Industrial robot comprising a portable operating unit which a movable key device for identification of the robot

• US 20040148058A1
• Filed: 03/08/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Endersen, Jan, Carlson, Erik, Johannessen, Svein
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33105 Identification of type of connected module, motor, panel
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34456 Authorize control of machine, robot if control panel has been connected
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36104 IC card
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36115 Card
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39001 Robot, manipulator control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39384 Control unit near robot, control and teaching panel in safe zone

Abstract

An industrial robot comprising a manipulator (3), a control unit (2) having means for automatically operating the manipulator, and a portable operating unit (1) having means for manually operating the manipulator. The robot further comprises a movable key device (10) carrying information about the identity of the robot and said portable operating unit (1) comprising a member (8) for receiving said movable key device and means for reading the robot identity from the key device.

Claims

1. An industrial robot comprising a manipulator (3), a control unit (2) having means for automatically operating the manipulator, and a portable operating unit (1) having means for manually operating the manipulator, characterized in that the robot comprises a movable key device (10) carrying information about the identity of the robot and said portable operating unit (1) comprising a member (8) for receiving said movable key device and means for reading (20) the robot identity from the key device.

2. An industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a second member (15) for receiving the movable key device (10) and said second receiving member being located at or in connection with the control unit (2).

3. An industrial robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the portable operating unit (1) comprises means (5) for displaying the identity of the robot.

4. An industrial robot according to any of the claims 1-3, characterized in that said portable operating unit (1) comprises means (20) for sensing the presence of the key device and means for enabling manual operation of the manipulator in presence of the key device in the operating unit.

5. An industrial robot according to claim 2, characterized in that the control unit comprises means (30) for sensing the presence of the key device and means for enabling automatic operation of the manipulator in presence of the key device.

6. An industrial robot according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portable operating unit (1) and the control unit (2) are adapted for wireless communication with each other.

7. An industrial robot according to claim 6, characterized in that the portable operating unit comprises means (9, 26) for establishing a communication with the control unit of the identified robot.

8. An industrial robot according to claim 7, characterized in that the communication between the portable operating unit (1) and the control unit (2) is carried out via a base station (40) and the movable key device (10) is adapted for carrying information about the address of the base station.

9. An industrial robot according to claims 2 and 7, characterized in that the control unit (2) comprises means (37) for measuring the time elapsed between the point of time when the key unit is removed from the second receiving member (15) until communication is established between the portable operating unit (1) and the control unit (2).

10. An industrial robot according to claim 9, characterized in that the control unit (2) comprises means for comparing said time with a predetermined maximum time and executing an emergency stop of the manipulator depending on said comparison.

11. An industrial robot according to claim 2, characterized in that the control unit (2) comprises means for determining whether the key device received by the second receiving member carries the same identification as the robot.

12. An industrial robot according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the key unit (10) comprises an electronic hardware device (16).

13. An industrial robot according to claim 12, characterized in that the electronic hardware device comprises an processor.

14. An industrial robot according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the key unit (10) comprises an emergency stop button.

15. An industrial robot according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the control unit (2) comprises means for detecting lack of robot identity in the key device and means for transferring the identity of the robot to the key device.

16. An industrial robot according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the control unit (2) comprises means for detecting lack of robot identity in the control unit itself and means for transferring the identity of the robot from the key device to the control unit.

19. An industrial robot system according claim 16 or 17, characterized in that said portable operating unit (1) comprises means for sensing (21) the presence of the key device and means for enabling manual operation of the manipulator in presence of the key device in the operating unit.

30. Use of an industrial robot according to any of claims 1-16 for operation control at a spot welding station.

17. An industrial robot system comprising a plurality of industrial robots, each having a manipulator (3a-3f), a control unit (2a-2f) having means for automatically operating the manipulator, and at least one portable operating unit (1) for teaching and programming the manipulators, which portable operating unit (1) is adapted for wireless communication with the control units (2), characterized in that each robot comprises a movable key device (10) carrying information about the identity of the robot and said portable operating unit (1) comprises a member (8) for receiving said movable key devices, means (20) for reading the robot identity from the key device, and means (9, 26) for establishing a communication with the control unit of the identified robot.

18. An industrial robot system according to claim 17, characterized in that the portable operating unit (1) comprises means for displaying (5) the identity of the robot.

20. An industrial robot system according to any of the claims 17-19, characterized in that the robots comprise means (15) for receiving the key device (10) and means for determining whether the received key device carries the same identification as the robot.

21. An operating unit (1) for an industrial robot having a specified identity, a manipulator (3) and a control unit (2) for controlling the manipulator, the operating unit (1) comprising means (6, 7) for manually operating the manipulator and means (9) for communicating with the control unit, characterized in that the operating unit (1) further comprises a member (8) for receiving a movable key device (10) carrying information about the identity of the robot and means (20) for reading the robot identity from the key device.

22. An operating unit according to claim 21, characterized in that it comprises means (5) for displaying said robot identity received from the key device.

23. An operating unit according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that it comprises means (20) for sensing the presence of the key device and means for enabling manual operation of the manipulator in presence of the key device in the operating unit.

24. An operating unit according to any of the claims 21-23, characterized in that it comprises means (9, 26) for establishing a wireless communication with the control unit of the identified robot.

25. A method for controlling an industrial robot, comprising a manipulator (3) and a control unit (2) for controlling the manipulator, with a portable operating unit (1) for teaching and manually operating the manipulator, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of moving a key device (10), which carries information about the identity of the robot, from a place at or in connection with the control unit to the portable operating unit and then transferring said information about the robot identity from the key device to the portable operating unit.

26. A method according to claim 25, comprising the step of enabling the operation of the operating unit upon receiving the key device in the operating unit.

27. A method according to claim 25 or 26, comprising the step of a establishing a wireless communication between the operating unit and the control unit of the identified robot when the portable operating unit has received the information about the robot identity.

28. A method according to claim 27, comprising the step of measuring the time elapsed between the key unit is being removed from the place at or in connection with the control unit until said communication is established between the operating unit and the control unit.

29. A method according to any of the claims 25-28, comprising the step of moving the key device from the operating unit to said place at or in connection with the control unit and checking whether the received key device carries the same identification as the robot connected to the control unit.