US6587749B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Industrial robot and method of operating same
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
•
Filing: 2001-03-26
•
Granted: 2003-07-01
•
Expires: 2021-03-26
Abstract
Abstract It is possible to obtain an industrial robot which assures excellent reduction in maintenance. The industrial robot includes a robot body, a manipulator to control the operation of the robot body, a control device to control the manipulator, a first path disposed between the manipulator and the control device, and a second path between a commercial power source and the manipulator. Since the voltage supplied from the commercial power source in the second path is applied to the manipulator, the robot body becomes freely movable without being controlled by the manipulator.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazunori Matsumoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 18:07
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J19/00; B25J19/06; B25J19/0004; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20207; Y10T74/20305; Y10T74/20311
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
An industrial robot, comprising: (a) a robot body; (b) a manipulator to control an operation of said robot body; (c) a control device to control said manipulator; (d) a first path disposed between said manipulator and said control device; and (e) a second path disposed between a commercial power source and said manipulator, wherein when a voltage supplied from said commercial power source in said second path is applied to said manipulator, said robot body becomes freely movable without being controlled by said manipulator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
An industrial robot, comprising: (a) a robot body; (b) a manipulator to control an operation of said robot body; (c) a control device to control said manipulator; (d) a first path disposed between said manipulator and said control device; and (e) a second path disposed between a commercial power source and said manipulator, wherein when a voltage supplied from said commercial power source in said second path is applied to said manipulator, said robot body becomes freely movable without being controlled by said manipulator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The industrial robot of claim 1 , wherein when a voltage supplied from said commercial power source in said second path is applied to said manipulator, said robot body becomes freely movable without being controlled by said manipulator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The industrial robot of claim 2 , wherein said second path is disposed so as to be freely connectable to said manipulator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The industrial robot of claim 1 , wherein said manipulator includes a motor to drive said robot body, a brake to brake the motor, and said motor has a function to drive said manipulator, and said brake has a function to brake said motor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The industrial robot of claim 4 , wherein when the voltage supplied from said commercial power source in said second path is applied to said manipulator, said brake is released, and said robot body becomes freely movable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The industrial robot of claim 5 , wherein said second path is disposed so as to be freely connectable to said manipulator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The industrial robot of claim 4 , wherein said manipulator further comprises a brake releasing divice to release said brake, and when said brake is released, said robot becomes freely movable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The industrial robot of claim 7 , wherein said second path is disposed so as to be freely connectable to said manipulator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The industrial robot of claim 4 , wherein said second path is disposed so as to be freely connectable to said manipulator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The industrial robot of claim 1 , further comprising: (f) a voltage transformer disposed between said commercial power source and said manipulator in said second path, wherein said voltage transformer serves to transform the voltage supplied from said commercial power source to a voltage for releasing said brake.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
The industrial robot of claim 10 , further comprising: (g) a switch device disposed between said control device and said voltage transformer, wherein said switch device serves to switch said first path, and when said first path is switched on, said brake is controlled by said control device, and when said first path is switched off, said brake becomes released due to the voltage transformed by said voltage transformer in said second path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The industrial robot of claim 10 , wherein said second path is disposed so as to be freely connectable to said manipulator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The industrial robot of claim 1 , wherein said second path is disposed so as to be freely connectable to said manipulator.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of operating an industrial robot having a robot system comprising a robot body; a manipulator to control the operation of said robot body; a control device to control said manipulator; a first path disposed between said manipulator and said control device, and a second path disposed between a commercial power source and said manipulator; said method comprising the steps of: (a) operating said manipulator by controlling said control device by said first path, thereby controlling the operation of said robot body; and (b) freely moving said robot body without being controlled by said manipulator by applying a voltage from said commercial power source to said manipulator via said second path when said manipulator is unable to be controlled by said control device via said first path.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of operating an industrial robot having a robot system comprising a robot body; a manipulator to control the operation of said robot body; a control device to control said manipulator; a first path disposed between said manipulator and said control device, and a second path disposed between a commercial power source and said manipulator; said method comprising the steps of: (a) operating said manipulator by controlling said control device by said first path, thereby controlling the operation of said robot body; and (b) freely moving said robot body without being controlled by said manipulator by applying a voltage from said commercial power source to said manipulator via said second path when said manipulator is unable to be controlled by said control device via said first path.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
111 words
The method of operating an industrial robot of claim 14 , wherein said manipulator includes a motor to drive said robot body, and a brake to brake said motor; the step (a) includes a step of controlling said control device by said first path, and operating said manipulator, while holding said brake, thereby controlling the operation of said robot body; and in the step (b), when said manipulator is unable to be controlled by said control device via said first path, a voltage is supplied from said commercial power source to said brake, thereby releasing said brake, and then said robot body becomes freely movable without being controlled by said manipulator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
98 words
The method of operating an industrial robot of claim 15 , wherein said robot system further comprises a voltage transformer disposed between said commercial power source in said first path and said manipulator, and in the step (b), when said manipulator is unable to be controlled by said control device via said first path, the voltage supplied from said commercial power source is transformed by said voltage transformer to a voltage for releasing said brake, and the transformed voltage is applied to said brake, and then said robot body becomes freely movable without being controlled by said manipulator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
115 words
The method of operating an industrial robot of claim 15 , wherein said robot system further comprises a switch device disposed between said control device and said manipulator; in step (a), when said switch device selects said first path so that the first path is electrically connected to said manipulator, said brake is controlled by said control device and becomes released, and then said robot body becomes freely movable, and in step (b), when said switch device selects said second path so that the first path is switched off, said brake becomes released due to the voltage supplied from said commercial power source in said second path, and then said robot body becomes freely movable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of operating an industrial robot of claim 15 , wherein said manipulator further includes a brake releasing device to release said brake, and in the step (a) and step (b), said brake is released, and thereby, said robot body becomes freely movable.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4888708A
Cited
DE3322221A1
Cited
US4553077A
Cited
US4757180A
Cited
US5191271A
Cited
DE4015644A1
Cited
US5437207A
Cited
JPH06304886A
Cited
EP0673726A2
Cited
US5608619A
Cited
WO1997004370A1
Cited
US6134102A
Cited
US6362813B1
Cited
US5751918A
Cited
WO1998028632A1
Cited
US6145403A
Cited
EP1011035A2
Cited
US6356806B1
Cited
US6131436A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-06-30 | 2006-12-30 | 2007-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-30 | 2010-12-30 | 2011-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-30 | 2014-12-30 | 2015-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |