WO2018191939A1

WO2018191939A1 - Cable protector for industrial robot, and industrial robot

Info

Publication number: WO2018191939A1
Application number: PCT/CN2017/081382
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jing Wu
Original assignee: Abb Schweiz Ag
Priority date: 2017-04-21
Filing date: 2017-04-21
Publication date: 2018-10-25

Abstract

An industrial robot, and a cable protector for the industrial robot are described. The industrial robot comprises a base (101), an arm (103) and a cable (104), wherein the cable (104) is located outside the robot and connects the base (101) with the arm (103). The cable protector comprises a hollow conduit (201), a connection part (202) and a rotation part (203), the cable (104) traversing the hollow conduit (201), the hollow conduit (201) passing through the connection part (202) and the rotation part (203) in this order so as to be connected inside the arm (103), the connection part (202) being roughly L-shaped, the rotation part (203) comprising a first adapter part (2031) that is securely connected with the connection part (202) and a second adapter part (2032) that is securely connected with the arm (103), the first adapter part (2031) being rotatable relative to the second adapter part (2032).

Description

CABLE PROTECTOR FOR INDUSTRIAL ROBOT, AND INDUSTRIAL ROBOT

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of industrial robots, and in particular, to a cable protector for an industrial robots, and an industrial robot.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, an existing robot 100 comprises a base 101, a first arm 102, a second arm 103 and a cable 104, wherein the first arm 102 may rotate around a first axis 105 shown with a dashed line in FIG. 1, the second arm 103 may rotate around a second axis 106 shown with a dashed line in FIG. 1, and the cable 104 that is external to the robot connects the base 101 with the second arm 103 so as to deliver an electric and control signal from the base 101 to the second arm 103. Such a robot is usually referred to as a selective compliance assembly robot arm (SCARA) and is suitable for assembly and transfer.

As seen from FIG. 1, a portion of the cable 104 which is close to the second arm 103 will twist during reciprocating rotation of the second arm 103, and the cable 104 will become susceptible to damage after long term use. Therefore, existing practice for protecting cables is to extend the service life of the cable 104 by increasing the length of the twisted portion of the cable 104. However, such practice makes the robot’s height higher, so that the robot takes more space.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a cable protector for an industrial robot, and an industrial robot.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a cable protector for an industrial robot comprising a base, an arm and a cable, wherein the cable that is external to the robot connects the base with the arm, the cable protector comprising: a hollow conduit, a connector part and a rotation part, the hollow conduit passing through the connection part and the rotation part in this order so as to be connected inside the arm, the connection part approximately taking an L shape, the rotation part comprising a first adapter part that is securely connected with the connection part and a second adapter part that is securely connected with the arm, the first adapter part being rotatable relative to the second adapter part.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an industrial robot comprising a cable protector according to the present invention.

The cable protector provided by the present invention can lessen the cable damage caused by cable twisting during rotation of the robot’s arm, thereby increasing the service life of the cable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention may be obtained from description of embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of an existing industrial robot according to one embodiment；

FIG. 2 schematically shows a front view of a cable protector according to one embodiment of the present invention；

FIG. 3 schematically shows an exploded view of a rotation part in the cable protector according to one embodiment of the present invention； and

FIG. 4 schematically shows a perspective view of a limit part according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Description is presented below to specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted while describing these embodiments, the specification might not thoroughly describe all features of actual embodiments for the sake of brevity. It should be understood during actual implementation of any one embodiment, just as in the course of any one engineering project or design project, in order to achieve specific objectives of developers and satisfy system-related or business-related restrictions, usually a variety of concrete policies will be made, which also leads to changes from one embodiment to another embodiment. In addition, it may be understood though efforts made during such development might be complicated and tedious, to those of ordinary skills in the art related to content disclosed by the present invention, some variations to design, manufacture or production as made on the basis of technical content disclosed in the present disclosure are merely conventional technical means, and content of the present disclosure should not be construed as being insufficient.

Unless otherwise defined, technical or scientific terminology used in the claims and specification should be general meaning as interpreted by those of ordinary skills in the art. The words “first” , “second” and the like are not to be read as any order, amount or importance but only are used to distinguish different components. The word “one” is not to be read as any amount restriction but is to be read as “at least one” . The word “comprise” or “include” and the like means an element or article preceding “comprise” or “include” contains an element or article and equivalent elements as enumerated after “comprise” or “include” , and does not exclude other element or article. The word “connect” or “link” and the like is neither limited to physical or mechanical connection nor limited to direct or indirect connection.

To make the objective, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described with reference to the specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments to be described are merely part of embodiments of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments as made by those of ordinary skills in the art without the exercise of any inventive skill should fall in the protection scope of the present invention.

First of all, the embodiments of the present invention provide a cable protector for an industrial robot. The industrial robot comprises a base, an arm and a cable, wherein the cable that is external to the robot connects the base with the arm. The cable protector is particularly suitable to protect external cables of SCARA robots.

Usually the SCARA robot has an overall structure as shown in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG. 2, the cable protector of the present invention may comprise a hollow conduit 201, a connection part 202 and a rotation part 203.

The cable 104 traverses the hollow conduit 201. One end of the hollow conduit 201 is fixed to the base 101 and the other end of the hollow conduit passes through the connection part 202 and the rotation part 203 in this order so as to be fixed to the second arm 103. One end of the cable 104 penetrates and are fixed within the base 101, and the other end of the cable 104 penetrates and are fixed within the second arm 103. It should be pointed out though the second arm 103 is taken for example here and below, those skilled in the art will appreciate the cable 104 may also be connected to any arm of the robot, in which case the technical solution of the present invention is still applicable.

