Encoder, servo system and industrial robot

Claim 2

An encoder for indicating a position of a relatively movable member and for generating at least two signals which are offset in phase from one another in accordance with movement of the movable member, comprising: a position indicating member having a first pattern with a first period and a second pattern with a portion varying over an interval longer than an interval of the first period corresponding to a predetermined position in the first pattern; first detecting means for detecting the first pattern, the first detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; second detecting means for detecting the second pattern, the second detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; signal generating means connected with the first detecting means for generating a signal indicative of direction and amount of movement in accordance with the first pattern; setting means connected with the second detecting means for detecting the predetermined position and for setting a value corresponding to the predetermined position in the first pattern; and a presetable counter connected with the signal generating means and the setting means for receiving an output of the setting means and for setting a count in accordance therewith, for counting an output of the signal generating means and for outputting an absolute value corresponding to an actual position of the position indicating member.

Claim 3

An encoder according to claim 1, wherein the position indicating member includes an encoding member rotating in accordance with the movement of the movable member.

Claim 4

An encoder according to claim 2, wherein the presetable counter counts an incremental signal after being set for the absolute position, and further comprising communication means for outputting an absolute position signal indicative of the position of the movable member in accordance with the incremental signal count value of the presetable counter.

Claim 5

An encoder according to claim 2, wherein the presetable counter counts an incremental signal after being set for the absolute position, and further comprising means for indicating a revolution count of the number of revolutions of the encoding member, an absolute value generating means for combining the revolution count with the incremental signal count value of the presetable counter after setting of the presetable counter so as to enable outputting of an absolute position signal indicative of the position of the movable member.

Claim 6

An encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a battery connected to at least a portion of the encoder having means for indicating a revolution count of a number of revolutions of the position indicating member for supplying power thereto in the absence of an external power source.

Claim 7

An encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a servo member for driving the movable member, the encoder being coupled to the servo motor, the encoder providing an absolute position signal to a servo amplifier means, the servo amplifier means generating a motor command signal for driving the servo motor.

Claim 8

An encoder according to claim 6, wherein the movable member is part of an industrial robot.

Claim 9

An encoder according to claim 7, wherein the movable member is a wrist mechanism of the industrial robot.

Claim 10

An encoder according to claim 1, wherein said setting means utilizes an M series signal for setting the value.

Claim 11

An encoder according to claim 2, wherein a value of the presetable counter indicative of revolutions of the rotating position of the encoding member is corrected in accordance with one state selected from a group having signal states derived from codes indicating absolute positions and including states of different phases.

Claim 12

A servo system comprising an encoder for indicating a position of a servo member of a servo motor as a relatively movable member and for generating at least two signals which are offset in phase from one another in accordance with movement of the servo motor, comprising: a position indicating member having a first pattern with a first period and a second pattern with a portion varying over an interval longer than an interval of the first period corresponding to a predetermined position in the first pattern; first detecting means for detecting the first pattern, the first detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; second detecting means for detecting the second pattern, the second detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; signal generating means connected with the first detecting means for generating a signal indicative of direction and amount of movement in accordance with the first pattern; setting means connected with the second detecting means for detecting the predetermined position and for setting a value corresponding to the predetermined position in the first pattern; a presetable counter connected with the signal generating means and the setting means for receiving an output of the setting means and for setting a count in accordance therewith, for counting an output of the signal generating means and for outputting an absolute value corresponding to an actual position of the position indicating member as an output of the encoder; and a servo amplifier for generating a motor current in response to the output of the encoder, the servo motor being responsive to the motor current for being driven in accordance therewith.

Claim 13

A servo system comprising an encoder for indicating a position of a servo member of a servo motor as a relatively movable member and for generating at least two signals which are offset in phase from one another in accordance with movement of the servo motor, comprising: a position indicating member having a first pattern with a first period and a second pattern with a portion varying over an interval longer than an interval of the first period corresponding to a predetermined position in the first pattern; first detecting means for detecting the first pattern, the first detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; second detecting means for detecting the second pattern, the second detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; signal generating means connected with the first detecting means for generating a signal indicative of direction and amount of movement in accordance with the first pattern; setting means connected with the second detecting means for detecting the predetermined position and for setting a value corresponding to the predetermined position in the first pattern; a presetable counter connected with the signal generating means and the setting means for receiving an output of the setting means and for setting a count in accordance therewith, for counting an output of the signal generating means and for outputting an absolute value corresponding to an actual position of the position indicating member as an output of the encoder; and a servo amplifier for generating a motor current in response to the output of the encoder, the servo motor being responsive to the motor current for being driven in accordance therewith.

