Manufacturing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12447609-B2
Application number	US-202218145628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2022
Priority date	Jan 11, 2022
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A manufacturing system includes: a first tank configured to store generation fuel; a manufacturing device having a first power generation device configured to generate power using the generation fuel, the manufacturing device being configured to operate using power supplied from the first power generation device; and a transport robot configured to transport the generation fuel from the first tank to the manufacturing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing system comprising:
a first tank configured to store generation fuel;
a manufacturing device constituting a production line in a factory, the manufacturing device including i) a wagon, ii) a first power generation device disposed on the wagon, the first power generation device being configured to generate power using the generation fuel, and iii) a manufacturing robot disposed on the wagon, the manufacturing robot being configured to manufacture industrial products using power supplied from the first power generation device;
a transport robot configured to transport the generation fuel from the first tank to the manufacturing device; and
a fuel production system configured to produce the generation fuel,
wherein the first tank includes
a main tank configured to store the generation fuel produced by the fuel production system, and
a reserve tank configured to store generation fuel supplied from outside of the fuel production system, and

wherein the fuel production system is configured to:
predict a production amount of the generation fuel to be produced in a certain future period based on an environment in which the generation fuel is produced;
calculate a total amount of a storage amount of the generation fuel in the main tank and the production amount;
in response to the total amount being more than a threshold value, supply the generation fuel from the main tank to the transport robot; and
in response to the total amount being less than the threshold value, supply the generation fuel from the reserve tank to the transport robot.

2. The manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manufacturing device includes:
a second tank configured to store the generation fuel, and
a communication unit configured to transmit a first request to the transport robot in response to a remaining amount of the second tank being smaller than a threshold value,

the transport robot includes:
a mobile robot,
a third tank configured to store the generation fuel, and
a controller configured to control the mobile robot, and

the controller:
controls the mobile robot to move to the first tank in response to reception of the first request, and
controls the mobile robot to move to the manufacturing device in response to completion of transportation of the generation fuel from the first tank to the third tank.

3. The manufacturing system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the transport robot includes a second power generation device configured to generate power using the generation fuel stored in the third tank, and
the mobile robot operates using power supplied from the second power generation device.

4. A manufacturing system comprising:
a first tank configured to store generation fuel;
a manufacturing device constituting a production line in a factory, the manufacturing device including i) a wagon, ii) a first power generation device disposed on the wagon, the first power generation device being configured to generate power using the generation fuel, and iii) a manufacturing robot disposed on the wagon, the manufacturing robot being configured to manufacture industrial products using power supplied from the first power generation device;
a transport robot configured to transport the generation fuel from the first tank to the manufacturing device;
a first prediction unit configured to predict a demand amount of the generation fuel of the manufacturing device in a certain future period based on a planned quantity of the industrial products to be manufactured by the manufacturing robot and a product type of the industrial products; and
a fuel production system configured to produce the generation fuel,
wherein:
the first tank includes:
a main tank configured to store the generation fuel produced by the fuel production system, and
a reserve tank configured to store generation fuel supplied from outside of the fuel production system, and

the fuel production system is configured to:
predict a production amount of the generation fuel to be produced in the certain future period based on an environment in which the generation fuel is produced;
calculate a difference obtained by subtracting the demand amount from a sum of the production amount and a storage amount of the generation fuel in the main tank;
in response to the difference being more than a threshold value, supply the generation fuel from the main tank to the transport robot; and
in response to the difference being less than the threshold value, supply the generation fuel from the reserve tank to the transport robot.

5. The manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel production system produces, as the generation fuel, formic acid by artificial photosynthesis.

6. The manufacturing system according to claim 4 , wherein the fuel production system produces, as the generation fuel, formic acid by artificial photosynthesis.

7. The manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing device comprises manufacturing equipment for manufacturing a product.

8. The manufacturing system according to claim 7 , wherein the generation fuel comprises formic acid.

9. The manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein the generation fuel comprises formic acid.

10. The manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manufacturing device further comprises a position sensor that measures a first position of the manufacturing device,
wherein the first tank is provided at a storage position within the manufacturing system, and
wherein the transport robot transports the generation fuel from the first tank from the storage position to the first position.

11. The manufacturing system according to claim 10 , wherein, when the first position of the manufacturing device changes to a second position that is different from the first position, the transport robot transports the generation fuel from the first tank from the storage position to the second position.

12. The manufacturing system according to claim 10 , wherein the manufacturing device is powered only from the power generated using the generation fuel and not from power generated by electric wiring.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Nakamura Yoshiyuki

Classifications

• B60P3/228

  Measuring or indicating means, e.g. of level, volume, weight · CPC title

• G05B2219/31014

  Synchronization between AGV movement and workpiece treatment chambers · CPC title

• G05B2219/31002

  Computer controlled agv conveys workpieces between buffer and cell · CPC title

• B25J9/162 Primary

  Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it · CPC title

• G05B19/41895 Primary

  using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] (control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00) · CPC title