Patents by Inventor Yoshikiyo Tanabe

Yoshikiyo Tanabe 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: 9598064
    Abstract: A brake drive control circuit of a servo motor which detects malfunction of a semiconductor circuit at the brake drive control circuit, that is, a brake drive control circuit which connects two semiconductor circuits in series to a brake and uses a voltage detection circuit which detects the presence of voltage which is applied to the brake by brake signals turning the semiconductor circuits on/off so as to detect test pulses in the voltage which is applied to the brake due to test pulses which are included in the brake signals and turn the semiconductor circuits off for instants during an operation for disengaging the brake and detect malfunctions of the semiconductor circuits by the detection of the test pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Yoshiki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9588501
    Abstract: The servomotor control device includes: an inverter circuit that drives a servomotor; a PWM circuit that outputs a PWM signal to the inverter circuit; a cutoff circuit that receives a safety signal and the PWM signal, outputs the PWM signal to the inverter circuit when the safely signal is turned on, and does not output the PWM signal when the safely signal is turned off; and a servomotor control circuit that outputs the safety signal to the cutoff circuit and receives a monitor signal output from the cutoff circuit, the servomotor control circuit turning off, within one cycle time of the PWM signal, the safety signal input to the cutoff circuit where the PWM signal is turned off during servomotor drive and detecting an abnormality when an off state is not detected using the monitor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Yoshiki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20160187860
    Abstract: The servomotor control device includes: an inverter circuit that drives a servomotor; a PWM circuit that outputs a PWM signal to the inverter circuit; a cutoff circuit that receives a safety signal and the PWM signal, outputs the PWM signal to the inverter circuit when the safely signal is turned on, and does not output the PWM signal when the safely signal is turned off; and a servomotor control circuit that outputs the safety signal to the cutoff circuit and receives a monitor signal output from the cutoff circuit, the servomotor control circuit turning off, within one cycle time of the PWM signal, the safety signal input to the cutoff circuit where the PWM signal is turned off during servomotor drive and detecting an abnormality when an off state is not detected using the monitor signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Yoshiki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20160031086
    Abstract: A mobile collaborative robot includes a force sensor which is provided on a robot support on a carriage, a robot information acquisition unit which acquires robot information including posture information of the robot main body and load information of a load acting on the robot main body, a force calculation unit which calculates the external force acting on the robot support based on the robot information, and a judgment unit which judges that the mobile collaborative robot has come into contact with a human when a difference between the external force detected by the force sensor and the external force calculated by the force calculation unit is above a predetermined value ? or when a difference between the amount of change in the detected external force and the amount of change in the calculated external force is above a predetermined value ?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo TANABE, Yoshiki HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20150316111
    Abstract: A brake drive control circuit of a servo motor which detects malfunction of a semiconductor circuit at the brake drive control circuit, that is, a brake drive control circuit which connects two semiconductor circuits in series to a brake and uses a voltage detection circuit which detects the presence of voltage which is applied to the brake by brake signals turning the semiconductor circuits on/off so as to detect test pulses in the voltage which is applied to the brake due to test pulses which are included in the brake signals and turn the semiconductor circuits off for instants during an operation for disengaging the brake and detect malfunctions of the semiconductor circuits by the detection of the test pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo TANABE, Yoshiki HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20150212496
    Abstract: A servomotor control device includes a servomotor control circuit for controlling an inverter such that an alternating current is supplied to a servomotor when receiving a safety signal, and for controlling the inverter such that the alternating current is not supplied to the servomotor when not receiving the safety signal, and a servomotor monitoring circuit for stopping the servomotor by stopping transmission of the safety signal to the servomotor control circuit when determining to stop the servomotor, and for stopping the servomotor by disconnecting supply of a direct current to the inverter with a power source disconnect circuit and stopping the transmission of the safety signal to the servomotor control circuit when determining that at least one of the power source disconnect circuit, the safety signal, and the servomotor control circuit is not normal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo TANABE, Hisashi MOMOTANI, Yoshiki HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120241135
