JPH0437495A - Laser beam input device for laser robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the failure of a sealing means provided between a light input tube and a mating side and to surely assure a sealing function over a long period of time by providing the sealing means and providing a floating means which absorbs the misalignment at the time of coupling with a light inlet or the end of a laser beam transmission path. CONSTITUTION:A flange member 36 at the top end of the laser beam input tube 32 of the laser beam input device 30 is connected to a mirror support 24a and an intermediate ring 28 by means of plural pin members 44 penetrating the member in a manner as to have clearances and corrugated washers provided in an elastic holding state on both front and rear end sides of the flange member 38 and is, therefore, maintained in a proper floating state. On the other hand, an O-ring 60 having a large sectional diameter is mounted to the inner peripheral surface of the flange part 38 of the flange member 36 and the outer periphery of the cylindrical part of the intermediate ring 28, i.e. the side face of a recessed part 28b, by which the laser beam path at the juncture between the laser beam input tube 32 and a mirror unit 26 is completely sealed from the outside part, by which the entering of dust, etc., is prevented.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a laser light input device for introducing laser light guided from a laser light source through a laser light transmission path into the robot body of an industrial laser robot. In particular, a seal means is provided between the light input port of the laser robot and the external laser light transmission path to prevent dust from entering from the outside, and a sealing means is provided between the light input port of the laser robot and the end of the laser light transmission path. The present invention relates to a laser beam input device including a floating means for absorbing misalignment during coupling.

[Prior art]

Industrial laser robots guide the laser light from a laser oscillator that forms the laser light source to the vicinity of the robot body through a laser light transmission path made of a pipe, and from there, the incoming Rohe laser light from the robot body is introduced through a mirror unit. In many cases, a laser beam input device is required between the mirror unit provided at the end of the laser beam conduction path and the entrance of the laser robot body. This laser beam input device is equipped with a sealing means at one end to prevent dust from entering from the outside and to prevent performance deterioration due to dust adhering to the mirror unit installed inside the robot body or at the end of the laser beam conduction path. One end is connected to the end of the laser light transmission path, and the other end is connected to the light entrance of the laser robot body. At this time, especially in the case of an input device having a light guide tube that connects the end of the laser light conduction path and the light entrance of the laser robot body, a sealing means is provided at the end of the tube to prevent the intrusion of external dust. However, the end of the laser light conduction path is generally connected to one end of a mirror unit supported by an appropriate support device, and the other end of the mirror unit and the light entrance of the laser robot body are connected. When connecting long light guide tubes to each other, it is difficult to achieve perfect concentricity between the two, which may result in incomplete sealing at the tube ends, and especially when the light enters the laser robot body. When the opening is a pivoting part, there are disadvantages such as the fact that the sealing means may gradually wear out or break due to misalignment. FIG. 6 shows a configuration in which a conventional laser beam input device 4 connects a laser robot body 1 and a laser light transmission path 3 having a mirror unit 3a supported by a support device 2. 10
The lower end of the laser power tube 4a of the laser beam input device 4 is connected to the light entrance 6 formed at the tip of the rotating body 5 installed upright on the heath portion 1a via a sealing oil seal 7. The upper end of the mirror unit 3 is also connected to the mirror unit 3 via a seal member 8 for sealing. Inside the robot body 1, the input laser beam is configured to change its optical path to the robot arm 9 via the mirror unit 1b, and then proceed to a well-known laser beam emitting section (not shown).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Therefore, in the conventional laser robot helper light input device configured as described above, when the end of the mirror unit 3 to which the upper and lower ends of the light guide tube 4a are connected and the light entrance 6 of the robot body 10 are not completely concentric, When a misalignment occurs and it is not possible to absorb the misalignment, as described above, the oil seal 7 and the seal member 8 are subjected to strain due to the swinging movement of the swing barrel 5, resulting in damage. will occur. On the other hand, precisely positioning the end of the mirror unit 3 supported by the support device 2 with respect to the light entrance 6 of the laser robot body so that it is completely concentric with the light entrance 6 of the laser robot body requires manufacturing the support device 2, the support device 11!2, and the laser beam. robot body 1
Moreover, the assembly process for assembling the laser light input device 4 and the like is needlessly complicated, resulting in a problem of increased costs.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to avoid such problems, and also to provide a seal between the laser light transmission system and the light entrance of the laser robot body, and prevent damage to the sealing means by absorbing misalignment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser light input device that can be connected using a structure obtained by the present invention.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides a floating means capable of absorbing misalignment in a laser light input device provided between a laser light introduction path from a laser light source equipped with a laser light transmission path and a mirror unit and a light entrance of a laser robot body. This is provided so that even if the light entrance of the laser robot body is a rotating part, no burden is placed on the sealing means provided on the laser light input tube.

