Transfer apparatus and article taking-out method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016137435-A1
Application number	US-201514940452-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2015
Priority date	Nov 13, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a transfer apparatus includes a gripper, a first driving mechanism, an elastic passive joint part, a conveyor, a second driving mechanism, and base. The gripper grips an article. The first driving mechanism linearly moves the gripper in at least two directions including a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The elastic passive joint part is interposed between the gripper and the first driving mechanism, and operates in accordance with an operation of the gripper. The conveyor conveys the article. The second driving mechanism linearly moves the conveyor in the at least two directions, and is connected to the conveyor. The base supports the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A transfer apparatus comprising:
a gripper which grips an article; a first driving mechanism which moves the gripper in at least two directions including a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction; an elastic passive joint part which is interposed between the gripper and the first driving mechanism and operates in accordance with an operation of the gripper; a conveyor which conveys the article; a second driving mechanism which moves the conveyor in the at least two directions, the second driving mechanism being connected to the conveyor; and a base supporting the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism.

2 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first driving mechanism comprises:
a first linearly moving member movably supported by the base in the first direction;
a second linearly moving member movably supported by the first linearly moving member in a third direction, the third direction intersecting with the first direction and the second direction; and
a third linearly moving member movably supported by the second linearly moving member in the second direction and connected to the elastic passive joint part, and
wherein the second driving mechanism comprises:
a fourth linearly moving member movably supported by the base in the first direction;
a fifth linearly moving member movably supported by the fourth linearly moving member in the third direction; and
a sixth linearly moving member movably supported by the fifth linearly moving member in the second direction and connected to the conveyor.

3 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first driving mechanism comprises:
a first linearly moving member movably supported by the base in the first direction; and
a third linearly moving member movably supported by the first linearly moving member in the second direction and connected to the elastic passive joint part, and
wherein the second driving mechanism comprises:
a fourth linearly moving member movably supported by the base in the first direction; and
a sixth linearly moving member movably supported by the fourth linearly moving member in the second direction.

4 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a passive rotational element provided on a lower side of the conveyor.

5 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first driving mechanism moves the gripper upward in a state where the gripper grips the article to make a gap on a lower side of the article, and wherein the second driving mechanism moves the conveyor to insert a leading end of the conveyor into the gap.

6 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic passive joint part comprises at least one elastic passive element.

7 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic passive joint part comprises a differential mechanism in which elastic passive linearly moving elements are disposed in parallel.

8 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper is in a horizontal state or in a state inclined downward before the gripper comes into contact with the article.

9 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a conveyor controller which performs positioning control of the conveyor with respect to the article and rotation control of the conveyor; and a gripper controller which performs positioning control of the gripper with respect to the article.

10 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a detector which detects an upper surface edge of the article or a position and a shape of the article to generate a detection signal, wherein the gripper controller determines a position to be gripped in the article based on the detection signal.

11 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper loads the article on the conveyor to be inclined with respect to a direction in which the conveyor conveys the article.

12 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper grips the article by suction.

13 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper grips the article by adhesion.

14 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper is positioned above the conveyor.

15 . An article taking-out method for an apparatus comprising a gripper which grips an article, an elastic passive joint part which is connected to the gripper and operates in accordance with an operation of the gripper, and a conveyor which conveys the article, the method comprising:
moving the gripper to come into contact with an upper surface edge portion of the article; moving the gripper upward in a state where the gripper grips the upper surface edge portion of the article to make a gap on a lower side of the article; moving the conveyor to insert a leading end of the conveyor into the gap; and driving the conveyor to load the article gripped by the gripper onto the conveyor.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Tanaka Junya
• Watabe Kazuo
• Ogawa Akihito
• Nakamoto Hideichi
• Sonoura Takafumi
• Eto Haruna

Classifications

• B25J9/026

  Gantry-type · CPC title

• B25J9/023

  Cartesian coordinate type · CPC title

• B65G61/00

  Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65G47/914

  provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements · CPC title

• B65G65/02 Primary

  Loading or unloading machines comprising essentially a conveyor for moving the loads associated with a device for picking-up the loads · CPC title