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DE-102025111500-B3 - Drive device for a joint of a robot arm for cable routing, associated robot arm and corresponding rotary feedthrough

DE102025111500B3DE 102025111500 B3DE102025111500 B3DE 102025111500B3DE-102025111500-B3

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive device (4) for a joint (L) of a robot arm (3), comprising a driver (19) connected to a guide tube end section (18) of a cable guide tube (17), the driver having a hub section (19a) connected to the guide tube end section (18), a radially outwardly offset cable guide section (19b), and a connecting section (19c) connecting the hub section (19a) to the cable guide section (19b), and comprising an annular space (R) arranged coaxially to a motor (9), which is configured to receive a cable loop (7c) of a cable (7) inserted into the annular space (R), wherein the annular space (R) has an opening (20) through which the cable (7) can be fed into the annular space (R), wherein the cable guide section (19b) of the driver (19) is configured in an inserted state of a cable (7) in which the cable (7) is axially The cable (7) is guided from the gearbox-side tube end (17a) to the motor-side tube end (17b) through the cable guide tube (17) and radially to the cable guide section (19b). When a gearbox output member (15) of the drive device (4) rotates, the cable (7) is carried into the opening (20) of the annular space (R) at a transition section (7c) of the cable (7), such that the cable (7) is guided into the annular space (R) at a circumferential point corresponding to the current rotational position of the gearbox output member (15). The invention also relates to an associated robot arm (3) and a corresponding rotary feedthrough.

Inventors

  • Andre Reekers

Assignees

  • KUKA DEUTSCHLAND GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20250325

Claims (12)

