Harness assembly to provide signals to end effector

• US 5,777,267 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB Flexible Automation, Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Flexible Automation, Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Szydel, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Dhiru R.
• Application Number:
  US08/668,511
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 174/72 A, 174/69, 174/DIG. 9, 174/117 F, 174/71 R, 174/72 R, 174/108, 174/68.1, 414/744.2, 310/71, 901/8, 901/29
• US Class Current: 174/72.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0025 Means for supplying energy to the end effector
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/00 Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/04 Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs

Abstract

A harness assembly including a first spiral conduit wound in a helical shape and a conduit guide. The harness assembly is designed for use with an industrial robot which has a arm and a wrist, where the arm is capable of having an end effector mounted on or connected to it. The first end of the spiral conduit is capable of being coupled to a first signal transmission point positioned on the robot arm, and the second end of the first spiral conduit is capable of being coupled to the end effector when the end effector is mounted on the robot wrist. The conduit guide is mounted on the wrist and includes a core and a first disk. In operation, the spiral conduit is capable of being arranged so that a portion of it is positioned on the first disk and wrapped around a portion of the core. The harness assembly has additional features which permit several types of signals to be transmitted through it, to keep the conduits in it from being caught in robot joints, and to reduce the amount of flexing the conduits in the harness assembly are subjected to.

Claims

1. A harness assembly for use with a robot having an arm and a wrist, the arm capable of having an end effector connected thereto, the harness assembly comprising:

a first spiral conduit wound in a helical-shape having a first end and a second end, the first end for being coupled to a first signal transmission point positioned on the robot arm, and the second end for being coupled to the end effector when the end effector is mounted on the robot wrist; and

a conduit guide for being mounted on the wrist of the robot;

the conduit guide including

a core having a first end and a second end; and

a first disk mounted on the first end of the core;

where, in operation, the first spiral conduit is arranged so that a portion of it is positioned on the first disk and wrapped around a portion of the core.

2. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second disk mounted on the second end of the core and wherein the first spiral conduit is arranged so that a portion of it is positioned in sandwich relation between the first disk and the second disk.

3. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 2, and wherein a friction-reducing coating is applied on either or both of the first disk and second disk.

4. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least one conduit retainer mounted on the conduit guide.

5. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second spiral conduit wound in a helical shape opposite in direction of the helical shape of the first spiral conduit, having a first end and a second end, positioned within the first spiral conduit, the first end for being coupled to a second signal transmission point positioned on the robot arm, and the second end for being coupled to a second signal transmission point on the end effector when the end effector is mounted on the robot wrist.

6. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first spiral conduit is a four-tube spiral hose capable of transmitting a pneumatic signal.

7. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second spiral conduit includes two electrical cables each capable of transmitting an electric signal.

8. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a supply line guide assembly for being mounted on the robot arm and routing the first and second spiral conduits to the conduit guide.

9. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the supply line guide assembly further comprises at least one conduit retainer.

10. A harness assembly for use with a robot having an arm and a wrist, the arm capable of having an end effector connected thereto, the harness assembly comprising:

a spiral hose wound in a helical-shape having a first end and a second end, the first end for being coupled to a first signal transmission point positioned on the robot arm, and the second end for being coupled to a first signal transmission point on the end effector when the end effector is mounted on the robot wrist;

a spiral conduit wound in a helical shape opposite in direction of the helical shape of the spiral hose, having a first end and a second end, positioned within the spiral hose, the first end for being coupled to a second signal transmission point positioned on the robot arm, and the second end capable of being coupled to a second signal transmission point on the end effector when the end effector is mounted on the robot wrist;

a conduit guide for being mounted on the wrist, and including

a core having a first end and a second end,

a first disk mounted on the first end of the core, and

a second disk mounted on the second end of the core,

where, in operation, the spiral hose is arranged so that a portion of it is positioned in sandwich relation between the first disk and the second disk and wrapped around a portion of the core.

11. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 10, and wherein a friction-reducing coating is applied on either or both of the first disk and second disk.

12. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 10, further comprising at least one conduit retainer mounted on the conduit guide.

13. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the spiral hose is a four-tube spiral hose capable of transmitting a pneumatic signal.

14. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the spiral conduit includes two electrical cables each capable of transmitting an electrical signal.

15. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a supply line guide assembly for being mounted on the robot arm and routing the first and second spiral conduits to the conduit guide.

16. A harness assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the supply line guide assembly further comprises at least one conduit retainer.

17. A robot having an arm, a wrist, an end effector connected thereto, and a harness assembly having at least one portion positioned between the end effector and the wrist, the harness assembly comprising:

a first spiral conduit wound in a helical-shape having a first end and a second end, the first end for being coupled to a first signal transmission point positioned on the robot arm, and the second end for being coupled to the end effector when the end effector is mounted on the robot wrist; and

a conduit guide for being mounted on the wrist;

the conduit guide including

a core having a first end and a second end; and

a first disk mounted on the first end of the core;

where, in operation, the spiral conduit is arranged so that a portion of it is positioned on the first disk and wrapped around a portion of the core.

18. A robot as claimed in claim 17, wherein the harness assembly further comprises a second disk mounted on the second end of the core and wherein the spiral conduit is arranged so that a portion of it is positioned in sandwich relation between the first disk and the second disk.

19. A robot as claimed in claim 18, wherein a friction-reducing coating is applied on either or both of the first disk and second disk.

20. A robot as claimed in claim 18, wherein the conduit guide further comprises at least one conduit retainer.

21. A robot as claimed in claim 20, wherein the harness assembly further comprises a second spiral conduit wound in a helical shape opposite in direction of the helical shape of the first spiral conduit, having a first end and a second end, positioned within the first spiral conduit, and for transmitting a second signal, the first end for being coupled to a second signal transmission point positioned on the robot arm, and the second end for being coupled to a second signal transmission point on the end effector when the end effector is mounted on the robot wrist.

22. A robot as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first spiral conduit is a four-tube spiral hose capable of transmitting a pneumatic signal.

23. A robot as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second spiral conduit includes two electrical cables each capable of transmitting an electric signal.

24. A robot as claimed in claim 21, wherein the harness assembly further comprises a supply line guide assembly mounted on the robot arm for routing the first and second spiral conduits to the conduit guide.

25. A robot as claimed in claim 24, wherein the supply line guide assembly further comprises at least one conduit retainer.