US 4,399,718 AGranted

Pivot drive for manipulator

AssigneeKuka Schweissanlagen & Roboter GmbH

InventorErnst Zimmer

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Abstract

A pivot drive for interconnecting a pair of members that are relatively pivotal about a pivot axis has a torsion rod extending along a rod axis and rotatable by an appropriate drive relative to one of the members. This rod has outer ends carrying input gears of respective constant-mesh gear trains having output gears at least one of which is limitedly rotatable about the pivot axis on the other member. This one output gear can be limitedly rotated and locked in place in the other member so as torsionally to prestress the rod, thereby eliminating play from the drive by bringing the gears of one of the gear trains into snug contact in one direction and the gears of the other gear train into snug contact in the opposite directions.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A pivot drive for interconnecting a pair of members that are relatively pivotal about a pivot axis, said drive comprising:

a torsion rod extending along a rod axis and having outer ends;
drive means for rotating said rod about said rod axis relative to one of said members;
respective constant-mesh gear trains including respective input gears fixed on said outer ends and respective output gears connected to the other of said members and having respective centers, at least one of said output gears being limitedly angularly displaceable about the respective center relative to said other member;
and
means for rotating said one output gear relative to said other member about the respective center and thereby torsionally prestressing said rod and for locking said one output gear in position with said torsion rod prestressed.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.