That is, according to the present invention, in a laser light input device that guides a laser beam from a laser light source to a body of a laser robot through a laser light transmission path and inputs it to a light entrance of the robot body, A laser beam input tube having one end coupled to a mouth and the other end coupled to a laser light transmission path from a laser light source, and one end side of both ends of the laser light input tube connected to the laser robot through an oil seal device. a flange member fixed to the other end side of the laser light input tube when coupled to the light entrance of the machine body or the laser light transmission path; and the flange member and the laser light transmission path or the laser robot body. and a floating means for absorbing misalignment interposed between the light entrance of the laser robot body, and the floating means is located at the end of the laser light transmission path or at the end of the light entrance of the laser robot body. A plurality of detent pins are inserted into the detent pins and are inserted into the detent pins and are inserted through the flange face plate of the flange member fixed to the laser beam input tube and loosely fitted. The present invention provides a laser beam input device for a laser robot that includes elastic support plates arranged on both sides and a preload plate that preloads the elastic support plates to a certain elastic state.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, since the floating means absorbs the misalignment, damage to the sealing means provided between the laser light input tube of the laser light input device and the other side is prevented, and the
Moreover, long-term sealing performance can be guaranteed. Hereinafter, based on the embodiments of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings, further:
Explain in detail.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a laser beam input device according to the present invention and an industrial laser robot to which the laser beam input device receives laser light from a laser beam introduction system from a laser light source, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing an enlarged configuration of the floating means of the laser beam input device corresponding to part A in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of the preload plate in detail along the TV-IV arrow line in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of the part corresponding to section B in FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion where a laser light input tube of the input device is connected to a light entrance of the robot body via a sealing means.

Now, referring to FIG. 1, the industrial laser robot body 10 has a base portion 10 similar to the conventional laser robot body.
2. Swivel trunk 1 that is rotatably installed on the base portion 12
4. A robot arm 16 is attached to the side end of the rotating torso 14 and has a laser beam emitting part (not shown) at the tip, and a rotating center of the rotating torso 14 is provided at the upper end of the rotating torso 14. A laser light entrance 18a having a light entrance center that coincides with
A hollow shaft 18 having a diameter is attached. That is, the laser beam introduced into the robot body 10 from the laser beam entrance 18a is changed in its course by the mirror unit 19 (see FIG. 5) in the robot body 10, and is directed to the robot arm 16.
The light enters the robot arm 16, travels inside the robot arm 16, is changed by the mirror unit at the joint, and is emitted to the outside from a laser beam emitting unit with a condensing lens attached to the tip of the robot arm 16, where it is processed by laser energy. It performs a desired action such as action.

Now, the laser beam is guided from the laser light source to the vicinity of the laser robot body 10 via the laser light transmission path 20, and the laser beam is guided to the vicinity of the laser robot body 10.
The light enters an external mirror unit 26 supported by a support arm 24 of a support device 22 installed on the side of the light beam. The laser beam whose course is changed by the reflection mirror provided inside the external mirror unit 26 passes through the laser beam input tube 32 of the laser beam input device 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is directed to the laser robot body 10 described above. The light enters the light entrance 1a of the hollow shaft 18 attached to the rotating body 14.

According to this embodiment, the laser light input device 30 includes a floating means and a sealing structure, which will be described later, at the upper end of the laser light input tube 32 at the portion indicated by "A", and the external mirror unit 26 and the laser light input The upper end of the tube 32 is connected in a sealed manner. Also, the lower end of the laser light input tube 32 “
The portion indicated by "B" has a sealing structure described later, and the laser light input tube 32 is hermetically connected to the hollow shaft 18 of the laser robot body 10.

