Arm module, robotic arm and industrial robot

An arm module for a modular robot arm of an industrial robot, comprising:

• a first housing, a first connection side, and a second connection side;
• wherein the first connection side comprises a first connection plate, a first fluid contact device, and a first contact device, and the second connection side is mechanically connected to the first housing in a torque-proof manner and comprises a second connection plate,
• wherein the first fluid contact device and the first contact device are arranged on the first connection plate and extend in parallel to a first mounting axis,
• wherein the first connection side is connectable to a further arm module of the robot arm, and
• wherein a fluid, compressed air or hydraulic fluid is transmittable via the first fluid contact device and an optical and/or electrical signal is transmittable via the first contact device for transmitting data;
• wherein an external thread is circumferentially arranged around the first mounting axis on a first outer circumferential side of the first connection plate,
• wherein the second connection plate is circumferentially embraced by a fastening ring, and the fastening ring comprises an internal thread on an inner circumferential side,
• wherein the fastening ring is connected to a first housing of the arm module in an axially fixed manner and so as to be rotatable about a second mounting axis,
• wherein a first face gearing is arranged on the first connection plate,
• wherein the second connection plate includes a second face gearing,
• wherein in the radial direction the first face gearing adjoins the first outer circumferential side on the inside, and
• wherein the first fluid contact device is arranged radially between a first power contact device and the first face gearing;
• wherein the first fluid contact device comprises a plurality of first fluid contacts arranged at an offset with respect to the first mounting axis in the circumferential direction,
• wherein the first fluid contacts are arranged concentrically with regard to the first mounting axis and are configured identically to each other,
• wherein the first fluid contacts are arranged on a second circular path about the first mounting axis, and
• wherein the first fluid contacts are fluidically separated from each other and/or at least partially fluid-connected in parallel;
• and
• further comprising a pin spaced apart and in parallel to the first mounting axis, wherein the pin is electrically and mechanically connected to the first connection plate and protrudes above the first connection plate;
• wherein the pin is configured to engage a pin receptacle of the further arm module for encoding and/or positioning the arm module with respect to the further arm module, wherein the pin receptacle is arranged on the second circular path, and/or
• wherein the second connection plate comprises a second pin receptacle, wherein the second pin receptacle is configured to correspond to the pin and is configured to receive a second pin of another arm module.

An arm module for a modular robot arm of an industrial robot, comprising:

• a first housing, a first connection side, and a second connection side;
• wherein the first connection side comprises a first connection plate, a first fluid contact device, and a first contact device, and the second connection side is mechanically connected to the first housing in a torque-proof manner and comprises a second connection plate,
• wherein the first fluid contact device and the first contact device are arranged on the first connection plate and extend in parallel to a first mounting axis,
• wherein the first connection side is connectable to a further arm module of the robot arm, and
• wherein a fluid, compressed air or hydraulic fluid is transmittable via the first fluid contact device and an optical and/or electrical signal is transmittable via the first contact device for transmitting data;
• wherein an external thread is circumferentially arranged around the first mounting axis on a first outer circumferential side of the first connection plate,
• wherein the second connection plate is circumferentially embraced by a fastening ring, and the fastening ring comprises an internal thread on an inner circumferential side,
• wherein the fastening ring is connected to a first housing of the arm module in an axially fixed manner and so as to be rotatable about a second mounting axis,
• wherein a first face gearing is arranged on the first connection plate,
• wherein the second connection plate includes a second face gearing, and
• wherein a first power contact device is in radial direction with respect to the first mounting axis arranged between the first contact device and the first fluid contact device;
• wherein the first power contact comprises a first power contact and at least one second power contact,
• wherein the first and second power contacts are each arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction, and
• wherein the first and second power contacts are arranged concentrically on a third circular path about the first mounting axis;
• wherein radially outwardly to the first power contact device, the first fluid contact device is arranged between the first power contact device and the first outer circumferential side at the first connection plate,
• wherein the first fluid contact device comprises a plurality of first fluid contacts arranged at an offset with respect to the first mounting axis in the circumferential direction,
• wherein the first fluid contacts are arranged concentrically with regard to the first mounting axis and are configured identically to each other,
• wherein the first fluid contacts are arranged on a second circular path about the first mounting axis, and
• wherein the first fluid contacts are fluidically separated from each other and/or at least partially fluid-connected in parallel;
• and
• wherein the fluid, compressed air or hydraulic fluid is transmittable via the first fluid contact device, the optical and/or electrical signal for transmitting data is transmittable via the first contact device, and electrical power for supplying the arm module with electrical energy is transmittable via the first power contact device.

