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US6014909A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Robot wrist

Assignee: Comau SpA
•
Filing: 1998-04-22
•
Granted: 2000-01-18
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Expires: 2018-04-22
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Abstract

Abstract There is described a wrist for an industrial robot, comprising three wrist elements rotatably supported relative to each other around respective rotation axes which are coplanar and mutually inclined, which leave a space inside thereof free for passage of supply cables which are to be connected to the tool secured to the robot wrist. The latter has a front flange for coupling the tool and a plurality of radial outlets for the above mentioned supply cables, so as to allow for the use of a tool coupling flange having a simplified structure.

Inventors

  • 👤 Aldo Fiora

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 04:15
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J19/00; B25J19/0025; B25J19/0029; B25J15/00; B25J15/04; B25J17/00; B25J17/02; B25J17/0283; B25J17/0291; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20207; Y10T74/20305; Y10T74/20311; Y10T74/20317; Y10T74/20329; Y10T74/20335

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 235 words
Wrist for an industrial robot comprising: a first wrist element, carried by a robot arm rotatable around a first axis with respect to a structure supporting said robot arm, a second wrist element, rotatably supported by said first wrist element around a second axis which crosses the first axis at an angle relative thereto, a third wrist element rotatably supported by said second wrist element around a third axis which is inclined with respect to the second axis and is coplanar with said first and second axes, said third wrist element including a tool coupling flange, and electric and fluid supply lines extending through said robot arm and said wrist elements, wherein said arm is hollow and said second and third wrist elements are connected in rotation with two tubular shafts arranged concentrically inside said robot arm, the ends of said arm and said tubular shafts opposite to the robot wrist being connected to respective motors for driving rotation of said arm and said second and third wrist elements, said wrist elements and said concentrical tubular shafts leaving a space inside thereof free for passage of said electric and fluid supply lines for the tool which is to be coupled to the robot wrist, wherein said third wrist element has a standardized front flange for coupling the tool and comprises a peripheral wall provided with a plurality of radial outlets connected to said supply lines.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 235 words
Wrist for an industrial robot comprising: a first wrist element, carried by a robot arm rotatable around a first axis with respect to a structure supporting said robot arm, a second wrist element, rotatably supported by said first wrist element around a second axis which crosses the first axis at an angle relative thereto, a third wrist element rotatably supported by said second wrist element around a third axis which is inclined with respect to the second axis and is coplanar with said first and second axes, said third wrist element including a tool coupling flange, and electric and fluid supply lines extending through said robot arm and said wrist elements, wherein said arm is hollow and said second and third wrist elements are connected in rotation with two tubular shafts arranged concentrically inside said robot arm, the ends of said arm and said tubular shafts opposite to the robot wrist being connected to respective motors for driving rotation of said arm and said second and third wrist elements, said wrist elements and said concentrical tubular shafts leaving a space inside thereof free for passage of said electric and fluid supply lines for the tool which is to be coupled to the robot wrist, wherein said third wrist element has a standardized front flange for coupling the tool and comprises a peripheral wall provided with a plurality of radial outlets connected to said supply lines.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 39 words
Robot wrist according to claim 1, wherein said motors are carried by said structure supporting the robot arm and are connected to said arm and to said tubular concentrical shafts by means of pairs of gears having parallel axes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 10 words
Robot, wherein it comprises a wrist according to claim 1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 10 words
Robot, wherein it comprises a wrist according to claim 2.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4151390A Cited
US4708580A Cited
US4703668A Cited
US4787270A Cited
US5437207A Cited
US5460536A Cited
US5816108A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-01-17 2003-07-19 2004-01-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-01-17 2007-07-19 2008-01-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-01-17 2011-07-19 2012-01-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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