Patents by Inventor Ryo Niikawa

Ryo Niikawa 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: 5267385
    Abstract: An automatic assembling apparatus having two identical assembling jigs. One assembling jig is attached to a robot arm and the assembling jig is then moved by operation of a robot from a setting site to an assembling site for assembling a plurality of parts set thereon at the setting site to an article place at the assembling site. Simultaneously, the plurality of parts are set on the other assembling jig. The two units are alternately attached to the robot arm at the setting site. Two receiving tables, each of which is for mounting thereon each of the assembling jigs, are provided alongside of each other at the setting site. A transfer device is provided to transfer each assembling jig from one receiving table to the other receiving table. The assembling jig attached to the robot arm is detached from the robot arm and placed on the one receiving table and the other assembling jig mounted on the other receiving table is then attached to the robot arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuzi Ikeda, Ryo Niikawa, Shigeo Kaibuki, Shinpei Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5069524
    Abstract: A robot hand changer has a first joint member mounted on a robot arm, a second joint member mounted on a robot hand, and an engaging member mounted on the first joint member and angularly movable with respect to the second joint member for coupling the first and second joint members against each other. The robot hand changer also has an optical signal transmission device including sets of optical fibers disposed in confronting relation out of contact with each other for transmitting control signals across mating surfaces when the robot arm and the robot hand are coupled to each other, and photoelectric transducer circuits for converting electric signals to optical signals and vice versa. The robot hand arm further includes a detecting device for detecting dirt on the mating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinpei Watanabe, Yasuto Watanabe, Yuzi Ikeda, Keiichiro Gunji, Ryo Niikawa
  • Patent number: 4991281
    Abstract: A method for modifying an existing production line apparatus for adaptation to a new type of workpiece, when the apparatus includes a standardized general-purpose member and a special-purpose member which is exchangeable according to type of workpiece to be handled. A master apparatus is prepared which is mechanically identical with the general-purpose member. A special-purpose member is made that is compatible with a new type of workpiece. The special-purpose member is attached to the master apparatus and a trail operation is performed. Programming data from the trail operation necessary for operating the special-purpose member, and including teaching data for the general-purpose member are prepared and stored in a memory of the special purpose member. The programmed special-purpose member is then to attached to the general-purpose member and the production line apparatus having now incorporated the special-purpose member is operated according to the programming data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuzi Ikeda, Ryo Niikawa
  • Patent number: 4990022
    Abstract: A robot hand changer has a first joint member mounted on a robot arm, a second joint member mounted on a robot hand, and an engaging member mounted on the first joint member and angularly movable with respect to the second joint member for coupling the first and second joint members against each other. The robot hand changer also has an optical signal transmission device including sets of optical fibers disposed in confronting relation out of contact with each other for transmitting control signals across mating surfaces when the robot arm and the robot hand are coupled to each other, and photoelectric transducer circuits for converting electric signals to optical signals and vice versa. The robot hand arm further includes a detecting device for detecting dirt on the mating surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinpei Watanabe, Yasuto Watanabe, Yuzi Ikeda, Keiichiro Gunji, Ryo Niikawa
  • Patent number: 4796346
    Abstract: Apparatus for properly locating and positioning a vehicle body carried by a conveying hanger to a work station which includes a pair of locating pins on the hanger and locating the vehicle body relative to the hanger. A pair of depending standard pins are also provided on the hanger and clamp means provided at the work station clamp the depending standard pins to properly position the hanger and vehicle body relative to the work station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Kawasaki, Ryo Niikawa, Yuzi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 4646915
    Abstract: An apparatus moving a workpiece onto and off of a working station without stopping the conveying line or the conveying carrier. A loading carrier lifts the workpiece off the conveying carrier at a receiving station and transfers it to a jig table over the conveying line. After the operation at the working station is completed, an unloading carrier takes the workpiece off the jig table to a delivering position where it is set upon the empty conveying carrier which in the meantime had passed under the jig table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keizaburo Ohtaki, Ryo Niikawa
  • Patent number: 4625416
    Abstract: Clearance measuring apparatus for measuring the amount of clearance formed between circumferential edges of a component part and a component part assembling portion of a product main body used with a set jig holding the component part. A stationary claw is fixed to the set jig and is arranged to be arranged to be brought into engagement with the edge of the part. A movable claw is mounted to be movable in a clearance measuring direction and is arranged to be brought into engagement with the edge of the assembling portion. A detecting device is provided for detecting the amount of displacement of the movable claw in relation to the stationary claw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keizaburo Ohtaki, Ryo Niikawa, Masashi Sakata
  • Patent number: 4589199
    Abstract: An apparatus including a set jig for setting and positioning a door into a door opening portion of a vehicle body which jig is movable to advance and retreat in the direction of the door opening portion and movable in the vehicle length and height directions from a predetermined original point position (corresponding to a normal set position of the door opening) and a position detecting mechanism for detecting deviation in position of the door opening from the normal set position and for adjusting the alignment of the set jig in accordance with the deviation to have it correspond with the actual position of the door opening portion prior to the set jig advancing to set the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keizaburo Ohtaki, Ryo Niikawa, Masahide Kondou
  • Patent number: 4410782
    Abstract: A fluid pressure operated spot welding apparatus is disclosed, in which one of a pair of electrode arms initially is moved from a closed position of the electrodes in a rectilinear path perpendicular to the other electrode, and subsequently is swung in an arcuate path to a retracted position in which the said one electrode is positioned rearwardly and remote from the said other electrode, the apparatus also providing for the substitution of alternative workpiece supports in a readily interchangeable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuo Konno, Ryo Niikawa, Kenzo Sato
  • Patent number: 4404451
    Abstract: Welding apparatus for a motorcar body comprising a pair of welding jig units positioned on opposing sides of a combining station which are movable laterally for positioning and holding thereon side panels of the body and a carrier movable between the combining station and a setting station for positioning and holding thereon the floor panel and the roof panel of the motorcar body. The structures of the carrier and the welding jig units are disclosed. Each welding jig unit can be turnable between an inwardly facing position and an outwardly facing one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1983
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Niikawa, Susumu Wakou
  • Patent number: 4160147
    Abstract: A multi-spot welding arrangement in which a jig table on the front surface of a machine frame has a plurality of welding guns located along the shape or contour of the workpiece to be processed or worked. An electric supply has a plurality of units which are connected to the welding guns through respective electric supply cables. A pressure applying mechanism has a plurality of operation cylinders which are connected to the welding guns through respective flexible wires, and is located on the rear side and the upper side of the machine frame. The machine frame, moreover, has a front frame and a rear frame which are coupled together in a detachable manner. The jig table and the pressure applying mechanism are located on the front frame, and the electric supply is provided on the rear frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1979
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Soichi Matsubara, Ryo Niikawa, Morikuni Numata