EP0535604A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wrist mechanism of industrial robot
Assignee: Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1992-09-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-09-29
Abstract
Abstract A wrist mechanism mounted on an arm (18) of a robot has a wrist flange (19) to which a spray gun (20) is mounted. Coaxially with the arm are provided concentric and relatively rotatable cylinders (36, 37, 38). From the outermost cylinder (36) extends forward a housing (40) in which gears and shafts are enclosed and operate as follows. Rotations of inner second and third cylinders (37; 38) are transmitted via spur gear trains (41, 47; 56, 60) to respective power transmission shafts (44; 57) extending in parallel to the axis (32) of the cylinders. Bevel gears (48; 61) fixed to respective far ends of the transmission shafts (44; 57) mesh with other bevel gears (49; 62) which have a second axis (33) transverse to the axis (32) of the cylinders. A cylindrical member (51) fixed to one (49) of the other bevel gears is therefore swingable about the second axis (33). Rotation of the other bevel gear (62) is transmitted to a further gear (65) to rotate the spray gun. A cover (43) besides the housing (40) has an opening (29) through which a flexible paint-supply hose (28) is led into the mechanism to be connected to the spray gun (20). This serves to reduce the length of the hose (28) from a paint color changeover valve (30) and hence shorten the rinsing time of the hose. The second axis enables the spray gun to swing therearound, thereby eliminating a dead space to which the spray gun cannot have access.
Inventors
- 👤 Takahiro Inada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:13
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J19/00; B25J19/0025; B25J19/0029; B25J17/00; B25J17/02; B25J17/0283; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20207; Y10T74/20305; Y10T74/20329; Y10T74/20335
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A wrist mechanism adapted to be mounted on an arm of a robot, characterized in that it comprises: a first cylinder (36) forming a coaxial extension of said arm (18) and being rotatable about a longitudinal axis (32) of rotation constituting a first wrist axis; a second cylinder (37) disposed coaxially within said first cylinder (36) so as to be rotatable about said first wrist axis (32) relative to said first cylinder; a first gear (41) secured to one end of said second cylinder (37) so as to be rotatable about said first wrist axis (32); a power transmission shaft (44) having an axis of rotation parallel to said first wrist axis (32) and supported rotatably by said first cylinder; a second gear (47) secured to one end of said power transmission shaft (44) and meshing with said first gear (41); a first bevel gear (48) secured to the other end of said power transmission shaft (44); a second bevel gear (49) meshing with said first bevel gear (48), said second bevel gear (49) being rotatably supported by said first cylinder to be rotatable about a second wrist axis (33) intersecting said first wrist axis (32); and a cylindrical member (51) fixed to said second bevel gear (49) for swinging movement about said second wrist axis (33).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
18 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first and second gears (41, 47) are spur gears.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: an enlarged supporting member (39) integral with said first cylinder (36); a housing (40) fixedly secured to an end of the enlarged supporting member (39) and extending away from the first cylinder (36) so as to enclose said first and second gears (41, 47), said power transmission shaft (44), and said first and second bevel gears (48, 49).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 3, further comprising: a cover (43) projecting transversely to said housing (40) so as to define beside the housing a bent passage for passing a flexible elongated member (28) through the wrist mechanism.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said cover (43) has an opening (29) through which a flexible elongated member (28) can be led into the wrist mechanism.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said cover (43) has a service opening (70) openably closed by a cover (71).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The wrist mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said cylindrical member (51) is located at a position remote from said first cylinder (36) and extends away from the first cylinder with a third wrist axis (34).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
214 words
The wrist mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: a third cylinder (38) interposed between said first and second cylinders (36, 37) in concentric relation thereto so as to be rotatable relative to the first and second cylinders; a third gear (56) secured to one end of said third cylinder (38) so as to be rotatable about said first wrist axis (32); a second power transmission shaft (57) having an axis of rotation parallel to said first wrist axis (32) and supported rotatably by said first cylinder; a fourth gear (60) secured to one end of said second power transmission shaft (57) and meshing with said third gear (56); a third bevel gear (61) secured to the other end of said second power transmission shaft (57); a fourth bevel gear (62) meshing with said third bevel gear (61), said fourth bevel gear (62) being rotatably supported by said first cylinder to be rotatable about said second wrist axis (33); a fifth bevel gear (64) rotatable with said fourth bevel gear; a sixth bevel gear (65) meshing with said fifth bevel gear and rotatably supported to be rotatable about a third wrist axis (34); and mounting means (19) integral with the sixth bevel gear, for mounting a work tool (20).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
80 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 8, further comprising: an enlarged supporting member (39) integral with said first cylinder (36); a housing (40) fixedly secured to an end of the enlarged supporting member (39) and extending away from the first cylinder (36) so as to enclose said first, second, third and fourth gears (41, 47, 56, 60), said two power transmission shafts (44, 57), said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and second bevel gears (48, 49, 61, 62, 64, 65).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said first, second, third and fourth gears (41, 47, 56, 60) are spur gears.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
76 words
The wrist mechanism according to anyone of claims 8 to 10, wherein said cylindrical member (51) is located at a position remote from said first cylinder (36) and extends away from the first cylinder with a third wrist axis (34) and wherein said sixth bevel gear (65) is connected to said mounting means (19) through a sleeve (67) which is coaxially supported in said cylindrical member (51) in a manner rotatable relative to the cylindrical member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The wrist mechanism according to claim 11, wherein said cylindrical member (51) has a coaxial inner cylindrical wall (53) formed integral therewith, and a cover (43) projects transversely to said housing (40), said inner cylindrical wall and said cover defining therethrough a bent passage for passing a flexible elongated member (28) through the wrist mechanism.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The wrist mechanism according to anyone of claims 8 to 12, wherein said first mentioned power transmission shaft (44) is a hollow shaft and the second power transmission shaft (57) extends coaxially in the first mentioned transmission shaft (44).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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