Abstract: The present invention is intended to expand the operating region of a driven robot component of a robot by a provision of a driving linkage system for transmitting a drive torque of a drive source unit to the driven robot component, the driving linkage system having two spatially separated linkages, which are different from each other in the phase of motion thereof, to thereby transmit the drive torque from the drive source unit to the driven robot component by at least one of the two linkages even if the other linkage is brought to a dead center state, whereby the torque can be continuously transmitted to the driven robot component.

Abstract: A corrective positioning method in a robot, capable of eliminating degraded positioning accuracy attributable to inherent errors in the robot. By using displayed rotary angles of first and second links (1, 2) determined by a mastering sequence associated with known points, a simultaneous equation including, as unknowns, link length errors (.DELTA.11, .DELTA.12) and actual rotary angles (.theta.1, .theta.2) of the links is solved, to thereby determine the link length errors, errors (.DELTA.X0, .DELTA.y0) of a pivotal center position of an arm, and errors (.DELTA..theta.10, .DELTA..theta.20) of rotary angles of the links.

Abstract: A heat eliminator intercepts a heat transmission in a laser robot which has a robot base (12), a robot arm (16) joined for swing motion to a robot swivel post (14) set upright on the robot base (12), a laser beam projecting unit (20) attached to an extreme end of the robot arm (16), and a drive motor (Mv) for driving the robot arm (16) for a swing motion through a precision transmission mechanism (30, 32, 34) inserted between the robot swivel post and the robot arm, from the drive motor to the precision transmission mechanism. The heat eliminator is provided with a bracket member (26) arranged between the precision transmission mechanism (30, 32, 34) and the drive motor (Mv) with one end in contact with the end surface of the drive motor on the side of the output shaft thereof and the other end in contact with the precision transmission mechanism, and an annular cooling water passage (50) formed in the bracket member (26).

Abstract: An optical distance sensor superior in measuring accuracy and simple in construction is mounted to, e.g., a welding torch of an arc welding robot. A laser beam from a laser oscillator (1) is moved on a workpiece (100) in a direction perpendicular to a weld line, with angular movement of a mirror (2). Primary reflected light, secondary reflected light and spatter light, except for arc light intercepted by a filter (5), are incident via a lens (4) on light receiving cells of a light receiving section (3) composed of a one-dimensional charge-coupled device. At scanning of the light receiving section, outputs of the light receiving cells depending on incident light quantities are successively sent, and data specifying those light receiving cells which generate predetermined level outputs are written in one of memory buffers (12, 13).

Abstract: A laser beam passage (10) arranged outside a robot unit of a multi-articulated arm type industrial laser robot has a base (71), a swivel body (72), a first robot arm (74) supported for swing motion, a second robot arm (76) pivotally joined to the first robot arm (74), and a robot wrist (80) attached to an front end of the second robot arm (76) and provided with a laser beam emitting head (79) to connect a laser oscillator (12) to a laser beam receiving unit (77) provided on a rear end of the second robot arm (76). The laser beam passage means (10) has a first laser beam shifting system (20) routing a laser beam emitted by the laser oscillator (12) to an extremity thereof, and having a plurality of rotary joints (R.sub.1, R.sub.2), one telescopic linear-motion joint (S.sub.

Abstract: A multi-articulation type robot for a laser operation by emitting a beam of laser into a desired position in a three-dimensional space, and provided with a first hollow robot arm (16) swingably pivoted to an upper end of a robot swivel body (14) mounted on a robot base (12), a second hollow robot arm (18) swingably pivoted to a front end of the first robot arm (16) and rotatable about a central axis of the second robot arm per se, and a robot wrist (20) mounted on a front end of the second robot arm (18) and provided with a laser beam collecting unit (22) having a laser beam emitting outlet (22a), the robot wrist (20) being provided with motion transmitting mechanisms for converting first and second rotative inputs transmitted by a first and second hollow rotatable drive shafts (30a and 30b) arranged inside the second robot arm (18) into motions by which the laser beam collecting unit (22) is rotated about an axis orthogonal to an axis along which a laser beam is emitted, and to move the unit (22) forward and