An arm module for a modular robot arm of an industrial robot, comprising:

• a first housing, a first connection side, and a second connection side;
• wherein the first connection side comprises a first connection plate, a first fluid contact device, and a first contact device, and the second connection side is mechanically connected to the first housing in a torque-proof manner and comprises a second connection plate,
• wherein the first fluid contact device and the first contact device are arranged on the first connection plate and extend in parallel to a first mounting axis,
• wherein the first connection side is connectable to a further arm module of the robot arm, and
• wherein a fluid, compressed air or hydraulic fluid is transmittable via the first fluid contact device and an optical and/or electrical signal is transmittable via the first contact device for transmitting data;
• wherein an external thread is circumferentially arranged around the first mounting axis on a first outer circumferential side of the first connection plate,
• wherein the second connection plate is circumferentially embraced by a fastening ring, and the fastening ring comprises an internal thread on an inner circumferential side,
• wherein the fastening ring is connected to a first housing of the arm module in an axially fixed manner and so as to be rotatable about a second mounting axis,
• wherein a first face gearing is arranged on the first connection plate,
• wherein the second connection plate includes a second face gearing,
• wherein the second connection side comprises a second fluid contact device, a second power contact device, and a second contact device, and
• wherein the second fluid contact device, the second power contact device, and the second contact device are arranged on the second connection plate, and the second fluid contact device, the second power contact device, and the second contact device extend along the second mounting axis;
• wherein the arm module is configured as an active arm module, and comprising a drive device and a transfer device,
• wherein the first connection side is rotatably mounted about the first mounting axis and is connected to the drive device in a torque-locking manner,
• wherein the drive device is configured to controllably rotate the first connection side about the first mounting axis, and
• wherein the transfer device is configured as a rotation transmitter;
• and
• wherein the first fluid contact device is connected via the transfer device to the second fluid contact device in the first housing and the first contact device is directly or indirectly data-connected to the second contact device in the first housing for transmitting the optical and/or electrical signal,
• wherein the first power contact device and the second power contact device are electrically connected via the transfer device to each other in the first housing, and
• wherein the fluid, compressed air or hydraulic fluid is transmittable via the second fluid contact device, the electrical power via the second power contact device, and the optical and/or electrical signal via the second contact device.

A robot arm for an industrial robot comprising:

• a first arm module and a second arm module,
• wherein a second connection plate of the first arm module is circumferentially embraced by a fastening ring of the first arm module, and the fastening ring comprises an internal thread on an inner circumferential side,
• wherein the fastening ring of the first arm module is connected to a first housing of the first arm module in an axially fixed manner and so as to be rotatable about a second mounting axis of the first arm module;
• wherein a first connection plate of the second arm module includes a first face gearing,
• wherein the first face gearing of the first connection plate of the second arm module comprises a plurality of first teeth that are circumferentially offset from one another,
• wherein each of the first teeth includes a first tooth flank,
• wherein the second connection plate of the first arm module includes a second face gearing,
• wherein the second face gearing comprises a plurality of second teeth that are circumferentially offset from one another, and
• wherein each of the second teeth includes a second tooth flank;
• wherein the second arm module has a first housing, a first connection side, and a second connection side;
• wherein the first connection side of the second arm module comprises the first connection plate of the second arm module, a first fluid contact device, and a first contact device, and the second connection side of the second arm module is mechanically connected to the first housing of the second arm module in a torque-proof manner and comprises a second connection plate of the second arm module,
• wherein the first fluid contact device of the second arm module and the first contact device of the second arm module are arranged on the first connection plate of the second arm module and extend in parallel to a first mounting axis, and
• wherein a fluid, compressed air or hydraulic fluid is transmittable via the first fluid contact device of the second arm module and an optical and/or electrical signal is transmittable via the first contact device of the second arm module for transmitting data;
• wherein an external thread is arranged circumferentially of the second arm module around the first mounting axis on a first outer circumferential side of the first connection plate of the second arm module,
• wherein the first face gearing of the second arm module and the second face gearing of the first arm module are formed complementary and/or corresponding to each other,
• wherein the fastening ring of the first arm module is screwed onto the first connection side of the second arm module in such a way that the internal thread of the fastening ring of the first arm module and an external thread of the first connection side of the second arm module engage with each other,
• wherein the first face gearing of the first connection plate of the second arm module and the second face gearing of the second connection plate of the first arm module engage with each other, and
• wherein the first tooth flank and the second tooth flank abut each other;
• wherein the first connection side of the second arm module is mechanically connected to a second connection side of the first arm module for transmitting supporting forces and/or driving forces between the first arm module and the second arm module,
• wherein a transmission of an axial force between the first face gearing of the second arm module and the second face gearing of the first arm module takes place exclusively via the first and second tooth flanks, and
• wherein a transmission of a torque between the first connection side of the second arm module and the second connection side of the first arm module takes place essentially exclusively via the first and second tooth flanks;
• and
• wherein the fluid, compressed air or hydraulic fluid is transmittable for an end effector connectable to the robot arm and/or the optical and/or electrical signal is transmittable for a data transmission and for controlling the first and second arm modules, and/or the end effector is interchangeable via the mechanically connected first connection side of the second arm module and second connection side of the first arm module.