Abstract: An industrial robot having replaceable modules assembled on a bed (2) housing a drive mechanism therein is composed of blocks (1, 3, 4, 5, 9) which comprise members of compatible common structures that can be selected and assembled as modules. The blocks have engagement portions compatible with those of modules of other specifications. Therefore, different robot specifications can easily be met, and the modules can be replaced with those modules which are effective in a wide range. The blocks of the industrial robot can easily be assembled and disassembled.

Abstract: An industrial robot brake apparatus for braking a mechanism that drives a support shaft supporting an arm in a freely extendable manner is capable of forming a clearance between a fixed brake member, which is for stopping rotation of a screw rod that extends and retracts the support shaft, thereby positioning the working plane of the arm, and a movable brake, thereby facilitating replacement of a belt and inspection of the brake mechanism, such as a brake shoe.

Abstract: An apparatus for limiting range of motion of an industrial robot in accordance with the invention includes an indicating section (7) for indicating e.g. angles of rotation provided on a stationary side (1) of the swivel portion of an axis about which swiveling motion is possible. A range limiting member (6) having a dog and a stopper is movably disposed on the indicating section (7). When the industrial robot attempts to rotate beyond a stipulated range of rotation during operation, a limit member (81) provided on a movable side (2) of the axis portion contacts the dog (61) on the stationary side (1) to detect overtravel, whereby a warning is issued to the effect that the stipulated range of rotation has been exceeded. When the robot attempts to rotate further due to inertia, a shock absorber (82) strikes a stopper mechanism (62) to prevent excessive rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus for setting an industrial robot at the standard position comprises a block (19) to be measured, which is attached to a top end portion (18) of a wrist of the industrial robot, and a supporting member (23) for the measurement, which is attached to a fixing base (11) of the industrial robot. The block has three planes (20, 21, 22), orthogonal to one another, to be measured, and the block is positioned to the top end portion of the wrist so that the three planes to be measured are set at predetermined positions relative to the top end portion of the wrist. The supporting member has three frames (24, 25, 26) orthogonal to one another, and the supporting member is positioned relative to the fixing base so that the three frames take predetermined positions relative to three-axis orthogonal coordinates predetermined on the basis of the fixing base. By a plurality of dial gauges (27 through 32; 37 through 42), the positions of the planes of the block are measured.

Abstract: A shaft supporting mechanism of an industrial robot in which an arm is supported by a freely extendable support shaft inside a hollow post and a working plane of a working arm is variably set is provided, with plural sets of linear support guides in opposed relation about a drive mechanism of the support shaft. As a result, the support shaft is held in the post stably and balanced in the vertical direction even if an external force attempting to tilt the support shaft is applied during up-and-down movement of the support shaft or operation of the working arm.

Abstract: The industrial robot comprises a lower arm (13) provided on a robot body (12) pivotably about a first horizontal axis (C1). The lower arm (13) has provided thereon a forearm (14) pivotably about a second horizontal axis (C2). The forearm (14) is rotationally driven by a drive such as a motor (16). The robot body (12) has provided thereon a rotating disk (17) interlocked with the pivoting of the forearm (14) about the second axis (C2) and rotatable about the first axis (C1). Also the rotating disk (17) has secured thereon a first wheel (18) and coaxial therewith, the diameter of which is smaller than that of the disk. There is further provided a tension spring assembly (19) having one end thereof connected to the robot body (12) and which has rotatably mounted at the other end thereof a second wheel (21) having nearly the same diameter as that of the first wheel. Also provided is a chain (22) having one end thereof connected to the rotating disk (17) and the other end engaged on the first wheel (18).

Abstract: The robot assembly of an industrial robot comprises a stationary robot component (11) and a plurality of movable robot components (12, 13, 14). At least parts of the stationary robot component and the movable robot components have airtight chambers (15, 16, 17) communicating with each other and intended to be kept at a pressure higher than a predetermined level which is higher than an external atmospheric pressure. Robot driving motors (18 to 23) for driving the movable robot components are arranged within the airtight chambers. A driving motor controller (27) for driving and controlling the robot driving motors is connected to the robot driving motors by means of electric cables arranged within the airtight chambers. Pressure switches (25) supply signals to the driving motor controller to stop the robot driving motors, respectively, upon detection of the pressure in the airtight chambers when the pressure in the airtight chambers drops below the predetermined level.

Abstract: A safety method in a robot system including at least a robot (1), peripheral equipment (2-5) serviced by the robot, a robot control unit (6) which causes the robot to execute predetermined services for the peripheral equipment, and a teach control panel (9). A door (11) is provided at the entrance to a robot operating zone, and the door is provided with a safety switch (12) for terminating automatic operation of the robot when the robot is in an automatic operating state. When the safety switch is actuated by opening the door, robot motion in the automatic operating state is decelerated and stopped. During the time that the safety switch is in the actuated state, the robot is placed in a playback operation state to enable control that is performed through the teach control panel.

Abstract: A hand changing device for industrial robots, having a changer body (10) designed to be attached to the robot arm (92) and a changer adapter (50) carrying a robot hand. The changer body (10) and the changer adapter (50) are separate components designed to be coupled detachably. The changer adapter (50) carrying the robot hand (74) is clamped by the changer body (10) by the engagement of a plurality of clamping balls retained within the changer body (10) and a ball engaging part formed in the changer adapter (50). The changer body (10) is provided with a fluid-driven piston (20) to move the clamping balls between two positions, namely, the clamping position and the idle position.