The connection part 202 approximately takes an L shape, which can reduce the robot’s height so as to save the space occupied by the robot. The connection part 202 may sleeve the outer circumference of the hollow conduit 201.

With reference to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 3, the rotation part 203 may comprise a first adapter part 2031 that may be securely connected with one end of the connection part 202 and a second adapter part 2032 that may be securely connected with the second arm 203. As shown in FIG. 4, the first adapter part 2031 and the second adapter part 2032 may be hollow ring-shaped, and the second adapter part 2032 may be fit within the circumference of the first adapter part 2031 that may rotate relative to the second adapter part 2032. Usually a bearing 2033 may be arranged between the first adapter part 2031 and the second adapter part 2032 as a portion of the rotation part 203.

When the second axis 106 rotates, the rotation part 203 may release the twisting force in the hollow conduit 201, so that the force situation in the hollow conduit 201 may be improved so as to increase the service life of the cable 104.

Similarly, the rotation part may be arranged at one end of the hollow conduit 201 which is close to the base 101. In this way, when the first axis 105 rotates, the rotation part may release the twisting force in the hollow conduit 201, so that the force situation in the hollow conduit 201 may be improved so as to increase the service life of the cable 104.

However, when the robot’s first axis and/or second axis turns, the connection part 202 turns relative to the second arm 103. Since one end 1041 of the cable 104 is fixed with the second arm 103, the end will also twist due to rotation relative to the connection part 202. Since the connection part 202 is roughly L-shaped, the cable 104 will be stuck at the vertical bend inside the connection part 202 and thus fail to deliver the twisting force. As a result, only a small segment of the entire cable from the end 1041 to the vertical bend is under the twist, which increases the damage to this segment of the cable. To this end, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the cable protector for an industrial robot may further comprise a limit part that may be located inside the rotation part 203. When the rotation angle of the connection part 202 relative to the second arm 203 reaches preset scope, the limit part may cause the first adapter part 2031 to be fixed relative to the second adapter part 2032 and cause the first adapter part 2031 to rotate with the second adapter part 2032, so that the connection part 202 is caused to rotate with the second arm 103.

With reference to FIG. 4, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the limit part may comprise a first blocking part 401 and a second blocking part 402. The first blocking part 401 may be located on the inner circumference of the first adapter part 2031, the second blocking part 402 may be located on the upper surface of the second adapter part 2032, and the first blocking part 401 and the second blocking part 402 may limit the rotation scope of the first adapter part 2031 relative to the second adapter part 2032 through mutual counteraction, so that the connection part 202 is caused to rotate with the second arm 103. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first blocking part 401 may be a component securely connected on the inner circumference of the first adapter part 2031. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the first blocking part 401 may further be a portion of the first adapter part 2031 which projects from the inner circumference of the first adapter part 2031. Similarly, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the second blocking part 402 may be a component securely connected on the upper surface of the second adapter part 2032. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the second blocking part 402 may further be a portion of the second adapter part 2032 which projects from the upper surface of the second adapter part 2032.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the first blocking part 401 may further comprise a body 4011 and a counteracting member. The body 4011 may match the shape of the inner circumference of the first adapter part 2031 so as to fixed on the inner circumference of the first adapter part 2031. The counteracting member 4012 may be located on the upper surface of the body 4011, for example, may be formed by extending from the upper surface of the body 4011.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the limit part may further be a torsion spring having one end connected with the first adapter part 2031 and the other end connected with the second adapter part 2032. While the rotation angle of the first adapter part 2031 relative to the second adapter part 2032 increases gradually, the torque of the torsion spring also increases gradually. By selecting a torsion spring with appropriate parameters, when the rotation angle of the first adapter part 2031 related to the second adapter part 2032 reaches preset scope, the torque may overcome resistance and drive the first adapter part 2031 to rotate with the second adapter part 2032, so that the connection part 202 is caused to rotate with the second arm 103.

The embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated above, but are not intended to limit the present invention. Various variations and changes to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement and so on as made under the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A cable protector for an industrial robot comprising a base, an arm and a cable, wherein the cable is located outside the robot and connects the base with the arm, characterized in that: the cable protector comprises a hollow conduit, a connection part and a rotation part, the cable traversing the hollow conduit, the hollow conduit passing through the connection part and the rotation part in this order so as to be connected to the arm, the connection part being roughly L-shaped, the rotation part comprising a first adapter part that is securely connected with the connection part and a second adapter part that is securely connected with the arm, the first adapter part being rotatable relative to the second adapter part.
The cable protector according to Claim 1, characterized by further comprising:

a limit part located inside the rotation part, when the rotation angle of the connection part relative to the arm reaches preset scope, the limit part causing the first adapter part to be fixed relative to the second adapter part and causing the first adapter part to rotate with the second adapter part.
The cable protector according to Claim 2, characterized in that the limit part further comprises:

a first blocking part located on the inner circumference of the first adapter part；

a second blocking part located on the upper surface of the second adapter part； wherein the first blocking part and the second blocking part limit the rotation scope of the first adapter part relative to the second adapter part through mutual counteraction.
The cable protector according to Claim 3, characterized in that the first blocking part further comprises:

a body matching the shape of the inner circumference of the first adapter part； and

a counteracting member located on the inner circumference of the body.
The cable protector according to Claim 2, characterized in that the limit part is a torsion spring having one end connected with the first adapter part and the other end connected with the second adapter part.
An industrial robot, characterized by comprising a cable protector according to any of Claims 1 to 5.