# US 12,110,949 B2 · Linear motion apparatus and robot

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- Number: US 12,110,949 B2
- Document ID: US12110949B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/255,892
- Filed: 2021-12-21
- Published: 2024-02-08
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-24
- Assignees: Fanuc Corporation
- Applicants: Fanuc Corporation
- Inventors: Toshikatsu Kuroki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110949B2

## CPC

- B25J 19/0075: {Means for protecting the manipulator from its environment or vice versa}
- F16H 25/24: Elements essential to such mechanisms, e.g. screws, nuts (F16H25/22 takes precedence)
- B25J 9/044: {with forearm providing vertical linear movement}
- B25J 9/123: {Linear actuators}
- F16H 25/2015: {Means specially adapted for stopping actuators in the end position; Position sensing means}
- F16H 25/2204: {with balls}
- F16H 2025/249: {Materials or coatings for screws or nuts}
- 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})
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

A linear motion apparatus has a linear motion mechanism having a long shaft member and a connecting member attached to the shaft member, wherein at least one of the shaft member and the connecting member moves in a longitudinal direction of the shaft member; and an antirust member attached to the linear motion mechanism, wherein the antirust member contains an antirust material having a higher ionization tendency than a material for the linear motion mechanism and is electrically connected to the linear motion mechanism.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A linear motion apparatus comprising:
a linear motion mechanism having a elongated shaft member and a connecting member attached to the shaft member, wherein at least one of the shaft member and the connecting member moves in a longitudinal direction of the shaft member; and
an antirust member attached to an end portion of the shaft member,
wherein the antirust member contains an antirust material having a higher ionization tendency than a material for the linear motion mechanism and is electrically connected to the linear motion mechanism.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The linear motion apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the linear motion mechanism is a ball screw that has a screw shaft as the shaft member and a ball screw nut as the connecting member, and the shaft member and the ball screw nut move relative to each other in the longitudinal direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The linear motion apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the antirust member is made of the antirust material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The linear motion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antirust member has a coating film that covers a surface of the antirust member and is made of the antirust material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The linear motion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antirust member is a stopper fixed to the end portion of the shaft member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The linear motion apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein at least one portion of the linear motion mechanism is an exposed portion exposed to outside of a machine or device onto which the linear motion mechanism is mounted, and
the antirust member is attached to the exposed portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A robot comprising the linear motion apparatus according to claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The robot according to claim 7, wherein the robot is a horizontal articulated robot that includes the shaft member as a lifting shaft.