SPEED REDUCER FOR INDUSTRIAL ROBOT

• US 20130250303A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
• Inventors: Shirata, Takuya, Fujimoto, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,329,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/436
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/087 for sensing other physical parameters, e.g. electrical or chemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0062 Lubrication means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/102 Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears gearings in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0405 Monitoring quality of lubricant or hydraulic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/25 Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/251 Colorimeters; Construction thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

A speed reducer for an industrial robot includes a speed reducer main body and a lubricant deterioration sensor for detecting deterioration of a lubricant in the speed reducer main body. The lubricant deterioration sensor includes a light emitting element for emitting light, a color light receiving element for detecting a color of received light, a clearance forming member forming an oil clearance in which the lubricant enters, and a support member supporting the light emitting element, the color light receiving element, and the clearance forming member. The clearance forming member is transmissive so that the light emitted from the light emitting element transmits therethrough. The oil clearance is provided on an optical path from the light emitting element to the color light receiving element

Claims

1. A speed reducer for an industrial robot, comprising:

a speed reducer main body; and

a lubricant deterioration sensor for detecting deterioration of a lubricant in the speed reducer main body, wherein

the lubricant deterioration sensor includes a light emitting element for emitting light, a color light receiving element for detecting a color of received light, a clearance forming member forming an oil clearance in which the lubricant enters, and a support member supporting the light emitting element, the color light receiving element, and the clearance forming member,

the clearance forming member is transmissive so that the light emitted from the light emitting element transmits therethrough, and

the oil clearance is provided on an optical path from the light emitting element to the color light receiving element.

2. The speed reducer for an industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein

the light emitting element is a white LED configured to emit white light.

3. The speed reducer for an industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein

a reflection surface for bending the optical path is formed on the clearance forming member.

4. The speed reducer for an industrial robot according to claim 3, wherein

the clearance forming member has two rectangular prisms each of which has the reflection surface for bending the optical path at 90-degree angle, so that the optical path is bent at 180-degree angle by the reflection surfaces of the two rectangular prisms, and

the oil clearance is formed between the two rectangular prisms.

5. The speed reducer for an industrial robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

an optical path surrounding member for surrounding at least a portion of the optical path,

wherein a surface of the optical path surrounding member is treated with antireflection processing.

6. The speed reducer for an industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein

the surfaces of the clearance forming member that forms the oil clearance are treated with oil repellent treatment.

7. An industrial robot comprising:

an arm;

a speed reducer for a joint of the arm; and

a lubricant deterioration sensor for detecting deterioration of a lubricant of the speed reducer, wherein

the lubricant deterioration sensor has a light emitting element for emitting light, a color light receiving element for detecting a color of received light, a clearance forming member forming an oil clearance in which the lubricant enters, and a support member supporting the light emitting element, the color light receiving element, and the clearance forming member,

the clearance forming member is transmissive so that the light emitted from the light emitting element transmits therethrough, and

the oil clearance is provided on an optical path from the light emitting element to the color light receiving element.