JP7164281B2 - tool changer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to connectors and tool changers.

2. Description of the Related Art Robot arms used in industrial facilities such as factories have various tools (end effectors) such as welding tools attached to their tips to perform production work. There is a tool changer as a device for facilitating the exchange of such tools. This tool changer consists of a combination of a master plate attached to the tip of a robot arm and a plurality of tool plates on which various tools are mounted. Each tool plate is formed so as to be fittable with the master plate, and by exchanging the tool plate, the tool of the robot arm can be easily exchanged.

Depending on the form of the tool, it may be necessary to exchange electrical signals with the robot arm. For such tools, electric signal lines of the robot arm are connected to the master plate, and electric signals are exchanged with the tool through the master plate and the tool plate. At this time, a connector consisting of a male terminal and a female terminal is generally used for electrical connection between the master plate and the tool plate.

In a tool changer that requires such transmission and reception of electrical signals, intrusion of liquid such as water may cause a short circuit between adjacent terminals, resulting in malfunction or failure. For this reason, a sealing material is provided on the outer edge of the region (fitting region) where the master plate and the tool plate are in contact when they are mated to prevent the infiltration of liquid from the outside (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2694299). .

However, in such a configuration in which a sealing material is provided on the outer edge of the fitting region, although the intrusion of liquid after fitting can be suppressed, if liquid remains on the surface of the plate before fitting, this problem can occur. Short circuits between adjacent terminals due to liquid cannot be sufficiently prevented.

Japanese Patent No. 2694299

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector and a tool changer that can prevent an electrical short circuit between adjacent terminals due to the intrusion of liquid.

The connector of the present invention comprises a male terminal having a columnar pedestal and a columnar convex portion projecting from the top surface of the pedestal, and a cylindrical male terminal having an opening in the top surface and a concave portion that can be fitted with the convex portion. a female terminal having a socket, the male terminal having a sealing material surrounding the convex portion while being in contact with the pedestal, and the sealing material closing the opening when the male terminal and the female terminal are fitted together. It touches the top surface of the socket so as to surround it.

The connector has a sealing material that surrounds the protrusion while the male terminal is in contact with the base, and in the mated state of the male terminal and the female terminal, the sealing material is in contact with the top surface of the socket so as to surround the opening of the female terminal. . Therefore, the connector can prevent liquid from entering the connector unit when the male terminal and the female terminal are mated. Therefore, even if there is another adjacent connector, the connector can effectively prevent a short circuit between the terminals of the connector.

Preferably, the male terminal protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal and has a flange portion whose top surface is flush with the top surface of the pedestal, and the sealing material covers the top surface of the flange portion. By providing the male terminal with the flange portion and arranging the sealing material so as to cover the top surface of the flange portion in this way, the area with which the sealing material contacts can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the intrusion of liquid.

The Shore A hardness of the sealing material is preferably 70° or less. By setting the Shore A hardness of the seal material to the above upper limit or less, it is possible to improve the adhesion while maintaining the mating state of the mating portions of the male terminal and the female terminal. Intrusion of the liquid can be more reliably suppressed while suppressing the occurrence of the above.

A tool changing device according to the present invention comprises a master plate attached to a robot arm, a tool plate detachably attached to the master plate and having a tool attached thereto, and a connector according to the present invention. The female terminals of the connector are arranged on one plate, the female terminals of the connector are arranged on the other plate, and the sockets of the female terminals are embedded in the one plate at their bottoms. and the top portion thereof protrudes from the one plate, the pedestal of the male terminal is embedded in the other plate, and the convex portion of the male terminal is configured to be fittable with the socket of the female terminal. there is

Since the tool changer has the connector of the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent a ground fault between the connector and the plate and a short circuit between terminals when there are adjacent connectors.

The female terminal protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the bottom portion embedded in the one plate of the socket and surrounds the socket; and a second sealing material that surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the socket while being in contact with the flange. A region facing the flange portion of the second sealing member and surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the socket is in contact with the one plate. By providing the female terminal with the second sealing material in this manner, it is possible to prevent the infiltration of liquid along the periphery of the socket of the female terminal.

