Automatic lubrication robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12202136-B2
Application number	US-202218283930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2022
Priority date	Mar 24, 2021
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

An automatic lubrication robot includes a robot, a grease hose, and a delivery unit. The robot includes a lifting and lowering unit that moves linearly and an arm coupled to the lifting and lowering unit, and the robot is arranged in a clean room to perform an operation. Grease for lubricating the robot passes through the grease hose. In response to the linear movement of the lifting and lowering unit, the delivery unit delivers the grease to the robot via the grease hose.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic lubrication robot, comprising:
a robot including a linear movement unit performing a linear movement and an arm coupled to the linear movement unit, the robot being arranged in a clean room to perform an operation;
a supply path through which a lubricant for lubricating the robot passes; and
a delivery unit configured to deliver the lubricant to the robot via the supply path, in response to the linear movement of the linear movement unit,
wherein the delivery unit has a function of delivering air, and delivers the air in response to the linear movement of the linear movement unit, to deliver the lubricant to the supply path, and
the delivery unit includes
a first delivery unit configured to deliver the air in response to a pressing force from the linear movement unit; and
a second delivery unit configured to deliver the lubricant by the air delivered by the first delivery unit.

2. The automatic lubrication robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the second delivery unit is arranged in an atmospheric pressure environment.

3. The automatic lubrication robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the arm is arranged in a vacuum environment.

4. The automatic lubrication robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the linear movement unit is a unit configured to perform an up-down movement, and
the delivery unit delivers the lubricant to the robot via the supply path, in response to the up-down movement of the linear movement unit.

5. The automatic lubrication robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the supply path is branched and the lubricant is supplied to a plurality of locations of the robot.

6. The automatic lubrication robot according to claim 1 , being switchable between
a first state in which the delivery unit supplies the lubricant to the robot when the linear movement unit linearly moves to an operating position; and
a second state in which the delivery unit does not supply the lubricant to the robot when the linear movement unit linearly moves to the operating position.

7. The automatic lubrication robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the linear movement unit is movable over a first movement range used for an operation by the robot and a second movement range outside the first movement range, and
the delivery unit does not supply the lubricant to the robot when the linear movement unit moves within the first movement range, and supplies the lubricant to the robot when the linear movement unit moves within the second movement range.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shibata Takeshi
• Ono Ryota

Classifications

• F16N13/02

  with reciprocating piston (pumps with distributing equipment F16N13/22) · CPC title

• F16N11/10

  by pressure of another fluid · CPC title

• F16N7/14

  the lubricant being conveyed from the reservoir by mechanical means (by pumping devices F16N7/36, F16N7/38; adaptations for lubrication of machines or engines in general, of internal-combustion engines F01M) · CPC title

• B25J9/042

  comprising an articulated arm · CPC title

• B25J18/04

  rotatable · CPC title