EP0092967A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An automatic hand changing device for industrial robots
Assignee: Fanuc Corp
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Filing: 1983-04-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-04-20
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Nobutoshi Torii
- 👤 Ryo Nihei
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:57
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J15/00; B25J15/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/45; Y10T24/45225; Y10T24/45466; Y10T24/45471; Y10T24/45482; Y10T24/45487
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A device for use in an automatic change of robot hands to be attached to an industrial robot, including a changer unit fixedly attached to an extreme end of a robot arm of the industrial robot and a changer adapter provided with one end arranged for fixedly holding a robot hand thereon and the other opposed end arranged for being removably engaged with the changer unit, wherein said changer unit comprises: a body having therein a cylindrical bore; a piston element fitted in said body so as to be axially moved between a retracted and an advanced position; a fixed ball retainer; and a plurality of clamping balls radially movably held by said ball retainer, said clamping balls being arranged to be radially urged by said piston element toward a clamping position when said piston element is axially moved to one of said advanced and retracted position, and wherein said changer adapter comprises: a generally annular engagement member having an engagement portion engageable with said clamping balls of said changer unit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
171 words
A device for use in an automatic change of robot hands to be attached to an industrial robot, including a changer unit fixedly attached to an extreme end of a robot arm of the industrial robot and a changer adapter provided with one end arranged for fixedly holding a robot hand thereon and the other opposed end arranged for being removably engaged with the changer unit, wherein said changer unit comprises: a body having therein a cylindrical bore; a piston element fitted in said body so as to be axially moved between a retracted and an advanced position; a fixed ball retainer; and a plurality of clamping balls radially movably held by said ball retainer, said clamping balls being arranged to be radially urged by said piston element toward a clamping position when said piston element is axially moved to one of said advanced and retracted position, and wherein said changer adapter comprises: a generally annular engagement member having an engagement portion engageable with said clamping balls of said changer unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device according to claim 1, wherein said piston element of said changer unit is formed with an operating part thereof for radially urging said clamping balls toward said clamping position when said piston element is moved to said advanced position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device according to claim 2, wherein said piston element consists of a fluid operated piston having, at its rear end, a pressure receiving part closely slidably fitted in said cylindrical bore of said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device according to claim 2, wherein said changer unit further comprises a spring element arranged between said piston element and said ball retainer for urging said piston element toward said retracted position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The device according to claim 1, wherein said changer unit further comprises an annular head arranged so as to be fixed, together with said ball retainer, to said body, said annular head being formed with inner conical surfaces extending around said clamping balls so as to be engageable with outer conical surfaces formed in said annular engagement member of said changer adapter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The device according to claim 5, wherein said annular head of said changer unit and said annular engagement member of said changer adapter define therein fluid passageway for permitting a pressurized fluid to pass through when said changer adapter is engaged with said changer unit, said pressurized fluid operating to control said robot hand held by said changer adapter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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