Industrial robot

• US 6,484,067 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Satoshi, Ibayashi, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU V
• Application Number:
  US09/242,637
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/231, 700/239, 700/247, 700/248, 452/30, 508/100, 508/104, 508/105, 508/113, 508/138, 508/308, 508/486, 508/487, 508/489, 507/265, 277/394, 277/504, 277/534, 277/590, 184/6--, 184/18-20
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0062 Lubrication means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0075 Means for protecting the manipulator from its environment or vice versa

Abstract

An industrial robot comprises a column 1 fixed to an installation base BS, a first axis J1, which is a linear movement axis, a second axis J2 and a third axis J3, which are rotational axes, and a fourth axis J4 in the form of a driving axis (rotational axis) of a working tool. A food grade lubricating oil is used for the linear guide (2), ball screw (5), bearing (6), speed reducers (9, 19) and gears (10, 20, 30) of these axes. Oil seals (15, 25, 35) for sealing the food grade lubricating oil are made from a material which is harmless to human bodies, for example, a fluorine resin material, in consideration of their wear.

Claims

1. An industrial robot employed in a workplace involved in processing or manufacturing foodstuffs, comprising:

a robot mechanism with at least 3 axes providing linear and rotational movement, having a sealed structure that contains machine elements and lubricating oil, which is not harmful to human bodies, to lubricate the machine elements,

wherein the sealed structure includes seals formed of a material that is harmless to human bodies, the seals being incorporated into the machine elements of the robot mechanism.

2. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein nitrile rubber or a fluorine resin is used as the material for the seals.

3. The industrial robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

an arm; and

a motor providing a rotational drive, and

wherein the machine elements include at least one of gears and a speed reducer supplying rotational drive to the arm by transmitting the rotational drive of the motor to produce movement of the arm about a full rotational axis of the industrial robot.

4. The industrial robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

a robot hand; and

a motor providing a rotational drive, and

wherein said machine elements include at least one of gears and a speed reducer supplying rotational drive to the robot hand by transmitting the rotational drive of the motor to produce movement of the robot hand about a full rotational axis of the industrial robot.