Patent ID: 6826977
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: B25J,Y10T

Abstract:
A robot drive assembly comprising multiple, concentric vertically nested spindles mounted in a frame, said frame mountable to a fixed surface, each spindle independently driven in a rotational manner around a central axis common to all said spindles, each spindle, through a series of pulleys and drive belts functioning to provide controlled motion to a particular portion of a jointed robot arm, said robot arm and robot arm portions operatively connected to independently move in a rotational path around said central axis, each said spindle being driven by one of three separate controllable spindle drive motors, said motors mounted adjacent to the spindles, said frame with enclosed spindles and motors simultaneously moveable in a vertical direction, the vertical movement of the frame being driven by a fourth motor mounted adjacent to said spindle drive motors, the robot drive assembly capable of moving an operating tool mounted on the distal end of the robot arm through at least a 360Â° arc around the central axis while also moving a preset distance vertically from the fixed surface such that a tool mounted on the distal end of the robot arm can be moved in the X, Y, Z and Theta direction.