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US 8,806,963 B2Granted
Measuring device and robot
AssigneeKUKA Roboter GmbH
InventorMichael Langhans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a measuring device (20) for ascertaining a torque acting on an axis (A2,) and to a robot (1) with a robot arm (2) having a plurality of members which are rotatably mounted in reference to axes (A1-A6). The robot (1) also has the measuring device (20), in order to determine for at least one of the axes (A2) the torque exerted on that axis (A2).
Claims9
A measuring device for ascertaining a torque acting on an axis of a robot, the measuring device comprising:
- a first device generating a first analog electrical signal related to the torque;
- a first analog-digital converter receiving the first analog electrical signal and generating a first digital signal related to the torque in response thereto;
- a first digital evaluating device communicating with the first analog-digital converter and ascertaining the torque in response to the first digital signal;
- a second device generating a second analog electrical signal related to the torque;
- a second analog-digital converter receiving the second analog electrical signal and generating a second digital signal related to the torque in response thereto;
- a second digital evaluating device communicating with the second analog-digital converter and ascertaining the torque in response to the second digital signal independently of the first digital evaluating device;
- a first electrical voltage source comprising a first digital-analog converter producing a first reference voltage that is communicated to the second device;
- and
- a second electrical voltage source comprising a second digital-analog converter producing a second reference voltage that is communicated to the first device, wherein at least one of:
- the first digital evaluating device is connected to the first digital-analog converter and sets the value of the first reference voltage produced by the first digital-analog converter, or
- the first digital evaluating device is connected to the second digital-analog converter and sets the value of the second reference voltage produced by the second digital-analog converter.
8 more elements
A robot, comprising:
- a control device;
- a robot arm having a plurality of members controlled for movement by the control device, at least one of the plurality of members movable about an axis of rotation by a drive having a transmission;
- and
- a measuring device for ascertaining a torque acting on the axis, comprising:
- a first device generating a first analog electrical signal related to the torque,
- a first analog-digital converter receiving the first analog electrical signal and generating a first digital signal related to the torque in response thereto,
- a first digital evaluating device communicating with the first analog-digital converter and ascertaining the torque in response to the first digital signal,
- a second device generating a second analog electrical signal related to the torque,
- a second analog-digital converter receiving the second analog electrical signal and generating a second digital signal related to the torque in response thereto, and
- a second digital evaluating device communicating with the first analog-digital converter and ascertaining the torque in response to the second digital signal;
- a first electrical voltage source comprising a first digital-analog converter producing a first reference voltage that is communicated to the second device;
- and
- a second electrical voltage source comprising a second digital-analog converter producing a second reference voltage that is communicated to the first device, wherein at least one of:
- the first digital evaluating device is connected to the first digital-analog converter and sets the value of the first reference voltage produced by the first digital-analog converter, or
- the first digital evaluating device is connected to the second digital-analog converter and sets the value of the second reference voltage produced by the second digital-analog converter,
- wherein the first device and the second device are operatively coupled with the transmission such that the first and second analog electrical signals are each assigned to an output-side torque measurement of the at least one member relative to the axis of rotation.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.