Direct drive robotic system

An articulated robot arm, said arm having a mechanical end effector at one extremity thereof for manipulating a workpiece, said robot arm comprising

• a base,
• a pedestal mounted on said base, a column extending through said pedestal for rotary movement about a first fixed axis to provide said robot arm with a first degree of freedom,
• a first motor directly coupled to said column in said pedestal for selectively rotating said column and said effector about said first vertical axis,
• a first linking arm mounted at its inner end to said column and directly driven by said column,
• a second linking arm pivotally coupled for rotation about a second vertical axis at its inner end to the outer end of said first linking arm and carrying said end effector at its outer end, to provide a second degree of freedom of motion thereto,
• a second motor mounted for rotation coaxially with said first motor, said first linking arm including means for directly coupling the output of said second motor to the outer end thereof for rotating the inner end of said second linking arm and said end effector about said second axis.

An articulated direct drive robotic manipulator providing rotation about first and second parallel axes, said robot comprising first and second motors rotating about a common axis which is in common with the first axis of rotation of the manipulator, said common axis being perpendicular to a first horizontal plane defined by a floor on which the robot stands, the manipulator including a first linking arm mounted for movement in a second horizontal plane perpendicular to the first axis about a joint centered at said first axis, said first motor including a rotor directly coupled to said first arm for controlling said movement in said first plane, the end of said first linkage arm distal from the first axis supporting a second linking arm and including a joint rotatable about said second axis, said second motor being coupled through motion translating means to said second axis joint to rotate said joint and said second arm, said motion translating means comprising a pair of drums and a band movable with said drums, one of said drums being mounted coaxially with said first and second motors at said first axis and directly driven by said second motor, the other of said pair of drums being mounted coaxial with said second axis, said second linking arm having an inner end directly coupled to and driven by said second drum for movement in a third horizontal plane parallel to said first horizontal plane.

An articulated direct drive robotic manipulator providing rotation about first and second parallel axes, said robot comprising first and second motors rotating about a common axis which is in common with the first axis of rotation of the manipulator, said common axis being perpendicular to a first horizontal plane defined by a floor on which the robot stands, the manipulator including a first linking arm mounted for movement in a second horizontal plane perpendicular to the first axis about a joint centered at said first axis, said first motor including a rotor directly coupled to said first arm for controlling said movement in said first plane, the end of said first linking arm distal from the first axis supporting a second, outer linking arm and including a joint rotatable about said second axis, said second motor being coupled through said motion translating means to said second axis joint to rotate said joint and said second arm, an end of said second, outer linking arm distal from said joint between said first and second arm including a movable quill mounted on a second joint including means for providing movement of said quill along a vertical third axis perpendicular to said horizontal plane of movement of said first and second arms, and for providing rotational movement of said quill around a fourth axis, collinear to said third axis, said third and fourth axes being parallel to said first and second axes.