Patents by Inventor Kazutaka Nakayama

Kazutaka Nakayama 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: 7765890
    Abstract: An industrial robot has an arm, a wrist element rotatably interconnected to the arm, a work tool mounted on a distal end of the wrist element, and a motor mounted on the wrist element. An umbilical-member connected to the work tool and a flat cable connected to the motor are disposed to run along the wrist element from the arm side to the work tool or to the motor. A pipe member extending in a direction of a rotation axis of the wrist element is provided inside the arm and the umbilical-member connected to the work tool is passed inside the pipe member. The flat cable connected to the motor is wound around outside of the pipe member, with the flat cable arranged to become slack in a rotating direction of the wrist element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama, Junya Fujita
  • Publication number: 20100032420
    Abstract: An arc welding robot having a welding wire conduit which has a bend radius above a certain level and arranged so that disadvantageous stress is not applied to the conduit by the motion of the robot arm. A conduit for a welding wire is inserted through a hole of a robot pedestal from the rear side of the robot, is supported by a second support member arranged on the pedestal, extends near the front side of a rotating body of the robot, and is supported by a first support member on the upper part of the rotating body while having a required minimum bend radius. The conduit after passing through the first support member is introduced to the rear side of the upper arm and is connected to a connector at the rear side of a wire feeder while having the required minimum radius, whereby the conduit presents a generally S-shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Publication number: 20090297761
    Abstract: A flexible laminated wood material produced by applying an adhesive to surfaces of a plurality of wood materials; laminating the plurality of wood materials with their grain directions substantially aligned with each other to obtain a laminated product 2; placing the laminated product 2 in a press machine 7 in a pressure-resistant container 4; compressing the laminated product 2 in a laminating direction to reduce the thickness to ½ to ? of the original thickness in an environment heated with high-pressure steam introduced in the pressure-resistant container 4; cooling the compressed laminated product; and cutting the laminated product along the laminating direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventor: Kazutaka Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20090200432
    Abstract: A managing structure for an umbilical member includes a flexible conduit for leading an umbilical member inserted therein from a front arm of a robot to a working tool mounted on a wrist of the robot, a first conduit mounting portion provided adjacent to the front arm, and a second conduit mounting portion provided adjacent to a point where the umbilical member is connected to the working tool. One end of the conduit is attached to the first conduit mounting portion, while the other end of the conduit is attached to the second conduit mounting portion. The conduit is laid so that a section thereof between the first conduit mounting portion and the second conduit mounting portion does not contact the body of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Publication number: 20090197203
    Abstract: A photosensitive conductive paste for transferring including a metal powder, an inorganic material powder, a photosensitive resin and a polymerization initiator, and to be applied onto a surface of a transfer support, comprising an acrylic resin or a rosin-based resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: NORITAKE CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Nagai, Kazutaka Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20090032649
    Abstract: An umbilical-member processing structure for an industrial robot which includes a forearm having a tool managing and relaying device and a wrist with proximal end rotatably connected to the forearm and having a work tool mounted on the distal end thereof, with an umbilical-member connected to the work tool being disposed to run along the wrist via the tool managing and relaying device: wherein the forearm has a first reduction gear which reduces the rotational speed of a driving source to drive the forearm in rotation; the first reduction gear having a first insertion hole for passing the umbilical-member therein; and wherein the wrist comprises a first wrist element having a through-path in communication with the first insertion hole and rotatably connected to the forearm, and a second wrist element having a second insertion hole in communication with the through-path and rotatably connected to the first wrist element; and wherein a conduit for passing the umbilical-member from one end to the other end is pr
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Publication number: 20080315820
    Abstract: An industrial robot having: an arm, a wrist element rotatably interconnected to the arm, a work tool mounted on a distal end of the wrist element, and a motor mounted on the wrist element; wherein an umbilical-member connected to the work tool and a flat cable connected to the motor are disposed to run along the wrist element from the arm side to aid work tool or to the motor, characterized in that a pipe member extending in a direction of a rotation axis of the wrist element is provided inside the arm, the umbilical-member connected to the work tool being passed inside the pipe member, the flat cable connected to the motor being wound around outside of the pipe member, with the flat cable slacked in a rotating direction of the wrist element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama, Junya Fujita
  • Publication number: 20080236324
