Patents by Inventor Tetsuro Sakano

Tetsuro Sakano 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: 10760986
    Abstract: A displacement detection type six-axis force sensor. The force sensor includes a first end portion; a second end portion; an intermediate portion; a first connecting portion elastically connecting the first end portion to the intermediate portion with first three-degrees of freedom; a second connecting portion elastically connecting the second end portion to the intermediate portion with second three-degrees of freedom; a first detecting part detecting relative displacement between the first end and intermediate portions, accompanied by elastic deformation of the first connecting portion; and a second detecting part detecting relative displacement between the second end and intermediate portions, accompanied by elastic deformation of the second connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuro Sakano, Shunichi Odaka
  • Patent number: 10677672
    Abstract: A displacement detection type force-detection structure. The force-detection structure includes a first end portion; a second end portion; a connecting portion elastically connecting the first and second end portions with three degrees of freedom; a detecting part detecting relative displacement between the first and second end portions accompanied by elastic deformation of the connecting portion. The detecting part includes a first differentially-detecting section detecting a relative movement between the first and second end portions along a first axis as first movement data by using signals reverse in phase; a second differentially-detecting section detecting a relative movement between the first and second end portions along a second axis as second movement data by using signals reverse in phase; and a third differentially-detecting section detecting a relative rotation between the first and second end portions about a central axis along a third axis as rotation data by using signals reverse in phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuro Sakano, Shunichi Odaka
  • Patent number: 10458867
    Abstract: A force detecting device includes an installed member that is installed on an installing face and a force sensor main unit that is fixed to a top face of the installed member. The installed member has a plate-shaped or brim-shaped first portion having the top face and extending at least in a horizontal direction; a second portion extending at least downward from a bottom face side of the first portion; and a third portion extending at least in the horizontal direction from the second portion and fixed to the installing face, and a gap SP in a top-down direction is formed between the first portion and the third portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junya Fujita, Tetsuro Sakano
  • Publication number: 20190162608
    Abstract: A force detecting device includes an installed member that is installed on an installing face and a force sensor main unit that is fixed to a top face of the installed member. The installed member has a plate-shaped or brim-shaped first portion having the top face and extending at least in a horizontal direction; a second portion extending at least downward from a bottom face side of the first portion; and a third portion extending at least in the horizontal direction from the second portion and fixed to the installing face, and a gap SP in a top-down direction is formed between the first portion and the third portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junya FUJITA, Tetsuro SAKANO
  • Publication number: 20190162612
    Abstract: A displacement detection type six-axis force sensor. The force sensor includes a first end portion; a second end portion; an intermediate portion; a first connecting portion elastically connecting the first end portion to the intermediate portion with first three-degrees of freedom; a second connecting portion elastically connecting the second end portion to the intermediate portion with second three-degrees of freedom; a first detecting part detecting relative displacement between the first end and intermediate portions, accompanied by elastic deformation of the first connecting portion; and a second detecting part detecting relative displacement between the second end and intermediate portions, accompanied by elastic deformation of the second connecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Tetsuro SAKANO, Shunichi ODAKA
  • Publication number: 20190162613
    Abstract: A displacement detection type force-detection structure. The force-detection structure includes a first end portion; a second end portion; a connecting portion elastically connecting the first and second end portions with three degrees of freedom; a detecting part detecting relative displacement between the first and second end portions accompanied by elastic deformation of the connecting portion. The detecting part includes a first differentially-detecting section detecting a relative movement between the first and second end portions along a first axis as first movement data by using signals reverse in phase; a second differentially-detecting section detecting a relative movement between the first and second end portions along a second axis as second movement data by using signals reverse in phase; and a third differentially-detecting section detecting a relative rotation between the first and second end portions about a central axis along a third axis as rotation data by using signals reverse in phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Tetsuro SAKANO, Shunichi ODAKA
  • Patent number: 9638594
