US 12,115,662 B2
Robot having at least one covering and at least one contact sensor
Markus Wuensch, Augsburg (DE); and Veronika Zumpe, Augsburg (DE)
Assigned to KUKA Deutschland GmbH, (DE)
Appl. No. 17/429,008
Filed by KUKA Deutschland GmbH, Augsburg (DE)
PCT Filed Feb. 4, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/052741
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 6, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/161129, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 201 516.6 (DE), filed on Feb. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0203563 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 19/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 19/06 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 19/063 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1674 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot, comprising:
a robot arm having a plurality of motor-driven joints and a plurality of links, each link interconnecting two adjacent joints;
at least one of the plurality of links comprises a supporting structural component configured to transmit at least one of forces or torques from an adjacent joint to the other adjacent joint; and
at least one covering on the structural component, the covering at least partially covering the structural component and at least one contact sensor;
wherein the at least one contact sensor is configured as a switching strip arranged between the structural component and the covering; and
wherein the covering is movably mounted on the structural component and is spring-loaded into an initial position, the covering being adjustable by an inherent elasticity of the switching strip;
wherein the covering comprises a central wall portion configured to cover a first surface of the structural component, and comprises at least two side wall portions that delimit the central wall portion from opposite sides;
at least a first side wall portion of the covering at least partially overlaps a second surface of the structural component;
at least a second side wall portion of the covering at least partially overlaps a third surface of the structural component which is opposite the second surface of the structural component; and
at least one of:
the second surface of the structural component comprises at least one first projection that cooperates with a first undercut on the inside of the first side wall portion of the covering in order to keep the covering spring-loaded in its initial position on the structural component, and thereby prevent the covering from detaching from the structural component, or
the third surface of the structural component comprises at least one second projection that cooperates with a second undercut on the inside of the second side wall portion of the covering in order to hold the covering spring-loaded in its initial position on the structural component, and thereby prevent the covering from detaching from the structural component.