Here, referring to FIG. 5, a hollow coupling flange 33 is fixed to the lower end of the cylindrical laser beam input tube 32 by, for example, welding, and an intermediate seal ring is attached to the coupling flange 33. 37 is fixed by screw connection. An oil seal 35 is installed in a recess formed in the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate seal ring 37, and is coupled to the hollow shaft 18 via the oil seal 35. That is, the laser light input tube 32 of the laser input bag 230 and the hollow shaft 18 of the rotating body 14 of the laser robot body 10 are hermetically connected through the oil seal 35.

Referring to FIG. 2, the upper end of the laser light input tube 32 of the laser light input device 30 is located at the light output end of an external mirror unit 26 that is supported by the support arm 24 of the support device 22 and has a laser light reflecting mirror 25 inside. combined. At this time, the external mirror unit 26 is fixed by screws or the like to an annular mirror support 24a which is fixed to the upper surface of the support arm 24 of the support device 22 by welding or the like, and the light incident end of the mirror unit 26 is An end portion of a laser light conduction path 20 extending from a laser light source is coupled to. Therefore,
The laser beam is subjected to a course changing action in a desired direction (in the illustrated example, at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the input direction) by the reflection mirror 25 of the external mirror unit 26, and enters the laser beam input tube 32 of the laser beam input device 30. Shine.

Now, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 as well as FIG. 2, the floating means and sealing means provided on the upper end side of the input tube 32 of the laser beam input device 30 according to the present invention will be explained.
Further described above.

The lower end of the annular mirror support 24a of the support device has a protruding portion that protrudes downward from an opening formed in the support arm 24, and an intermediate ring 28 made of aluminum material, stainless steel material, etc. with appropriate strength is attached to the protruding portion. is installed. This intermediate ring 28 has an annular shape, and in the illustrated example, the screw 3
4 to the lower end surface side of the annular mirror support 24a. The intermediate ring 28 has a cylindrical portion with a large inner hole 28a and a laser beam input device 30 in the annular portion.
A recess 28b is provided for receiving a flange portion 38 of an annular flange member 36 fixed to the upper end of the laser light input tube 32 by welding or the like. Flange portion 38 of flange member 36 fixed to the upper end of laser light input tube 32
As clearly shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of through holes 40 are provided on the circumference at appropriate intervals, and these through holes 40
A cylindrical pin 46 of a pin member 44 inserted from the upper end surface of the intermediate ring 28 passes through the intermediate ring 28 with a gap. The pin member 44 itself is a head 48 of a commercially available bolt screw.
It is possible to obtain a cylindrical pin by leaving the threaded part directly below the pin and removing the threaded part at the tip. Then, the pin member is securely fixed to the intermediate ring 28 using the remaining threaded threads, and the cylindrical pin 46 from which the threads have been removed leaves a sufficient gap in the through hole 40 of the flange member 36. It is then inserted. At this time, wave-shaped washers 50 are inserted and positioned into the cylindrical pin 46 on both upper and lower sides of the flange portion 38 of the flange member 36, as shown clearly in FIG.

In this embodiment, the upper wave-shaped washer 50 is held between the upper surface of the flange portion 3 and the bottom surface of the recess 28b of the intermediate ring 28 while being held between the two flat washers 52, while the lower wave-shaped washer 50 A flat washer 52 is interposed only between the washer 50 and the flange portion 38, and the lower side is directly connected to the preload plate 54.
However, if the flange member 36 and the preload plate 54 are made of a relatively soft aluminum material, etc., the flange may be sandwiched between two flat washers 52 in the same way as the upper side. It may be held between the lower surface of 38 and the preload plate 54.

The preload plate 54 is formed as an annular ring member,
The corrugated washer 50 is held by being locked to the lower surface of the intermediate ring 28 by a screw 56 (see FIG. 1), and is preloaded to a state where the corrugated washer 50 described above exerts an appropriate elastic force.