In addition, the “top portion” refers to the portion on the tip side when the male terminal and the female terminal are mated, and the “bottom portion” is the portion on the opposite side, that is, the portion to which the male terminal and the female terminal are mated. In this case, it refers to the part on the rear end side. Moreover, the “top surface” refers to a surface positioned on the tip side when the male terminal and the female terminal are fitted together. “Shore A hardness” refers to hardness measured according to Durometer Type A described in JIS-K-6253-3:2012.

As described above, the connector and the tool changer of the present invention can prevent electrical short-circuiting between adjacent terminals due to intrusion of liquid.

FIG. 1 is a schematic bottom view showing a master plate of a tool changer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic top view showing the tool plate of the tool changer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the fitting state of male terminals and female terminals when the tool plate shown in FIG. 2 is attached to the master plate of FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the male terminal of the tool plate shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the female terminal of the master plate shown in FIG. 3. FIG.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with appropriate reference to the drawings.

[Tool changer]
The tool changing device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a master plate 1 attached to a robot arm, a tool plate 2 detachably attached to the master plate 1 and to which tools are attached, and a plurality of one embodiment of the present invention. connector (male terminal 10 and female terminal 20). In the tool changing device, the master plate 1 and the tool plate 2 can be attached and detached by manipulation, so that various tools can be exchanged and attached to the robot arm. Such a tool changer is used, for example, as an automatic end effector changer.

The attachment/detachment configuration of the tool changing device is not particularly limited, but for example, the tool plate 2 may have an insertion recess on its upper surface, and the master plate 1 may have a cylindrical portion that can be inserted into the insertion recess.

The master plate 1 has a master unit body 3 , an external connection portion 4 and female terminals 20 . The tool plate 2 also has a tool unit body 5 , an external connection portion 6 and male terminals 10 . That is, of the master plate 1 and the tool plate 2, the master plate 1, which is one of the plates, is provided with the female terminals 20 of the connector, and the tool plate 2, which is the other plate, is provided with the male terminals 10 of the connector. there is

The master unit main body 3 and the tool unit main body 5 are bases for mounting each part of the tool realized by combining them. The master unit main body 3 and the tool unit main body 5 can be made of metal or resin, but resin is preferable from the viewpoint of weight reduction.

The external connection portion 4 of the master plate 1 protrudes vertically from the side surface of the master unit main body 3 . The external connection part 4 is cylindrical, for example, and has a plurality of external connection terminals inside. The plurality of external connection terminals are connected one-to-one with the plurality of female terminals 20 inside the master unit main body 3 .

The external connection portion 6 of the tool plate 2 protrudes vertically from the side surface of the tool unit main body 5 . The external connection part 6 is cylindrical, for example, and has a plurality of external connection terminals inside. The plurality of external connection terminals are connected to the plurality of male terminals 10 inside the tool unit main body 5 on a one-to-one basis.

The tool exchange device connects a cable or the like for exchanging electric signals with the robot arm to the external connection portion 4 of the master plate 1, and connects a cable or the like for exchanging electric signals with the tool to the external connection portion 6 of the tool plate 2. , etc., and by connecting the master plate 1 and the tool plate 2 as shown in FIG. In other words, by connecting the master plate 1 and the tool plate 2 so that the plurality of female terminals 20 of the master plate 1 are fitted to the plurality of male terminals 10 of the tool plate 2, the robot arm and the tool are connected. A communication circuit for a plurality of electrical signals is formed.

[connector]
The connector of the present invention will be described in detail below. A connector according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a male terminal 10 shown in FIG. 4 and a female terminal 20 shown in FIG.

<Male terminal>
The male terminal 10 has a pedestal 11, a convex portion 12, a flange portion 13, and a first sealing member 14, as shown in FIG.

(pedestal)
The pedestal 11 has a columnar shape, for example, a columnar shape. In addition, the base 11 has conductivity and is electrically connected to the convex portion 12 .

The size of the pedestal 11 is not particularly limited, but if the pedestal 11 is cylindrical, for example, the diameter can be 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and the axial length can be 1 mm or more and 12 mm or less.

As shown in FIG. 4, the end of the base 11 on the side opposite to the side on which the projection 12 is arranged is preferably tapered so that it can be easily fitted with the tool plate 2. .