Claim 14

A servo system according to claim 11, wherein the servo motor is coupled to a part of an industrial robot.

Claim 15

A servo system according to claim 12, wherein the part of the industrial rotor is a wrist mechanism of the industrial robot.

Claim 16

An industrial robot comprising an encoder for indicating a position of a servo member of a servo motor as a relatively movable member and for generating at least two signal which are offset in phase from one another in accordance with movement of the servo member, comprising: a position indicating member having a first pattern with a first period and a second pattern with a portion varying over an interval longer than an interval of the first period corresponding to a predetermined position in the first pattern; first detecting means for detecting the first pattern, the first detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; second detecting means for detecting the second pattern, the second detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; signal generating means connected with the first detecting means for generating a signal indicative of direction and amount of movement in accordance with the first pattern; setting means connected with the second detecting means for detecting the predetermined position and for setting a value corresponding to the predetermined position in the first pattern; a presetable counter connected with the signal generating means and the setting means for receiving an output of the setting means and for setting a count in accordance therewith, for counting an output of the signal generating means and for outputting an absolute value corresponding to an actual position of the position indicating member as an output of the encoder; and a servo amplifier for generating a motor current in response to the output of the encoder, the servo motor being responsive to the motor current for being driven in accordance therewith.

Claim 17

An industrial robot comprising an encoder for indicating a position of a servo member of a servo motor as a relatively movable member and for generating at least two signal which are offset in phase from one another in accordance with movement of the servo member, comprising: a position indicating member having a first pattern with a first period and a second pattern with a portion varying over an interval longer than an interval of the first period corresponding to a predetermined position in the first pattern; first detecting means for detecting the first pattern, the first detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; second detecting means for detecting the second pattern, the second detecting means being disposed relatively movable with respect to the position indicating member; signal generating means connected with the first detecting means for generating a signal indicative of direction and amount of movement in accordance with the first pattern; setting means connected with the second detecting means for detecting the predetermined position and for setting a value corresponding to the predetermined position in the first pattern; a presetable counter connected with the signal generating means and the setting means for receiving an output of the setting means and for setting a count in accordance therewith, for counting an output of the signal generating means and for outputting an absolute value corresponding to an actual position of the position indicating member as an output of the encoder; and a servo amplifier for generating a motor current in response to the output of the encoder, the servo motor being responsive to the motor current for being driven in accordance therewith.

Claim 18

An industrial robot according to claim 14, wherein the encoder and the servo motor are disposed in a rest mechanism of the industrial robot.

Claim 23

An encoder for indicating a position of a rotatable movable member and for generating at least two signals which are offset in phase from one another in accordance with movement of the movable member, comprising position detecting means, and a presettable counter, the position detecting means including means for detecting a rough absolute position of the movable member, means for generating a rough position signal indicating the rough absolute position, means for detecting at least one reference position, and means for generating a position reference signal indicating the at least one reference position during rotational movement of the movable member, and the presettable counter being preset for an absolute value of each revolution with respect to the reference position during rotational movement of the movable member when the position reference signal is generated.

