No-wiring robot

• US 5,712,552 A
• Filed: 03/29/1996
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Inventors: Ishibashi, Ichiro, Kaku, Yasuhiko, Hirai, Junji, Hiraga, Yoshiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US08/619,514
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 318/560-696, 901/3, 901/5, 901/7, 901/9, 901/13, 901/15, 901/47, 901/48, 901/49, 395/80, 395/81, 395/93, 395/94, 385/59, 385/89, 250/227.11, 356/152
• US Class Current: 318/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0029 arranged within the different robot elements

Abstract

A robot which does not require electric wires (power transmission wires and signal wires) for interconnecting joint shafts is provided. An electrodeless unit for transmitting electric power by way of high-frequency electromagnetic induction and a unit for transmitting signals by way of optical transmission or high-frequency electromagnetic induction are installed in either a reduction gear that is coupled to the shaft of a motor for actuating each of the shafts of the robot or a direct-drive motor. Electric power or signal wires are drawn through a groove or hollow defined in an output shaft of the reduction gear or the direct-drive motor. Information produced ahead of the output shaft is fed back over signal wires that are drawn through the groove or hollow defined in the output shaft.

Claims

1. A no-wiring robot comprising:

at least one joint housing a motor for actuating its own joint or another joint either through a reduction gear or directly;

electric power transmitting means including a fixed core having a primary winding around a proximal portion of a rotatable shaft by which a joint and a base or joints are rotatably supported, and a rotatable core having a secondary winding around a distal portion of the rotatable shaft, the fixed core confronting the rotatable core without contact, for transmitting electric power from the proximal portion to the distal portion without contact by way of high-frequency electromagnetic induction;

signal transmitting means including light-emitting and -receiving elements disposed respectively around the proximal and distal portions of said rotatable shaft, the light-emitting and -receiving elements confronting each other without contact, for transmitting optical control and detected signals from the proximal portion to the distal portion and vice versa without contact; and

means for converting high-frequency electric power transmitted from said electric power transmitting means for energizing said motor, and means for energizing said motor based on the control or detected signal transmitted from the proximal or distal portion, said means being disposed in each shaft which houses said motor.

3. A no-wiring robot according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable core having the core winding, the means for converting high-frequency electric power received through the rotatable core, the means for energizing said motor based on the control or detected signal transmitted from the proximal or distal portion, and a joint mechanism having a mechanism for actuating the other joint or its own joint with said motor, are detachable.

2. A no-wiring robot comprising:

at least one joint housing a motor for actuating its own joint or another joint either through a reduction gear or directly;

electric power transmitting means including a fixed core having a primary winding around a proximal portion of a rotatable shaft by which a joint and a base or joints are rotatably supported, and a rotatable core having a secondary winding around a distal portion of the rotatable shaft, the fixed core confronting the rotatable core without contact, for transmitting electric power from the proximal portion to the distal portion without contact by way of high-frequency electromagnetic induction;

signal transmitting means coaxial with the cores of said electric power transmitting means, for transmitting control and detected signals from the proximal portion to the distal portion and vice versa without contact by way of high-frequency electromagnetic induction; and

means for converting high-frequency electric power transmitted from said electric power transmitting means for energizing said motor, and means for energizing said motor based on the control or detected signal transmitted from the proximal or distal portion, said means being disposed in each shaft which houses said motor.