    Abstract: A six-axis force sensor including a fixed part; a first movable part; a first connecting part connecting the first movable part to the fixed part in an elastically displaceable manner; a second movable part; a second connecting part connecting the second movable part to the first movable part in an elastically displaceable manner; a first detecting section detecting a displacement of the first movable part relative to the fixed part; and a second detecting section detecting a displacement of the second movable part relative to the first movable part. The six-axis force sensor enables, in a three-axis rectangular coordinate system, a detection of force components in first axis, second axis and third axis directions, and moment components about the first axis, the second axis and the third axis, of a force applied to the second movable part, with reference to detection values of the first and second detecting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuro Sakano
  • Publication number: 20160091376
    Abstract: A six-axis force sensor including a fixed part; a first movable part; a first connecting part connecting the first movable part to the fixed part in an elastically displaceable manner; a second movable part; a second connecting part connecting the second movable part to the first movable part in an elastically displaceable manner; a first detecting section detecting a displacement of the first movable part relative to the fixed part; and a second detecting section detecting a displacement of the second movable part relative to the first movable part. The six-axis force sensor enables, in a three-axis rectangular coordinate system, a detection of force components in first axis, second axis and third axis directions, and moment components about the first axis, the second axis and the third axis, of a force applied to the second movable part, with reference to detection values of the first and second detecting sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventor: Tetsuro Sakano
  • Patent number: 9112385
    Abstract: A force-controlled electric hand including: an electric motor; a rotary-linear motion conversion mechanism converting rotary motion from the electric motor to linear motion; a pair of finger bases including a movable finger base which moves linearly in parallel with a first axial line through the rotary-linear motion conversion mechanism by power from the electric motor; a pair of fingers fixed to the pair of finger bases to grip a target workpiece by linear motion of the movable finger base; and a force sensor provided at least at one of the pair of finger bases to detect gripping force of the pair of fingers. The force sensor has a pair of parallel beams extending in parallel with a second axial line vertical to the first axial line and detects the gripping force based on an amount of displacement of the parallel beams in a direction of the first axial line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuro Sakano
  • Publication number: 20140207275
    Abstract: An electric hand for grasping an object by opening and closing fingers includes a force sensor for detecting forces acting on the fingers. The fingers are actuated based on a detected force value detected by the force sensor. When it is judged that the detected force value has reached a predetermined target force value, an electric current supplied to an actuating section is restricted so as not to be greater than a predetermined holding electric current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuro Sakano
  • Publication number: 20140028118
    Abstract: A force-controlled electric hand including: an electric motor; a rotary-linear motion conversion mechanism converting rotary motion from the electric motor to linear motion; a pair of finger bases including a movable finger base which moves linearly in parallel with a first axial line through the rotary-linear motion conversion mechanism by power from the electric motor; a pair of fingers fixed to the pair of finger bases to grip a target workpiece by linear motion of the movable finger base; and a force sensor provided at least at one of the pair of finger bases to detect gripping force of the pair of fingers. The force sensor has a pair of parallel beams extending in parallel with a second axial line vertical to the first axial line and detects the gripping force based on an amount of displacement of the parallel beams in a direction of the first axial line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Tetsuro SAKANO
  • Publication number: 20120180575
    Abstract: A capacitance-type force sensor is provided with a fixed plate, a fixed portion on which the fixed plate is mounted, a load transmission portion, and an elastic portion through which the load transmission portion is mounted on the fixed portion. All these members are formed of materials having substantially equal coefficients of linear expansion. Further, a displacement electrode secured to the load transmission portion and/or a fixed electrode secured to the fixed plate is divided into three or more electrically independent electrodes such that the displacement and fixed electrodes form three or more capacitance elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuro SAKANO, Youichi INOUE
  • Patent number: 7437954
    Abstract: A six-axis force sensor includes a pair of members, and at least three legs scatteringly disposed between the pair of members on the periphery of the members. Each leg includes a T-shaped leg consisting of a cross beam supported at both ends thereof by one of the pair of members and extending on the periphery of the member in a circumferential direction, and a vertical beam extending from the center of the cross beam to a direction perpendicular to the cross beam and connected to the other of the pair of members. The strains on the legs are detected by first single-axis-type strain gauges and second single-axis-type strain gauges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: FANUC Ltd
    Inventor: Tetsuro Sakano
  • Publication number: 20080188985
