Patent US5125149A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5125149A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of accessing and assembling parts in an assembly apparatus incorporating mobile robots
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1990-04-25
•
Granted: 1992-06-30
•
Expires: 2010-04-25
Abstract
Abstract An assembly (machining) apparatus and method for performing assembly or machining of an article. A first article supply device including a plurality of supply devices for supplying articles and a first robot for picking up the articles from the first article supply device to perform the assembly or machining are paired as an assembly unit, and a plurality of the assembly units are aligned. The apparatus also includes a buffer device for adjusting a difference in article assembly or machining time between the plurality of assembly units.
Inventors
- 👤 Ryohei Inaba
- 👤 Sachio Umetsu
- 👤 Toshihiko Miura
- 👤 Yusaku Azuma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:44
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/418; G05B19/41815; G05B19/4182; B; B23; B23P; B23P19/00; B23P19/001; B23P21/00; B23P21/004; B23Q; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/10; B25; B25J; B25J9/00; B25J9/16; B25J9/1694; B25J9/1697; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/113; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49828; Y10T29/49829; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/53087; Y10T29/53313; Y10T29/53383
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of accessing and assembling articles in an assembly apparatus including a shuttle carrying a robot, an assembly jig, and a camera, with the shuttle travelling along a shuttle base having a track, replaceable first article suppliers located on one side of the shuttle base for supplying first articles, replaceable second article suppliers located on the other side of the shuttle base for supplying second articles, and a controller for controlling the apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: aligning the first articles on the first article suppliers; securing the second articles on a strip of tape located on the second article suppliers; photographing the first and second articles with the camera to obtain image information; traversing the robot along the track to pick up the first and second articles based on the image information obtained in the photographing step; and assembling a predetermined assembly using the picked up first and second articles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of accessing and assembling articles in an assembly apparatus including a shuttle carrying a robot, an assembly jig, and a camera, with the shuttle travelling along a shuttle base having a track, replaceable first article suppliers located on one side of the shuttle base for supplying first articles, replaceable second article suppliers located on the other side of the shuttle base for supplying second articles, and a controller for controlling the apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: aligning the first articles on the first article suppliers; securing the second articles on a strip of tape located on the second article suppliers; photographing the first and second articles with the camera to obtain image information; traversing the robot along the track to pick up the first and second articles based on the image information obtained in the photographing step; and assembling a predetermined assembly using the picked up first and second articles.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of accessing and assembling parts in an assembly apparatus including a shuttle carrying a robot and an assembly jig and travelling along a shuttle base having a track, a plurality of parts supply sources aligned along the track on at least one side of the shuttle base, a controller for controlling the apparatus, and a checking system attached to the shuttle for checking the alignment state of the parts, said method comprising the steps of: traversing the shuttle along the track so that the robot sequentially accesses a plurality of parts disposed in a parts supply box in each parts supply source; checking an image of the parts in the parts supply box in a next aligned parts supply source to determine the alignment state of each part; storing the alignment state of each part to be picked up by the robot in the next pick up operation; controlling the robot to pick up a part whose alignment state was previously determined; and assembling a predetermined assembly with the accessed parts.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of accessing and assembling parts in an assembly apparatus including a shuttle carrying a robot and an assembly jig and travelling along a shuttle base having a track, a plurality of parts supply sources aligned along the track on at least one side of the shuttle base, a controller for controlling the apparatus, and a checking system attached to the shuttle for checking the alignment state of the parts, said method comprising the steps of: traversing the shuttle along the track so that the robot sequentially accesses a plurality of parts disposed in a parts supply box in each parts supply source; checking an image of the parts in the parts supply box in a next aligned parts supply source to determine the alignment state of each part; storing the alignment state of each part to be picked up by the robot in the next pick up operation; controlling the robot to pick up a part whose alignment state was previously determined; and assembling a predetermined assembly with the accessed parts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3796327A
Cited
US3878596A
Cited
US3958682A
Cited
US4144960A
Cited
JPS5613572A
Cited
US4674181A
Cited
JPS5834251A
Cited
US4561060A
Cited
JPS5914582A
Cited
US4884330A
Cited
US4740133A
Cited
JPS60118445A
Cited
US4669168A
Cited
US4673075A
Cited
US4722653A
Cited
US4715772A
Cited
US4844680A
Cited
US4932828A
Cited
US4789417A
Cited
US4774757A
Cited
JPS6333972A
Cited
US4799581A
Cited
US4843708A
Cited
JPS63295135A
Cited
US4856701A
Cited
US4926544A
Cited
US4783904A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-30 | 1995-12-30 | 1996-06-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-30 | 1999-12-30 | 2000-06-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-30 | 2003-12-30 | 2004-06-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |