Industrial robot

• US 4,723,713 A
• Filed: 06/30/1986
• Issued: 02/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASEA AB Vasteras Sweden
• Original Assignee: Asea Aktiebolag (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Dahlquist, Hakan
• Primary Examiner(s): Aschenbrenner, Peter A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US06/880,175
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 901/43, 901/41, 239/587, 239/754
• US Class Current: 239/587.2
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0291 having axes crossing at an oblique angle, i.e. other than 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0029 arranged within the different robot elements
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/004 by means of a fluid jet methods for use of abrasive blasting for cutting B24C1/045; guns for abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet B26F1/26

Abstract

When using an industrial robot together with a tool which is fed by a fluid, for example a nozzle for water jet cutting, the feed conduits often restrict the orientation capacity of the robot. This is avoided by providing a conduit which extends inside the robot arm and the wrist and comprises swivels, so that the parts of the wrist are able to rotate relative to each other unobstructed by the conduit.

Claims

1. An industrial robot comprising a hollow robot arm and a robot wrist mechanism mounted on said robot arm, said robot wrist mechanism including:

a first tubular wrist part which defines a first central axis therethrough and which has a first end and a second end, said first end being mounted on said robot arm so as to be rotatable about said first central axis and said second end having an oblique orientation relative to said first central axis, said first central axis defining a first rotation axis of said robot wrist mechanism,

a second tubular wrist part which defines a second central axis therethrough and which has a first end and a second end, each of said first and second ends having an oblique orientation relative to said second central axis,

first journal means for mounting the first end of said second tubular wrist part to the second end of said first tubular wrist part and to enable said second tubular wrist part to rotate relative to said first tubular wrist part about a second rotation axis which intersects said first central axis,

a third tubular wrist part which defines a third central axis therethrough and which has a first end and a second end, said first end having an oblique orientation relative to said third central axis,

second journal means for mounting the first end of said third tubular wrist part to the second end of said second tubular wrist part and to enable said third tubular wrist part to rotate relative to said second tubular wrist part about a third rotation axis which intersects said third central axis,

a tool attachment means,

a third journal means for mounting said tool attachment means on the second end of said third tubular wrist part and to enable said tool attachment means to rotate relative to said third tubular wrist part about said third central axis,

a tubing capable of containing a fluid under high pressure extending within said robot arm and said robot wrist mechanism and comprising a first tubing section in said first wrist part, a second tubing section in said second wrist part, a third tubing section in said third wrist part, a first connection member rotatably connecting said first and second tubing sections so that said second tubing section can rotate about said second rotation axis, and a second connection member rotatably connecting said second and third tubing sections so that said third tubing section can rotate about said third rotation axis,

said tubing at said first connection member being coaxial with said second rotation axis, and said second connection member being coaxial with said third rotation axis.

2. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein said connection members comprise a first swivel which is fixed to the first end of said second wrist part, and a second swivel which is fixed to the second end of said second wrist part.

3. The industrial robot according to claim 2, wherein said first tubing section comprises a main portion which extends coaxially with said first central axis and is connected by a curved portion to an outlet end portion, which extends coaxially with said second rotation axis and projects from said first swivel, and said third tubing section comprises a main portion which extends coaxially with said third central axis and is connected in a corresponding manner to an inlet end portion which extends coaxially with said third rotation axis, and said second tubing section comprises an inlet end portion connected to said first swivel, an outlet end portion connected to said second swivel and a rectilinear main portion extending between said inlet and outlet end portions.

4. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein a nozzle element is fixed to said tool attachment means, said nozzle element having an outlet part which is angularly adjusted relative to said third central axis.

5. The industrial robot according to claim 4, wherein said nozzle element comprises a swivel which enables rotation of said element about said third central axis, and a pressure-medium controlled valve for controlling the fluid through said outlet part.

6. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein a swivel is fixed to said robot arm at an inlet end portion of said first tubing section to enable said robot wrist to rotate relative to said robot arm.