JPS6351834B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flexible arm device used, for example, in industrial robots.

Prior Art Most of the arms used in industrial robots employ link mechanisms. This link mechanism is not suitable when the work space is narrow and there are obstacles in front. In order to overcome this drawback, an arm was constructed by connecting a large number of discs with varying thicknesses, and by rotating these discs, the arm could be bent in any direction (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58 −59785)
and articulated arm (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 129687/1987)
is proposed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, although the above-mentioned conventional arm can be bent in any direction, it cannot be expanded and contracted at the same time, which poses a problem when attempting to automate complex processes. Ta.

Means for Solving the Problem In order to solve the above problem, the flexible arm device of the present invention has a shaft body arranged at a position corresponding to each vertex of an equilateral triangle and also in a tangential direction of a circle passing through each vertex. a connecting body, one end of which is supported by each of the shafts, and swings in a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane and that is on one side of the space that is divided by the first plane that includes each of the shafts; a first swinging link that is freely swingable; and a second swinging link that has one end supported by each of the shafts and is swingable on the other side of the space separated by the first plane and within the second plane. A plurality of basic units consisting of a link are connected via a spherical bearing interposed between the other ends of the corresponding swing links, and the first swing link or the second swing link is
Three sets of drive devices are provided corresponding to each vertex to connect and fix the swinging link to the shaft body, and rotate the shaft bodies corresponding to each same vertex of the connecting body at the same rotation speed, and each of the above-mentioned drive devices A worm wheel fixed to the shaft body, a worm gear provided on the connecting body perpendicular to the first plane and meshing with the worm wheel, and basic unit bodies arranged adjacent to each other correspond to each other. It is composed of a spline type connecting member that connects the worm gears together, and an electric motor that rotates the worm gear of the basic unit disposed at the end of the plurality of connected basic units.

Effect In the above configuration, if one swing link at each position is swung by the drive device via the shaft provided in each connecting body, the flexible arm will expand and contract, and the shaft at each same position will be swung. If the flexible arm is rotated separately for each position, the swing link swings at a different angle for each same position, so the flexible arm can bend in any direction.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 4. 1 is a flexible arm device,
A plurality of (two in this embodiment) basic unit bodies 3 constituting the flexible arm 2, a first end unit 4 connected to one end of the basic unit 3, and the other end of the basic unit 3. a second end unit 5 connected to the side;
and a drive device 6 that bends the flexible arm 2 in any direction and extends and contracts the flexible arm 2. Hereinafter, the flexible arm 2, the first end unit 4, the second end unit 5, and the drive device 6 will be explained in this order. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the flexible arm 2 is composed of a plurality of basic units 3. As shown in FIGS. This basic unit body 3 has a boss portion 7 and a same plane (hereinafter referred to as a first
A connecting body 10 having three rod-like parts 8 of equal length protruding radially at intervals of 120 degrees within a plane (referred to as a plane), and a box part 9 provided at the tip of each rod-like part 8.
and a shaft body rotatably supported via a bearing 11 in the box part 9 of each rod-like part 8 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rod-like part 8 (therefore, this shaft body is connected to each of the equilateral triangles). ) 12, which is located at the vertex and whose axial direction coincides with the tangential direction at that point of the circle passing through each vertex. A first swing link 14 that can swing in a second orthogonal plane and on one space side (upper space) of the first plane, and a bearing 21 at the other end of each shaft body 12. A second swing link 1 is rotatably supported through the link and is swingable within the second plane and on the other space side (lower space) of the first plane.
It consists of 5. Note that the lengths of the swing links 14 and 15 are equal. The flexible arm 2 is connected to the basic unit 3
are connected, and a spherical bearing 16 is used in the connection. That is, the first swing link 1 of one (for example, lower) basic unit 3A
A spherical bearing 16 is attached to the other end (upper end) of 4 via a mounting pin (having an axis parallel to the shaft 12) 17, and the other end (for example, the upper end)
A holding box 18 for holding the spherical bearing 16 is attached to the other end (lower end) of the second swing link 15 of the basic unit 3B. Next, the first and second end units 4 and 5 will be explained. The first end unit 4 is for connecting the flexible arm 2 and the operation part (for example, wrist part) of the robot, and is similar to the basic unit 3.
9 and a first connecting swing link 20 similar to the second swing link 15, and the first connecting swing link 20 and the first connecting swing link 20 of the basic unit body 3B above the flexible arm 2. 1 swing link 1
4 are also connected via the same spherical bearing 16 as above. The second end unit 5 connects the flexible arm 2 to the frame (not shown), and includes a second end unit 22 similar to the basic unit 3 and a first swing link. 2nd similar to 14
It is composed of a connecting swing link 23, and
This second connecting swing link 23 and the second swing link 15 of the basic unit 3A below the flexible arm 2 are also connected via the same spherical bearing 16 as described above. Note that the first and second end connecting bodies 19 and 22 are also provided with the same shaft body 12 as the connecting body 10 at the same position. Next, explaining the drive device 6, each of the connecting bodies 10, 19,
A worm wheel 24 is installed in the middle part of the shaft body 12 of 22.
is fixed, and a worm gear 25 that meshes with the worm wheel 24 is provided in the box portion 9, and each of the upper and lower worm gears 25 located at the same location is connected to each connecting body 5, 3A, 3A,
3B and 3B, 4 are connected in the vertical direction by telescopic spline type connecting members 27 interposed via universal joints 26, respectively, and each worm gear 25 of the second end connecting body 22 is connected to each other in the vertical direction. Separately rotating electric motor (DC
Three motors 28 are provided. The connecting member 27 includes a connecting rod 30 that is connected to the universal joint 26 at one end and has pins 29 protruding from both sides of the other end, and a connecting rod 30 that is connected to the universal joint 26 at one end and has the other end. The connecting cylinder 31 is formed with a groove 31a whose side is sized to allow the connecting rod 30 to be inserted thereinto, and which allows the pin 29 of the connecting rod 30 to move only in the direction of insertion.

Next, the effect will be explained.

If the three electric motors 28 are rotated at the same rotation speed and each shaft body 12 is rotated at the same angle, the second connecting swing link 23 and each first swing link 14 will swing upward, for example. At the same time, the second swing link 15 and the first connection swing link 20 also swing together, and the spaces between the connecting bodies 5, 3A, 3A, 3B and 3B, 4 are expanded, and the flexible arm 2 is extended. It turns out. Note that the angle α between the first swing link 14 and the connecting body 10 is equal to the angle α formed by the second swing link 15.
It is equal to the angle β formed by the connecting body 10 and the connecting body 10. Also, 3
When the rotational speed of, for example, one of the electric motors 28 is lowered, the swing angle of each swing link 14, 23 linked thereto becomes smaller, and the flexible arm 2 bends in that direction. Therefore,
By appropriately selecting the rotation speeds of the three electric motors 28, the length of the flexible arm 2 and its bending direction can be freely adjusted. In addition, the control lines for the robot's wrist, etc. are connected to the connecting bodies 10, 19, 22.
It is also passed through the boss portion 7. Each unit 3A,
Since a spherical bearing 16 is interposed between the connecting portions 3B, 4, and 5, the flexible arm 2 can freely tilt. In addition, FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view when the flexible arm 2 is bent in a certain direction.

By the way, in the above embodiment, the connecting body 10
has been described as having three bar-shaped parts 8 arranged radially, but any bar may be used as long as it passes through each vertex of an equilateral triangle, for example, it may be equilateral triangular or circular. Further, in the above embodiment, the flexible arm 2 is constructed using two basic unit bodies 3, but of course the flexible arm 2 is not limited to this, and three or more basic units 3 may be used. Furthermore, although the first swing link 14 is driven via the shaft 12, the second swing link 15 may be driven via the shaft 12.

Effects of the Invention According to the above configuration of the present invention, the flexible arm is provided with a connecting body in which a shaft body is arranged at a position corresponding to each vertex of an equilateral triangle, and a flexible arm is provided on the shaft body so as to be swingable in mutually opposite directions. a plurality of basic unit bodies each consisting of a first and a second swinging link connected together, and connecting the shaft and one of the swinging links, and rotating the shaft separately at each position. Since the driving device is provided, by rotating the shaft body at each position at the same number of rotations and swinging the swing link at the same angle, the distance between the connecting bodies, that is, the flexible arm can be extended and contracted. In addition, since a spherical bearing is interposed in the connection between the basic unit bodies, each drive device rotates a predetermined shaft body at a different angle from the other shaft bodies, and the swinging link is rotated at each position. By swinging the flexible arms at different angles, the connecting bodies can be tilted to each other, and the flexible arm can be extended and contracted and tilted in any direction at the same time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a general schematic diagram, FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cutaway view of the main part, FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of the − arrow in FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the operation. 1... Flexible arm device, 2... Flexible arm, 3, 3A, 3B... Basic unit,
4...First end unit, 5...Second end unit,
6... Drive device, 8... Rod-shaped part, 9... Box part, 10... Connecting body, 12... Shaft body, 14... First swing link, 15... Second swing link, 16...
... Spherical bearing, 19 ... First end connecting body, 20 ...
First connection swing link, 22... Second end connection body, 23... Second connection swing link, 24... Worm wheel, 25... Worm gear, 26...
...Universal joint, 27...Connection member,
28...Electric motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connecting body in which shafts are arranged at positions corresponding to each vertex of an equilateral triangle and in the tangential direction of a circle passing through each vertex, and one end supported by each of the shafts, including each shaft. a first swinging link that is swingable in a second plane that is on one side of the space defined by the first plane and that is orthogonal to the first plane, and one end of which is supported by each of the shafts; on the other side of the space separated by the first plane, and on the second
A plurality of basic units each consisting of a second swing link that can swing freely within a plane are connected via spherical bearings interposed between the other ends of the corresponding swing links, and the first Three sets of drive devices are provided corresponding to each vertex, and are connected and fixed to the swing link or the second swing link shaft, and rotate the shafts corresponding to the same vertices of the connecting body at the same rotation speed, Furthermore, each of the above driving devices includes a worm wheel fixed to the shaft body, a worm gear provided on the connecting body perpendicular to the first plane and meshing with the worm wheel, and a basic unit body disposed adjacent to the worm gear. It is characterized by being composed of a spline type connecting member that connects mutually corresponding worm gears, and an electric motor that rotates the worm gear of a basic unit disposed at an end of a plurality of connected basic units. Flexible arm device.