Water- and dust-proof sealed structure

Citation

Hollingum, J. (2000), "Water- and dust-proof sealed structure", Industrial Robot, Vol. 27 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2000.04927ead.010

Water- and dust-proof sealed structure

Water- and dust-proof sealed structure

Keywords Industrial robots, Waterproofing

Applicant: Fanuc Ltd (JP)Patent number: EP0934805Publication date: 11 September 1999Title: Sealed structure of outer wall for industrial robot

The object of the present invention is to provide an outer wall structure of an industrial robot in which fluctuation of the pressure inside an outer wall can be prevented or reduced so that penetration of dust or water can be prevented or reduced more securely. Preferably the outer wall and necessary members for sealing the same can be protected from deterioration under pressure load. A first aspect of a sealed structure of an industrial robot according to the present invention is arranged so that, in an industrial robot having a sealed outer wall, the outer wall is connected with vessel-shaped internal pressure fluctuation absorbing means having a variable capacity. A second aspect is arranged so that, in an industrial robot having a sealed outer wall, the outer wall is connected with a gas inlet port through which a compressed gas is fed into the space inside the outer wall and an exhaust mechanism adapted to evacuate or reduce the gas in the space inside the outer wall when the pressure inside the outer wall becomes higher than a set value. According to the present invention, penetration of dust or water, attributable to the reduction of the gas pressure inside the outer wall that covers the robot, can be prevented or reduced, and the outer wall and necessary members for sealing it are subjected to a zero or reduced load attributable to the difference between internal and external pressures, so that the outer wall structure and sealed structure are improved in durability.

Jack Hollingum