection, each of the robot controller R C and the internal connection cables 14 and 24 of the mouth body RB is designed to be electrically connected in a correct correspondence. Furthermore, the connection connectors CN 10 and CN 20 can smoothly perform the connection operation even if there is a slight error in the facing relationship between the two connection connectors CN 10 and CN 20. As described above, it is preferable to provide a connection mechanism that allows connection with a certain degree of flexibility.

Hereinafter, the structure and function of a flexible coupling mechanism composed of a pair of coupling connectors CN10 and CN20 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the connection connector CN 20 on the mouth-bot body RB side, and FIG. 4 is a view showing both connection connectors CN 10 and CN 20. FIG. 5 is a side view of a state before being connected. As shown in FIG. 4, a connector mounting base 40 is fixed to a proper position of the robot body RB (base BS) with fixing screws 41 and 42. The connector mounting plate 30 is elastically supported with respect to the connector installation base 40 by a mechanism using an appropriate number of springs SP. As a result, the position of the connector mounting plate 30 has flexibility in the direction indicated by the arrow Z.

Next, as can be understood by referring to FIG. 3, the connection connector CN 20 includes a center portion 21 provided with a required number of terminal pins 25 and a positioning guide pin 26. And edge portions 22 and 23 provided with guide pin jacks 27, respectively, and a central portion 21 has a connector receiving hole 31 provided in the connector mounting plate 30. Is fitted to the connector mounting plate 30 so as to have flexibility in both directions indicated by arrows X and Y.

In order to provide such flexibility, the connector receiving hole 31 has a sufficient size and shape to receive the central portion 21 with a margin. The connector mounting plate 30 is provided with mounting screw holes 32, 33 having a size and shape for receiving the mounting screws 34, 35 with a margin.

The mounting screws 34 and 35 extend through the mounting screw holes 32 and 33 to the back of the connector mounting plate 30 and are larger than the mounting screw holes 32 and 33. Nuts BL of size are accumulated. Allows mounting screws 3 4 and 3 5 to move in X and Y directions Therefore, the neutral length of the spring SP, the position of the bolt BL, etc. are designed or adjusted so that the gaps G1 to G4 as shown in the figure are formed.

Since the supporting mechanism of the connecting connector CN 20 on the RB side of the robot body is as described above, the connecting connector CN 20 ends up with a three-dimensional frame. It will be supported with a criticality. The connection cable 24 inside the robot body RB passes through the wiring inside the connector CN 20, not shown, through the through hole 4 of the connector installation base 40. 3 Power is drawn into the robot body RB.

On the other hand, the nosing 10 of the robot control device RC includes a connector mounting base 50 integrated with the connecting connector CN 10 50 force S and fixing screws 51, 5. It is fixed at 2. The connection connector CN 10 is composed of a central portion 61 in which pin jack terminals 65 are arranged corresponding to the terminal pins 25 of the connection connector CN 20, and a guide pin jumper. It has edges 62 and 63 provided with a hook 66 and a positioning guide pin 67, respectively.

Each pin jack terminal 65 has an insertion hole 65a for receiving the corresponding terminal pin 25. Further, the guide pin jack 66 has an insertion hole 66 a for receiving the positioning guide pin 26. The positioning guide pin 67 is inserted into a guide pin jack 27 on the connection connector CN 20 side.

As shown, each of the pins 25, 26, 67 has a tapered shape, at least at the tip, and The insertion holes 65 a, 66 a, and 27 a for receiving the pins are also tapered so as to smoothly guide the tips of the pins.

The flexible support structure of the connector CN 20 described above allows the pins 25, 26, 67 and the insertion holes 65 a, 66 a, 2 to receive the pins 25, 26, 67. 7 Even if there is a deviation (a deviation Y in the Y direction as shown in the figure) due to a slight positioning error between a, the connection connector CN10 is connected to the connection connector CN20. When pressed, the pins 25, 26, 67 are smoothly fitted into the corresponding insertion holes 65a, 66a, 27a, and the connection state is realized, and the robot control is performed. The device RC and the robot body RB are electrically connected. The connection cable 14 inside the robot controller RC is connected to the through-hole 17 of the connector installation base 50 via the wiring inside the connection connector CN 10 (not shown). Kahara is pulled into the robot controller RC.

