Braking device for a robot drive and method of detecting a braking state

1. A method for identification of a brake state of a braking apparatus of a robot drive having a frame apparatus which applies braking forces to a rotating component of the robot drive when required by means of a first moving frame element, with the braking apparatus in at least two operating states, the method comprising:

recording brake torsion values, which are measured at least at two different current levels or on a current level profile, as at least one measurement signal during the transition of the braking apparatus from one of the operating states to the other one of the operating states of the braking apparatus; and

determining a brake state of the braking apparatus by the recorded at least one measurement signal with previously defined reference values.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first frame element is moved from a first position to a second position.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first position is a closed state of the braking apparatus, and the second position is an open state of the brakinq apparatus.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first frame element is moved from the first position to the second position by means of at least one electromagnetically acting holding apparatus.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first frame element is moved to one of the positions by a resetting apparatus when the holding apparatus is in the deactivated state.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first frame element is moved to a fail-safe position by means of the resetting apparatus.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the required current level or the current level profile for the holding apparatus to move the first frame element from the first position to the second position is used as the measurement signal.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first measurement of brake torsion values is carried out in the region of 5% to 30% of a maximum current level.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , comprising:

measuring other force-equivalent preset values for movement of the first frame element from a first position to a second position as the at least one measurement signal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a second measurement of brake torsion values is carried out in the range from 70% to 95% of a maximum current level.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , comprising:

measuring other force-equivalent preset values for movement of the first frame element from a first position to a second position as the at least one measurement signal.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein further causes which influence the braking performance of the braking apparatus are detected by means of the reference values.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the further causes which influence the braking performance of the braking apparatus include oil in an area of at least one of the frame apparatus and the first frame element.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the distance of the first frame element from the first position to the second position is determined by the at least one measurement signal.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the number of hours for which the braking apparatus has already been operated are taken into account by means of the reference values.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the recording of the at least one measurement signal recording and the comparison are carried out by means of robot control.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:

measuring other force-equivalent preset values for movement of the first frame element from a first position to a second position as the at least one measurement signal.

18. A braking apparatus for a robot drive, the braking apparatus comprising:

a braking element;

a drive shaft on which the braking element is arranged;

a frame apparatus configured to apply braking forces to the braking element when required, the frame apparatus including a first frame element configured to be moved to a first position and a second position, with one of the positions corresponding to an open state of the braking element and the other one of the positions corresponding to a closed state of the braking apparatus;

a measurement apparatus configured to record brake torsion values brake torsion values, which are measured at least at two different current levels or on a current level profile, as at least one measurement signal for a distance of the first frame element between its first and second positions; and

an evaluation apparatus configured to determine a brake state of the braking apparatus , by comparing the measurement signal with a reference value.

19. The braking apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , comprising:

an electromagnetically acting holding apparatus configured to move the first frame element from the first position to the second position.

20. The braking apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the measurement signal is the required current level or the current level profile of the holding apparatus.

21. The braking apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , comprising:

a distance sensor configured to measure the at least one measurement signal.

22. The braking apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the holding apparatus comprises the measurement apparatus.

23. The braking apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the braking element is a brake disk with or without brake pads.

24. The braking apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , comprising a resetting apparatus configured to at least one move the first frame element to the first position, and hold the first frame element in the first position.