Patents by Inventor Kazunori HIRATA

Kazunori HIRATA 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).

  • Publication number: 20230356410
    Abstract: A holding device includes: a first suction structure that sucks a main member; and a first grasping structure that is arranged adjacent to the first suction structure in a direction intersecting with a first direction and grasps a first auxiliary member. The first suction structure is directed so as to suck the main member located in the first direction, and the first grasping structure is directed so as to grasp the first auxiliary member located in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi OUCHI, Yuna TAKAHASHI, Kazunori HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20230356411
    Abstract: A holding device that holds a plate-shaped member having flexibility includes: a first suction structure that sucks the plate-shaped member; a second suction structure that sucks the plate-shaped member and is turnable and movable; a turning device that turns the second suction structure and a moving device that moves the second suction structure. When the first suction structure and the second suction structure suck and hold the plate-shaped member, the turning device twists the plate-shaped member by turning the second suction structure such that the second suction structure is directed in a direction different from the first suction structure, and the moving device bends the plate-shaped member by moving the second suction structure such that the second suction structure retreats relative to a direction along which the first suction structure and the second suction structure are located.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi OUCHI, Yuna TAKAHASHI, Kazunori HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20230363129
    Abstract: A robot includes a first robot arm, a second robot arm that retains a slot at a predetermined position, and a controller that controls the first robot arm. The controller causes the first robot arm to perform installation operation of installing a CPU in the slot. In the installation operation, the first robot arm installs the CPU in the slot retained by the second robot arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori HIRATA, Toshimitsu KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20230257214
    Abstract: A screw supply jig includes first and second members, the second being disposed lower than the first. Either member can be slidably moved relative to the other. In the first member, a first passage hole is formed in the vertical direction. In the second member, at least a part of a second passage hole is formed in the vertical direction. The second passage hole has a first and second recessed part which is penetration shape and having a larger than the first recessed part in planar view. The recessed parts are disposed side by side in the direction of relative sliding of the members, and are connected to each other. In conjunction with the relative sliding, a situation in which the first recessed part of the second passage hole faces the first passage hole, and a situation in which the second recessed part faces the first passage hole are switched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori HIRATA, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20230249348
    Abstract: A controller of a robot turns over a workpiece into a second state by causing a first end effector to execute a holding operation of holding a first portion in a first state, causing the first robot arm to execute, after the holding operation, a lifting operation of lifting the first end effector such that a second sheet surface separates from a turnover station, causing the first robot arm to execute, after the lifting operation, a lowering operation of lowering the first end effector with a first sheet surface facing downward, and causing the first end effector to execute, before completion of the lowering operation and after the holding operation, a rotary operation of rotating about a first rotation axis in a direction of raising a first end portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori HIRATA, Keita SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11673279
    Abstract: A workspace isolated from an exterior space by a partition, a glove provided to the partition so that an external surface thereof is exposed to the workspace and an internal surface thereof communicates with the exterior space, and a robot configured to insert an arm into the glove and perform a work in the workspace. The glove includes, at a tip-end part thereof, an operating part provided inside the glove, and a hand part provided so as to be exposed to the workspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Kazunori Hirata
  • Publication number: 20220410400
    Abstract: A holding device according to the present invention is a holding device that holds a workpiece having flexibility. A controller sets the workpiece to a reference state in such a manner that with first and second holding mechanisms holding the workpiece, a moving mechanism moves at least one of the first and second holding mechanisms in a length direction based on a length, detected by a detector, of the workpiece in a held state and a length, prestored in a storage, of the workpiece in a reference state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi OUCHI, Yuna TAKAHASHI, Kazunori HIRATA
  • Patent number: 11529785
