Abstract: A positioning correction method for a motor-operated injection molding machine, intended to eliminate waste of power supply to or overheat of servomotors by locking up in an ideal state the motor-operated injection molding machine, which uses a toggle mechanism or crank for mold clamping and other operations. During the lockup period, a load RA acting on a mold clamping servomotor 7 is detected (S8), and a position command value PM for the servomotor 7 is increased or decreased in the next cycle in a direction such that the value of the load RA is reduced, if the value of the load RA is greater than a preset reference value V0 (S12, S13). As a result, a rotation center Q1 of a crank 2 and two opposite ends Q2 of a link 3 are locked up in a straight line, so that a moment of rotation produced by a mold clamping reaction force is removed from the rotation center Q1 of the crank 2.

Abstract: An injection molding machine of an automatic core change type includes a mold clamping section including stationary and movable platens fitted with first and second matrixes of a mold, respectively, a mold changing robot and a mold stocker severally attached to the mold clamping section and separately controlled by way of a control section, and a temperature controller for controlling the respective temperatures of the first and second matrixes and the mold stocker. As an arm and a chuck move and rotate, respectively, a first cavity unit, attached to the first matrix, is taken out from the first matrix, transported toward the mold stocker, and stored in its corresponding storage hole of the mold stocker. Then, another first cavity unit is taken out from the mold stocker, transported toward the mold clamping section, and attached to the first matrix, whereupon the replacement of the first cavity unit is completed. A second cavity unit is replaced in like manner, whereupon the mold replacement is completed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus. This laser processing apparatus has plural processing nozzles such as a cutting nozzle and a welding nozzle which are held by a processing nozzle holder. The processing nozzle holder can be rotated with respect to a processing head with a condenser lens disposed therein. Therefore, substitution can be performed easily to a processing nozzle best suited for a desired thermal processing out of various thermal processings, and efficient processings can be executed.

Abstract: An industrial robot provided with a cable arrangement system in which a hollow shaft (3) is arranged to extend vertically from a robot base (1) into a rotational trunk (2) about a rotational axis thereof, and a plurality of cables (7) are arranged to be spaced from one another around the outer periphery of the hollow shaft (3) by cable clamps (4) mounted on the outer periphery of the hollow shaft (3) and having a plurality of cable receiving grooves (41).

Abstract: An industrial robot having a plurality of axes drivable by respective servomotors is stopped in operation after detecting a collision of the industrial robot with foreign matter. The monitoring of a position error of a servomotor for the axis with respect to which the collision is detected is stopped (S11), and the speed command for that axis is set to "0" (S12). A reverse torque is generated (S13) to decelerate and stop the servomotor. After elapse of a predetermined period of time (S14), the monitoring of a position error is resumed (S15). If the position error exceeds a predetermined value (S31), then an alarm is activated (S32). Then, currents supplied to all the servomotors are cut off (S33), thus stopping the operation of the robot in a short period of time.

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 isolated alkaline pullulanase Y having .alpha.-amylase activity; a microorganism producing the alkaline pullulanase Y; and a process for producing the alkaline pullulanase Y are disclosed. The alkaline pullulanase Y having .alpha.-amylase activity has its optimum pH at higher alkaline range than conventional alkaline pullulanases and exhibits excellent stability in a wide pH range. Further, the alkaline pullulanase Y has strong resistance to almost all detergent components such as surfactants, chelating agents, proteases for detergents, and the like. Thus the alkaline pullulanase Y can advantageously be used as a detergent component.

Abstract: A novel alkaline pullulanase; a microorganism producing the alkaline pullulanase; and a process for producing the alkaline pullulanase are disclosed. The alkaline pullulanase of the present invention has a higher optimum pH range (pH 9.5-11) than conventional alkaline pullulanases and shows excellent stability in a wider pH range. It has also an optimum temperature of higher than 50.degree. C. and is thermally stable up to 40.degree. C. The alkaline pullulanase has also strong reistance to almost all detergent components such as surfactants, chelating agents, proteases for detergents, and the like. The alkaline pullulanase can advantageously be used as a detergent component. Also, it can be utilized for producing many kinds of oligosaccharides and also together with .alpha.-amylase for producing various monosaccharides.

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: 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: 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 direct-acting actuator for an industrial robot has an elongate ball screw or feed screw which is attached or detached quickly and safely in a narrow working space. In attaching the ball screw, upper and lower end portions of the ball screw, diagonally inserted in the inside space of a column (10), are respectively fitted into holes (12a, 33a) of a column top plate (12) and a plate member (33) of a slider (30) through a passage (12b), formed in the top plate and opening in a slider-side end face of the same plate, and a passage (33b), formed in the plate member and opening in the distal end face of the same member. Then, the lower end of the ball screw is coupled to a reduction gear (52), and a bearing unit (22) mounted on the upper end of the ball screw and a ball nut (34) threadedly engaged with the ball screw are respectively fitted into the holes (12a, 32a) so that the bearing unit and the ball nut are fixed to the top plate and the plate member, respectively.

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: A mutant of an extracellular enzyme-producing microorganism belonging to genus Bacillus, which is resistant to a cell membrane synthesis inhibitor, including vancomycin and ristocetin, is disclosed. The cell membrane synthesis inhibitor-resistant mutant can produce such an enzyme as cellulase, protease, or amylase about 2 to 4 times of the parent strain. Such a mutant can be produced by subjecting an extracellular enzyme-producing microorganism tot a mutation treatment, and culturing said microorganism in a culture medium containing a cell membrane synthesis inhibitor.

Abstract: A fitting structure of a first arm fitted to a robot base of a horizontal articulated robot, wherein a linearly movable slide is longitudinally guided along the robot base. A base at a base end of the first arm is rotatably fitted to the slider, and rotation of the base relative to the slider is restricted by a removable fixing device. This invention is efficiently used when packaging the robot.

Abstract: A feed guide mechanism for guiding a reciprocating movable member with a guide member having tabular elastic members forming a guide surface for guiding the reciprocal movement of the movable member on one surface thereof. A piezoelectric member with alternately polarized portions are attached to an opposite surface of the guide member. The piezoelectric member undergoes a polarization so that application of an alternating current produces a standing wave to urge the movable member upward and reduce friction.

Abstract: A novel alkaline cellulase is disclosed. The alkaline cellulase is produced by Bacillus sp KSM-635 (FERM BP-1485) and possesses: (1) C.sub.x enzyme activity to act on carboxymethyl cellulose and weak C.sub.1 enzyme .beta.-glucosidase activities, (2) substrate specificity to act on carboxymethyl cellulose, cellulose cotton, Avicel, filter paper, cellobiose, and p-nitrophenyl cellobioside, (3) a working pH range of 4-12 and an optimum pH range of 9-10, (4) stable pH range of 4.5-10.5 when allowed to stand at 40.degree. C. for 10 minutes, and (5) working temperature range of 10.degree.-65.degree. C. and optimum temperature range at around 40.degree. C. Its activity is not inhibited by chelating agents nor by surface active agents. It is particularly effective as an additive for laundry detergent compositions.