# US 10,118,293 B2 · Articulated arm robot-type device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,293 B2 - Document ID: US10118293B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/035,577 - Filed: 2014-10-07 - Published: 2016-10-06 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-11 - Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.; UniversitäT Rostock - Applicants: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.; Universität Rostock - Inventors: Martin Christoph Wanner; Reinhart Kny; Michael Wollenberg; Steffen Dryba - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118293B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/106: {with articulated links} - B25J 9/046: {Revolute coordinate type} - B25J 9/102: {Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears (gearings in general F16H)} - Y10S 901/15: Jointed arm - Y10S 901/17: Cylindrical - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract The invention relates to an articulated arm robot for handling a payload, comprising a robot arm (R), which is attached to a base (1) that can be rotated about a first axis (A1), and at least two arm elements (2 and 3), which are arranged to form a kinematic chain and a first arm element (2) is mounted on the base (1) to pivot about a second axis (A2) that is oriented orthogonally relative to the first axis and a second arm element (3) which is attached to the first arm to be pivotal manner about a third axis (A3) that is oriented parallel to the second axis (A2). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An articulated robot including a base, an arm pivotably attached to the base to rotate about a first axis, the arm comprising a first and a second arm element which are attached together in a kinematic chain, the first arm element being mounted on the base and pivoting about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second arm element is pivotably attached to the first arm element to rotate about a third axis parallel to the second axis, a third arm element attached to an end of the kinematic chain, a first linear actuator for pivoting the first arm element about the second axis, which is coupled to the base by a first coupling structure and which is connected to the first arm element, a second linear actuator which pivots the second arm element about the third axis and which is connected to the base, to the first arm element and to the second arm element by a second coupling structure, the first and second linear actuators each including a power spindle drive and a motor driven spindle nut which engages the spindle and comprising a threaded rod which pivots about a pivot axis parallel to the second axis comprising: the first coupling structure pivotably connected to the motor driven spindle nut of the first linear actuator by a first universal joint and the second coupling structure is pivotably connected to the motor driven spindle nut of the second linear actuator by a second universal joint; the first and second universal joints each having a pivot axis parallel to the second axis and a pivot axis orthogonal to the second pivot axis, the second coupling structure including a first coupling and a second coupling which respectively transmit tensile and compressive forces; and the first coupling including a rigid triangular structure having corners, the first coupling is mounted at the corners to pivot about an axis so that the first coupling is connected to the spindle nut to pivot about a first pivot axis corresponding to the pivot axis of the second universal joint which is connected to the first arm element to pivot about a second pivot axis and is connected to the second coupling to pivot about a third pivot axis and the second coupling includes a rigid connecting brace with one end of the rigid connecting brace end being connected to the first coupling to pivot about the third pivot axis and with another end of the rigid connecting brace being connected to the second arm element to pivot about a pivot axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a ring with external gearing engaging with tensioned driving pinions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robot according to claim 2, wherein the externally geared ring has a diameter of 2 m. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The robot according to claim 2, comprising two mutually tensioned driving pinions which are part of the tensioned driving pinions mounted to translate and rotate relative to the ring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein: the third arm element is a module including a drive controlled by an electric signal from an energy supply, the third arm element including three motor-driven pivot axes that are oriented orthogonal to one another with one of pivot axes being driven via two spatially separated gears by a common driving motor and a belt drive and with two other of the pivoting axes being driven by a driving motor disposed axially on the pivot axes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second arm elements comprise double braces each having separate force transmission paths disposed between coupling points of the first and second arm elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The robot according to claim 6, wherein the second arm element comprises a double arm rocker on which a tube is rigidly mounted and is detachable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second coupling structures each comprise double forks including force transmission paths between coupling points. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling structure is open and comprises one of forks and double braces and includes bearing apertures through which the first, second, third pivot axes are attached to ends of the forks or to the double braces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the first arm element is connected to a hydraulic cylinder with one side thereof being supported on the base about a pivot axis and the hydraulic cylinder pivots about a pivot axis which is parallel to the second axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein: the first arm element has a length between 0.5 m and 4 m; and the second arm element has a length between 0.5 m and 4 m. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein: the first coupling structure includes a first and a second coupling which respectively transmit the tensile and compressive forces, the first coupling is mounted on the base and pivots about a pivot axis oriented parallel to the second axis and is connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator, and the second coupling structure is connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator and is mounted on the first arm element to pivot about a pivot axis that is oriented parallel to the second axis, and the first and the second couplings are pivotally connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator by the first universal joint. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The robot according to claim 12, wherein the pivot axis about which the spindle of the first linear actuator pivots, the pivot axis about which the second coupling of the first linear actuator pivots, and the second axis are each separated on the base and are parallel to each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the spindle of the first linear actuator is mounted to pivot on the base. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis about which the spindle of the second linear actuator pivots contains the second axis. ### Claim 16 An articulated robot including a base, an arm pivotably attached to the base to rotate about a first axis, the arm comprising a first and a second arm elements which are attached together in a kinematic chain, the first arm element being mounted on the base and pivoting about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second arm element is pivotably attached to the first arm element to rotate about a third axis parallel to the second axis, a third arm element attached to an end of the kinematic chain, a first linear actuator for pivoting the first arm element about the second axis, which is coupled to the base by a first coupling structure and which is connected to the first arm element, a second linear actuator which pivots the second arm element about the third axis and which is connected to the base, to the first arm element and to the second arm element by a second coupling structure, the first and second linear actuators each including a power spindle drive and a motor driven spindle nut which engages the spindle and comprising a threaded rod which pivots about a pivot axis parallel to the second axis comprising: the first coupling structure is pivotally connected to the motor-driven spindle nut of the first linear actuator by a first universal joint and the second coupling structure is pivotally connected to the motor-driven spindle nut of the second linear actuator by a second universal joint; the first and second universal joints each have a pivot axis oriented parallel to the second axis and a pivot axis oriented orthogonal to the second axis; and the second coupling structure including a first coupling and a second coupling that transmit tensile and compressive forces and the first coupling is a rigid triangular structure having corners, the first coupling is mounted at the corners to pivot about a first pivot axis corresponding to a pivot axis of the second universal joint, is connected to the second arm element which is pivotable about a second pivot axis and is connected to the second coupling to pivot about a third pivot axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein the base comprises a ring with external gearing engaging with tensioned driving pinions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The robot according to claim 17, wherein the externally geared ring has a diameter of 2 m. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The robot according to claim 17, comprising two mutually tensioned driving pinions which include of the tensioned driving pinions mounted to translate and rotate relative to the ring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein: the third arm element is a module including a drive controlled by an electrical signal from an energy supply, the third arm element including three motor-driven pivot axes that are oriented orthogonal to one another with one of pivot axes being driven via two spatially separated gears by a common driving motor and a belt drive and with two other of the pivot axes being driven by a driving motor disposed axially on the pivot axes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein the first and the second arm elements comprise double braces each having separate force transmission paths disposed between coupling points of the first and second arm elements. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The robot according to claim 21, wherein the second arm element comprises a double arm rocker on which a tube is rigidly mounted and is detachable. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein the first and the second coupling structures each comprise double forks including force transmission paths between coupling points. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein the first coupling structure is open and comprises one of forks and double braces and includes bearing apertures through which of the first, second, third pivot axes are attached to ends of the forks or to the double braces. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein the first arm element is connected to a hydraulic cylinder with one side thereof being supported on the base about a pivot axis and the hydraulic cylinder pivots about a pivot axis which is parallel to the second axis. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein: the first arm element has a length between 0.5 m and 4 m; and the second arm element has a length between 0.5 m and 4 m. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein: the first coupling structure includes a first and a second coupling which respectively transmit the tensile and compressive forces, the first coupling is mounted on the base and pivots about a pivot axis oriented parallel to the second axis and is connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator, and the second coupling structure is connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator and is mounted on the first arm element to pivot about a pivot axis that is oriented parallel to the second axis, and the first and the second couplings are pivotally connected to the spindle nut of the first linear actuator by the first universal joint. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The robot according to claim 27, wherein the pivot axis about which the spindle of the first linear actuator pivots, the pivot axis about which the second coupling of the first linear actuator pivots, and the second axis are each separated on the base and are parallel to each other. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein the spindle of the first linear actuator is mounted to pivot on the base. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) The robot according to claim 16, wherein the pivot axis about which the spindle of the second linear actuator pivots contains the second axis.