Patents by Inventor Tomoki Kawano

Tomoki Kawano 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: 9403276
    Abstract: A robot system of the present disclosure includes: a robot including an operable working arm; a motion speed detection unit configured to detect a motion speed of the working arm; a region setting unit that sets a region with a predetermined range around the robot; a moving body detection unit configured to detect a position of the moving body other than the robot; and an abnormality determination unit configured to determine abnormality when detecting of the position of the moving body within the region, wherein the region setting unit changes the range of the region according to the motion speed of the working arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Takashi Nishimura, Tamio Nakamura, Dai Kouno, Takashi Suyama, Tomohiro Matsuo, Shinichi Ishikawa, Tomoki Kawano
  • Patent number: 9346630
    Abstract: A robot system includes a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a robot, and a controller. The first conveyor conveys a plurality of kinds of workpieces. The second conveyor conveys workpiece groups each including a combination of the workpieces. The controller controls the robot, and includes a situation acquirer, a determiner, and an instructor. The situation acquirer acquires a situation in a predetermined monitor area on the first and second conveyors. The monitor area is set based on a movable range of the robot. Based on the situation, the determiner determines whether one of the workpieces on the first conveyor in the monitor area is a missing workpiece of one of the workpiece groups in the monitor area. The instructor instructs the robot to hold the one workpiece and to transfer the one workpiece from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nishizaka, Ken Nakamura, Tomoki Kawano, Yutaro Uchida
  • Publication number: 20160083198
    Abstract: A robot system includes a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a robot, and a controller. The first conveyor conveys a plurality of kinds of workpieces. The second conveyor conveys workpiece groups each including a combination of the workpieces. The controller controls the robot, and includes a situation acquirer, a determiner, and an instructor. The situation acquirer acquires a situation in a predetermined monitor area on the first and second conveyors. The monitor area is set based on a movable range of the robot. Based on the situation, the determiner determines whether one of the workpieces on the first conveyor in the monitor area is a missing workpiece of one of the workpiece groups in the monitor area. The instructor instructs the robot to hold the one workpiece and to transfer the one workpiece from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yoshitaka NISHIZAKA, Ken NAKAMURA, Tomoki KAWANO, Yutaro UCHIDA
  • Publication number: 20160083199
    Abstract: A robot system includes a conveyor, a robot, and a controller. The conveyor is configured to convey a workpiece. The robot includes a plurality of holders configured to hold the workpiece. The controller is configured to control the robot to hold the workpiece conveyed on the conveyor and transfer the workpiece to a predetermined place using at least one holder among the plurality of holders. The controller includes a divided area setter and an allocator. The divided area setter is configured to set a plurality of divided areas on the conveyor in a width direction of the conveyor, and is configured to store the plurality of divided areas in a storage. The allocator is configured to allocate the plurality of holders respectively to the plurality of divided areas so as to hold the workpiece when the workpiece is conveyed in the plurality of divided areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yoshitaka NISHIZAKA, Ken NAKAMURA, Tomoki KAWANO, Yutaro UCHIDA
  • Patent number: 9278451
    Abstract: A robot system of the present disclosure includes a robot and a controller configured to control motion of the robot, and the controller includes: a motion mode storage unit storing a plurality of motion modes for controlling the robot to switch a motion state of the robot from a normal motion state to a special motion state when a predetermined first condition is satisfied; and a motion mode switching unit configured to switch the motion mode of the robot to another motion mode when, while a particular motion mode stored in the motion mode storage unit is in execution, a predetermined second condition for the particular motion mode is satisfied with a first condition for the particular motion mode satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Dai Kouno, Tamio Nakamura, Takashi Suyama, Takashi Nishimura, Tomohiro Matsuo, Shinichi Ishikawa, Tomoki Kawano
  • Patent number: 9266240
    Abstract: Provided is a robot further improved in safety. The robot includes at least one link which is rotatably coupled around an axis, a motor which rotates the link around the axis, a first sensor which detects a rotation state of the motor, and a second sensor which detects a rotation state of the link. The robot also includes a controller which controls the rotation of the link based on information from the first sensor. The controller determines an operation state of at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor, based on first information from the first sensor and second information from the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Shiraki, Atsushi Ichibangase, Yuji Sajikawa, Tomohiro Matsuo, Shinichi Ishikawa, Tomoki Kawano
  • Patent number: 9162359
    Abstract: A robot system of the present disclosure includes: a robot including an operable working arm driven by an actuator; an operation load detection unit configured to detect an operation load of the actuator; a region setting unit that sets a region with a predetermined range around the robot; a moving body detection unit configured to detect a position of a moving body other than the robot; and an abnormality determination unit that determines abnormality when detecting of the position of the moving body within the region, wherein the region setting unit changes the range of the region in accordance with the operation load of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Takashi Suyama, Tamio Nakamura, Dai Kouno, Takashi Nishimura, Tomohiro Matsuo, Shinichi Ishikawa, Tomoki Kawano
  • Patent number: 9126334
    Abstract: A robot system is provided, which includes a robot having an operable operation arm, an attachment detector for detecting one or more attachments, each attached to a wearing article equipped by a movable body, and a motion-control changer for changing a motion control of the robot based on a detection result detected by the attachment detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tamio Nakamura, Dai Kouno, Takashi Suyama, Takashi Nishimura, Tomohiro Matsuo, Shinichi Ishikawa, Tomoki Kawano
  • Publication number: 20150151430
    Abstract: A robot system according to an aspect of embodiments includes an information acquisition unit, a plurality of robots, and an information providing unit. The information acquisition unit acquires information related to articles conveyed on a conveyance path. The plurality of robots transfers the articles from the conveyance path. The information providing unit provides information related to transfer target articles to a robot that transfers articles on the immediately downstream side of an acquisition position of the information on the conveyance path, and for a robot that transfers articles on the downstream side of the aforementioned robot, the information providing unit provides information related to articles that are not transferred by a robot on the immediately upstream side of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Kenichi KOYANAGI, Kenji MATSUKUMA, Tomoki KAWANO, Issei AOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150134110
    Abstract: A robot system according to an aspect of an embodiment includes a plurality of robots, an information acquisition unit, and a distribution unit. The robots transfer the articles from the carry-in path into which the articles are successively carried, to the predetermined region of the carry-out path through which the articles are successively carried out. The information acquisition unit acquires information about the predetermined region. The distribution unit distributes the articles in the carry-in path as transfer targets to the robots based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Kenichi KOYANAGI, Kenji MATSUKUMA, Tomoki KAWANO, Issei AOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150127148
    Abstract: A robot system according to an aspect of embodiments includes an information acquisition unit, a plurality of robots, and a distribution unit. The information acquisition unit acquires information indicating a two-dimensional position on a surface of a conveyance path of an article conveyed on the conveyance path. The plurality of robots transfers the article from the conveyance path. The distribution unit distributes the articles on the surface of the conveyance path to the plurality of robots as transfer targets on the basis of the information acquired by the information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Kenichi KOYANAGI, Kenji MATSUKUMA, Tomoki KAWANO, Issei AOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150081095
    Abstract: Provided is a robot further improved in safety. The robot includes at least one link which is rotatably coupled around an axis, a motor which rotates the link around the axis, a first sensor which detects a rotation state of the motor, and a second sensor which detects a rotation state of the link. The robot also includes a controller which controls the rotation of the link based on information from the first sensor. The controller determines an operation state of at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor, based on first information from the first sensor and second information from the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tomoyuki SHIRAKI, Atsushi ICHIBANGASE, Yuji SAJIKAWA, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20150081096
    Abstract: A robot is provided with a base to be fixed to an installation surface, and an arm unit having a plurality of arm bodies sequentially and revolvably coupled with each other with one end coupled to the base through a joint unit. The arm unit has a stopper mechanism having a movable stopper member capable of restricting a revolving motion of the arm bodies to a predetermined revolving range. The movable stopper member is provided to one link of one of the pairs of links coupled through the joint unit, whereas the fixed stopper member, which is engaged with the movable stopper member, is provided to another link of the one of the pairs of links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tomoyuki SHIRAKI, Atsushi ICHIBANGASE, Yuji SAJIKAWA, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20150012133
