초록 ▼

Disclosed are male and female electrical contacts for transferring high electrical power between a master assembly and a tool assembly of a robotic tool changer. The male and female contacts have corresponding outwardly-projecting and inwardly recessed conical or frusto-conical contact surfaces whic

Disclosed are male and female electrical contacts for transferring high electrical power between a master assembly and a tool assembly of a robotic tool changer. The male and female contacts have corresponding outwardly-projecting and inwardly recessed conical or frusto-conical contact surfaces which tend to cause contaminants to slide off the surface of the contacts. The contacts may instead have corresponding outwardly-projecting and inwardly recessed contact surfaces having spherical, frusto-spherical, ellipsoid, frusto-ellipsoid, ovoid, or frusto-ovoid shapes. Each of the contacts includes a contact base for attaching the contact to one of the assemblies of the robotic tool changer and a contact tip removably attached to the contact base, thereby allowing the contact tip to be replaced without detaching the contact base from the robotic tool changer. The contact tip of either or both of the electrical contacts is mounted in such a way as to have compliance in at least one direction. The contact bases have oval or elliptical shaped though-holes for making better contact with the high power cables of the robotic tool changer. The contacts are rhodium-plated to increase their resistance to wear and contamination.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A high power electrical contact pair for carrying electrical current between two halves of a robotic tool changer, comprising:a. a male electrical contact mounted on one half of the robotic tool changer, said male electrical contact having an outwardly-projecting conical

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A high power electrical contact pair for carrying electrical current between two halves of a robotic tool changer, comprising:a. a male electrical contact mounted on one half of the robotic tool changer, said male electrical contact having an outwardly-projecting conical or frusto-conical contact surface, wherein the angle between the outwardly-projecting conical or frusto-conical contact surface and a plane perpendicular to the axis of the male electrical contact is between about 30.degree. and about 60.degree.; andb. a female electrical contact mounted on the other half of the robotic tool changer, said female electrical contact having an inwardly-recessed conical or frusto-conical contact surface, wherein the angle between the inwardly-recessed conical or frusto-conical contact surface and a plane perpendicular to the axis of the female electrical contact is approximately the same as the angle between the outwardly-projecting conical or frusto-conical contact surface of the male electrical contact and a plane perpendicular to the axis of the male electrical contact; rein when the two halves of the robotic tool changer are brought together, the outwardly-projecting conical or frusto-conical contact surface of the male electrical contact mates with the inwardly-recessed conical or frusto-conical contact surface of the female electrical contact, thereby allowing electrical current to flow between the male electrical contact and the female electrical contact.