(Convex part)
The convex portion 12 protrudes from the top surface of the pedestal 11 and has a columnar shape. Moreover, the convex part 12 has electroconductivity. The convex portion 12 may be formed integrally with the pedestal 11 or may be a separate member.

The convex portion 12 preferably has a tapered shape that gradually decreases in diameter in the distal direction. By tapering the convex portion 12 in this manner, it is possible to facilitate fitting with a female terminal 20, which will be described later.

When the convex portion 12 is tapered, it is preferable that the diameter reduction rate in the axial direction is constant, that is, the peripheral edge of the cross section of the convex portion 12 passing through the axial center is formed straight. The lower limit of the taper angle of the convex portion 12 is preferably 1°, more preferably 2°, and even more preferably 4°. On the other hand, the upper limit of the taper angle of the convex portion 12 is preferably 10°, more preferably 8°, and even more preferably 6°. If the taper angle of the convex portion 12 is less than the above lower limit, there is a risk that the male terminal 10 may not be sufficiently attached/detached (easy to be attached/detached). Conversely, if the taper angle of the convex portion 12 exceeds the above upper limit, the contact area with the female terminal 20 is reduced, which may reduce the reliability of the electrical connection.

The diameter (maximum diameter) of the base portion of the projection 12 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less. Also, the length of the convex portion 12 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

Moreover, it is preferable that the tip edge of the protrusion 12 is rounded. The lower limit of the arc diameter is preferably 0.1 mm, more preferably 0.3 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the arc diameter is preferably 2 mm, more preferably 1 mm. If the diameter of the arc is less than the lower limit, the female terminal 20 may be damaged. Conversely, if the diameter of the arc exceeds the upper limit, the fitability of the male terminal 10 may become insufficient.

(flange)
As shown in FIG. 4 , the flange portion 13 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal 11 and its top surface is flush with the top surface of the pedestal 11 . The flange portion 13 can be disc-shaped, for example. In addition, the flange portion 13 may be electrically conductive and electrically connected to the base 11, or may not be electrically conductive. When the flange portion 13 has conductivity, it may be formed integrally with the base 11 or may be a separate member. If the flange portion 13 does not have electrical conductivity, it is a separate member. From the viewpoint of preventing a short circuit between terminals, it is preferable that the pedestal 11, the convex portion 12 and the flange portion 13 are integrally formed. In this case, the flange portion 13 has conductivity.

The top surface of the flange portion 13 is larger than the cross section of the root portion of the projection portion 12 , and the peripheral edge of the top surface of the flange portion 13 is positioned outside the peripheral edge of the root portion of the projection portion 12 . As described above, the size of the flange portion 13 is not particularly limited as long as the top surface of the flange portion 13 is larger than the cross section of the root portion of the convex portion 12. For example, when the flange portion 13 is disc-shaped, the diameter can be 2 mm or more and 12 mm or less. Further, the axial length of the flange portion 13 can be 0.1 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

(First sealing material)
The first sealing material 14 surrounds the convex portion 12 while being in contact with the base 11 . The first seal member 14 is plate-shaped with a through hole in the center.

The first sealing member 14 preferably covers the top surface of the flange portion 13 . By arranging the first seal member 14 so as to cover the top surface of the flange portion 13 in this manner, the area with which the first seal member 14 contacts can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the intrusion of liquid.

Also, in the mated state of the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20, as shown in FIG. 3, the first sealing material 14 is in contact with the top surface of the socket 21 so as to surround the opening 20a of the female terminal 20, which will be described later.

The first sealing material 14 may be in contact with the convex portion 12, but as long as it contacts the top surface of the socket 21 so as to surround the opening 20a of the female terminal 20 when the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 are engaged with each other, There may be a gap between the portion 12 and the portion 12 .

In addition, the top surface of the first sealing material 14 is larger than the top surface of the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 , and when the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 are fitted together, the outer edge of the first sealing material 14 is larger than that of the female terminal 20 . is located outside the outer edge of the top surface of the socket 21. By configuring the outer edge of the first sealing member 14 to be located outside the outer edge of the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 in this way, the first sealing member 14 contacts the top surface of the socket 21 of the female terminal 20. You can increase the area. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the intrusion of liquid.