    Abstract: The air inside a housing containing heat generating parts is forced by an inside air fan to flow in a heat exchanger case through an inside air inlet, flow partially upward and partially downward in an inside air passage while being cooled by inner fins, between the inner fins, installed in the inside air passage, that form a heat exchanger heat sink, and discharge from the inside air passage through an upper, first inside air outlet and a lower, second inside air outlet. The air discharged through the two inside air outlets flows over the surfaces of the heat generating parts in the housing, taking heat from them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi TAKIGAWA, Yoshiki HASHIMOTO, Yoshikiyo TANABE
  • Publication number: 20110118874
    Abstract: A robot controller which simultaneously controls N (N?2) number of robots (R1 to Rn), provided with a main control unit (MCU), the main control unit including a main processor (MP) which prepares operational commands each of the N number of robots and a servo processor (SP) which uses the operational commands prepared by the main processor as the basis to calculate amounts of operation of servo motors which drive each of the robots, and furthermore provided with N number of amplifier units (AU1 to AUn) connected to the main control unit, each including a servo amplifier (SA1 to SAn) which uses amounts of operations of servo motors calculated by the servo processor to drive servo motors of one robot among the N number of robots. Due to this, it is easy to add and remove robots and the cost can be lowered and the size reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo TANABE, Nobuo CHINO, Yoshiki HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 7525273
    Abstract: A robot control system including a servo amplifier supplying power to a robot, a processor controlling the operation of the robot, and a servo power connection/cutoff circuit connected to the same, issuing excitation/nonexcitation commands to a charging relay and a main circuit connection electromagnetic contactor provided in the circuit from the processor, monitoring the opened/closed states of the contacts of the charging relay and main circuit connection electromagnetic contactor by the processor, and detecting if their contacts open and close as instructed by the processor to thereby check if the power connection/cutoff circuit has a fault. Due to this, it is possible to provide a robot control system which detects faults of the power connection/cutoff circuit and which is inexpensive and high in safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto, Yoshiyuki Kubo, Nobuo Chino, Yoshikiyo Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20070152617
    Abstract: A robot control system including a servo amplifier supplying power to a robot, a processor controlling the operation of the robot, and a servo power connection/cutoff circuit connected to the same, issuing excitation/nonexcitation commands to a charging relay and a main circuit connection electromagnetic contactor provided in the circuit from the processor, monitoring the opened/closed states of the contacts of the charging relay and main circuit connection electromagnetic contactor by the processor, and detecting if their contacts open and close as instructed by the processor to thereby check if the power connection/cutoff circuit has a fault. Due to this, it is possible to provide a robot control system which detects faults of the power connection/cutoff circuit and which is inexpensive and high in safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Yoshiki HASHIMOTO, Yoshiyuki KUBO, Nobuo CHINO, Yoshikiyo TANABE
  • Publication number: 20070096670
    Abstract: A servo motor controller is provided with a motor control section for controlling a servo motor provided with a brake. The motor control section includes a speed command portion for outputting a speed command to increase or reduce the rotation of the servo motor, and a brake switching portion for outputting switch command for a braking circuit to switch the brake, wherein the brake is activated during speed reduction of the servo motor by the speed command portion, whereby a rotation of the servo motor is stopped. The motor control section further includes a monitoring portion for monitoring whether or not the decelerating torque of the servo motor during speed reduction exceeds a set value that has been set equal to or lower than a maximum allowable torque of the servo motor in the motor control section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto, Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Toshihiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 7208899
    Abstract: An emergency-stop device provided in a robot system, a machine tool or the like, arranged to promptly detect failure of a circuit through which an emergency stop signal is supplied to an CPU, without stopping the robot system, the machine tool or the like, to improve reliability. When at least one of emergency stop switches is opened, a CPU #1 or #2 issues an emergency stop command through one of input circuits, so that a switch SW10 or SW20 is opened by an output circuit #1 or #2 to emergency-stop the system. Switching means #1, #2 are opened separately, at appropriate intervals, and change of output of each photo coupler is recognized. In this manner, it is checked that open/closed-state outputs related to contacts C11 and C21/C12 and C22, each connected to one of the input circuits, indicate an open state. If regarding any of the contacts, change of output of the corresponding photo coupler is not recognized, the system is stopped and an action such as causing a buzzer and displaying of an alarm is taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto, Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Nobuo Chino
