JPH0780141B2 - Straight-moving robot - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a linear motion robot having a slider whose movement in a linear direction is arbitrarily controlled. The linear motion robot can be configured as a linear motion transfer robot by attaching a manipulator to a portion exposed to the outside of the slider, for example. Also, by combining a pair of linear motion robots, an XY direction motion robot can be constructed.

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional linear motion robot. In this conventional example, an outer case a is composed of a frame b and an outer cover c, and a slider d is axially movably driven by a ball screw e. The main body i of the slider d is inside the exterior case a and is guided by the guide rails f, f, and the head g of the slider d is exposed to the outside through the gaps h provided in the exterior cover c. A manipulator is attached to the head g, or the head of another rectilinear motion robot is attached. The outer case a is fixed on the support base j with bolts or the like.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention According to the above-described conventional example, the mounting posture of the outer case a is constant, and the slider head g is always directed upward with respect to the support base j. Occurs.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention extends in the axial direction on the outer circumference of an outer case mainly composed of a metal cylinder whose cross section is the same at any position in the axial direction. Four fastening grooves are formed such that they are located at respective vertices of a square or a rectangle on the cross-section of the outer case, while engaging with each of a pair of fastening grooves that are adjacent to the inner phase of the fastening groove. The present invention is characterized in that a support tool provided with a pair of fastening claws is provided, and the exterior case is fixed to the support tool.

Effect According to the present invention, since the outer case is mainly composed of the metal cylinder whose cross section is the same at any position in the axial direction, the outer case can be manufactured by extrusion molding at low cost, and this extrusion molding is also possible. At the same time, four fastening grooves can be formed at the same time.

The four fastening grooves are formed so as to be located at respective vertices of a square or a rectangle on the cross section of the outer case, and one pair of fastening grooves adjacent to the inner phase of these fastening grooves are provided with a pair of fastening claws of the support. Since the outer case can be fixed to the support by connecting the outer case, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the outer case can be easily placed in any of the three postures in which the slider head faces upward, leftward, and rightward. Can be fixed on the support. As a result, the posture of the outer case can be set in any of the three directions according to the purpose of use of the linear motion robot, which is convenient for use.

EXAMPLE The illustrated example of the present invention relates to an outer case 1 having a substantially circular cross-sectional outer shape, and a metal cylinder 2 obtained by extruding the outer case 1 with an aluminum alloy.
In addition, the long hole 3 in the axial direction is hollowed out.

The outer case 1 has the same cross section at any position in the axial direction except for the elongated hole 3.
As shown in FIG. 1, the internal space 4 is formed to have a substantially rectangular cross section, and the main body 6 of the slider 5 is accommodated in the internal space 4 so as to be movable in the axial direction. The outer shape of the outer case 1 is formed so as to have a substantially circular cross section as described above, but the fastening grooves 7a, 7b extending in the axial direction are respectively formed in the portions located at the vertices of the four corners of the square. 7
c and 7d are integrally formed. The first fastening groove 7a and the second fastening groove 7b are located on both sides of the elongated hole 3, and the third fastening groove 7c and the fourth fastening groove 7d are respectively the second fastening groove 7b and the first fastening groove 7b. It is located below the fastening groove 7a in the figure. Grooves 8, 8 are integrally formed on both side surfaces of the outer case 1 so as to extend in the axial direction, and one of the groove 8 has position detection sensors 9, 9 ... And a wiring (not shown) thereof. The both recessed grooves 8 and 8 are covered with the resin covers 11 and 11, but the locking groove 12 that locks the resin covers 11 and 11 has the outer case 1.
Is formed integrally with the.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a motor 17 having an encoder and having a controlled rotational position is attached to one end opening 13 of the outer case 1, and an output shaft 14 thereof is connected to a screw shaft 15. . The outer cover 16 of the motor 17 is formed to have an outer diameter substantially the same as that of the outer case 1, and covers the motor 17. The output shaft 14 of the motor 17 and the bases of the screw shafts 15 are rotatably supported by a bearing member 18 fitted and fixed to the one end opening 13 of the outer case 1.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an end cap 20 is fitted and fixed in the other end opening 19 of the outer case 1, and a bearing portion 21 provided in the end cap 20 allows the screw shaft
The tip of 15 is rotatably supported.

A guide rail 22 extending in the axial direction is attached to the center of the inner bottom surface of the outer case 1. The guide rail 22 can be formed integrally with the outer case 1. On the other hand,
The elongated hole 3 is located at the center of the top of the outer case 1, and the elongated hole 3 is sealed by a flexible seal 23. The flexible seal 23 is made of a magnetic steel strip, and is attracted by a pair of strip magnets 24, 24 (FIG. 6) embedded on the upper surfaces of both sides of the slot 3 of the outer case 1 to seal the slot 3. To do.

The main body portion 6 of the slider 5 is housed in the outer case 1, and the nut portion 25 of the main body portion 6 is screwed into the screw shaft 15 and
The bottom surface recess 26 is slidably fitted in the guide rail 22. Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 6, a circulating ball 27 is arranged in the screwing portion between the nut portion 25 and the screw shaft 15 to form a ball screw unit. Head of slider 5
28 is a T-shaped block with a cross section 29 and a cross-shaped block
And the lower portion 31 of the T-shaped block 29 is fixed to the main body portion 6, and the shaped block 30 is a T-shaped block 29.
It is fixed to the T-shaped block 29 so as to cover the upper part 32 of the. The lower portion 31 of the T-shaped block 29 penetrates the elongated hole 3, and resin plates 33, 33 are fixed to both sides of the lower portion 31 to reduce sliding resistance with the elongated hole 3. A gap is formed between the upper surface of the upper portion 32 of the T-shaped block 29 and the corresponding surface of the shaped block 30 to form the seal insertion passage 10. This seal insertion passage 10 is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
The vertical cross section is formed in an arc shape, and this seal insertion passage 10
The flexible seal 23 that is inserted through is configured so that the deformed position can be smoothly moved as the slider 5 moves. The shaped block 30 is provided with screw holes 34, 34 for mounting a manipulator (not shown) or other linear motion robot.