As the material of the first sealing member 14, it is preferable that the material does not have conductivity and has appropriate elasticity, and various rubbers and resins can be used. Among them, nitrile rubber is preferable because it has high airtightness and can enhance the effect of preventing a short circuit between terminals.

The lower limit of the Shore A hardness of the first sealing material 14 is preferably 15°, more preferably 30°, and even more preferably 40°. On the other hand, the upper limit of the Shore A hardness of the first sealing material 14 is preferably 70°, more preferably 60°. If the Shore A hardness of the first sealing material 14 is less than the above lower limit, the cushioning property becomes too high, and positional deviation between the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 in the fitted state is likely to occur. 20 may become unstable. Conversely, if the Shore A hardness of the first sealing material 14 exceeds the above upper limit, the contact between the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 will be insufficient, and there is a risk that the effect of preventing liquid from entering will be insufficient. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to fit the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 together, and there is a risk that the transmission and reception of electrical signals during fitting may become unstable.

The lower limit of the crushing margin of the first sealing member 14 is preferably 8%, more preferably 10%, and even more preferably 20%. On the other hand, the upper limit of the crushing margin of the first sealing material 14 is preferably 40%, more preferably 35%, and even more preferably 30%. If the crushing margin of the first sealing member 14 is less than the above lower limit, the adhesion of the mating portions of the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 becomes insufficient. , there is a risk that the effect of suppressing liquid infiltration will be insufficient. Conversely, if the crushing margin of the first seal member 14 exceeds the upper limit, the first seal member 14 may crack due to compression. In addition, the "collapse margin" is the average thickness d (mm) of the sealing material measured in accordance with JIS-B-2401-2:2012 O-ring thickness (diameter) measurement, and the depth of the housing It is an amount expressed by (d−D)/d×100 (%), where D (mm) is the gap between the flange portion 13 of the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 in the fitted state.

The lower limit of the average thickness of the first sealing member 14 is preferably 1 mm, more preferably 1.5 mm, and even more preferably 1.8 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the first seal member 14 is preferably 3 mm, more preferably 2.5 mm, and even more preferably 2.2 mm. If the average thickness of the first sealing member 14 is less than the above lower limit, the contact between the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 is insufficient, and the effect of preventing liquid from entering may be insufficient. . Conversely, if the average thickness of the first sealing member 14 exceeds the above upper limit, the repulsive force of the first sealing member 14 becomes too large, causing misalignment between the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 in the fitted state. As a result, the electrical connection between the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 may become unstable, and the connector may become unnecessarily large. In addition, "average thickness" refers to the average value of the thickness measured at arbitrary 10 points.

The minimum width of the first seal member 14 is preferably 0.5 mm, more preferably 1 mm, and even more preferably 1.5 mm. If the minimum width of the first seal member 14 is less than the above lower limit, there is a risk that the effect of preventing liquid from entering will be insufficient. On the other hand, the upper limit of the minimum width of the first seal member 14 is not particularly limited as long as the male terminal 10 can be accommodated in the tool unit main body 5 . The "minimum width of the sealing member" refers to the distance between a point on the inner edge (periphery of the through-hole) of the sealing member located closest to a point on the outer edge.

<Built-in male terminal in tool plate>
As shown in FIG. 4, the tool unit main body 5 has a through hole 5a passing through the master plate 1 from the top surface to the bottom surface. built in via The male terminal 10 is arranged such that the pedestal 11 is embedded in the tool unit main body 5 and the convex portion 12 faces the top surface of the tool unit main body 5 . The through hole 5a of the tool unit main body 5 is configured so that the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 can be fitted on the top surface side. With this configuration, the pedestal 11 of the male terminal 10 is embedded in the tool plate 2 which is the other plate, and the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 is configured to be fittable with the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 .

(through hole)
The shape of the through hole 5a is not particularly limited as long as the male terminal 10 and the male terminal support portion 30 can be built therein and the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 can be fitted, but it can be, for example, a columnar shape. Moreover, the shape of the through hole 5a is selected such that the gap is reduced when the male terminal 10 and the male terminal support portion 30 are incorporated.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tip of the through hole 5a on the top surface side of the tool unit main body 5 preferably has a tapered shape that expands toward the top surface. By tapering the tip portion of the through-hole 5a in this way, it is possible to improve the fitting and detaching properties with respect to the female terminal 20. As shown in FIG.

The through hole 5a has a first step 5b whose inner diameter decreases from the bottom to the top of the tool unit body 5. The first step 5b prevents the male terminal 10 from coming out to the top. is doing. Therefore, the inner diameter on the top surface side from the first step 5b is smaller than the diameter of the flange portion 13 of the male terminal 10, and the inner diameter on the bottom side from the first step 5b is larger than the diameter of the flange portion 13 of the male terminal 10.

The male terminal 10 is preferably arranged so that the first sealing material 14 contacts the first step 5b from the bottom side. By arranging the male terminal 10 so that the first sealing member 14 abuts against the first step 5b from the bottom side in this way, the liquid flows from the opening on the top side of the through hole 5a to the bottom side of the first step 5b. can be inhibited from entering, short circuits between terminals are more unlikely to occur.

Similarly, the through hole 5a has a second step 5c whose inner diameter decreases from the bottom to the top. are preventing.

The first step 5b is closer to the top surface than the second step 5c. The distance between the first step 5b and the top surface of the tool unit body 5 determines the tip position of the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10. The distance between the first step 5b and the top surface of the tool unit body 5 is , it is preferable that the tip position of the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 is flush with the top surface of the tool unit main body 5 . With such a distance, the tip of the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 does not protrude from the top surface, so that the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 can be protected. In addition, since the convex portion 12 is not recessed from the top surface of the tool unit main body 5, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the insertability with respect to the female terminal 20.例文帳に追加

The distance between the first stepped portion 5b and the second stepped portion 5c is set to a distance that is just right so that the male terminal 10 and the male terminal support portion 30 are incorporated.

(Male terminal support part)
The male terminal support portion 30 has a male terminal connector 31 , a connection socket 32 and a retaining ring 33 .

The male terminal connector 31 has a columnar shape, for example, a columnar shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the male terminal connector 31 has a concave portion on one side thereof into which the pedestal 11 of the male terminal 10 can be fitted. The position of the male terminal 10 is fixed by fitting into this recess. A space is formed between the bottom surface of the recess and the pedestal 11 to provide play for positioning the male terminal 10 .

The male terminal connection body 31 has conductivity and can transmit an electric signal of the male terminal 10 to a connection socket 32 which will be described later.

The connection socket 32 is provided on the other surface of the male terminal connector 31 (the surface opposite to the surface having the recess). The connection socket 32 may be formed separately from the male terminal connection body 31, but is preferably formed integrally.

The connection socket 32 has conductivity and is connected to a terminal for transmitting and receiving electric signals and the like.

The retaining ring 33 fixes the male terminal connection body 31 fitted with the male terminal 10 in the through hole 5 a of the tool unit main body 5 . As shown in FIG. 4, the retaining ring 33 is provided outside the bottom surface of the tool unit body 5 so as to be in contact with the bottom surface. As the retaining ring 33, a known retaining ring such as C type or E type can be used.

The male terminal connector 31 is preferably fixed by the retaining ring 33 so that the male terminal 10 contacts the first step 5b. By adjusting the fitting position of the retaining ring 33 with the male terminal connection body 31 and the amount of play when fitting the male terminal 10 into the recess of the male terminal connection body 31, the male terminal 10 contacts the first step 5b. The male terminal connection body 31 can be fixed so as to make contact. By fixing the male terminal connector 31 with the retaining ring 33 in this way, it is possible to mainly prevent the male terminal 10 from rattling in the axial direction of the through hole 5a.

The method for fixing the male terminal connector 31 with the male terminal 10 fitted thereinto in the through hole 5a of the tool unit body 5 is not limited to the retaining ring, and other methods may be used.

<Female terminal>
The female terminal 20 has a socket 21, a raised portion 22, a collar portion 23, and a second sealing member 24, as shown in FIG. Note that FIG. 5 is drawn so that the top portion (top surface) is on the bottom side and the bottom portion (bottom surface) is on the top side in order to match the direction of FIG.