  • Publication number: 20060214618
    Abstract: An emergency-stop device provided in a robot system, a machine tool or the like, arranged to promptly detect failure of a circuit through which an emergency stop signal is supplied to an CPU, without stopping the robot system, the machine tool or the like, to improve reliability. When at least one of emergency stop switches is opened, a CPU #1 or #2 issues an emergency stop command through one of input circuits, so that a switch SW10 or SW20 is opened by an output circuit #1 or #2 to emergency-stop the system. Switching means #1, #2 are opened separately, at appropriate intervals, and change of output of each photo coupler is recognized. In this manner, it is checked that open/closed-state outputs related to contacts C11 and C21/C12 and C22, each connected to one of the input circuits, indicate an open state. If regarding any of the contacts, change of output of the corresponding photo coupler is not recognized, the system is stopped and an action such as causing a buzzer and displaying of an alarm is taken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto, Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Nobuo Chino
  • Patent number: 6992458
    Abstract: Two emergency stop lines are provided. Due to contacts being opened by commands from emergency stop factors and from first and second CPUs, conducting to first and second contactors are stopped. Contacts of the contactors are opened, and power supply to the motor is interrupted, whereby an emergency stop is performed. Further, the first CPU on the first line transmits an abnormality signal to the second CPU when the states of the contacts on the self emergency stop line, detected by digital inputs, are abnormal, and the second CPU opens a contact on the self emergency stop line so as to cause the contactor to be non-excited to thereby stop power supply to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Fanuc LTD
    Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto, Nobuo Chino, Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Makine Yuyama
  • Publication number: 20050122078
    Abstract: Two emergency stop lines are provided. Due to contacts being opened by commands from emergency stop factors and from first and second CPUs, conducting to first and second contactors are stopped. Contacts of the contactors are opened, and power supply to the motor is interrupted, whereby an emergency stop is performed. Further, the first CPU on the first line transmits an abnormality signal to the second CPU when the states of the contacts on the self emergency stop line, detected by digital inputs, are abnormal, and the second CPU opens a contact on the self emergency stop line so as to cause the contactor to be non-excited to thereby stop power supply to the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto, Nobuo Chino, Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Makine Yuyama
  • Patent number: 5783922
    Abstract: A robot controller capable of performing the lead-through-teaching easily and safely. When an operator depresses a lead-through-teach enabling switch (12) provided at a main body of a control apparatus, power supply to a servo control unit (17) is stopped and mechanical brakes (18) are set effective. When a deadman switch (4) is depressed by the operator holding a teaching handle (3), an electromagnetic relay RL1 is energized and a normally-open contact (14) is closed. Consequently, the mechanical brakes (18) are rendered ineffective and an electromagnetic relay RL2 is energized to close a normally-open contact (15), whereby electric power is supplied to the servo control unit (17). Further, a signal for setting a torque command to zero is inputted to the servo control unit. Thus, the operator can move the robot in a desired direction. When the operator stops depressing the deadman switch (4), the mechanical brake is immediately set effective to lock the robot at its current position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Hashimoto, Yoshikiyo Tanabe
  • Patent number: 5705906
    Abstract: A robot teaching pendant having improved operability achieved by being provided with a display function for a personal computer. The robot teaching pendant includes an emergency stop switch and a deadman switch necessary to secure the safety of an operator, and a jog key switch necessary for a teaching operation. The robot teaching pendant further includes a liquid crystal display unit for displaying an image signal supplied from a graphical (CRT) interface of the personal computer, whereby the robot teaching pendant not only serves as a display unit for the personal computer but also realizes an easy to operate display using the graphical user interface of the personal computer when a teaching operation and the like are carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: FANUC Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Yoshiki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: RE36631
    Abstract: A robot teaching pendant having improved operability achieved by being provided with a display function for a personal computer. The robot teaching pendant includes an emergency stop switch and a deadman switch necessary to secure the safety of an operator, and a jog key switch necessary for a teaching operation. The robot teaching pendant further includes a liquid crystal display unit for displaying an image signal supplied from a graphical (CRT) interface of the personal computer, whereby the robot teaching pendant not only serves as a display unit for the personal computer but also realizes an easy to operate display using the graphical user interface of the personal computer when a teaching operation and the like are carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Yoshiki Hashimoto