Transportable robot system

• US 4,664,590 A
• Filed: 05/10/1985
• Issued: 05/12/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Maekawa, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Underwood, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US06/733,495
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 414/222, 414/225, 414/226, 414/266, 414/279, 414/281, 414/749, 414/750, 414/744 R, 901/1, 901/6, 901/7, 901/8, 180/168, 104/88, 104/89, 104/165, 104/18, 105/29 R
• US Class Current: 414/744.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/1556 of non-rotary tools in combination with rotary tools: B23Q3/15506, B23Q3/15513
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/04 by means of grippers B23Q7/1494 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/1442 using carts carrying work holders
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/00 Programme-controlled manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The transportable robot system comprising a plurality of robot working areas, an unmanned transporter for transporting a robot mounted thereon and moving between the robot working areas and a travel track for the unmanned transporter to provide a communication between the areas. The unmanned transporter provides a base to which to robot is mounted and secured, and a locating station for the base is provided near a machine tool in the working area so that the base may be put on the locating station at a predetermined position.

Claims

1. A transportable robot system comprising means providing a plurality of spaced apart working areas each near a machine tool and each having a locating station, a common robot having a base, an unmanned transporter adapted to support said robot, transporter guide means leading to each of said working areas, means for moving said transporter along said guide means to deliver said robot to or withdraw it from the locating station of any one of said working stations, means for releasably securing said robot base to the locating station of each of said working areas, means for operating said securing means to secure said robot base to the locating station of any one of said working areas upon delivery of said robot thereto by said transporter, and means for operating said securing means to release said robot base at the locating station of any one of said working areas for withdrawal of said robot therefrom by said transporter, said base being constructed in the shape in which a horizontally extending pallet loading branched fork-like portion is extended on a box-shaped upper surface and each locating station being constructed in the shape of a plane in which a portion on the side where the transporter is moved in and out is open, a pallet being accurately located on the base by a pressing cylinder provided on the fork-like portion of the base, a rod end of said pressing cylinder being in the shape of a wedge, and a recess formed in the side of the pallet, said wedge-like end of the rod being fitted in the recess.