US 12,251,824 B2
Robot arm joint, connector and robot arm
Ming-Che Hsu, Tainan (TW); and Syuan-Jyun Wu, Tainan (TW)
Assigned to Chieftek Precision Co., Ltd., Tainan (TW)
Filed by CHIEFTEK PRECISION CO., LTD., Tainan (TW)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/299,966.
Claims priority of application No. 111120688 (TW), filed on Jun. 2, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0390948 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 17/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/06 (2006.01); B25J 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 17/02 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0009 (2013.01); B25J 9/06 (2013.01); B25J 18/00 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot arm joint, comprising:
a joint body including a fixing end and a transmission end, the fixing end having a fixing end connecting surface, the transmission end having a transmission end connecting surface, wherein the fixing end of the joint body has a fixing end coupling unit, and the transmission end of the joint body has a transmission end coupling unit, wherein said fixing end coupling unit is configured with a recess portion having a substantially smooth internal surface, and said transmission end coupling unit is configured with a protruding portion having a substantially smooth external surface, said recess portion of said fixing end coupling unit receiving said protruding portion of said transmission end coupling unit with a direct contact between said substantially smooth internal and external surfaces of the recess portion of the fixing end coupling member and the protruding portion of the transmission end coupling member, respectively;
a motor, fixed in the joint body and configured to output power to the transmission end;
a fixing end modular contact seat, fixed to the fixing end connecting surface, the fixing end modular contact seat including a plurality of fixing end power contacts and a plurality of fixing end signal contacts; the fixing end power contacts and the fixing end signal contacts being exposed on the fixing end connecting surface;
a transmission end modular contact seat, fixed to the transmission end connecting surface, the transmission end modular contact seat including a plurality of transmission end power contacts and a plurality of transmission end signal contacts; the transmission end power contacts and the transmission end signal contacts being exposed on the transmission end connecting surface;
a joint wire assembly disposed in the joint body, the joint wire assembly including a plurality of joint wires extending on a preset connection path, the preset connection path including a straight path, the joint wire assembly including a torsion section and a fixed section, one end of the torsion section being connected to the transmission end modular contact seat, one end of the fixed section being connected to the fixing end modular contact seat, wherein, when the transmission end rotates, the torsion section is simultaneously driven to twist on the straight path, wherein opposite two ends of the straight path have two retaining members, a first retaining member of said two retaining members being positioned in proximity to said transmission end modular contact seat at said transmission end, and a second retaining member of said two retaining members being positioned away from said transmission end and said fixing end, wherein the joint wire assembly passes through and is retained by said two retaining members to form said torsion section and said fixed section, wherein the torsion section and fixed section are connected to each other at said second retaining member, and wherein the torsion section of the joint wire assembly extends between the first retaining member and the second retaining member, and wherein the fixed section of the joint wire assembly extends from the second retaining member to the fixing end modular contact seat at said fixing end; wherein when the transmission end rotates, the fixed section is unable to twist inside the joint body.