Robot arm assembly

• US 8,322,249 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Seavey, Nathaniel J. M., Langford, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Phillip A
• Application Number:
  US12/317,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20100158656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 744/900.1, 744/900.4, 74/892.1, 744/900.5, 744/900.6, 901/15, 901/21, 901/23, 901/25, 180/9.32, 89/45, 89/46, 89/361.3, 89/361.4, 89/371.2, 384/58, 384/441, 384/449, 384/549
• US Class Current: 74/490.01
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/005 mounted on endless tracks or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/046 Revolute coordinate type
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/104 with cables, chains or ribbons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20323 including flaccid drive element

Abstract

A robot arm assembly includes a turret, a lower arm pivotable with respect to the turret, and an upper arm pivotable with respect to the lower arm.

Claims

1. A robot arm assembly comprising:

a turret base unit;

a lower arm pivotable with respect to the turret base unit via a lower arm drive train;

an upper arm pivotable with respect to the lower arm at an elbow including a first sprocket rotatable with respect to the lower arm but fixed with respect to the upper arm;

a second sprocket associated with the lower arm rotated by an upper arm drive train, said upper arm drive train including an upper arm drive shaft fixed with respect to a sleeve within the second sprocket; and

a chain centrally located and extending within the lower arm between the first and second sprockets for raising and lowering the upper arm.

2. The robot arm assembly of claim 1 in which the elbow includes first and second curved brackets attached to opposite sides of the first sprocket and disposed between spaced sidewalls of the lower arm.

3. The robot arm assembly of claim 1 further including a pair of spaced stanchions supporting the sleeve, the sleeve rotatable with respect to the stanchions.

4. The robot arm assembly of claim 1 in which the upper arm drive train further includes a first motor/gear reduction unit driving a gear attached to the upper arm drive shaft.

5. The robot arm assembly of claim 4 further including a first gear train between the first motor/gear reduction unit and the gear attached to the upper arm drive shaft.

6. The robot arm assembly of claim 1 in which the lower arm drive train includes a lower arm drive shaft fixed with respect to a bracket connected to the lower arm.

7. The robot arm assembly of claim 6 in which the lower arm drive train further includes a second motor/gear reduction unit driving a gear attached to the lower arm drive shaft.

8. The robot arm assembly of claim 7 further including a second gear train between the second motor/gear reduction unit and the gear attached to the lower arm drive shaft.

9. The robot arm assembly of claim 1 in which the turret base unit includes a V-ring and a turret gear fixed with respect thereto.

10. The robot arm assembly of claim 9 further including a set of V-wheels rotatably supporting the V-ring.

11. The robot arm assembly of claim 9 further including a third motor/gear reduction unit for driving the turret gear.

12. The robot arm assembly of claim 11 further including a third gear train between the third gear/motor reduction unit and the turret gear.

13. The robot arm assembly of claim 1 further including quick release mounts for securing the turret base unit to a robot chassis.

14. A robot arm assembly comprising:

a turret base unit including;

a V-ring,

a turret gear fixed with respect to the V-ring and driven by a motor and drive train, and

a set of V-wheels for rotatably supporting the V-ring;

a lower arm pivotable with respect to the turret base unit via a lower arm gear box mounted to the turret base unit;

an upper arm pivotable with respect to the lower arm at an elbow via an upper arm gear box mounted to the turret base unit, said elbow including a first sprocket rotatable with respect to the lower arm but fixed with respect to the upper arm;

a second sprocket associated with the lower arm rotated by the upper arm gear box and a chain extending within the lower arm between the first and second sprockets for raising and lowering the upper arm; and

an upper arm drive shaft fixed with respect to a sleeve within the second sprocket and driven by the upper arm gear box.

15. The robot arm assembly of claim 14 in which the chain is centrally located within the lower arm.

16. The robot arm assembly of claim 14 in which the elbow includes first and second curved brackets attached to opposite sides of the first sprocket and disposed between spaced side walls of the lower arm.

17. The robot arm assembly of claim 14 further including a pair of spaced stanchions supporting the sleeve, the sleeve rotatable with respect to the stanchions.

18. The robot arm assembly of claim 14 further including a motor/gear reduction unit driving the upper arm gear box.

19. The robot arm assembly of claim 14 further including a lower arm drive shaft fixed with respect to a bracket connected to the lower arm and driven by the lower arm gear box.

20. The robot arm assembly of claim 14 further including a motor/gear reduction unit driving the lower arm gearbox.

21. The robot arm assembly of claim 14 further including quick release mounts for securing the turret base unit to a robot chassis.