    Abstract: The working robot includes a plurality of link members coupled rotatably around shafts, a motor driving the link members, and a controller switching a state of use of winding wires of the motor based on a result of sensing a moving object including a human in a predetermined area. The controller switches the state of use of the winding wires of the motor, to drive the link members in a first mode in which the number of revolutions or the torque of the motor is relatively large, when the moving object is not present; and switches the state of use of the winding wires of the motor, to drive the link members in a second mode in which the number of revolutions or the torque of the motor is relatively small, when the moving object is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yuji SAJIKAWA, Tomoyuki SHIRAKI, Atsushi ICHIBANGASE, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20150005940
    Abstract: Provided are a working robot and a robot system serving as a type coexisting with humans and improving reliability in safety. The working robot includes an arm, a driving mechanism, and a controller. The arm includes a plurality of link members that are coupled rotatably around shafts. The driving mechanism includes a driving source, and a plurality of power transmission paths capable of transmitting motive power from the driving source to the link members with mutually different numbers of revolutions or torques. The controller switches the power transmission paths, based on a sensing result for a moving object including a human body in a certain area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Atsushi ICHIBANGASE, Yuji SAJIKAWA, Tomoyuki SHIRAKI, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20140259644
    Abstract: A control apparatus generally performs a control such that a robot picks up components from a component loading tray in order according to an assembling sequence and assembles the components. Meanwhile, when the robot fails to pick up the components according to the assembling sequence, the control apparatus controls the operation of the robot such that the robot first picks up a component having a high picking-up possibility and first assembles the corresponding picked-up components according to the assembling sequence between the corresponding picked-up components. Thereafter, the control apparatus changes a picking-up condition and controls the operation of the robot such that the robot picks up the components before assembling based on the changed picking-up condition and assembles the components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20140277724
    Abstract: A robot system of the present disclosure includes: a robot including an operable working arm driven by an actuator; an operation load detection unit configured to detect an operation load of the actuator; a region setting unit that sets a region with a predetermined range around the robot; a moving body detection unit configured to detect a position of a moving body other than the robot; and an abnormality determination unit that determines abnormality when detecting of the position of the moving body within the region, wherein the region setting unit changes the range of the region in accordance with the operation load of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Takashi SUYAMA, Tamio NAKAMURA, Dai KOUNO, Takashi NISHIMURA, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20140277726
    Abstract: A robot system is provided, which includes a robot having an operable operation arm, an attachment detector for detecting one or more attachments, each attached to a wearing article equipped by a movable body, and a motion-control changer for changing a motion control of the robot based on a detection result detected by the attachment detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tamio NAKAMURA, Dai KOUNO, Takashi SUYAMA, Takashi NISHIMURA, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20140277723
    Abstract: A robot system of the present disclosure includes: a robot including an operable working arm; a motion speed detection unit configured to detect a motion speed of the working arm; a region setting unit that sets a region with a predetermined range around the robot; a moving body detection unit configured to detect a position of the moving body other than the robot; and an abnormality determination unit configured to determine abnormality when detecting of the position of the moving body within the region, wherein the region setting unit changes the range of the region according to the motion speed of the working arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Takashi NISHIMURA, Tamio NAKAMURA, Dai KOUNO, Takashi SUYAMA, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20140277725
    Abstract: A robot system of the present disclosure includes a robot and a controller configured to control motion of the robot, and the controller includes: a motion mode storage unit storing a plurality of motion modes for controlling the robot to switch a motion state of the robot from a normal motion state to a special motion state when a predetermined first condition is satisfied; and a motion mode switching unit configured to switch the motion mode of the robot to another motion mode when, while a particular motion mode stored in the motion mode storage unit is in execution, a predetermined second condition for the particular motion mode is satisfied with a first condition for the particular motion mode satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Dai KOUNO, Tamio NAKAMURA, Takashi SUYAMA, Takashi NISHIMURA, Tomohiro MATSUO, Shinichi ISHIKAWA, Tomoki KAWANO