(socket)
The socket 21 has a cylindrical shape and has a concave portion that can be fitted with the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 . As shown in FIG. 5, the socket 21 has a conductive socket body 21a and an insulating cover 21b that covers the socket body 21a.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 21b is provided with an opening 20a for the female terminal 20, and the cover 21b has a tapered through hole whose diameter is reduced from the opening 20a. Further, a recess is provided in the socket body 21a continuously with the through hole. The recess of the socket 21 is composed of a through hole of the cover 21b tapered in diameter and a recess of the socket main body 21a continuing to the through hole.

The diameter of the concave portion of the socket body 21 a is larger than the diameter of the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 , and the length of the concave portion of the socket body 21 a is larger than the length of the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 .

(Protrusion)
The raised portion 22 has a cylindrical shape and is arranged in the concave portion of the socket body 21a. An electrical connection between the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 is made mainly by the raised portion 22 .

Specifically, the raised portion 22 is composed of a plurality of band-like members whose center portions are curved inward. The longitudinal direction of this belt-like member coincides with the fitting direction of the male terminal 10 , and the central axis of the cylindrical raised portion 22 coincides with the fitting direction of the male terminal 10 .

This belt-shaped member preferably has elasticity. Since the belt-shaped member has elasticity in this way, it is possible to further improve the fitting/disconnecting property and connection reliability between the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 .

It is preferable that the length of the protruding portion 22 in the axial direction (the fitting direction of the male terminal 10 ) is smaller than the length of the protruding portion 12 of the male terminal 10 . Specifically, the lower limit of the axial length of the raised portion 22 is preferably 70%, more preferably 75%, and even more preferably 80%. On the other hand, the upper limit of the axial length of the raised portion 22 is preferably 100%, more preferably 95%, and even more preferably 90%. If the axial length of the raised portion 22 is less than the above lower limit, there is a possibility that a sufficient contact surface between the raised portion 22 and the convex portion 12 cannot be ensured. Conversely, if the axial length of the raised portion 22 exceeds the above upper limit, the diameter of the central portion may become too small due to the curvature of the belt-shaped member, which may reduce the insertion/removal of the male terminal 10 . If the curvature of the belt-like member is reduced in order to secure the diameter, the connection reliability may be lowered.

The lower limit of the raised height of the raised portion 22 is preferably 0.1 mm, more preferably 0.3 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the raised height of the raised portion 22 is preferably 1 mm, more preferably 0.9 mm. If the height of the raised portion 22 is less than the above lower limit, the contact area with the raised portion 12 may decrease and the reliability of electrical connection may deteriorate. Conversely, if the protruding height of protruding portion 22 exceeds the above upper limit, there is a risk that the male terminal 10 can be detached from the connector easily. The raised height of the raised portion 22 is a value obtained by subtracting the minimum inner diameter of the raised portion 22 from the maximum inner diameter of the raised portion 22 .

(Flange)
Collar portion 23 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the bottom portion of socket 21 and surrounds socket 21 . In the female terminal 20 shown in FIG. 5, the collar portion 23 is formed integrally with the socket body 21a, and constitutes the bottom surface of the socket body 21a. In addition, the structure of the collar part 23 is not limited to this, It can also integrally mold with the socket main body 21a. Also, it is not necessary to configure the bottom surface of the socket body 21a.

The size of the flange portion 23 is not particularly limited, but may be the same as that of the flange portion 13 of the male terminal 10, for example.

(Second sealing material)
The second sealing material 24 surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the socket 21 while being in contact with the collar portion 23 . The second sealing material 24 does not have to be in contact with the socket 21, but preferably is in contact with it. By arranging the second seal member 24 so as to be in contact with the socket 21 in this manner, the position of the second seal member 24 is less likely to shift, so that it is possible to more reliably prevent the intrusion of liquid.

Moreover, it is preferable that the second seal member 24 be arranged so as to be in contact with the top surface side of the flange portion 23 . Since the liquid enters from the top surface side, by arranging the second sealing member 24 on the top surface side of the flange portion 23, the infiltration of the liquid can be more reliably suppressed.

