US4892992A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Industrial laser robot system
Assignee: Fanuc Robotics North America Inc
•
Filing: 1988-11-03
•
Granted: 1990-01-09
•
Expires: 2008-11-03
Abstract
Abstract A laser robot system including an offset robot. The system includes a laser beam generator for generating a laser beam. The robot includes a pedestal having a vertical first axis and a hollow base support on the pedestal for rotation about the first axis and for receiving the laser beam along the first axis. A single computer-based controller controls the laser beam generator, a drive system of the robot and an air source which is in fluid communication with the base of the robot. The air source pressurizes the laser beam path through the robot, thereby preventing contamination of the beam path. A hollow arm support in the form of a swing block is laterally supported on the base for rotation relative to the base about a horizontal second axis which intersects the first axis. A robot arm is elongated along a third axis which is obliquely angled to and intersects the second axis. The robot arm is laterally supported on the swing block for pivotal rotation therewith relative to the base about the second axis. First and second mirrors are supported within the base and the arm, respectively, so that a laser beam traveling along the first axis is deflected to then travel along the second axis and then deflected to travel along the third axis and through an optical focusing assembly on the arm. The first mirror is reversible so that the base can receive the laser beam from opposite directions.
Inventors
- 👤 Hadi A. Akeel
- 👤 Stan H. McClosky
- 👤 Lupcho Najdovski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:44
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/08; B23K26/0869; B23K26/0876; B23K26/0884
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
290 words
An industrial laser robot system comprising: a laser beam generator for generating a laser beam; a pedestal having a first axis; a hollow base supported on said pedestal for rotation about said first axis; hollow arm support means laterally supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a second axis, said first and second axes being obliquely angled to and intersecting one another; a robot arm elongated along a third axis and laterally supported on said arm support means for pivotal rotation therewith relative to the base about said second axis; a first mirror supported by and within said base to rotate therewith about the first axis so that the reflective surface of said first mirror contains a first point of intersection of said first and second axes and so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said first axis is deflected by said first mirror to travel along said second axis; a second mirror supported by said arm support means within said arm to rotate therewith about the second axis so that the reflective surface of said second mirror intersects said second axis at a second point of intersection and is so inclined to direct said laser beam along said third axis of said arm; an optical focusing assembly mounted on said arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said first axis to said first point of intersection and along said second axis to said second point of intersection and along said third axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said pedestal being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage to said optical focusing assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
290 words
An industrial laser robot system comprising: a laser beam generator for generating a laser beam; a pedestal having a first axis; a hollow base supported on said pedestal for rotation about said first axis; hollow arm support means laterally supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a second axis, said first and second axes being obliquely angled to and intersecting one another; a robot arm elongated along a third axis and laterally supported on said arm support means for pivotal rotation therewith relative to the base about said second axis; a first mirror supported by and within said base to rotate therewith about the first axis so that the reflective surface of said first mirror contains a first point of intersection of said first and second axes and so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said first axis is deflected by said first mirror to travel along said second axis; a second mirror supported by said arm support means within said arm to rotate therewith about the second axis so that the reflective surface of said second mirror intersects said second axis at a second point of intersection and is so inclined to direct said laser beam along said third axis of said arm; an optical focusing assembly mounted on said arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said first axis to said first point of intersection and along said second axis to said second point of intersection and along said third axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said pedestal being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage to said optical focusing assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arm is movable linearly along the third axis relative to said arm support means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said arm slidably moves relative to said arm support means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arm is fixed to said arm support means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first axis is a vertical axis and the second axis is a horizontal axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arm is supported on said base solely by said arm support means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arm support means includes a swing block.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising first mirror support means mounted within the base for, in turn, supporting the first mirror within the base, the laser beam entering the base along the first axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first mirror support means is reversible to alternately allow the first mirror to receive the laser beam in opposite directions along the first axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 further comprising a second mirror support means mounted on said arm support means for, in turn, supporting the second mirror within the arm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base is generally cylindrical along the first axis and wherein the arm support means is laterally spaced from the corresponding cylindrical space defined by an extension of said base along the first axis during said rotary movement of said arm support means about the second axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the first mirror is adjustably mounted on said first mirror support means within the base.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow passage is airtight.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 13 wherein said hollow passage is pressurized to a positive pressure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said focusing assembly includes a focusing mirror to direct and focus the laser beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said focusing assembly includes a focusing lens to focus the laser beam.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the robot joins are motorized.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said focusing assembly includes at least two rotational optical joints.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the focusing assembly includes three rotational optical joints.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said focusing assembly includes a forearm mounted on the robot arm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said focusing assembly includes a wrist assembly mounted on the forearm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