Abstract: A welding method in an automatic welding machine in which welding is performed by impressing a voltage across a wire, which is transported along a welding path by a robot, and a workpiece to produce an arc at the tip of the wire, and transporting the wire tip along the welding path by the robot while the wire is successively laid out in small increments. The method includes storing a number of welding conditions in memory which conditions comprise welding voltage, wire feed speed, preflow duration, crater processing duration and postflow duration selecting prescribed welding conditions by the program, jetting a gas toward the workpiece for the preflow duration; thereafter generating a selected welding voltage and laying out the wire at a selected wire feed speed to start welding.

Abstract: An industrial robot of the articulated arm type comprises a movable robot body (11) arranged on a base (10). An upper arm (13) having root and tip portions is rotatably pivoted to the robot body (11) at the root portion thereof. A forearm (16) having rear and front ends is rotatably pivoted to the tip portion of the upper arm (13) at a portion between the rear and front ends. Preferably, a wrist assembly (20) includes two moving elements (21,22) which are rotatable about different axes in relation to the front end of the forearm (16). The moving elements (21,22) of the wrist assembly (20) are rotated about the corresponding axes by means of wrist drive units (27, 28), respectively. The wrist drive units (27, 28) include first sprockets (29, 36), respectively, each rotatably arranged in the rear end of the forearm (16). Drive motors (31, 37), each rotating the first sprockets (33, 39), are arranged on the rear end of the forearm (16 ), respectively.

Abstract: An industrial robot hand-holding device having a hand-holding unit attached to the extremity of the robot wrist, a hand-attaching unit having mounted thereon one of a plurality of diverse robot hands and being detachably attached to the hand-holding unit, and a safeguard unit provided between the extremity of the robot wrist and the hand-holding unit so as to safeguard the robot hand against an extraordinary force applied to or acting on the robot hand.

Abstract: A robot system for use with a machine tool having a spindle, comprising a robot having a body for being mounted on the machine tool, an arm pivotally mounted on the body and rotatable in a plane transverse to an axial direction of the spindle of the machine tool, and a hand mounted on a distal end of said arm for gripping a workpiece for transfer to the machine tool, and a workpiece feeder disposed adjacent to the robot and movably supporting a succession of pallets for carrying unmachined and machined workpieces thereon.

Abstract: A robot hand adapted to be secured to the extremity of a robot arm or a robot wrist of an industrial robot has a finger operating unit provided with a fluid pressure operated piston reciprocating in a cylinder body and a piston rod integral with the piston and having a finger mount, and at least two finger units detachably attached to the finger operating unit. Each finger unit has a fixed finger member and a movable finger member.

Abstract: A double hand for an industrial robot comprises a hand body, two sets of work clamping units and two sets of actuators to drive the work clamping units, respectively, for opening and closing motions. The hand body has a rear end attachable to the free end of the robot wrist of an industrial robot, a front end and opposite sides extending between the front end and the rear end. Each work clamping unit has a pair of gripping fingers and the pairs of gripping fingers of the two sets of work gripping units are supported pivotally at the roots thereof on the opposite sides of the hand body for turning motion. The paired gripping fingers are turned about the respective roots thereof in opposite directions by the associated actuator.

Abstract: A robot hand provided with fingers driven by a double acting cylinder and supplied working liquid pressure through two, 2-position, 5-port-type, single solenoid, electromagnetic valves, wherein: (a) an outlet of a first electromagnetic valve is connected with the inlet thereof in response to the ON position of the solenoid thereof and is connected with the inlet of a first chamber of the double acting cylinder; (b) an outlet of a second electromagnetic valve is connected with the inlet thereof in response to the OFF position of a second chamber of the double acting cylinder; (c) an outlet of the first electromagnetic valve is connected with the inlet thereof in response to the OFF position of the solenoid thereof and is plugged; (d) an outlet of the second electromagnetic valve is connected with the inlet thereof in response to the ON position of the solenoid thereof and is plugged; and (e) a working liquid pressure source is connected with the inlet of the first and second electromagnetic valves.

Abstract: A robot hand changer for industrial robots, having a changer unit mounted fixedly on the industrial robots and a changer adapter holding a robot hand and being detachably fitted in the change unit. The changer unit has a fluid-operated piston and clamping balls urged toward a clamping position by the fluid-operated piston. The changer adapter is fitted in the changer unit and clamped by the agency of the clamping piston. A plurality of such changer adapters holding different kinds of robot hand are prepared.

Abstract: A system for controlling an industrial robot having a wrist (1) driven to rotate by a direct-current motor (2) having a servomechanism, wherein stroke-limit position control (6) of the wrist and rotational control (7) of the wrist can be selectively carried out.

Abstract: A workpiece feeder for successively feeding workpieces to a predetermined workpiece gripping station of the robot's hand. The workpiece feeder includes a conveyor having a plurality of interspaced pallets traveling on a table. Each pallet comprises a lower plate having a central opening and an upper plate which is detachably mounted on the lower plate. The workpiece feeder is provided with a lifting means having a vertically movable platform which ascends through the central opening in the lower plate to lift the upper plate away from the lower plate, thereby elevating the workpiece on the pallet up to the level of the gripping position of the robot's hand. The workpiece feeder further comprises a stop mechanism for limiting the topmost position of the platform. The workpiece feeder according to the invention is particularly suitable for use with an industrial robot of the simplified type in which the upright stand enabling the robot's hand to perform vertical translational movement is omitted.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding workpieces to a workpiece gripping position of a hand of an industrial robot, especially a workpiece feeder used for a limited axis robot, comprising a conveyor which is mounted on a table and has a plurality of pallets, the workpieces placed on the pallets moved intermittently to a predetermined area of the robot, characterized in that the table has a window, that each of the pallets comprises a lower plate having a central opening and an upper plate mounted on the lower plate, and that there is provided a lifting means movable vertically through the window in the table and the central opening in the lower plate, causing the upper plate to move and to lift the workpiece placed on the upper plate up to a workpiece gripping position of a hand of the robot.