The second sealing member 24 can be configured in the same manner as the first sealing member 14 of the male terminal 10 except for the configuration described above, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

<Built-in female terminal in master plate>
As shown in FIG. 5, the master unit main body 3 has a through hole 3a extending from the top surface (lower surface in FIG. 5) to the bottom surface (upper surface in FIG. 5) to which the tool plate 2 is fitted. , the female terminal 20 is disposed in the through hole 3a with a female terminal support portion 40 interposed therebetween. The bottom of socket 21 of female terminal 20 is embedded in master unit main body 3 , and the top protrudes from master unit main body 3 . That is, the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 has its bottom portion embedded in one of the plates, the master plate 1 , and its top portion protrudes from the master plate 1 .

The socket 21 of the female terminal 20 is configured to be fittable with the projection 12 of the corresponding male terminal 10 . That is, the through hole 3a of the master unit main body 3 communicates with the through hole 5a of the tool unit main body 5 when the tool plate 2 is connected, and the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 is connected to the socket 21 of the female terminal 20. configured to be mated.

(through hole)
The shape of the through hole 3a is not particularly limited as long as the female terminal 20 and the female terminal support portion 40 can be built therein, but it can be, for example, a cylindrical shape. Further, the shape of the through-hole 3a is selected such that when the female terminal 20 and the female terminal support portion 40 are incorporated, the gap is reduced.

The through hole 3a has a first step 3b whose inner diameter decreases from the bottom to the top of the master unit main body 3. The first step 3b prevents the female terminal 20 from slipping out to the top. is doing. Therefore, the inner diameter on the top surface side of the first step 3b is smaller than the diameter of the flange 23 of the female terminal 20, and the inner diameter of the female terminal 20 on the bottom side of the first step 3b is larger than the diameter of the flange 23.

As shown in FIG. 5, the female terminal 20 is arranged so that the second sealing material 24 contacts the first step 3b from the bottom side. That is, the flange portion 23 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the bottom portion of the female terminal 20 embedded in the master plate 1 , faces the flange portion 23 of the second sealing material 24 , and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the socket 21 . , are in contact with the master plate 1 . By providing the second sealing material 24 on the female terminal 20 in this way, it is possible to prevent the infiltration of liquid along the periphery of the socket 21 of the female terminal 20, so ground faults and short circuits are less likely to occur.

Similarly, the through hole 3a has a second step 3c whose inner diameter decreases from the bottom surface toward the top surface. are preventing.

The first step 3b is closer to the top surface than the second step 3c. The projection length of the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 is determined by the distance between the first step 3b and the top surface of the master unit body 3. As shown in FIG. The protruding length of the socket 21 of the female terminal 20 is set to a length that is just right for fitting with the convex portion 12 of the male terminal 10 . That is, in the state where the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 are fitted together, the first sealing material 14 can come into contact with the top surface of the socket 21 so as to surround the opening 20a of the female terminal 20, and the master plate 1 and the tool plate 2 can be connected to each other.

The distance between the first stepped portion 3b and the second stepped portion 3c is set just enough so that the female terminal 20 and the female terminal support portion 40 are housed therein.

(Female contact support)
The female terminal support portion 40 has a female terminal connector 41 , a connection socket 42 and a retaining ring 43 .

The female terminal connector 41 extends from the socket main body 21 a of the female terminal 20 . The female terminal connector 41 is preferably integrally formed with the socket body 21a. The female terminal connector 41 has a columnar shape, for example, a columnar shape.

The female terminal connector 41 is conductive and can transmit the electrical signal of the female terminal 20 to the connection socket 42 .

The connection socket 42 and the retaining ring 43 are the same as the connection socket 32 and the retaining ring 33 of the male terminal 10, respectively, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[advantage]
The connector has a first sealing material 14 surrounding the protrusion 12 while the male terminal 10 is in contact with the pedestal 11 . It touches the top surface of the socket 21 so as to surround the opening 20a. Therefore, when the male terminal 10 and the female terminal 20 are mated with each other, the connector can prevent liquid from entering the connector. Therefore, even if there is another adjacent connector, the connector can effectively prevent a short circuit between the terminals of the connector.

