Method and a Contact Panel Having Contacts Protruding Through an Opening in a Cover Forming Part of an Industrial Robot

• US 20080156137A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Larsson, Jan, Olsson, Mats, Toresson, Bo, Paananen, Tommi, Johnsson, Karl-Gunnar, Persson, Stig
• Granted Patent: US 9,266,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/490.02
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0025 Means for supplying energy to the end effector
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0075 Means for protecting the manipulator from its environment or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20311 including power cable or connector

Abstract

An industrial robot including a contact panel having one or several contacts to allow connection to the industrial robot of one or several cables through which energy, signals or a substance may pass to and/or from the industrial robot. A cover forms part of an outer surface of the industrial robot. Each one of the one or several contacts of the contact panel protrudes through an opening in the cover so as to be accessible from the outside of the industrial robot. The contact panel is mounted to and supported by a holder that is secured in an internal cavity of the industrial robot so as to allow the contact panel to be held in place in the industrial robot when the cover is removed.

Claims

1. An industrial robot, comprising:

a contact panel having one or several contacts to allow connection to the industrial robot of one or several cables through which energy, signals or a substance may pass to and/or from the industrial robot;

a cover forming part of an outer surface of the industrial robot, wherein the cover is removably mounted to the industrial robot, and wherein each one of said one or several contacts of the contact panel protrude through an opening in the cover so as to be accessible from outside of the industrial robot; and

a holder to which the contact panel is mounted and supported by, wherein the a holder is secured in an internal cavity of the industrial robot so as to allow the contact panel to be held in place in the industrial robot by the holder when the cover is removed, wherein the cover is arranged to cover an opening in the industrial robot that is larger than an outwardly facing surface of the contact panel so as to allow access via the opening to internal parts of the industrial robot when the contact panel is mounted to the industrial robot via the holder and the opening is uncovered.

2. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the contact panel and the cover are mounted to an upper arm of the industrial robot.

3. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the contact panel and the cover are mounted to a lower arm of the industrial robot.

4. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the contact panel and the cover are mounted to a base of the industrial robot.

5. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the contact panel is removably mounted to the holder.

6. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the cover is arranged to provide a fluid-tight fit with adjacent sections of the outer surface of the industrial robot and with the contact panel or its contact/contacts.

9. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a support arm, and the contact panel is mounted to an outer end of the support arm.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10. A method for providing an industrial robot with means to allow the connection to the industrial robot of one or several cables through which energy, signals or a substance may pass to and/or from the industrial robot, the method comprising:

mounting a contact panel, which is provided with one or several contacts to be connected to said one or several cables, to the industrial robot via a holder that is secured in an internal cavity of the industrial robot, the contact panel being supported by the holder and being accessible via an opening in the outer surface of the industrial robot; and

covering the opening with a cover so as to form part of the outer surface of the industrial robot, each one of said one or several contacts of the contact panel being arranged to protrude through an opening in the cover so as to be accessible from the outside of the industrial robot.