Patents by Inventor Masami NAKAKURA

Masami NAKAKURA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10821540
    Abstract: The seam welding apparatus includes a pair of rotating electrodes, an electrode supporting frame, a distance measuring means, and a controller. The electrode supporting frame supports the pair of rotating electrodes. The distance measuring means is provided on the electrode supporting frame and measures a distance to an edge of the steel plate. The controller controls the robot to adjust a running direction of the rotating electrodes so that a deviation comes into zero when a distance actually measured by the distance measuring means deviates from a predetermined distance. Thereby, it is accomplished that the seam welding apparatus is downsized as well as uninfluenced by the surface state and/or shape of workpiece (steel plate).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawai, Kazuhiko Yamaashi, Haruhiko Kobayashi, Mitsugu Kaneko, Noriko Kurimoto, Masami Nakakura, Teppei Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10543560
    Abstract: A seam welding system includes a pair of roller electrodes. The pair of roller electrodes hold a to-be-welded object between circumferential surfaces of the roller electrodes, rotate while holding the to-be-welded object between the circumferential surfaces, and perform seam welding on the to-be-welded object when a current flows between the roller electrodes while rotating and holding the to-be-welded object between the circumferential surfaces. To an electrode movement mechanism, the roller electrodes are mounted. The electrode movement mechanism moves the roller electrodes along a welding line of the to-be-welded object. Drive sources respectively rotate the roller electrodes and a joint of the electrode movement mechanism. A controller controls an amount by which the roller electrodes rotate based on a torque change in the drive sources so as to keep torques respectively acting on the roller electrodes within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masami Nakakura, Teppei Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10112299
    Abstract: A machining apparatus includes a robot including a first arm portion, a second arm portion, a tip portion, a second actuator swinging the first arm portion around a second axis, a third actuator swinging the second arm portion around a third axis, a seventh actuator adjusting a distance between the second axis and the third axis, and an end effector provided to a tip portion and applying machining to a workpiece. The robot is positioned such that a movable range of a tip portion of the first arm portion or a base end portion of the second arm portion interferes with the workpiece when the first arm portion is rotated around the second axis, where the distance is made longest, in a state where the robot exactly faces the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tatsuo Hiro, Kuniaki Katamine, Ryuta Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita, Manabu Okahisa, Masami Nakakura
  • Patent number: 9908160
    Abstract: A robot system includes an end effector, a robot arm, and a controller. The end effector includes a pressure roller and a linear motion mechanism. The linear motion mechanism is configured to move the pressure roller with respect to a pressed surface. The robot arm is configured to support the end effector. The controller is configured to control the linear motion mechanism to move the pressure roller to make a pressing force of the pressure roller against the pressed surface approximately uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Manabu Okahisa, Masami Nakakura, Teppei Sonoda
  • Patent number: 9434020
    Abstract: A seam welding robot includes a robot arm and a welding unit that is coupled to the robot arm. The welding unit includes a pair of roller electrodes. The pair of roller electrodes rotates following motion of the robot arm while sandwiching and pressurizing welding targets. The welding unit passes a welding electric current between the pair of roller electrodes to seam-weld the welding targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Masami Nakakura, Teppei Sonoda, Manabu Okahisa
  • Publication number: 20160136813
    Abstract: A machining apparatus includes a robot including a first arm portion, a second arm portion, a tip portion, a second actuator swinging the first arm portion around a second axis, a third actuator swinging the second arm portion around a third axis, a seventh actuator adjusting a distance between the second axis and the third axis, and an end effector provided to a tip portion and applying machining to a workpiece. The robot is positioned such that a movable range of a tip portion of the first arm portion or a base end portion of the second arm portion interferes with the workpiece when the first arm portion is rotated around the second axis, where the distance is made longest, in a state where the robot exactly faces the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tatsuo HIRO, Kuniaki KATAMINE, Ryuta KAGAWA, Yusuke KINOSHITA, Manabu OKAHISA, Masami NAKAKURA
  • Publication number: 20160121480
    Abstract: A machining apparatus includes a robot and a controller. A target acquirer acquires a target value of a position and posture of a distal end of the robot. With a movement target value of a distance adjustment actuator of the robot being fixed, a first calculator calculates movement target values of first to third actuators and posture adjustment actuators of the robot corresponding to the target value of the position and posture. A determiner determines whether a movement target value of one of the actuators is within an allowable range. When out of the allowable range, a second calculator calculates the movement target values of the actuators corresponding to the target value of the position and posture to cause the movement target value to fall within the range. An outputter controls the actuators in accordance with the respective movement target values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Manabu OKAHISA, Masami NAKAKURA
  • Publication number: 20150298244
    Abstract: A seam welding system includes a pair of roller electrodes. The pair of roller electrodes hold a to-be-welded object between circumferential surfaces of the roller electrodes, rotate while holding the to-be-welded object between the circumferential surfaces, and perform seam welding on the to-be-welded object when a current flows between the roller electrodes while rotating and holding the to-be-welded object between the circumferential surfaces. To an electrode movement mechanism, the roller electrodes are mounted. The electrode movement mechanism moves the roller electrodes along a welding line of the to-be-welded object. Drive sources respectively rotate the roller electrodes and a joint of the electrode movement mechanism. A controller controls an amount by which the roller electrodes rotate based on a torque change in the drive sources so as to keep torques respectively acting on the roller electrodes within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Masami NAKAKURA, Teppei SONODA
  • Publication number: 20150283644
    Abstract: The seam welding apparatus includes a pair of rotating electrodes, an electrode supporting frame, a distance measuring means, and a controller. The electrode supporting frame supports the pair of rotating electrodes. The distance measuring means is provided on the electrode supporting frame and measures a distance to an edge of the steel plate. The controller controls the robot to adjust a running direction of the rotating electrodes so that a deviation comes into zero when a distance actually measured by the distance measuring means deviates from a predetermined distance. Thereby, it is accomplished that the seam welding apparatus is downsized as well as uninfluenced by the surface state and/or shape of workpiece (steel plate).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicants: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yasuhiro KAWAI, Kazuhiko YAMAASHI, Haruhiko KOBAYASHI, Mitsugu KANEKO, Noriko KURIMOTO, Masami NAKAKURA, Teppei SONODA
  • Publication number: 20150121983
    Abstract: A robot system includes an end effector, a robot arm, and a controller. The end effector includes a pressure roller and a linear motion mechanism. The linear motion mechanism is configured to move the pressure roller with respect to a pressed surface. The robot arm is configured to support the end effector. The controller is configured to control the linear motion mechanism to move the pressure roller to make a pressing force of the pressure roller against the pressed surface approximately uniform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Manabu OKAHISA, Masami NAKAKURA, Teppei SONODA
  • Publication number: 20140061168
    Abstract: A seam welding robot includes a robot arm and a welding unit that is coupled to the robot arm. The welding unit includes a pair of roller electrodes. The pair of roller electrodes rotates following motion of the robot arm while sandwiching and pressurizing welding targets. The welding unit passes a welding electric current between the pair of roller electrodes to seam-weld the welding targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Masami NAKAKURA, Teppei SONODA, Manabu OKAHISA