    Abstract: A robot control unit (10) having a designated speed adjusting means for adjusting a designated speed, which is contained in a robot command program, to a value not more than the designated speed, comprises: a decoding means (38) for decoding a movement stopping command of stopping a movement of the robot (1) according to a force detection value detected by a force sensor (2) attached to a wrist of the robot (1); a movement command means (36) for generating a movement command of moving the robot by the designated speed in the designated direction contained in the program without activating the designated speed adjusting means; a force calculation means (31) for calculating a change in a force detection value from a reference value as a present force value; and a comparison means (32) for comparing a present force value, which is repeatedly calculated at a predetermined period by the force calculation means, with a predetermined force designated value while the robot is moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventor: Tetsuro Sakano
  • Publication number: 20060213287
    Abstract: A six-axis force sensor includes a pair of members, and at least three legs scatteringly disposed between the pair of members on the periphery of the members. Each leg includes a T-shaped leg consisting of a cross beam supported at both ends thereof by one of the pair of members and extending on the periphery of the member in a circumferential direction, and a vertical beam extending from the center of the cross beam to a direction perpendicular to the cross beam and connected to the other of the pair of members. The strains on the legs are detected by first single-axis-type strain gauges and second single-axis-type strain gauges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventor: Tetsuro Sakano
  • Patent number: 6934309
    Abstract: A two-dimensional LD (laser diode) array light-emitting device constituted by stacking light-emitting units each having a LD bar and a cooling assembly for cooling the LD bar with a simplified electrical connection structure to reduce manufacturing cost. The cooling assembly is electrically connected with one electrode of the LD bar through the die spacer so that a part of the cooling assembly serves as one electrode of the light-emitting unit. The other electrode of the LD bar is electrically connected with a webbed extending section of a conductive layer of a TAB (tape-automated bonding) sheet so that the conductive layer serves as the other electrode of the light-emitting unit. A space between the adjacent cooling assemblies for arranging the LD bar is adjusted by the spacer sheet intervened between the TAB sheet and the cooling assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Nishikawa, Hiroshi Takigawa, Tetsuro Sakano, Koji Hayano, Akinori Ohyama
  • Publication number: 20050141574
    Abstract: A cooling device for a semiconductor component which increases mechanical strength thereof and reduces a pressure loss of coolant. Plate members constituting the cooling device are formed with flow passages such as coolant supply and discharge openings, grooves divided by ridges, and through portions separated by projections or partitions. The ridges, projections, and partitions are joined to a adjacent plate member to increase the joining strength, which is further increased by forming the ridges, projections, and partitions of different plate members at the same positions. In the case of laminating the plate members having surfaces formed with solder layers, a number of minute vacant spaces are formed in those joining faces of the plate members which are not formed with passages, etc., and solder filets are formed over the entire joining faces to increase the joining strength. The grooves and through portions can be formed by chemical etching together with outer shapes of the plate members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Tetsuro Sakano, Hiroshi Takigawa, Yuji Nishikawa, Koji Hayano, Akinori Ohyama, Ryusuke Miyata
  • Patent number: 6865200
    Abstract: A cooling device suitable for cooling a laser diode bar constituting a surface illuminating device as a light source for exciting a laser medium of a solid-state laser oscillator of high power. The cooling device is capable of flowing coolant at sufficient flow rate by reducing the pressure loss in the flow passage of the coolant in the device, to realize a light source device of small thickness with high cooling capability and high reliability. The cooling device comprises a first plate member, one or more second plate member and a third plate member to be joined together to form a laminated body. The second plate member has grooved paths formed on both surfaces thereof and having depths greater than a half of thickness of the plate member, and also opened paths for communicating grooved paths formed on the first plate member and the third plate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Fanuc LTD
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takigawa, Tetsuro Sakano, Yuji Nishikawa, Masao Sato, Shinya Naito, Ryusuke Miyata, Koji Hayano
  • Publication number: 20040252735
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser has emitters that are separated by LD stripes. Grooves are formed in a mounting substrate corresponding to both ends of the semiconductor laser. On mounting, fillets are formed in the grooves by the molten solder, thereby reinforcing the soldering at both ends of the semiconductor laser and enabling uniform bonding strength to be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Tetsuro Sakano, Hiroshi Takigawa, Yuji Nishikawa, Koji Hayano, Akinori Ohyama, Ryusuke Miyata
  • Publication number: 20040218637
    Abstract: A laser unit which is reliable and has a simple structure. The laser unit includes a shutter having a reflective member for reflecting a laser beam, a motor for moving the shutter between a position in an optical path of the laser beam and a position out of the optical path, a shutter position control for commanding the motor, and an encoder for detecting a rotational position of the motor. By monitoring a condition of the shutter based on a rotational position of the motor for driving the shutter, it is unnecessary to provide a separate sensor for detecting the position of the shutter or a detecting device for detecting a laser beam, which may be malfunction, and the number of necessary sensors may be decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Tetsuro Sakano, Yuji Nishikawa, Hiroyuki Yoshida, Hisatada Machida, Akihiko Nishio