A device for supporting a robot on a support beam

Abstract: An articulated robot has a pincer-like attachment (4) with a central part (60) and two pivoting parts (61) articulated to the central part (60), the attachment serving to connect the robot to a support beam (3) in a fixed or slidable manner.

Description: The present invention relates to articulated industrial robots and, in particular, to a device for supporting a robot on a support beam, of the type set forth in the precharacterising portion of the appended Claim 1. WO-A-8702640 discloses an articulated robot having an attachment member which can be mounted on a support beam. The attachment member has a pincer-like body with a central portion and two side portions articulated to the central portion which is connected to the robot structure. The side portions are movable between closed positions for grasping the support beam when the attachment member is operative. The central portion and the side portions have revolving means for guiding the sliding of the attachment member on the support beam. The object of the invention is to provide a device of this type which enables the robot to be mounted on and removed from the support beam quickly and easily and at the same time ensures that it is fixed securely. In order to achieve this object, the subject of the invention is an articulated robot including an attachment member having the features indicated in the characterising portion of Claim 1. The invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of example, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the attachment device according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a partially-sectioned side view of the device of Figure 1. In the drawings, an attachment device, generally indicated 4, takes the form of a slide slidable on a tubular support beam 3 of square cross-section. The slide 4 has a pincer-like body with a central portion 60 which supports a base element 5 of the robot for rotation about an axis 6. The element 5 in turn supports a rotatable robot arm 12 carrying an articulated forearm 13. The slide also includes two side portions 61 articulated to the central portion 60 about two parallel axes 62. The side portions 61 are movable between open, inoperative positions (shown in Figure 1) and closed, operative positions (Figure 2) in which they engage two opposite sides of the guide beam 3. Each side portion 61 may have a projecting end edge 61a which engages the side of the guide beam opposite that engaged by the central portion 60 of the slide so as to restrain the slide on the beam. Alternatively (Figure 1), an auxiliary portion 63 may be fixed to the end edges of the side portions 61 to form a closed structure which completely surrounds the guide beam. The central portion 60, the side portions 61 and any further portion 63 have idle wheels 64 which engage the corresponding surfaces of the guide beam 7 to enable the slide 4 to move along the beam. Clearly, a configuration identical to that described above may be used to form an attachment for fixed connection to a support beam such as the beam 3. In this case, of course, there are no guide wheels 64.

Claims: An articulated robot including an attachment member (4) which can be mounted on a support beam (3), the attachment member (4) having a pincer-like body with a central portion (60) and two side portions (61) articulated to the central portion (60), the central portion (60) being connected to the robot structure and the side portions (61) being movable between closed positions for grasping the support beam when the attachment member is operative, and open release positions, characterised in that the attachment member (4) also includes an auxiliary portion (63) which can be fixed to the two side portions (61) of the attachment member (4) when they are in their operative positions so as to define a closed structure which completely surrounds the support beam (3). A robot according to Claim 1, characterised in that the attachment member (4) is slidable along the support beam (3). A robot according to Claim 2, characterised in that the central portion (60) and the side portions (61) have revolving means (64) for guiding the sliding of the attachment member (4) on the support beam (3).

Inventors: BETTINARDI MARCO, ZONA MAURO, BETTINARDI, MARCO, ZONA, MAURO
Applicants: COMAU SPA, COMAU S.P.A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B25J5
IPC codes: B25J15, B25J9, B25J5, B25J19