    Abstract: In a box assembly device, a holding mechanism causes one of bottom boards to contact a first jig and folds the bottom board inside, while the holding mechanism holding the box material in a state where the box material is developed in a cylindrical shape from a folded state. The folding mechanism folds the bottom flap inside so as to overlap with one of the bottom boards. The holding mechanism causes the other bottom board to contact the second jig while holding the box material and folds the other bottom board inside and upwardly so as to overlap with the bottom flap to engage the bottom boards with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori Hirata, Takeshi Hashimoto, Ippei Nagahiro, Hiroshi Katafuchi
  • Publication number: 20220396437
    Abstract: A robot system of the present invention includes: a first hand including first holders, a first link structure, and a first engager; a second hand including second holders, a second link structure, and a second engagement receiver; a first arm to which the first hand is connected; a second arm to which the second hand is connected; and a controller configured to perform: (A) operating the first arm and/or the second arm to engage the first engager with the second engagement receiver; and (B) operating the first arm to change a distance between the first holders after performing (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi HASHIMOTO, Kazunori HIRATA, Toshiyuki TSUJIMORI
  • Patent number: 11485532
    Abstract: A box packing device includes a first arm, a first hand, and a controller. The first hand includes a hand base, a gripping mechanism at the hand base and including a gripper to grip an upper-end of a flap of a large box, and a holding mechanism at the hand base and including a holder to hold an inner box. The controller controls the operation of the first arm and the first hand so as to perform a developing operation in which the gripping part of the gripping mechanism moves in a horizontal plane so as to develop the large box while gripping the upper-end part of the flap part of the large box in a folded state, and an accommodating operation in which the holder of the holding mechanism accommodates the inner box into the developed large box while holding the inner box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Hashimoto, Kazunori Hirata
  • Publication number: 20220274248
    Abstract: A transfer robot transfers workpieces while sucking upper surfaces of the workpieces. The transfer robot includes a first hand body attached to a first robotic arm, a second hand body attached to a second robotic arm, a first suction part attached to the first hand body, and a second suction part attached to the second hand body. The first suction part has a pair of suction bodies, the pair of suction bodies extending in a horizontal first direction and separated from each other in a horizontal second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second suction part has at least one suction body extending in the first direction, and the one suction body is changeable in an entering amount into an area between the pair of suction parts of the first suction part according to a relative movement of the second hand body in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji YOSHIKUWA, Toshiyuki TSUJIMORI, Kazunori HIRATA, Takeshi HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220219857
    Abstract: A box unpacking device includes a robot, and a cutting device. A robot hand is attached to a wrist of the robot. The robot hand has a holding device configured to hold a packed box. The cutting device has a cutting blade of which the point is oriented downward or obliquely downward. The robot can move the box held by the holding device in a vertical plane, and change an angle of the box in the vertical plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki TSUJIMORI, Kentaro AZUMA, Yukio IWASAKI, Ippei NAGAHIRO, Kazunori HIRATA, Shoichi MIYAO, Hideshi YAMANE
  • Patent number: 11375696
    Abstract: A belt cover for attaching to a horse The belt cover including at least (1) an electrode for detecting a bioelectric signal by contacting with the surface of a body of the horse, (2) an electric wiring, and (3) a connector for connecting with the electric wiring through a part for connecting with the connector and the electric wiring. Each of the electrode and the electric wiring includes a stretchable conductor having a conductive particle including a silver particle and a binder resin. The stretchable conductor of the electrode and the electric wiring has a sheet resistance of 0.1?? or less, an insulating layer is laminated on the electric wiring, and the electrode and the electric wiring are integrally formed without joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignees: ANICALL CORPORATION, TOYOBO STC CO., LTD., TOYOBO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Hanawa, Yuichiro Omote, Hideki Kawabata, Kazunori Hirata, Euichul Kwon
  • Publication number: 20220111538
    Abstract: An end effector is to be attached to a tip-end part of a robotic arm and unpacks a cardboard box of which one or more flaps provided to one end of a side wall are fixed mutually or to the side wall to constitute one of end walls. The end effector includes a body part to be attached to the tip-end part of the robotic arm, a box holding part provided to the body part and configured to hold the cardboard box by holding a part of the cardboard box other than the one end wall, and a punching part provided to the body part and configured to form a through-hole in a wall of the cardboard box other than the one end wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki TSUJIMORI, Shoichi MIYAO, Hideshi YAMANE, Kentaro AZUMA, Kazunori HIRATA, Yukio IWASAKI, Ippei NAGAHIRO
  • Publication number: 20210114227
    Abstract: A robot for transporting long and flexible food to a predetermined position, which includes: a base, a first and a second robot arm which are connected to the base, a robot hand provided to the first robot arm and configured to hold the food, an end effector provided to the second robot arm, and a control device configured to control an operation of the first robot arm and the second robot arm. The end effector is configured to support a longitudinal intermediate portion of the food in a state where the food is hung down from an end portion of the robot hand, and the control device controls the operation of the first robot arm and the second robot arm to transport the food in a state where the food is held by the robot hand and the longitudinal intermediate portion of the food is supported by the end effector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunori HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20210078742
    Abstract: A box packing device includes a first arm, a first hand, and a controller. The first hand includes a hand base, a gripping mechanism at the hand base and including a gripper to grip an upper-end of a flap of a large box, and a holding mechanism at the hand base and including a holder to hold an inner box. The controller controls the operation of the first arm and the first hand so as to perform a developing operation in which the gripping part of the gripping mechanism moves in a horizontal plane so as to develop the large box while gripping the upper-end part of the flap part of the large box in a folded state, and an accommodating operation in which the holder of the holding mechanism accommodates the inner box into the developed large box while holding the inner box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi HASHIMOTO, Kazunori HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20200406570
    Abstract: In a box assembly device, a holding mechanism causes one of bottom boards to contact a first jig and folds the bottom board inside, while the holding mechanism holding the box material in a state where the box material is developed in a cylindrical shape from a folded state. The folding mechanism folds the bottom flap inside so as to overlap with one of the bottom boards. The holding mechanism causes the other bottom board to contact the second jig while holding the box material and folds the other bottom board inside and upwardly so as to overlap with the bottom flap to engage the bottom boards with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori HIRATA, Takeshi HASHIMOTO, Ippei NAGAHIRO, Hiroshi KATAFUCHI
  • Publication number: 20200368862
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a connecting device and a connecting method which securely connect a workpiece to a connector. The connecting device includes a holding part configured to hold a workpiece, an abutting part against which the workpiece is abutted, and processing circuitry configured to control the holding part to hold the workpiece, control movement of the holding part, and control movement of the abutting part. The processing circuitry controls the holding part and the abutting part so that the holding part holds the workpiece abutted against an abutting position of the abutting part and so that the workpiece is connected to the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori HIRATA, Takeshi HASHIMOTO, Takayuki ISHIZAKI, Keita SASAKI
  • Patent number: 10745209
    Abstract: A workpiece inverting device includes a gripping part configured to rotatably grip a workpiece, a rotary body rotatable about a rotating shaft and connected to the gripping part, a strip member extending in a direction orthogonal to the rotating shaft, and an arm configured to move in one of a state in which a tip of the arm is provided with the gripping part and the rotary body and a state in which the tip of the arm is provided with the strip member. While the workpiece is gripped by the gripping member, the rotary body moves relative to the strip member in contact with the rotary body in the direction in which the strip member extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunori Hirata
  • Patent number: 10746535
    Abstract: A component inspecting device inspects presence or absence of an abnormal state of two linear wires based on changes in the amount of received light of a first light ray and a second light ray received by a first light receiver and a second light receiver, respectively when a component is moved such that the two linear wires in the normal state block the first light ray and the second light ray in a posture wherein an arrangement direction of the two linear wires crosses optical axes of the first light ray of the first light projector and the second light ray of the second light projector. This device can detect an abnormality such as a bend or the like of linear wires by a simple configuration and a simple operation in a component having two linear wires which have axis directions parallel to each other and have different lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukio Iwasaki, Satoru Hibino, Kazunori Hirata