Tracking and handling device

• US 20070179671A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Arimatsu, Taro, Jyumonji, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US11/490,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179671A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/247
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4182 manipulators and conveyor only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31274 Convey products, move equipment according to production plan in memory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39102 Manipulator cooperating with conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39167 Resources scheduling and balancing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A tracking and handling device capable of effectively handling workpieces, at low cost, even when a motion path of a robot or a conveying interval of the workpieces is varied. A first controller for a first robot on the most upstream side judges whether each workpiece supplied from a source should be handled by the first robot. Data of the workpiece not to be handled by the first robot is sent to a second controller for a second robot next to the first robot. The second controller judges whether each workpiece should be handled by the second robot based on data from the first controller. Data of the workpiece not to be handled by the second robot is sent to a third controller for a third robot on the most downstream side. The third controller judges whether a remaining workpiece should be handled by the third robot based on data from the second controller.

Claims

1. A tracking and handling device comprising:

a conveying means for conveying a plurality of workpieces which are continuously supplied;

a travel distance detecting means for detecting a travel distance of the conveying means;

a workpiece position detecting means for detecting the positions of the workpieces conveyed by the conveying means;

a plurality of robots including first and second robots arranged along the conveying means;

a plurality of robot controllers including first and second robot controllers for controlling the first and second robots; and

a communication means which connects the workpiece position detecting means and each robot controller,

the tracking and handling device being configured such that each workpiece on the conveying means is handled by one of the robots without a stoppage the conveying means, based on the travel distance of the conveying means detected by the travel distance detecting means,

wherein the workpiece position detecting means transmits position data of the detected workpiece, via the communication means, to the first controller for controlling the first robot located on the most upstream side of the conveying means in relation to the conveying direction of the conveying means,

the first robot controller judges whether the first robot should handle the detected workpiece when the first controller has received position data of the workpiece from the workpiece position detecting means and, then, transmits position data of the workpiece, which is not to be handled by the first robot, to the second robot controller for controlling the second robot located on the downstream side in relation to the first robot.

2. The tracking and handling device as set forth in claim 1, comprising one or more second robots, which are located on the downstream sides in relation to the first robot but not on the most downstream side of the conveying means in relation to the conveying direction of the conveying means, and a third robot, which is located on the most downstream side of the conveying means,

wherein the second robot controller judges whether the second robot should handle the detected workpiece when the second controller has received position data of the workpiece from the robot controller for controlling the robot located on the upstream side in relation to the second robot and, then, transmits position data of the workpiece, which is judged to not be handled by the second robot, to the robot controller for controlling the robot located on the downstream side in relation to the second robot,

and wherein a third robot controller controls the third robot such that the third robot handles the detected workpiece based on the position data of the workpiece received, via the communication means, from the robot controller for controlling the robot located on the upstream side in relation to the third robot.

3. The tracking and handling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the judgment of each robot controller is performed based on the position data at the moment of the judgment.

4. The tracking and handling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the judgment of each robot controller is performed based on the maximum handling capacity of the robot controlled by the corresponding robot controller.

5. The tracking and handling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each robot controller previously determines the numbers of the workpiece which should be handled and the number of the workpiece which should not be handled by the robot controlled by the corresponding robot controller, and controls the robot based on the predetermined numbers.

6. The tracking and handling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conveying means is wide and the robots are located on both sides of the conveying means.

7. The tracking and handling device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a discharging conveyor for discharging the workpiece to a set place after a robot has handled the workpiece.