Abstract: A bevel gear unit comprising a bevel gear (11), a ball bearing (B.sub.1) coaxially mounted on the shaft of the bevel gear (11) and in contact with the back surface (17) thereof, a double spacer including an inner race spacer (12) and an outer race spacer (13) and mounted on the shaft of the bevel gear (11) behind the ball bearing (B.sub.1), ball bearings (B.sub.2, B.sub.3) mounted on the shaft of the bevel gear (11) behind the double spacer, and a bearing nut (15) screwed onto a threaded portion of the shaft of the bevel gear (11) behind the ball bearings (B.sub.2, B.sub.3). The axial length (l.sub.1) of the inner race spacer (12) is made smaller than the axial length (l.sub.2) of the outer race spacer (13) by a preloading allowance (.delta.), and the outer race spacer (13) is provided with threaded holes (t.sub.1) in the rear surface (f.sub.1) thereof.

Abstract: A collision detecting method is provided which is capable of promptly detecting a collision of robot operating parts driven by servomotors, e.g., robot arms, with a foreign object. Prompt detection of such collisions aids in preventing or limiting damage to a machine, etc. by the collision. A digital signal processor of an axis controller (2) of FIG. 1, as part of a software servo system, calculates a velocity command and a torque command in accordance with a movement command supplied from a main computer (1), to periodically carry out servo control for individual axes of the robot. The digital signal processor also determines whether the torque command or a velocity deviation between the velocity command and an actual velocity of a servomotor (13b) is greater than a respective predetermined value.

Abstract: An articulated industrial robot comprises a robot body (10), a robot upper arm (20) pivotally supported in a joint provided on the upper end (16) of the robot body (10) for a swing motion about a horizontal W-axis, and a robot forearm (30) pivotally supported in a joint provided on the extremity (24) of the robot upper arm (20) for an up-down turning motion about a horizontal U-axis. The robot upper arm (20) has an offset arm structure extending between the horizontal W-axis of the joint on the upper end (16) of the robot body (10) and the horizontal U-axis of the joint on the extremity (24) of the robot upper arm (20) with its back side (26) extending along the straight line connecting the respective centers of the horizontal W-axis and U-axis. Electric cables (40) and the like are extended along the back side (26) of the robot upper arm (20).

Abstract: An industrial robot with a horizontal telescopic arm unit having an arm casing horizontally slidably mounted on a vertical upright column, a telescopic arm encased in the arm casing to be telescopically moved with respect to the arm casing and in synchronism with the horizontal sliding movement of the arm casing, and a common drive motor causing the horizontal linear sliding movement of the arm casing and the telescopic movement of the telescopic arm via a rotation to linear movement converting mechanism.

Abstract: A variable pitch spot welding gun assembly for a welding robot has a fixed base (16) directly attached to the robot wrist (12) of an industrial welding robot, welding transformers (24, 26) fixed to the fixed base (16), a fixed spot welding gun (22) provided apart from the welding transformers (24, 26), a movable spot welding gun (20) provided apart from the welding transfomers (24, 26) and capable of being moved relative to the fixed spot welding gun (22), to adjust a pitch between the fixed spot welding gun (22) and the movable spot welding gun (20), and secondary conductors (44a to 44e) connecting the fixed and movable spot welding guns (22, 90) respectively to the welding transformers (24, 26).

Abstract: In a horizontal revolute robot, an upper end of a ball screw (21) of a direct-acting actuator (100) is rotatably supported by a top plate of a column (10), and the lower end thereof is coupled to a drive unit (40) disposed on a base plate of the column. A first link (220) is pivotally coupled to a coupling member (210) of a manipulator (200) fixed to a slider (30) of the actuator, and a second link (240) is pivotally coupled to the first link. The ball screw is rotated by the drive unit to move the manipulator along the ball screw in unison with the slider, and servomotors (230, 250) of the manipulator are driven to turn both the links within a horizontal plane, so that a wrist portion of the robot is positioned in a robot installation space for robot operation. Since no base is required to turnably support the actuator, the robot is small-sized, light in weight, and low-priced. Since the lower movement limit position of the manipulator is low, the range of action of the robot is wide.

Abstract: A gear box (30) housing a reduction gear unit (24) and supporting a drive motor (22), and a elongated screw shaft (12) is fitted over a base plate (14) so that an area of a shaft supporter (10) projected in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the elongated screw shaft is reduced, which supporter supports both ends of the elongaged screw shaft (12) for moving a movable element such as an arm of an industrial robot in a predetermined direction. Furthermore, a circular boss portion (32b) provided at the lower face of the gear box (30) and a hole (14a) provided at the base plate (14) are used for positioning the gear box on the base plate (14), and the positioning in a height direction is achieved by positioning elements (40) having a predetermined height dimension when the gear box (30) is attached to the base plate (14).

Abstract: A laser-beam mis-emission preventing method capable of improving safety of a laser robot. Upon supply of power to the laser robot, a processor of a robot control unit (10) compares a predetermined value with an angle (.delta.) formed between a horizontal plane (XY plane) and an axis (8a) of a laser nozzle (8) and computed based on joint angles (W, U, r, .beta.) (S1-S3). When the laser nozzle angle (.delta.) is less than the predetermined value, an interlock signal delivered to the laser oscillator (30) is set to turn off the power of the laser oscillator, thereby bringing the laser oscillator into a condition incapable of laser oscillation (S5). This prevents mis-emission of the laser beam which occurs due to deficiency of a robot operating program, erroneous manual operation, etc., and which can damage the human body or peripheral devices.

Abstract: A joint structure for an industrial robot is provided with a gear transmission mechanism to drive movable robot element, such as a swivel body (14), of an industrial robot. The joint structure comprises a driven gear (26) connected to the movable robot element, two drive pinions (28, 30) in mesh with the driven gear (26), respectively, at different positions on the driven gear (26), a belt transmission mechanism (28a, 30a, 32) operatively connecting the two drive pinions (28, 20), a tensioner (36) for adjusting the tension in the power transmission belt (32) of the belt transmission mechanism (28a, 30a, 32), and a rotative drive source (34) connected to one (28) of the two drive pinions (28, 30).

Abstract: An arc sensor (10) to be attached to an arc welding torch for detecting a welding spot is provided with an optical detecting system having an optical position detector (14), an objective lens (18), and a transparent objective window (20) arranged in front of the objective lens, and a plurality of arc light screening plates (22 and 24) made of an opaque material, and having a light transmitting apertures (22a and 24a), the plurality of arc light screening plates (22 and 24) being arranged in front of the transparent objective window (20) and spaced from one another for screening an arc light but permitting the detecting light beam to pass therethrough.

Abstract: An industrial robot is able to automatically set the operating conditions thereof depending on a position of installation. The motion of a robot unit is input and controlled by a robot control unit. A first data storage portion of the robot control unit is provided with a storage region preliminarily storing (a) data about installation positions of the robot unit with respect to a reference installation position of the same robot unit, and (b) date about operating conditions with respect to the positions of installation. When data about an installation position upon the use of the robot is input to the robot control unit, the data of the operating conditions, in response to the input data of the position of installation, is read from the first data storage unit, and is automatically set in a second data storage unit to control the motion of the robot unit in accordance with the operating conditions set in the second data storage unit.

Abstract: An industrial robot has a robot unit (10) comprising a fixed base (12) and movable robot components (16, 18, 20) operatively controlled by driving motors (M.theta., MW, MU, M.alpha., M.beta., M.gamma.) provided with absolute position detecting encoders (EC.theta., ECW, ECU, EC.alpha., EC.beta., EC.gamma.). The swivel body (16) among the movable robot components, mounted on the fixed base (12) is mounted, on its mount, with the driving motor (M.theta.) for operatively controlling the same, and is mounted with and holds a battery (46) for supplying a backup voltage to the encoders of the driving motors (MW, MU, M.alpha., M.beta., M.gamma.) for operatively controlling the movable robot components (18, 20). The battery is connected electrically by cables (48, 49) to the encoders (EC.theta., ECW, ECU, EC.alpha., EC.beta., EC.gamma.).

Abstract: Disclosed is a console panel for a robot, which is provided with a dead-man switch always firmly actuated and easy to hold by the hand and does not cause substantial fatigue of the hand. In this console panel, a pressing plate 9 of a dead-man switch having an elliptical recess 91 on the back surface of the console panel at a position where the tips of the respective fingers simultaneously touch when the console panel is held from the side portion thereof, and this console panel is used for various electrically operated industrial robots.

Abstract: The robot control apparatus according to the present invention is so adapted that, with regard to all kinds of motions commanded of a robot, the maximum velocity and time constant conforming to the type of robot motion can be designated for respective robot control axes (3) by a controller (1) which includes a selection table memory (4).