US-12617084-B2 - Transfer leg and robot apparatus

US12617084B2US 12617084 B2US12617084 B2US 12617084B2US-12617084-B2

Abstract

A robot apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a robot body and a transfer leg for transferring the robot body. The robot body includes a robot arm mechanism and a sensor device for detecting an external force applied to the robot arm mechanism. The sensor device includes a sensor bottom plate to be installed on a robot installation table, a sensor top plate attached to the bottom surface of a base of the robot arm mechanism, and a sensor body for detecting the displacement between the sensor bottom plate and the sensor top plate. The transfer leg is configured to be able to fix the base or the sensor top plate to a transfer table in such a manner as to prevent the sensor bottom plate from coming into contact with the transfer table.

Inventors

Junya Fujita

Assignees

FANUC CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210415

Claims (7)

1 . A robot apparatus comprising: a robot body including a robot arm mechanism and a sensor device configured to detect an external force applied to the robot arm mechanism; and a transfer leg for fixing the robot body to a transfer table, wherein the sensor device includes a sensor bottom plate to be installed on a robot installation table, a sensor top plate attached to a bottom surface of a base of the robot arm mechanism, and a sensor body configured to detect a displacement between the sensor bottom plate and the sensor top plate, the transfer leg is configured to be able to connect the base or the sensor top plate to the transfer table in such a manner that the sensor bottom plate is floated relative to the transfer table, the robot body and the transfer table are connected only via the transfer leg, and the transfer leg has a height longer than a height from the sensor bottom plate to the base or a height from the sensor bottom plate to the sensor top plate, with one end connected to the base or the sensor top plate and another end connected to the transfer table, whereby the sensor bottom plate is separated from the transfer table and a gap is formed between the sensor bottom plate and the transfer table.
2 . The robot apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer leg is configured to be detachably attached to the base or the sensor top plate.
3 . The robot apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transfer leg is attached to the base or the sensor top plate by a first bolt inserted in a direction orthogonal to the transfer table, and the robot body is separated from the transfer table by an axial force of the first bolt, thereby forming a gap between the sensor bottom plate and the transfer table.
4 . The robot apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer leg is attached to the base or the sensor top plate by a first bolt inserted in a direction parallel to the transfer table.
5 . A robot apparatus comprising: a robot body including a robot arm mechanism and a sensor device configured to detect an external force applied to the robot arm mechanism; and a transfer leg for fixing the robot body to a transfer table, wherein the sensor device includes a sensor bottom plate to be installed on a robot installation table, a sensor top plate attached to a bottom surface of a base of the robot arm mechanism, and a sensor body configured to detect a displacement between the sensor bottom plate and the sensor top plate, the transfer leg is configured to be able to connect the base or the sensor top plate to the transfer table in such a manner that the sensor bottom plate is floated relative to the transfer table, the robot body and the transfer table are connected only via the transfer leg, the transfer leg has a height that is shorter than a height from the sensor bottom plate to the base or a height from the sensor bottom plate to the sensor top plate, one end of the transport leg is connected to the base or the sensor top plate by a first bolt, another end of the transport leg is connected to the transport table by a second bolt inserted in a direction orthogonal to the transport table, and when the second bolt is tightened so that a tip of the second bolt abuts against the transport table, the robot body is separated from the transport table, thereby forming a gap between the sensor bottom plate and the transport table.
6 . The robot apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transfer leg is attached to the base or the sensor top plate by a first bolt inserted in a direction parallel to the transfer table.
7 . The robot apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transfer leg is integrally formed with the base or the sensor top plate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments described herein relate generally to a transfer leg and a robot apparatus. BACKGROUND ART In recent years, highly safe collaborative robots that can work in cooperation with workers have begun to spread. Many collaborative robots are equipped with a sensor device for detecting an external force acting on the collaborative robot in order to detect a collision with a worker or the like. Patent Literature 1 discloses a robot with a sensor device interposed between the robot and a floor surface. When a collaborative robot in which a robot arm mechanism is connected to the top of a sensor device is transferred, there are the following problems. In general, an industrial robot is fixed to a transfer pallet, a truck bed, or the like by a fixing tool such as a bolt by using a bolt hole for installation formed in a base of the robot. However, in this transfer method, an external force such as vibration generated during transfer is directly applied to the robot. The vibration during transfer is tens of times the acceleration of gravity and is far greater than the force applied when the robot is in normal operation. Therefore, the sensor device may be damaged during transfer. As a method for preventing damage to the sensor device during transfer, it is conceivable to increase the rigidity of the sensor device so as not to be damaged even when an excessive external force is applied. It is also conceivable to fix the parts of the sensor device to each other with a fixing tool during transfer so that an excessive load is not applied to the sensor device main body even when an external force is applied. If the rigidity of the main body (detection unit) of the sensor device is increased so that the sensor device is not damaged even when an excessive external force is applied, the main body of the sensor device will be difficult to deform. This not only decreases the detection accuracy of small forces, but also inevitably increases the costs of parts, increases the size of the sensor device, and increases the weight of the sensor device. In addition, in order to fix the parts constituting the sensor device to each other by a fixing tool, it is necessary to increase the dimensional accuracy of the fixing tool and to perform the fixing work carefully. If the parts are fixed in a misaligned state, an excessive force is applied to the sensor device. Increasing the dimensional accuracy of the fixing tool increases the costs of the parts, and carefully performing the fixing work increases the number of man-hours required for transfer. CITATION LIST Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-080941 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a robot apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a transfer leg of the robot apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state where the robot apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is fixed to a transfer table. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state where the robot apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is fixed to an installation table. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a robot apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a robot apparatus according to a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a robot apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 8 illustrates a method for fixing the robot apparatus shown in FIG. 7 to the transfer table. FIG. 9 is a side view showing a robot apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a robot apparatus according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 11 illustrates a method for fixing the robot apparatus shown in FIG. 10 to the transfer table. FIG. 12 is a side view showing a robot apparatus according to a seventh embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A robot apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a robot body and a transfer leg for transferring the robot body. The robot body includes a robot arm mechanism and a sensor device for detecting an external force applied to the robot arm mechanism. The sensor device includes a sensor bottom plate to be installed on a robot installation table, a sensor top plate attached to the bottom surface of a base of the robot arm mechanism, and a sensor body for detecting the displacement between the sensor bottom plate and the sensor top plate. The transfer leg is configured to be able to fix the base or the sensor top plate to a transfer table in such a manner as to prevent the sensor bottom plate from coming into contact with the transfer table. Hereinafter, robot apparatuses according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First Embodiment A robot apparatus according to a first embodiment includes a robot body 11 and a control device (not shown) that controls the robot body 11. As shown in FIG. 1, the robot body 11 includes a sensor device