  1. Drive device (4) for a joint (L) of a robot arm (3), comprising: - a motor (9) with a motor housing (6) and a hollow motor shaft (10) rotatably mounted in the motor housing (6), - a gearbox (13) arranged coaxially to the motor shaft (10), comprising a hollow gearbox input element (14) coupled to the motor shaft (10), a hollow gearbox output element (15), and a support element (16) coupling the gearbox input element (14) to the gearbox output element (15), - a cable guide tube (17) connected to the gearbox output element (15), which extends axially from its gearbox-side tube end (17a) from the gearbox output element (15) through the hollow motor shaft (10) to its motor-side tube end (17b) of the motor housing (6), which is axially opposite the gearbox (13). extends and forms a guide tube end section (18) there, - a driver (19) connected to the guide tube end section (18) of the cable guide tube (17), which has a hub section (19a) connected to the guide tube end section (18), a radially outwardly offset cable guide section (19b) and a connecting section (19c) connecting the hub section (19a) to the cable guide section (19b), - an annular space (R) arranged coaxially to the motor (9), which is configured to receive a cable loop (7a) of a cable (7) inserted into the annular space (R), wherein the annular space (R) has an opening (20) through which the cable (7) can be fed into the annular space (R), wherein the cable guide section (19b) of the driver (19) is configured in an inserted state of a cable (7), in which the cable (7) extends axially from the gearbox-side tube end. (17a) to the motor-rear pipe end (17b) through the cable guide tube (17) and radially guided to the cable guide section (19b), the cable (7) enters the opening (20) of the annular space (R) in a transition section (7c) of the cable (7) when the transmission output member (15) is rotated. to be taken along in such a way that the cable (7) is guided into the annular space (R) at a circumferential point corresponding to the current rotational position of the transmission output member (15).
  2. Drive device (4) according Claim 1 , characterized in that the annular space (R) has an inner annular space wall (21) circumferentially enclosing the motor housing (6) and an outer annular space wall (22) arranged at a radial distance (A) from the inner annular space wall (21) circumferentially surrounding the inner annular space wall (21), wherein a storage space for a cable loop (7a) of a cable (7) guided through the annular space (R) is formed between the inner annular space wall (21) and the outer annular space wall (22) and the opening (20) of the annular space (R) lies on the same circumference as the cable guide section (19b) of the driver (19).
  3. Drive device (4) according Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the connecting section (19c) of the driver (19) is formed by a lever (27) extending radially from the hub section (19a) to the cable guide section (19b).
  4. Drive device (4) according Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the connecting section (19c) of the driver (19) is formed by an annular disk or an annular disk segment extending radially from the hub section (19a) to the cable guide section (19b).
  5. Drive device (4) according Claim 4 , characterized in that the driver (19) is cup-shaped, wherein the connecting section (19c) designed as an annular disk is formed by a cup bottom surface (23) of the cup-shaped driver (19) and at least one cup shell surface (24) of the cup-shaped driver (19) axially forms at least sectionally or completely the outer wall (22) of the annular space and/or the inner wall (21) of the annular space (R).
  6. Drive device (4) according Claim 4 or 5 , characterized in that an inner wall (5) of the connecting section (19c) of the driver (19) facing the annular space (R) forms an axial annular end wall of the annular space (R) on which a cable loop (7c) formed in the annular space (R) is axially guided.
  7. Drive device (4) according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the cable guide section (19b) has a radially oriented guide wall (25) leading in the direction of rotation (P2) of the driver (19) and a radially oriented guide wall (26) lagging in the direction of rotation (P2) of the driver (19), wherein the two guide walls (25, 26) are arranged spaced apart from each other such that an inserted cable (7) is guided from two opposite sides.
  8. Drive device (4) according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 , comprising a cable (7) inserted into the cable guide tube (17), which is attached to the transmission output member (15) or to a component (8) connected to the transmission output member (15), and which is led axially out of the cable guide tube (17) at the motor rear end of the tube (17b) and is led in a radial direction to the cable guide section (19b), where it enters the annular space (R) and forms a cable loop (7c) therein.
  9. Robot arm (3) with several segments (G) and joints (L) connecting the segments (G) adjustable relative to each other, wherein at least one of the joints (L) has a drive device (4) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8 exhibits.
  10. robot arm (3) after Claim 9 , characterized in that the drive device (4) is arranged according to one of the Claims 1 until 8 The joint (L) of the robot arm (3) has a hollow first element (G1) and a second element (G2) rotatably connected directly to the hollow first element (G1), wherein the motor housing (6) is arranged inside the hollow first element (G1) and an intermediate space is formed between an outside of the motor housing (6) and an inside of the hollow first element (G1), in which the annular space (R) is arranged.
  11. robot arm (3) after Claim 10 , characterized in that a cable (7) inserted into the cable guide tube (17) is fixed to the second member (G2) connected to the transmission output member (15).
  12. Rotary feedthrough for a joint (L) of a robot arm (3), comprising: - a hollow pivot receptacle, - a hollow pivot pin rotatably mounted coaxially in the hollow pivot pin receptacle, - a cable guide tube (17) connected to the hollow pivot pin, which extends axially from a tube end on the pin base side through the hollow pivot pin to its tube end on the pin head side of the hollow pivot pin receptacle axially opposite the pin base and forms a guide tube end section (18) there, - a driver (19) connected to the guide tube end section (18) of the cable guide tube (17), which engages a hub section (19a) connected to the guide tube end section (18), a comprising a radially outwardly offset cable guide section (19b) and a connecting section (19c) connecting the hub section (19a) to the cable guide section (19b), - an annular space (R) arranged coaxially to the hollow pivot receptacle, which is designed to receive a cable loop (7c) of a cable (7) inserted into the annular space (R), wherein the annular space (R) has an opening (20) through which the cable (7) can be fed into the annular space (R), wherein the cable guide section (19b) of the driver (19) is designed in an inserted state of a cable (7), in which the cable (7) is guided axially from the pivot-base-side tube end to the pivot-head-side tube end through the cable guide tube (17) and guided radially to the cable guide section (19b), the cable (7) during a rotation of the hollow pivot relative to the hollow pivot receptacle in a to take the transition section (7c) of the cable (7) into the opening (20) of the annular space (R) in such a way that the cable (7) is guided into the annular space (R) at a circumferential point corresponding to the current rotational position of the hollow pivot pin relative to the hollow pivot pin receptacle.