Note that the preload plate 54, which is formed as an annular ring member as shown in FIG. 4, is preferably formed as a two-piece member so that it can be easily attached from the side surface of the laser light input tube 32. . Further, in FIG. 4, the head of the bolt screw 34 that fixes the intermediate ring 28 to the lower surface of the mirror support 24a is loosely fitted into the hole formed in the preload plate 54, while the tip of the cylindrical bottle 46 of the bottle member 44 is fitted loosely into the hole formed in the preload plate 54. It is shown passing through and having screws 56 installed.

As mentioned above, the flange member 36 at the upper end of the laser light input tube 32 of the laser light input device 30 is fixedly arranged in relation to the mirror unit 26 with respect to the mirror support 24a and the intermediate ring 28. , the former is connected via a plurality of bottle members 44 penetrating through the flange portion 38 through the corrugated washers 50 provided on both upper and lower end surfaces of the flange portion 38 in a resilient manner. It is maintained in an appropriate floating state, that is, in a floating state.

On the other hand, an O-ring 60 having a large cross-sectional diameter is installed between the inner circumferential surface of the flange portion 38 of the flange member 36 and the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion of the intermediate ring 28, that is, the side surface of the recess 28b. The laser optical path at the connection between the input tube 32 and the mirror unit 26 is completely sealed from the outside to prevent dust from entering.

The laser light input tube 32 equipped with the floating means and sealing means configured as described above is connected to the external mirror unit 26.
and the light entrance 18a of the laser robot body 10, the laser light is transmitted through the external laser transmission path 2.
It is possible to introduce the laser beam into the inside of the laser robot body 10 from 0, and it is possible to completely prevent dust from entering from the outside at the connection between the input device 30 and the mirror unit 26 or the laser robot body IO. When connecting the input device 30, misalignment between the mirror unit 26 and the rotary light entrance 18a of the laser robot body 10 can be skillfully absorbed by the floating means. Here, the function of this floating means will be explained in more detail.

As described above, the laser beam power tube 32 of the laser beam input device 30 is connected to the laser robot body 10 via the oil seal 35 (clearly shown in FIG. 5) on the lower end side. On the other hand, the above-mentioned floating means and sealing means are provided on the upper end side. At this time, the laser beam input tube 32 is provided with a pre-loaded wave washer 50 that serves as a floating means during assembly, and the bottle member passes through the flange portion 38 of the flange member 36 through a gap, so that Even if there is misalignment on the end side, the misalignment can be absorbed by the elastic displacement of the wave washer. Therefore, the problem of conventional misalignment due to misalignment of the upper and lower ends, which places a strain on sealing materials such as oil seals, resulting in damage due to abrasion, has been solved.

Moreover, since the O-ring 60 having a large cross-sectional diameter is provided at the upper end of the laser light input tube 32, not only can the sealing performance from the outside be maintained, but also the flange member 36
Since a relatively large gap corresponding to the cross-sectional diameter of the O-ring 60 can be secured between the inner circumferential surface of the flange portion 38 and the cylindrical portion of the intermediate ring 28, the laser beam input tube 32 side can be used to absorb misalignment. Even if it is tilted, the risk of interference with the intermediate ring 28 can be avoided. In addition, the pin member 44 constituting the floating means receives the turning force because the lower end side of the laser light input tube 32 is connected to the hollow shaft 18 attached to the turning body of the laser robot body 10 via the oil seal 35. Even if the laser beam input tube 32 is received, since the upper end of the tube 32 is prevented from rotating by the pin member 44, the laser light input tube 32 can be prevented from turning.

Note that the corrugated washer 50 may be replaced with a flat washer 52 if necessary.
As mentioned above, the intermediate ring 28 and the flange member 36 are made of a relatively soft material such as aluminum to reduce weight, but the aluminum part There will be no deterioration or deterioration of the surface.