Claim 24

An encoder for indicating a position of a rotatable movable member and for generating at least two signals which are offset in phase from one another in accordance with movement of the movable member, comprising position detecting means, and a presettable counter, the position detecting means including means for detecting a rough absolute position of the movable member, means for generating a rough position signal indicating the rough absolute position, means for detecting at least one reference position, and means for generating a position reference signal indicating the at least one reference position during rotational movement of the movable member, and the presettable counter being preset for an absolute value of each revolution with respect to the reference position during rotational movement of the movable member when the position reference signal is generated.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes an encoder for indicating the relatively movable member.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus includes a servo system comprising a servo motor for moving the relatively movable member, the encoder for indicating the position of the relatively movable member, and a servo amplifier for generating current for the servo motor.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus includes an industrial robot comprising a servo motor for moving the relatively movable member, the encoder for indicating the relatively movable member, a servo amplifier for generating current for the servo motor, and a part of the industrial robot where the servo motor is coupled, the servo amplifier generating the current for the servo motor in response to the output of the encoder.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the apparatus includes an encoder.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the apparatus includes a servo system comprising a servo motor for moving the relatively movable member, the encoder for indicating the position of the relatively movable member, and a servo amplifier for generating current for the servo motor, the servo amplifier generating the current for the servo motor in response to the output of the encoder.

Claim 36

An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the apparatus includes an encoder.

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the apparatus includes a servo system comprising a servo motor for moving the relatively movable member, the encoder for indicating the position of the relatively movable member, and a servo amplifier for generating current for the servo motor, the servo amplifier generating the current for the servo motor in response to the output of the encoder.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the apparatus includes an industrial robot comprising a servo motor for moving the relatively movable member, the encoder for indicating the position of the relatively movable member, a servo amplifier for generating current for the servo motor, and a part of the industrial robot wherein the servo motor is coupled, the servo amplifier generating a motor current in response to the output of the encoder.

Claim 41

A method according to claim 30, wherein the apparatus includes an encoder which indicates the position of the movable member.

Claim 42

A method according to claim 31, wherein the apparatus includes a servo system, further comprising the steps of: generating a motor current in response to the amount of movement data; and driving the servo system in accordance with the motor current.

Claim 45

A method according to claim 33, wherein the apparatus includes an encoder which indicates the position of the relatively movable member.

Claim 46

A method according to claim 33, wherein the apparatus includes a servo system and the relatively movable member is a servo member, further comprising the step of driving the servo system in accordance with the roughly resolved data and the accurately resolved data.

Claim 49

A method according to claim 36, wherein the apparatus includes an encoder which indicates the position of the position indicating member.

Claim 50

A method according to claim 36, wherein the apparatus includes a servo system, further comprising the step of driving the servo system in accordance with the rough position value and the accurate position value.

Claim 51

An industrial robot comprising a servo motor moving a relatively movable member, an encoder for indicating a position of the relatively movable member and a servo amplifier for generating a current for the servo motor, the encoder including: means for providing a roughly resolved absolute position data indicating a rough position of said relatively movable member; means for providing a finely resolved data which is more accurate than the roughly resolved absolute position data, the finely resolved data indicating a position of said relatively movable member; outputting means responsive to the roughly resolved absolute position data and the finely resolved data, the outputting means initially providing an output corresponding to a rough absolute position value based upon the roughly resolved absolute position data; and adjusting means for adjusting the outputting means, wherein the outputting means is responsive to adjustment by the adjusting means for changing over the output thereof so that the outputting means outputs an output corresponding to an accurate absolute position value which is more accurate than said rough absolute position value with the resolution of the finely resolved data based on the finely resolved data, and the servo motor is coupled with the outputting means, and the servo amplifier generates a current for the servo motor in response to the output of the encoder.

Claim 52

An industrial robot comprising a servo motor moving a relatively movable member, an encoder for indicating a position of the relatively movable member and a servo amplifier for generating a current for the servo motor, the encoder including: means for providing a roughly resolved absolute position data indicating a rough position of said relatively movable member; means for providing a finely resolved data which is more accurate than the roughly resolved absolute position data, the finely resolved data indicating a position of said relatively movable member; outputting means responsive to the roughly resolved absolute position data and the finely resolved data, the outputting means initially providing an output corresponding to a rough absolute position value based upon the roughly resolved absolute position data; and adjusting means for adjusting the outputting means, wherein the outputting means is responsive to adjustment by the adjusting means for changing over the output thereof so that the outputting means outputs an output corresponding to an accurate absolute position value which is more accurate than said rough absolute position value with the resolution of the finely resolved data based on the finely resolved data, and the servo motor is coupled with the outputting means, and the servo amplifier generates a current for the servo motor in response to the output of the encoder.