236 words
An industrial laser robot system comprising: a laser beam generator for generating a laser beam; a hollow base; a robot arm supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a pivot axis and elongated along an arm axis; at least one arm mirror supported within said arm so that the reflective surface of the at least one arm mirror contains a first point of intersection of said pivot and arm axes and is so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said pivot axis is deflected by the at least one arm mirror to travel along said arm axis; an optical focusing assembly having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the robot arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said pivot axis in the base to said first point of intersection and along said arm axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said base being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage and out of the focusing assembly at the second end of the focusing assembly; and wherein the improvement comprises: maintaining means for automatically maintaining a positive pressure within an acceptable range above atmospheric pressure in the hollow passage, said hollow passage being substantially air-tight and wherein the positive pressure prevents contaminants from entering said hollow passage.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
236 words
An industrial laser robot system comprising: a laser beam generator for generating a laser beam; a hollow base; a robot arm supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a pivot axis and elongated along an arm axis; at least one arm mirror supported within said arm so that the reflective surface of the at least one arm mirror contains a first point of intersection of said pivot and arm axes and is so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said pivot axis is deflected by the at least one arm mirror to travel along said arm axis; an optical focusing assembly having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the robot arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said pivot axis in the base to said first point of intersection and along said arm axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said base being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage and out of the focusing assembly at the second end of the focusing assembly; and wherein the improvement comprises: maintaining means for automatically maintaining a positive pressure within an acceptable range above atmospheric pressure in the hollow passage, said hollow passage being substantially air-tight and wherein the positive pressure prevents contaminants from entering said hollow passage.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the focusing assembly includes a hollow wrist mechanism supported on the robot arm for movement relative to a wrist axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
77 words
The system as claimed in claim 23 further comprising at least one wrist mirror supported within said wrist mechanism so that the reflective surface of the at least one wrist mirror intersects said arm axis at a second point of intersection and is so inclined to direct the laser beam along said wrist axis, said hollow passage extending along the arm axis to said second point of intersection, along said wrist axis and through the wrist mechanism.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23 or claim 24 further comprising a pedestal having a pedestal axis and wherein the base is supported on said pedestal for rotation about the pedestal axis.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
96 words
The system as claimed in claim 25 further comprising a base mirror supported within said base so that the reflective surface of the base mirror contains a point of intersection of the pedestal axis and the pivot axis and is so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along the pedestal axis is deflected by the base mirror to travel along the pivot axis, said hollow passage extending along the pedestal axis to the point of intersection of the pedestal axis and the pivot axis and along the pivot axis to the first point of intersection.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein said maintaining means includes a conduit supported within the robot arm between the arm mirror and the octical focusing assembly.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system as claimed in claim 27 wherein said arm is movable linearly along the arm axis relative to the base and wherein said conduit is movable between expanded and contracted positions in response to said linear arm movement.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the base forms a portion of the hollow passage and wherein said maintaining means includes an air source in fluid communication with the interior of the hollow base for pressurizing the hollow passage.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system as claimed in claim 22 or claim 29 further comprising a transparent optical element supported at the second end of the focusing assembly for sealing the hollow passage, the laser beam passing through the optical element.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the optical element is a transparent plate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the optical element is a focusing lens.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system as claimed in claim 29 further comprising a drive system to drive the robot arm and a computer-based controller for sequentially controlling the drive system, the laser beam generator and said air source.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system as claimed in claim 33 wherein the drive system includes at least one servo motor.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
288 words