Note that the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 described above have been described as a laser light input device 30 that is applicable to an embodiment in which laser light enters from above the laser robot body 10; For embodiments in which the robot body is installed by penetrating the base portion 12 and the rotating body 14 from the surface side, the external mirror unit 26 is placed on the surface side and the laser beam input device 30 is installed. The laser beam input tube 32 will be installed inside the robot body, but even in such a case, if the floating means according to the present invention is provided at one end of the input tube 32, the laser beam input device and It is possible to form a laser optical path that absorbs misalignment at the connection between the external mirror unit and the laser robot body, and prevents dust and the like from entering the laser optical path from the outside due to the seal structure.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, laser light is made to enter an external mirror unit supported by a support device from a laser light source via a laser light conduction path, and the course of the laser light is appropriately controlled from there. During the process of changing only the angle and introducing the laser beam into the robot body in an optimal state, the laser beam input device was misaligned between the external laser light transmission system with an external mirror unit and the rotating light entrance of the laser robot body. Even if there is a problem, the floating means is provided to absorb the misalignment, so there is no possibility of damage or seal failure to the oil seal or O-ring forming the sealing means. This allows you to maintain the level at all times. Moreover, since it is possible to absorb misalignment as described above, there are problems such as requiring precision machining for equipment that does not originally require precision machining, such as support devices, and strict positioning and installation with the road machine body. Since it is possible to eliminate the hassle of the work to be done, it is possible to achieve the effect of achieving cost reduction. Incidentally, since the floating means included in the laser beam input device according to the present invention is composed of a corrugated washer or a bottle member using a commercially available bolt/screw, each member and element can be obtained at low cost. It has the advantage that the optical input device itself can be realized at low cost. As a result, it becomes possible to extend the operational life of the laser light transmission system in the industrial laser robot, and also to reduce the hassle of maintenance.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a laser beam input device according to the present invention and an industrial laser robot to which the laser beam input device receives laser light from a laser beam introduction system from a laser light source, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing an enlarged configuration of the floating means of the laser beam input device corresponding to part A in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of the preload plate in detail along the TV-IV arrow line in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of the part corresponding to section B in FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion where a laser beam power tube of an input device is connected to a light entrance of a robot body via a sealing means, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a laser beam input path according to the prior art. 10... Laser robot body, 14... Rotating trunk, 1
Day...Hollow shaft, 18a...Light entrance, 20-...Laser optical conduction path, 22...Support device, 24a...Mirror support body, 26...External mirror unit, 28... - Intermediate ring, 30... laser light input device,
32... Laser light input tube, 35... Oil seal,
36...Flange member, 38...Flange part, 40
... Through hole, 44 ... Bin member, 50 ... Wave washer, 52 ... Flat washer, 54 ... Preload plate.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A laser light input device that guides laser light from a laser light source to a laser robot body through a laser light transmission path and inputs it to a light entrance of the robot body, comprising: a laser beam input tube having one end coupled to a mouth and the other end coupled to a laser light transmission path from a laser light source; one end side of both ends of the laser light input tube is connected to the laser robot through an oil seal device; a flange member fixed to the other end side of the laser light input tube when coupled to the light entrance of the machine body or the laser light transmission path; and the flange member and the laser light transmission path or the laser robot body. and a floating means for absorbing misalignment, which is interposed between an end of the laser light transmission path or an end of the light entrance of the laser robot body. a plurality of detent pins that are loosely fitted and penetrate a flange face plate of a flange member fixed to the laser beam input tube;
The elastic support plate is inserted into the detent pin and arranged on both sides of the flange surface of the flange member, and a preload plate preloads the elastic support plate to a certain elastic state. Features: Laser light input device for laser robots. 2. The laser light input device for a laser robot according to claim 1, wherein the elastic support plate of the floating means is formed by a wave-shaped washer made of an elastic material, and is disposed on both sides of the flange surface of the flange with flat washers interposed therebetween. 3. A cylindrical joint is formed between the flange of the laser light input tube and the end of the laser light conduction path or the end of the light entrance of the laser robot body through an O-ring. A laser beam input device for a laser robot according to claim 1. 4. The locking pin of the floating means is formed by removing the thread in the tip region of a threaded bolt, and is screwed to the end of the laser light transmission path or the end of the light entrance of the laser robot body, and 3. The laser light input device for a laser robot according to claim 2, wherein the thread removal portion is formed on the detent pin.