Robot arm and robot

• US 10,099,367 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hirabayashi, Tomokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Jake
• Application Number:
  US14/481,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20150068349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 7449001, 7449002, 7449005, 7449006
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/00 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0025 Means for supplying energy to the end effector
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/12 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/126 Rotary actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/20 with provision for altering speed of driven element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/25 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/28 Joint
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20317 including electric motor

Abstract

A joint driving device includes: a reduction gear output shaft that transmits a torque to a second link; a transmission shaft that transmits reaction of the torque to a first link; a transmission shaft outer cylinder arranged on the outer circumference of the transmission shaft and connected to the transmission shaft; a reduction gear output shaft outer cylinder arranged in the outer circumference of the reduction gear output shaft and connected to the reduction gear output shaft; and a wire body arranged between the first link and the second link and including at least one of a wire and a pipe. The transmission shaft includes the motor frame as at least a part. The wire body is housed in a space between the transmission shaft outer cylinder and the transmission shaft, and a space between the reduction gear output shaft outer cylinder and the reduction gear output shaft.

Claims

1. A joint driving device in which a first link and a second link relatively turn, the joint driving device comprising:

a motor including a rotor, a rotor shaft, a stator, and a plurality of bearings that support the rotor shaft;

a reduction gear engaged with the rotation shaft that decelerates rotation from the motor and increases and outputs a torque output of the motor;

a reduction gear output shaft engaged with the reduction gear and the second link that transmits the torque output from the reduction gear to the second link;

a transmission shaft that is a motor frame extending longitudinally with the motor and supporting the rotor, rotor shaft, and stator, wherein the transmission shaft is engaged with a frame of the reduction gear and the first link, transmitting a reaction torque output from the frame of the reduction gear to the first link;

a transmission shaft outer cylinder arranged on the outer circumference of the transmission shaft and connected to the transmission shaft;

a reduction gear output shaft outer cylinder arranged on the outer circumference of the reduction gear output shaft and connected to the reduction gear output shaft; and

a wire body arranged between the first link and the second link and including at least one of a wire and a pipe, wherein

the wire body is housed in a housing space defined by the transmission shaft outer cylinder, the transmission shaft, and the reduction gear output shaft outer cylinder,

the rotor shaft extends from within the motor to the second link, and

the reduction gear output shaft is disposed within the second link.

2. The joint driving device according to claim 1, further comprises:

a reduction gear output shaft collar connected to the reduction gear output shaft and arranged on the outer circumference of the frame of the reduction gear or the transmission shaft.

3. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein

the wire body includes a movable section and fixed sections located at both ends of the movable section,

one of the fixed sections of the wire body is arranged along the circumferential direction of the transmission shaft between the transmission shaft outer cylinder and the transmission shaft,

the other of the fixed sections of the wire body is arranged along the circumferential direction of the reduction gear output shaft between the reduction gear output shaft outer cylinder and the frame of the reduction gear or the transmission shaft, and

the movable section of the wire body is arranged to be folded back in a U shape in the circumferential direction of the transmission shaft and the reduction gear output shaft.

4. The joint driving device according to claim 3, wherein

the one of the fixed sections of the wire body is fixed to be closer to the transmission shaft side, and

the other of the fixed sections of the wire body is fixed to be closer to the reduction gear output shaft outer cylinder side.

5. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein

the wire body includes a first wire body and a second wire body,

fixed sections of the first wire body and the second wire body are arranged to be opposed to each other, and

the wire bodies are arranged in a range in which U-shaped folded-back sections of the wire bodies do not overlap.

6. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of systems of the wire bodies are arranged along the circumferential direction of the transmission shaft and the reduction gear output shaft.

7. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of systems of the wire bodies are arranged along the radial direction of the transmission shaft and the reduction gear output shaft.

8. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of systems of the wire bodies are arranged along the axial direction of the transmission shaft and the reduction gear output shaft.

9. The joint driving device according to claim 1, further comprises:

a mechanical brake, wherein

the mechanical brake is arranged in a space on the inside of the first link or the second link.

10. The joint driving device according to claim 1, further comprises:

a position detector, wherein

the position detector is arranged in a space on the inside of the first link or the second link.

11. The joint driving device according to claim 1, further comprises:

a motor driving circuit and a position detector processing circuit, wherein

the motor driving circuit and the position detector processing circuit are arranged in the first link or the second link.

12. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein

the stator of the motor is shrunk-fit or pressed-fit in the motor frame.

13. A robot comprising the joint driving device according to claim 1.

the wire body is connected to a circuit board or a connector in the housing space or the reduction gear output shaft outer cylinder and the transmission shaft outer cylinder.

14. A robot comprising the joint driving device according to claim 1.

15. The robot according to claim 14, wherein

the second link of the joint driving device turns in a direction in which the joint is bent with respect to the first link.

16. A robot according to claim 14, wherein

the second link of the joint driving device turns in a direction in which the joint is twisted with respect to the first link.

17. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission shaft is attached to the stator and engaged with the frame of the reduction gear and the first link.

18. The joint driving device according to claim 1, wherein the wire body is disposed wound around the transmission shaft.