Robot system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10556306-B2
Application number	US-201715688969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 8, 2016
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A robot system including a plurality of robots that are arranged at intervals and that each perform machining on a work; and a tool storage unit that stores a tool used when each of the robots performs machining on the work and that is disposed at a position allowing at least one of the robot to take out the tool, wherein the respective robots are provided with hands with which the tool stored in the tool storage unit can be handled; and, when one of the robots needs to exchange the tool.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A robot system comprising:
a plurality of robots that are arranged at intervals and that each perform machining on a work; and
one tool storage that stores a plurality of types of specific tools for each type of work used for fixing the work according to the types of the work when each of the robots performs machining on the work, the one tool storage being disposed closest to one of the robots among the plurality of robots,
wherein the respective robots are provided with hands with which the tool stored in the tool storage can be handled; and
when one of the robots needs to exchange the tool, all of the other robots that are disposed between the robot that needs to exchange the tool and the tool storage pass the tool between the adjacent robots with the hands and convey the tool to the robot that needs to exchange the tool.

2. A robot system according to claim 1 , wherein passing of the tool is performed between the hands of the adjacent robots.

3. A robot system according to claim 1 , further comprising a temporary table for the tool, between the adjacent robots,
wherein passing of the tool is performed such that the tool is placed on the temporary table with the hand of one of the adjacent robots and is picked up from the temporary table with the hand of the other robot.

4. A robot system according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the robots is provided with the hand and a machining tool adapted to machine the work, in an exchangeable manner; and
when one of the robots needs to exchange the tool, all of the other robots that are disposed between the robot that needs to exchange the tool and the tool storage exchange the machining tools thereof for the hands thereof.

5. A robot system according to claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises one pair of a first grasped portion and one pair of a second grasped portion.

6. A robot system according to claim 3 , wherein the tool comprises one pair of a first grasped portion.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Akiyama Kazuhiko
• Furuya Yoshitake

Classifications

• B25J9/0093

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title

• B25J19/00

  Accessories fitted to manipulators, e.g. for monitoring, for viewing; Safety devices combined with or specially adapted for use in connection with manipulators (safety-devices in general F16P; protection against radiation in general G21F) · CPC title

• B25J9/0009

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• B23P21/004

  the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed · CPC title

• B23P21/008 Primary

  the assembling machines or tools moving synchronously with the units while these are being assembled · CPC title