The outer case 1 is usually fixed by a pair of front and rear support members 35, 35 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This support
Reference numeral 35 denotes a pair of fastening claws that engage with the fastening grooves 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d.
36a and 36b are provided, and the fixed-side fastening claws 36a are integrally formed on the support base 37, while the movable-side fastening claws 36b are fastened to the support base 37 using bolts 38. FIG. 1 shows that the fixed-side fastening claw 36a engages with the fastening groove 7d of FIG. 4 and the movable-side fastening claw 36b engages with the third fastening groove 7c so that the head 28 of the slider 5 faces upward. The outer case 1 is fixed on the supporting members 35, 35.

Since each fastening groove 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d is formed so as to be located at each vertex of the square on the cross section of the outer case,
As shown in FIG. 3, fixing the exterior case 1 on the support 35, 35 with the head 28 of the slider 5 facing sideways is the same as in the case shown in FIG. It will be possible. In this way, the same support tool 35, 35 can be used to set the mounting posture of the outer case 1 to any of the three postures in which the head 28 of the slider 5 faces upward, leftward, and rightward. It can be done arbitrarily.

FIG. 7 shows a case where two linear motion robots A and B having the above configuration are combined to form an XY direction motion robot. The first straight-moving robot A is fixed as in the case shown in FIG. 4, and its slider 5 is controlled to move in the X direction. The second rectilinear motion robot B is set so that the head 28 of the slider 5 faces downward, and the head 28 and the slider head 28 of the first rectilinear motion robot B are connected via a cross-shaped connecting plate 39. is doing. Therefore, the outer case 1 of the second rectilinear motion robot B moves in the Y direction with respect to the slider 5, and the movement is controlled. Therefore, for example, by attaching a manipulator to the end cap 20 of the second rectilinear motion robot B, an XY direction motion transfer robot or the like can be configured.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show examples in which the combination of the first rectilinear motion robot A and the second rectilinear motion robot B is different from the case of FIG. 7, respectively. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the support 35 shown in FIG. 1 is attached to the slider head 28 of the first rectilinear motion robot A, and the exterior of the second rectilinear motion robot B is attached using this support 35. The case 1 is fixed, and in this case, the slider head 28 of the second rectilinear motion robot faces upward. The example shown in FIG.
8 is different from the example shown in FIG. 8 in that the slider head 28 of the straight-moving robot B of FIG.

Next, the operation of the linear motion robot shown in FIG. 4 will be described.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 40 denotes a control box equipped with an operation board, a CPU, a memory, a motor driver, etc., which is connected to the motor 17 and the position detection sensors 9, 9 ... And the NC entered in the control box 40
The rotation of the motor 17 is controlled according to the data. Motor 17
Is converted into an axial movement of the slider 5, and the position and speed of the slider 5 are controlled. Each position detection sensor 9, 9 ... Performs overrun detection and origin position detection,
These detection signals are input to the control box 40. In addition, actually, control of the manipulator and the like is performed in parallel with the control of the slider 5, but the description thereof is omitted.

The flexible seal 23 that seals the elongated hole 3 of the outer case 1 is inserted into the seal insertion passage 10 of the slider 5 and is deformed into an arc shape at this portion. The deformation part moves. The other portion of the flexible seal 23 is attracted to the pair of strip-shaped magnets 24, 24 to seal the elongated hole 3.

The present invention can be configured in various modes other than those shown in the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, four fastening grooves 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d are formed so as to be located at each vertex of a square on the cross section of the outer case, but these are rectangular on the cross section of the outer case. You may form so that it may be located in each vertex of. In this case, the distance between the fastening grooves varies depending on the mounting posture of the outer case 1, but it is preferable that the distance between the fastening claws 36a and 36b of the support 35 can be adjusted so as to accommodate this. Use a spacer). The structure and shape of the support 35 and the cross-sectional shape of the outer case 1 are not limited to those shown in the above embodiment.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention can provide a straight-moving robot which can be easily set in any of three directions and is convenient to use, has a simple structure, and is low in cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 9 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view, and FIG. 3 shows an outer case on a support in a posture different from that of FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial vertical perspective view, FIG. 5 is a vertical side view, FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part, and FIG. 7 is a pair of straight-moving robots. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which they are used together, Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are partially cross-sectional side views showing a state in which a pair of rectilinear motion robots are used in combination, and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional example. Is. 1 …… Exterior case 2 …… Metal cylinders 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d …… Fastening groove 35 …… Supporting tools 36a, 36b …… Fastening claws.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-46-1925 (JP, A) JP-A-60-259390 (JP, A) Practical application Sho-62-188375 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An outer circumference of an outer case mainly composed of a metal cylinder whose cross section is the same at any position in the axial direction,
Four fastening grooves extending in the axial direction are formed so that they are located at respective vertices of a square or a rectangle on the cross-section of the outer case, and each of the fastening grooves adjacent to the inner phase of the fastening groove. A rectilinear motion robot, characterized in that a supporting tool having a pair of engaging claws to be engaged is provided, and an exterior case is fixed to the supporting tool.