    Abstract: In an umbilical member processing mechanism of a robot, a working tool managing unit umbilical member (50) for supplying at least one of the power, the signal and the material to a working tool managing unit (34), is guided from a rotary barrel in the longitudinal direction of an upper arm on a side face of the upper arm (14) located on the opposite side to the side attached to the rotary barrel (12) and then guided onto a front side (18b) of a front arm (18). Next, the working tool managing unit umbilical member (50) is connected to the working tool managing unit (34) through a side of the front arm located on the opposite side to the side on which the upper arm is attached. Further, the working tool managing unit umbilical member is connected to the working tool managing unit being relayed by an umbilical member junction portion (39) attached to a side or a front side of the front arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Publication number: 20080229861
    Abstract: A robot including a forearm section with a through passage, a wrist section articulated on the forearm section, and an umbilical member inserted through the through passage of the forearm section and provided along the wrist section. The robot includes a tool managing and relaying unit mounted on the forearm section close to the through passage and provided with a connection part to which the umbilical member is connected, and a mount mechanism carrying the tool managing and relaying unit movably between a first position where the connection part is disposed adjacent to an opening of the through passage and a second position where the connection part is spaced from the opening of the through passage, and releasably securing the tool managing and relaying unit to the forearm section at the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama, Tokitaka Uemura
  • Patent number: 7419351
    Abstract: A managing structure for an umbilical member of an industrial robot, the umbilical member being for supplying air and electric energy to a work tool attached to an end of a wrist of the robot, in which the umbilical member is properly moved and interference between the umbilical member and a peripheral object or a forearm of the robot is prevented. The umbilical member elastically contacts a guide surface of a guide plate attached to a second wrist element of the robot without widely projecting from the robot. The umbilical member is guided such that the extending direction of the umbilical member generally coincides with the longitudinal direction of the guide plate before the umbilical member is connected to the work tool. The thickness of the guide plate may be gradually reduced or constant toward a free end of the guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Ryo Nihei, Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20080056859
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for an industrial robot arm, having a simple drive system, in which an extracting part of an umbilical member for a work tool is suitably positioned and a device for the work tool is positioned on the forearm so as not to project out, while the basic configuration of the robot arm may be similar to the prior art. A motor for a first wrist element is positioned in the area between a forearm and an upper arm such that the rotation axis of the motor is perpendicular to a second axis. Further, the motor is positioned at the point shifted toward the wrist element or a front end of the forearm, in relation to a first axis, along the longitudinal direction of the forearm. Therefore, a wide area for a wire feeder may be obtained above a bottom portion of the forearm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Publication number: 20080034920
    Abstract: A wrist driving structure for an industrial robot having: a first wrist element supported in cantilever fashion rotatably about a first axis; a second wrist element pivotally supported in cantilever fashion at a distal end side of the first wrist element with a proximal end as a supporting point about a second axis intersecting the first axis; a third wrist element supported in cantilever fashion at a distal end side of the second wrist element rotatably about a third axis intersecting the second axis; two driving motors provided in the first wrist element for driving the second wrist element and the third wrist element, respectively; and two gear sets for reducing a rotational speed of the two driving motors in predetermined reduction ratios. Each of the gear sets has a driving gear driven by one of the two driving motors and a driven ring gear which meshes with the driving gear. Two driven ring gears of the two gear sets are disposed coaxially with the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Patent number: 7241969
    Abstract: An umbilical-member managing system for an industrial robot. The embodiment of the umbilical-member managing system provided in an arc welding robot serves to lay and manage, along a manipulator, a torch cable connected to a welding torch attached to the manipulator. This umbilical-member managing system includes a support unit provided on the manipulator movably toward and away from the welding torch to support the torch cable; and a biasing mechanism continually biasing the support unit on the manipulator in a direction away from the welding torch. In this arrangement, the support unit may be composed of a wire feeding device for feeding a welding wire in the torch cable toward the welding torch. A guide unit is provided on the manipulator, which can guide the wire feeding device in a direction toward and away from the welding torch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Tomoyuki Motokado
  • Patent number: 7196285
    Abstract: An umbilical-member managing structure for a welding torch in an arc welding robot. The umbilical members include a welding wire fed to the welding torch, a tubular liner surrounding the welding wire, a tube for supplying an assist gas to the welding torch, and an electrical conductor for feeding a welding current to the welding torch. The arc welding robot is provided with a wire feeding device mounted on the manipulator for feeding the welding wire to the welding torch. The umbilical-member managing structure includes a flexible conduit containing the umbilical members, which includes a first connecting section provided at one longitudinal end connected to the welding torch, and a second connecting section provided at another longitudinal end connected to the wire feeding device; and a connection mechanism for rotatably connecting the conduit to at least one of the welding torch and the wire feeding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Tomoyuki Motokado