Description

The invention relates to a drive device for a joint of a robot arm, comprising a motor with a motor housing and a hollow motor shaft rotatably mounted in the motor housing, a gearbox arranged coaxially to the motor shaft, which has a hollow gearbox input element coupled to the motor shaft, a hollow gearbox output element, and a support element coupling the gearbox input element to the gearbox output element, and a cable guide tube connected to the gearbox output element, which extends axially from its gearbox-side tube end from the gearbox output element through the hollow motor shaft to its motor-side tube end of the motor housing, which is axially opposite the gearbox and forms a guide tube end section there. The invention also relates to an associated robot arm and a corresponding rotary feedthrough. The CN 1 05 397 839 A This describes a robot with a robot joint. The robot joint comprises a gearbox with a reduction gear, an output flange, and a housing. The output flange includes a flange plate and a guide tube connected to a rigid gear wheel. The flange plate and guide tube form an integrated structure, and a flexible gear wheel is connected to the inner wall of the housing. The DE 10 2013 216 449 A1 Describes an industrial robot comprising a robot arm formed with links, which is configured to carry a load and move it in space, with joints which connect the links movably to one another by means of drives and gearboxes associated with the drives, of which at least one first link has a first housing and at least one second link has a second housing, which are configured to transmit forces and moments arising due to the self-weight of the robot arm and/or the load to at least one adjacent link, wherein the first link is rotatably connected to the second link by means of one of the drives, and this drive comprises a drive housing, a rotor and a stator connected to the drive housing, and the drive housing is attached to the first housing of the first link and forms an outer wall section of the robot arm that transmits the forces and moments, wherein one of the gearboxes is associated with this drive and comprises an output link and an input link connected to the rotor of the drive, and wherein the output link of the gearbox is connected to a flange which is rotatably mounted with respect to the drive housing and is attached to to which the second housing of the second link is attached. The DE 10 2023 129 972 A1 Describes a robot gearbox comprising a gear link arrangement with several gear links and an output-side end link, a drive-side first housing part with a drive-side first connection for connecting one of the gear links of the gear link arrangement, an output-side second housing part with an output-side second connection for connecting the output-side end link of the gear link arrangement, an annular space designed to guide a cable loop in which an electrical cable forming the cable loop is guided, wherein the annular space is formed radially inside by a first inner shell wall of the drive-side first housing part and/or by a second inner shell wall of the output-side second housing part, and the annular space is formed radially outside by a first outer shell wall of the drive-side first housing part and/or by a second outer shell wall of the output-side second housing part, wherein a first flange is arranged on the first outer shell wall of the drive-side first housing part, which is designed for axial connection a drive-side first element of a robot arm and/or on the second outer shell wall of the output-side second housing part, a second flange is arranged, which is designed for axially connecting an output-side second element of the robot arm, and the annular space has an axial first opening formed in the drive-side first housing part to allow the electrical cable to be axially routed out of the robot gearbox and/or the annular space has an axial second opening formed in the output-side second housing part to allow the electrical cable to be axially routed out of the robot gearbox. The US 9 802 327 B2 Describes a robot arm comprising a plurality of arm sections rotatably connected to one another, wherein the arm sections comprise a plurality of connecting links and an actuator section that rotates the plurality of connecting links, the actuator section comprising a cylindrical cover provided on an outer surface, a motor that rotates the plurality of connecting links, a motor frame contained in the motor, a reduction gear that slows the rotation of the motor and outputs torque, a collar attached to the reduction gear, and a wire body comprising at least one wire and/or a tube, wherein at least a portion of the wire body is located between a surface comprising a first small body section comprising, which is formed by the engine frame and the collar, and a surface which includes a second small body section of the cylindrical cover. The US 2012 / 0 176 007 A1 The text describes an electric machine compr