Each operation of the operator at the time of connection and at the time of disconnection is very simple as follows.

Operation during connection; start connection from the disconnected state as shown in Fig. 2c, that is, the state in which the robot controller RC is at a position separated from the robot body RB. The operator presses the robot controller RC's nosing 10 with his hand, moves it close to the robot body RB, and pushes it lightly to move the mouth robot controller RC to the adjacent position. Let Then, the connection connectors CN10 and CN20 absorb the positioning error. They are linked together. Collision due to excessive approach or carelessness is prevented by the flexibility of the connecting connector CN 20 in the Z direction, and is also avoided by the cushioning member 15. In order to fix the connection state more stably, an appropriate locking mechanism 16 may be used.

Operation for releasing the connection; To release the connection between the robot controller RC and the robot body RB, the operator releases the locking of the locking mechanism 16 and then the robot. By pulling the nosing 10 of the controller RC away from the RB force of the robot body and moving it to the separated position, each pin and pin separates from the insertion hole. The connection state is released.

Separate the robot control device R C sufficiently from the robot body R B, and perform maintenance and parts replacement, or replace the robot control device R C itself. When replacing the robot control device RC itself, remove the robot control device RC from the rail RL, and mount a separately prepared robot control device RC on the rail RL. . In any case, it is no longer necessary to use the nerve for handling the connection cable every time the connection is disconnected and reconnected, as in the conventional case.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications such as the following (1) to (3) are possible.

(1) Rails are mounted on the movable mounting mechanism of the robot controller RC.

Use a mechanism other than the Z wheel.

(2) Connect the connector instead of the connector on the robot body. Provide flexibility to the connection connector on the bot control unit. Alternatively, both the robot main body and the robot control device are provided with flexibility.

(3) The male-female relationship between the pin and the pin-jack is different from that of the above embodiment. For example, it is conceivable to provide the terminal pin 25 on the connection connector CN10 side and provide the pin jack 65 on the connection connector CN20 side.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, connection and disconnection of the mouth robot control device and the robot main body which are arrange | positioned adjacent to a robot main body can be performed by extremely simple operation. Therefore, the work efficiency of the maintenance and maintenance of the replacement of the robot control device adjacent to the robot main body is remarkably improved. Furthermore, if the coupling mechanism between the robot body and the robot controller has fre- quency that absorbs the positioning error of the connecting part, the requirement for the positioning accuracy of both can be eased. And can be.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. A robot device in which a robot control device is arranged adjacent to a robot body,

The robot controller is movably mounted on the robot main body such that the robot controller takes a position adjacent to and separated from the robot main body. The movable mounting mechanism and

When the robot control device is moved to the adjacent position, the robot control device and the robot main body are electrically coupled, and the robot control device is moved to the adjacent position. A robot device comprising: a robot control device; and a coupling mechanism for releasing electrical connection between the robot main body when the control device is moved to the separated position.

2. The connection mechanism includes a first connection connector provided on the robot control device, a second connection connector provided on the robot main body, and the second connection connector. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising: a connection connector supporting mechanism that absorbs a positioning error between the first connection connector and the second connection connector. Device.

3. The robot apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the connection connector support mechanism movably supports the second connection connector with respect to the robot body. .

4. The connecting connector support mechanism includes: a mounting plate for mounting the second connecting connector; and a mounting plate for moving the robot body and the control device apart from each other. Be able to move 4. The robot apparatus according to claim 3, comprising: a panel that elastically supports the panel.

5. The movable mounting mechanism includes a rail laid adjacent to the robot main body, and wheels provided on the robot control device and rolling on the rail. , Claims

The robot device according to item 1.

6. The robot device according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for holding the robot control device at the adjacent position.

7. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising a buffer member for preventing the robot control device from approaching the mouth robot body more than the adjacent position. Bot device.