  • Patent number: 7173213
    Abstract: A first wrist element is rotatably provided on the front end of a forearm base of a robot. A second wrist element is rotatably provided on the first wrist element. A welding torch is rotatably supported via a transmission mechanism. A wire feeder is disposed at a position other than a forearm. A torch cable is fitted to a slider with an intermediate fitting section. A slider can be pulled backward by returning a wire connected to a tension generator using a pulley. In place of the fitting section, an intermediate guiding section can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Publication number: 20070012672
    Abstract: An umbilical member handling structure for an industrial robot includes a first wrist element arranged rotatably at a forward end of a forearm, a second wrist element arranged rotatably at a forward end of the first wrist element, a working tool arranged at a forward end of the second wrist element, an umbilical member connected to the working tool and arranged along the first wrist element and the second wrist element, a flexible tabular guide member having a first end fixed on the second wrist element and a second end constituting a free end extended in a curve along the first wrist element and the second wrist element in the direction from the second element toward the first wrist element to guide the umbilical member between the first end and the second end, a displacement limiting member mounted at the second end of the flexible tabular guide member to limit the range of displacement of the second end, mainly in a thickness direction of the flexible tabular guide member, and an insertion member arranged
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko INOUE, Kazutaka NAKAYAMA, Takatoshi IWAYAMA, Tomoyuki MOTOKADO, Shunsuke ABIKO
  • Publication number: 20060278622
    Abstract: A positioner for arc welding having a few movable members and a simple structure, an arc welding robot system including the positioner and an arc welding robot, whereby the orientation of the workpiece corresponding to a welding site of the workpiece may be suitably changed by a minimum motion of the positioner. The positioner includes a pair of support members, a first member having two ends supported by the pair of support members such that the first member is rotatable about a first axis parallel to an installation surface of the positioner, a second member having two ends supported by a pair of supporting portions arranged on the first member such that the second member is rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a workpiece fixing part for fixing the workpiece to the second member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama
  • Patent number: 7105771
    Abstract: A first wrist element is provided at a distal end of a front arm of an arc welding robot rotatably about a first axial line, a second wrist element is provided on the first wrist element rotatably about a second axial line, and a welding torch is supported on the second wrist element about a third axial line. A slide mechanism which can reciprocate in a direction approximately parallel to the first axial line is provided at a proper position from an upper portion of the front arm to an upper portion of the first wrist element and a wire feeding apparatus is mounted on the slide mechanism. By sliding the position of the wire feeding apparatus in response to the attitude of the welding torch, an extending state of the torch cable can be maintained properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fanuc LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Masahiro Hagihara, Takeshi Tsumura
  • Patent number: 7092791
    Abstract: A robot system and a machining method capable of accurately and simply cutting an end of a pipe into a saddle shape and forming a hole on an outer surface thereof, and further machining a workpiece of a three-dimensional shape which does not have platelike shape. A tool unit is attached to a final axis of a moveable arm of a robot. The tool unit is provided with a first additional variable axis expanding and retracting vertically and a second additional variable axis expanding and retracting in the horizontal direction. By rotating the final axis, a cutting tool (machining nozzle of laser) at a distal end of the tool unit is turned about the final axis to cut a workpiece W of a pipe shape. By driving the first and the second additional variable axes in synchronism with rotation of the final axis, the cutting into a saddle shape and the forming of a hole are carried out. The movable arm of the robot is only for rotating the final axis and the machining accuracy is promoted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Fanuc LTD
    Inventors: Akihiro Terada, Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20060101936
    Abstract: A managing structure, for an umbilical member for a work tool of a robot, capable of stabilizing the motion of the umbilical member during the operation of a wrist of the robot and making the work of modifying the system of the robot easier. The umbilical member is introduced into an opening formed at the back of a base of a forearm. The umbilical member extends through a hollow portion of a speed reducer and is drawn from a first opening formed on the side of a first wrist element. A cable for welding current and a tube for supplying shield gas, constituting the umbilical member, are directly connected to a welding torch rotatable about a third axis. A welding wire is guided and fed by a feed roller of a wire feeder and, then, is connected to the welding wire with the cable and the tube. The feed roller is driven by a motor contained within the first wrist element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Kazutaka Nakayama, Takatoshi Iwayama