Positioning apparatus mounted with vibration isolators and robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9765846-B2
Application number	US-201514919998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 23, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A positioning apparatus mounted with at least one linear axis or axis of rotation and a robot on a base and mounted with vibration isolators and the robot includes vibration isolators that are capable of seating and suspending the base and a controller that controls suspension and seating of the vibration isolators in accordance with an operating condition of the robot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A positioning apparatus mounted with at least one linear axis or axis of rotation and a robot on a base, the positioning apparatus comprising:
vibration isolators configured to seat and suspend the base; and
a level adjustment device provided between the base and the vibration isolators, wherein
during a series of operations of the robot that are delimited by at least one program, each operation in the series of operations sets an instruction speed of the operation of the robot,
the level adjustment device is configured to control suspension and seating of the vibration isolators with respect to the base in accordance with a result of comparison between the highest instruction speed in the series of operations of the robot and a predetermined speed,
the vibration isolators are configured to effect a state of the suspension or the seating before the program is executed, and maintain the state during the execution of the program,
the level adjustment device is further configured to control the vibration isolators to be seated when the robot is operated at the highest instruction speed to replace a work or a tool on a machine tool or a measurement apparatus, and
the level adjustment device is further configured to control the vibration isolators to be suspended when machining or measurement operated by the robot at a speed less than the highest instruction speed is started.

2. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration isolators have a structure that is suspended with pneumatic pressure or electromagnetic force.

3. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the level adjustment device is configured to control the suspension or the seating of the vibration isolators in accordance with control signals outputted at timing specified in the at least one program.

4. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one set of joint members configured to uniquely determine a position and a posture of the base when the vibration isolators are seated.

5. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a control instruction for the vibration isolators is integrated into
a first program for a machine tool or a measurement apparatus,
a second program for the robot, or
both the first and second programs.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Ebihara Kenzo

Classifications

• F16M11/12

  in more than one direction · CPC title

• F16M7/00 Primary

  Details of attaching or adjusting engine beds, frames, or supporting-legs on foundation or base; Attaching non-moving engine parts, e.g. cylinder blocks (elastic or equivalent mounting for absorbing vibrations F16F, especially F16F15/04) · CPC title

• F16M11/22

  with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs (F16M11/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16M11/18

  with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand · CPC title

• F16M11/04

  Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand · CPC title