# US 7,464,622 B2 · Manipulator such as in industrial robot and method for influencing an ambient condition therein > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,464,622 B2 - Document ID: US7464622B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/002,746 - Filed: 2004-12-02 - Published: 2005-06-16 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2003-12-10 - Assignees: KUKA Roboter GmbH - Inventors: Joachim Markert; Günther Merk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7464622B2 ## CPC - B25J 19/0054: {Cooling means} - B25J 19/0075: {Means for protecting the manipulator from its environment or vice versa} - B25J 19/0079: {using an internal pressure system} - B65G 2249/02: Controlled or contamination-free environments or clean space conditions - Y10T 74/20305: Robotic arm - Y10T 74/20311: including power cable or connector - Y10T 74/20329: Joint between elements - 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}) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A manipulator, such as a multiaxial industrial robot (1), particularly for use in contamination-endangered environments, including a plurality of scavenging areas (1.8a, 1.8b) to which a scavenging medium can be supplied and located in the vicinity of the drive unit of the manipulator. A plurality of groups of drive units has in each case its own scavenging area (1.8a, 1.8b) associated with it. A method is also provided for influencing at least one ambient condition, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, contamination and/or bacterial presence, in the vicinity of the drive units of a manipulator. This reliably ensures a safe operation of the inventive manipulator (1), even in areas with strict hygiene requirements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A manipulator for use in contamination-endangered environments, the manipulator comprising: a scavenging medium; a plurality of groups of drive units; a plurality of scavenging areas for receiving the scavenging medium, each scavenging area being in an area of one or more said drive units, wherein one of said groups of drive units is associated with one of said scavenging areas, said scavenging medium containing disinfecting substances in at least one of said scavenging areas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein pressure is supplied to the scavenging areas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the scavenging medium is supplied and removed by hoses positioned externally on the manipulator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of supply and removal hoses are positioned with a cable arrangement for the supply and control of the drive units. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) Manipulator according to claim 3, wherein the scavenging medium is removed via a protective hose of the cable arrangement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) Manipulator according to claim 2, wherein the supply and removal hoses for at least one scavenging area form a closed circuit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) Manipulator according to claim 2, wherein a scavenging medium removed from at least one scavenging area is delivered to the environment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein a pressure of the scavenging medium is separately controllable in each scavenging area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein a pressure of the scavenging medium in at least one scavenging area is above ambient pressure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein an overpressure is produced at one of said scavenging areas, said overpressure being in a range from 0.1 to 1.0 bar. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein a pressure of said scavenging medium in at least one scavenging area is below ambient pressure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the scavenging medium from at least one scavenging area is removed via a suction device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein at least one scavenging area has an inlet means and/or a deflecting means for influencing a scavenging medium flow. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the scavenging medium is a gas or gaseous mixture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein said scavenging medium is air in at least one of said scavenging areas. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein said scavenging medium is an inert gas in at least one of said scavenging areas. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein a drying device dries the scavenging medium. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein a filtering device removes particles from the scavenging medium. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein an air conditioning device cools and removes moisture from the scavenging medium. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said scavenging areas associated with one or more said drive units is located in an area of a rotation axis of a carrousel and a swivelling axis of a rocker of a six-axis industrial robot. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said scavenging areas associated with one or more said drive units of a robot arm or robot hand is located in an area of a swivelling axis of the robot arm of a six-axis industrial robot. ### Claim 22 A method for influencing at least bacterial presence in the vicinity of drive units of a manipulator, the method comprising: providing a group of drive units; providing a plurality of scavenging areas, each scavenging area being associated with one of said group of drive units; a scavenging medium to one or more of said scavenging areas, said scavenging medium containing disinfecting substances. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein one or more of said scavenging areas is supplied with overpressure. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein a supply and removal of said scavenging medium is separately controlled for each scavenging area. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein the scavenging medium is cooled, at least after flowing through one of said scavenging areas. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein, at least after flowing through one of said scavenging areas, the scavenging medium is dried. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein, at least after flowing through one of said scavenging areas, the scavenging medium is filtered. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein said scavenging medium is mixed with said disinfecting substances, prior to said scavenging medium being supplied to one of said scavenging areas. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein, at least after flowing through one of said scavenging areas, said scavenging medium is again supplied to said one of said scavenging areas. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein, at least after flowing through one of said scavenging areas, said scavenging medium is delivered to the environment. ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein in at least one of said scavenging areas, said scavenging medium has a defined flow movement. ### Claim 32 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein said scavenging medium is supplied to at least one of said scavenging areas with a pressure above ambient pressure. ### Claim 33 (depends on 22) Method according to claim 22, wherein the scavenging medium is supplied to at least one of said scavenging areas with a pressure less than ambient pressure. ### Claim 34 A manipulator for use in contamination-endangered environments, the manipulator comprising: a scavenging medium; a plurality of drive units, each drive unit defining a scavenging area; a scavenging medium delivery means for delivering said scavenging medium to at least one said scavenging area such that one or more of a temperature, a moisture content, a pressure and a bacterial presence at one of said drive units is changed via delivery of said scavenging medium, said scavenging medium comprising a disinfectant in at least one said scavenging area.