An industrial laser robot for use in an industrial laser robot system having a laser beam generator for generating a laser beam, the robot comprising: a pedestal having a first axis; a hollow base supported on said pedestal for rotation about said first axis; hollow arm support means supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a second axis, said first and second axes being obliquely angled to and intersecting one another; a robot arm elongated along a third axis and supported on said arm support means for pivotal rotation therewith relative to the base about said second axis; a first mirror supported within said base so that the reflective surface of said first mirror contains a first point of intersection of said first and second axis and so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said first axis is deflected by said first mirror to travel along said second axis; a second mirror supported by said arm support means within said arm so that the reflective surface of said second mirror intersects said second axis at a second point of intersection and is so inclined to direct said laser beam along said third axis of said arm; an optical focusing assembly mounted on said arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said first axis to said first point of intersection and along said second axis to said second point of intersection and along said third axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said pedestal being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage to said optical focusing assembly wherein said hollow passage is airtight.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
288 words
An industrial laser robot for use in an industrial laser robot system having a laser beam generator for generating a laser beam, the robot comprising: a pedestal having a first axis; a hollow base supported on said pedestal for rotation about said first axis; hollow arm support means supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a second axis, said first and second axes being obliquely angled to and intersecting one another; a robot arm elongated along a third axis and supported on said arm support means for pivotal rotation therewith relative to the base about said second axis; a first mirror supported within said base so that the reflective surface of said first mirror contains a first point of intersection of said first and second axis and so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said first axis is deflected by said first mirror to travel along said second axis; a second mirror supported by said arm support means within said arm so that the reflective surface of said second mirror intersects said second axis at a second point of intersection and is so inclined to direct said laser beam along said third axis of said arm; an optical focusing assembly mounted on said arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said first axis to said first point of intersection and along said second axis to said second point of intersection and along said third axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said pedestal being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage to said optical focusing assembly wherein said hollow passage is airtight.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
17 words
The robot as claimed in claim 35 wherein said hollow passage is pressurized to a positive pressure.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
293 words
An industrial laser robot for use in an industrial laser robot system having a laser beam generator for generating a laser having a robot comprising: a pedestal having a first axis; a hollow base supported on said pedestal for rotation about said first axis; hollow arm support means supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a second axis, said first and second axes being obliquely angled to and intersecting one another; a robot arm elongated along a third axis and laterally supported on said arm support means for pivotal rotation therewith relative to the base about said second axis; a first mirror supported within said base so that the reflective surface of said first mirror contains a first point of intersection of said first and second axis and so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said first axis is deflected by said first mirror to travel along said second axis; a second mirror supported by said arm support means within said arm so that the reflective surface of said second mirror intersects said second axis at a second point of intersection and is so inclined to direct said laser beam along said third axis of said arm; an optical focusing assembly mounted on said arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said first axis to said first point of intersection and along said second axis to said second point of intersection and along said third axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said pedestal being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage to said optical focusing assembly wherein said hollow passage is pressurized to a positive pressure.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
293 words
An industrial laser robot for use in an industrial laser robot system having a laser beam generator for generating a laser having a robot comprising: a pedestal having a first axis; a hollow base supported on said pedestal for rotation about said first axis; hollow arm support means supported on said base for rotation relative to the base about a second axis, said first and second axes being obliquely angled to and intersecting one another; a robot arm elongated along a third axis and laterally supported on said arm support means for pivotal rotation therewith relative to the base about said second axis; a first mirror supported within said base so that the reflective surface of said first mirror contains a first point of intersection of said first and second axis and so inclined so that a laser beam traveling along said first axis is deflected by said first mirror to travel along said second axis; a second mirror supported by said arm support means within said arm so that the reflective surface of said second mirror intersects said second axis at a second point of intersection and is so inclined to direct said laser beam along said third axis of said arm; an optical focusing assembly mounted on said arm; and a continuous unobstructed hollow passage that extends along and surrounds said first axis to said first point of intersection and along said second axis to said second point of intersection and along said third axis to and through said optical focusing assembly; said pedestal being so disposed so that the base receives the laser beam from the laser beam generator for transmission along said hollow passage to said optical focusing assembly wherein said hollow passage is pressurized to a positive pressure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-01-08 | 1993-07-10 | 1994-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-01-08 | 1997-07-10 | 1998-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-01-08 | 2001-07-10 | 2002-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |