Industrial robot

Claim 2

An industrial robot including a plurality of motors provided at an end of a hollow link, 130 torque transmission means provided within said link for transmitting rotational torques of said plurality of motors, and rotary means for a plurality of independent rotational motions in response to each of said motors, said rotary means being provided at the other end of said link and being drivingly connected to said torque transmission means, said rotary means comprising a first rotary device having a first box (65) and rotating about an axis of said link, a second rotary device having a second box (66) and rotating about a rotary axis which obliquely intersects with a rotary axis of said first device, and a third rotary device having an output shaft and rotating about a rotary axis which intersects obliquely with the rotary axis of said second rotary device, said second rotary device including a first transmission shaft (43a) one end portion of which is directly connected to said second box (66) and the other end portion of which is drivingly connected to said torque transmission means, said second rotary device substantially surrounding said third rotary device.

Claim 3

The industrial robot of claim 1, said torque transmission means including a third drive shaft (28) for transmitting the rotational torque of a third motor (3) of said plurality of motors to said third rotary device, a second drive shaft (27) for transmitting the rotational torque of a second motor (2) of said plurality of motors to said second rotary device, said second drive shaft (27) including a hollow tube having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of said third drive shaft (28), and a first drive shaft (26) for transmitting the rotational torque of a first motor (1) of said plurality of motors to said first rotary device, said first drive shaft (26) including a hollow tube having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of said second drive shaft, said first, second and third drive shafts being provided in a coaxial fashion with each other.

Claim 4

The industrial robot of claim 1, said first box (65) drivingly connected to said first drive shaft (26), said second rotary device further including a first bevel gear (40) coupled to said second drive shaft (27), and a second bevel gear (43) engaging said first bevel gear (46), said first transmission shaft (43a) having at one end said second bevel gear (43) and obliquely intersecting with said rotary axis of said first device, and said third rotary device including a third bevel gear (46) coupled to said third rotary drive shaft (28), a fourth bevel gear (47) rotatable in coaxial relation with said first transmission shaft (43a), a fifth bevel gear (58) engaging with said fourth bevel gear (47) and having a rotary axis which obliquely intersects with said rotary axis of said second rotary device, and a sixth bevel gear (59) engaging with said fifth bevel gear (58), said sixth bevel gear (59) having said output shaft (59a) coupled to said sixth bevel gear (59). 7 GB 2 139 593A 7

Claim 5

The industrial robot of claim 1, said second box (66) being made of light metal.

Claim 6

The industrial robot of claim 4, said first box (65) being made of light metal.

Claim 7

The industrial robot of claim 1, said third device including a second transmission shaft (47a) for torque-transmission, said second transmission shaft (47a) including a hollow tube surrounding said first transmission shaft (43a), said first transmission shaft (43a) passing through a hollow space of said second transmission shaft (47a).

Claim 8

The industrial robot of claim 6, said second transmission shaft (47a) being pro- vided on both end portions with torque transmission bevel gears (58, 47), one of which is provided on a torque output side and the other of which is provided on a torque input side.

Claim 9

The industrial robot of claim 1, said first 85 rotary device including a first box (65) coup led to said first drive shaft (26), said second rotary device further including a first bevel gear (40) couppled to said second drive shaft (27), and a second bevel gear (43) engaging 90 said first gear (40), said first transmission shaft (43a) being coupled at one end to said second bevel gear (43), said first transmission shaft (43a) having an axis which obliquely intersects with the rotary axis of said first rotary device, and said second box (66) being coupled to said first transmssion shaft (43a) at the other end, and said third device including a third bevel gear (46) coupled to said third drive shaft (28), a fourth bevel gear (47) engaging with said third bevel gear (46) and rotating around an axis in a coaxial manner with said first transmission shaft (43a), a second transmission shaft (47a) including a hollow tube coupled at one end portion to said fourth bevel gear (47) and surrounding said first transmission shaft (43a), a fifth bevel gear (58) provided at the other end portion of said second transmission shaft (47a), and a sixth bevel gear (59) engaging said fifth bevel 110 gear (58), said sixth bevel gear (59) being coupled to said output shaft (59a) and having a rotary axis which intersects obliquely with the rotary axis of said second rotary device.

Claim 10

The industrial robot of claim 7, said second rotary device including a first reduc tion gear in alignment with said rotary axis of said second rotary device.

Claim 11

The industrial robot of claim 9, said reduction gear comprising a harmonic reduc- tion gear (73) having an input shaft (73a) and an output shaft (73b) which extend in the same direction, said output shaft (73b) pass ing through said input shaft (73a).

Claim 12

The industrial robot of claim 9, said 125 third rotary device including a second reduc tion gear in alignment with said rotary axis of said third rotary device.

Claim 13

The industrial robot of claim 11, said second reduction gear comprising a harmonic 130 reduction gear (80) having an input shaft (80a) and said output shaft (80b) which ex tend in the same direction, said output shaft (80b) passing through said input shaft (80a).

Claim 14

The inductrial robot of claim 1, said first box (65) being coupled to said first drive shaft (26), said second rotary device including a first bevel gear (40), a second bevel gear (43) engaging said first bevel gear (40), a first reduction gear (73) having an input shaft (73a) coupled to said second bevel gear (43), said first reduction gear (73) being located in alignment with an axis which obliquely intersects with the rotary axis of said first rotary device, said second box (66) being coupled to an output shaft (73b) of the first reduction gear (73), said third rotary device including a third bevel gear (46) coupled to said third drive shaft (28), a fourth bevel gear (47) engaging with said third bevel gear (46) and rotating about a rotary axis of said output shaft (73b) of said first reduction gear (73), a second transmission shaft (47a) provided at one end portion with said fourth bevel gear (47) and surrounding the output shaft (73b) of said first reduction gear (73), a fifth bevel gear (58) coupled to the other end portion of said second transmission shaft (47a), and a second reduction gear (80) engaging with said fifth bevel gear (58) and located in alignment with an axis which obliquely intersects with the rotary axis of said second device, said output shaft (80b) being formed on the output side of said second reduction gear (80).

Claim 15

The industrial robot of claim 1, said second rotary device further including power lock wedge means provided at an outer end periphery of said first transmission shaft (43a, 73b) for normally transmitting a torque from said first transmission shaft (43a, 73b) to said second box (66) and releasing the torque transmission when a load transmitted through said power lock wedge means exceeds a predetermined load.

Claim 16

The industrial robot of claim 14, said power lock wedge means comprising a housing member (225) pressingly inserted into an outwardly projecting portion (66a) of said sec- ond box (66), a sleeve portion (225a) integral with said housing member (225) and defining therein a recess, and at least one wedge unit including a first annular wedge (227) having a larger diameter portion and tapered portions, a second annular wedge (228) having smaller diameter portion and tapered portions, a pair of wedge members (229), and a bolt (230) threadedly engaging with one of said wedge members (229).

Claim 17

The industrial robot of claim 15, said housing (231 b) being separatable from said second box (66) and normally coupled to said second box (66), and said recess in said housing being opened to the outside and covered by a cover (233). 8 GB 2 139 593A 8

Claim 18

The industrial robot of claim 16, said power lock wedge means further including a key means (235) for securing said housing member (231 a) to said second box (66).

Claim 19

The industrial robot of claim 1, further comprising a bearing means between said first and second boxes (65, 66) for rotatably sup porting said second box (66) to said first box (65).

Claim 20

The industrial robot of claim 18, said bearing means comprising an inner race sup ported around the rotary axis of said first box (65), a pair of outer races (325A) divided into two halves, cross rollers (325C) disposed be- tween said inner and outer races, and an intermediate annular member (330) engaging with said pair of outer races, a first fastening means (328, 329) for securing said cross rollers to said first box (65) and a second fastening means (333) for securing said cross rollers to said second box (66).

Claim 21

The industrial robot of claim 19, further including a real means for sealing said first and second boxes (65, 66), said seal means being located at an annular space defined between an inner periphery of said intermediate annular member (334) and an outer periphery of said first box (65).

Claim 22

The industrial robot of claim 1, said hollow link (31) being rotatably supported at an intermediate portion and driven by a fourth motor (68), said industrial robot further including a first link (64) and a fifth motor (69) for driving said first link.

Claim 23

The industrial robot of claim 21, said first, second and third motors (1, 2, 3) are arranged at the other end of said hollow link (31) on the opposite side of said first, second and third rotary devices.

Claim 24

The industrial robot of claim 21, said hollow link (31) being driven by a link mechanism (70, 71).

Claim 25

The industrial robot of claim 1, said second box (66) being of the open type to the inside thereof.

Claim 26

The industrial robot of claim 3, said fourth bevel gear (47) being located inside of said second bevel gear (46).

Claim 27

The industrial robot of claim 1, said first drive shaft (26) being directly coupled to said first rotary box (65).

Claim 28

An industrial robot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6, 10 and 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 29

An industrial robot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6, 10 and 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 30

An industrial robot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 7, 10, 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 31

An industrial robot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 7, 10, 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 32

An industrial robot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 8, 10, 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 33

An industrial robot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 8, 10, 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 34

An industrial robot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig- ures 9, 10, 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings. 31 - An industrial robot as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 30 modified substantially 70 as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 11 or Figures 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings. Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Dd 8818935, 1984, 4235. Published at The Patent Office. 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1 AY, from which copies may be obtained. A