Further, since the tool changer has a plurality of connectors of the present invention, ground faults between the connectors and the plate and short circuits between terminals of adjacent connectors can be effectively prevented.

[Other embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various modified and improved modes in addition to the above-described modes.

In the above embodiment, the master plate has the female terminals of the connector of the present invention and the tool plate has the male terminals of the connector of the present invention, but the master plate has the male terminals of the connector of the present invention. Alternatively, the tool plate may have the female terminals of the connector of the present invention. When the master plate and the tool plate are positioned vertically when exchanging tools, it is preferable to provide the male terminals on the plate positioned on the lower side. Since the surface of the lower plate, on which the connectors are arranged, faces upward, liquid remaining on the surface of the plate is likely to enter. Therefore, by arranging the male terminals on which the sealing material is arranged on the lower plate, it is possible to effectively prevent the terminals from being short-circuited with the adjacent connectors.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the connectors are arranged on the master unit main body and the tool unit main body has been described. It can also be arranged at the external connection of the plate or tool plate.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the tool changing device includes a plurality of the connectors has been described, but the present invention also intends a tool changing device that includes a single connector. Even with a single connector, the tool changer can effectively prevent a ground fault between the connector and the plate.

In the above embodiment, the male terminal of the connector of the present invention has a flange portion, but the flange portion is not an essential component and can be omitted. When the male terminal does not have a flange portion, the top surface of the pedestal is larger than the cross section of the root portion of the protrusion, and the periphery of the top surface of the pedestal is outside the periphery of the root portion of the protrusion. configured to be located.

In the above embodiment, the case where the first sealing material and the second sealing material are plate-shaped has been described. may be

In the above embodiment, the female terminal has the second sealing material, but the second sealing material is not an essential component and can be omitted. A connector that does not have the second sealing material also exhibits the effects of the present invention. In addition, when the female terminal does not have the second sealing material, the collar portion can also be omitted. However, since the collar has the effect of preventing the female terminal from coming off, the female terminal may have the collar even if it does not have the second sealing material.

The connector and tool changer of the present invention can prevent an electrical short circuit between adjacent terminals due to the intrusion of liquid.

1 master plate 2 tool plate 3 master unit main body 3a through hole 3b first step 3c second step 4 external connection portion 5 tool unit main body 5a through hole 5b first step 5c second step 6 external connection portion 10 male terminal 11 pedestal 12 Protrusion 13 Flange 14 First sealing material 20 Female terminal 20a Opening 21 Socket 21a Socket body 21b Cover 22 Protruding part 23 Collar 24 Second sealing material 30 Male terminal supporting part 31 Male terminal connector 32 Connection socket 33 Retaining ring 40 Female terminal support part 41 Female terminal connector 42 Connection socket 43 Retaining ring

Claims (3)

a master plate attached to a robot arm;
a tool plate that is detachably attached to the master plate and to which a tool is attached ;
with connectors and
The connector above
a male terminal having a columnar pedestal and a columnar projection protruding from the top surface of the pedestal;
a female terminal having a cylindrical socket having an opening on the top surface and a concave portion that can be fitted with the convex portion;
with
Female terminals of the connector are arranged on one of the master plate and the tool plate, and female terminals of the connector are arranged on the other plate,
The male terminal has a first sealing material that surrounds the convex portion while being in contact with the pedestal,
The above female terminal is
a collar portion that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the bottom portion embedded in the one plate of the socket and surrounds the socket;
a second sealing material that surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the socket while being in contact with the flange;
and
the socket of the female terminal has a bottom portion embedded in the one plate and a top portion protruding from the one plate;
The pedestal of the male terminal is embedded in the other plate, and the convex portion of the male terminal is configured to be fittable with the socket of the female terminal ,
In the mated state of the male terminal and the female terminal, the first sealing material is in contact with the top surface of the socket so as to surround the opening,
A tool changing device , wherein a region of the second seal member facing the flange portion and surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the socket is in contact with the one plate . The male terminal has a flange portion that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal and has a top surface that is flush with the top surface of the pedestal,
The tool changer according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing member covers the top surface of the flange portion. 3. The tool changer according to claim 1, wherein the Shore A hardness of the first sealing material is 70[deg.] or less.

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