Tool attaching device
AssigneeYamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsHirokazu Naka, Tadashi Hayasaka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An attaching device for attaching a tool to a tool manipulating arm is disclosed having a first attachment member affixed to the tool manipulating arm which is adapted to engage a second attachment member affixed to the tool. The first attachment member includes a locking device which is engageable with a cam surface formed on the second attachment member such that the engagement urges a seating surface defined on the first attachment member and a mounting surface defined on the second attachment member into sealing contact with each other. The seal effected by the contact of these surfaces hermetically seals the locking device such that it is not susceptible to contamination by the dust, water, sand, chips, oil, etc. which may be present in the working environment in which the robot is located.
Claims21
An attaching device for attaching a tool to a tool manipulating arm comprising:
- a) a first attachment member adapted to be affixed to one of the tool and the tool manipulating arm and defining a seating surface;
- b) locking means located on the first attachment member
- c) a second attachment member adapted to be affixed to the other of the tool and the tool manipulating arm, the second attachment member defining:
- a recessed portion adapted to receive the locking means therein;
- a mounting surface;
- and a cam surface adapted to contact the locking means so as to urge the seating surface and mounting surface into sealing contact so as to hermetically seal the locking means in the recessed portion;
- d) non-contact type electrical coupler means operatively associated with the first and second attachment members, the non-contact electrical coupler means comprising a first unit located on the first attachment member adjacent to the seating surface and a second unit located on the second attachment member adjacent to the mounting surface such that the first and second units are adjacent to each other when the first and second attachment members are locked together;
- and,
- e) positioning means operatively associated with the attachment members comprising:
- a positioning pin located on one of the first and second attachment members;
- and, a positioning hole defined by the other of the first and second attachment members adapted to receive therein the positioning pin.
An attaching device for attaching a tool to a tool manipulating arm, comprising:
- a) a first attachment member adapted to be affixed to one of the tool and the tool manipulating arm and defining a seating surface;
- b) a second attachment member adapted to be affixed to the other of the tool and tool manipulating arm, the second attachment member defining a mounting surface and a cam surface;
- and,
- c) locking means operatively associated with the first attachment member and engageable with the cam surface so as to urge the seating and mounting surfaces into sealing contact with each other, the locking means comprising:
- i) a plurality of locking pins movable between extended and retracted positions;
- ii) a piston movable along an axis between first and second positions;
- iii) a cam member attached to the piston so as to move therewith, the cam member engaging the plurality of locking pins such that when the piston moves from its first position to its second position, the plurality of locking pins are moved to their extended positions;
- and,
- iv) means to attach the cam member to the piston so as to allow movement of the cam member relative to the piston in directions defining a plane extending generally perpendicular to the axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.