Working/assembling system

• US 4,674,181 A
• Filed: 03/17/1986
• Issued: 06/23/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hamada, Toyohide, Hirabayashi, Hisaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallace, Ronald S.
• Application Number:
  US06/840,197
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 29/33 P, 29/33 K, 29/703, 29/709, 29/711, 29/712, 29/714, 29/720, 29/791, 29/793, 29/795, 29/799, 29/822, 29/823, 29/824, 29/429, 29/430, 29/431, 198/339, 198/341, 198/472, 414/749, 414/751, 414/753, 414/222, 414/225, 414/226, 901/7
• US Class Current: 29/703
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/004 the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 41/00 Combinations or associations of metal-working machines not directed to a particular result according to classes B21, B23, or B24 B23Q37/00, B23Q39/00 take precedence; features relating to operations performed, if the different metal-working operations are of the same kind, see the subclass for the kind of operation, e.g. punching B21D, welding B23K, grinding B24B; features relating to technically specified combinations of different metal-working operations B23P23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0093 co-operating with conveyor means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4182 manipulators and conveyor only
• 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: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49831 Advancing station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5191 Assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5196 Multiple station with conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53013 Computer input
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53052 including position sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53061 Responsive to work or work-related machine element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53087 with signal, scale, illuminator, or optical viewer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/534 Multiple station assembly or disassembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53435 including assembly pallet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53548 and work carrying vehicle

Abstract

A working/assembling system including a dosed loop endless track, moving units adapted to travel on the endless track, at least one robot supported on one of the moving units for a working or assembling operation, and a control unit mounted on the other moving unit connected to the one moving unit having stored therein operations to be performed by the robot and causing the robot to perform the operations. The robot moves on the moving units as the latter travel on the endless track, and performs the operations for working on workpieces or assembling parts as it is controlled by the control unit.

Claims

1. A working/assembling system comprising:

an endless track means formed in a closed loop;

moving means travelling on said endless track means and having drive motor means for actuating said moving means;

at least one programmable robot having an operating arm and a drive motor means for actuating the operating arm, the robot being supported on said moving means for performing working/assembling operations;

at least one working/assembling jig located on the moving means;

an electric power supply means extending along said endless track means;

a programmable control unit supported on said moving means and comprising at least memory means for storing information about sequential operations in conformity with types of products to be processed by the robot, a plurality of amplifiers for driving the respective drives motor means for actuating said arm constituting said robot, teaching means for teaching said memory means coordinates of specific operation points of the robot so that the robot performs each of said sequential operations, and data processing means arranged to read out the information on the sequential operations in conformity with the types of products stored in the memory means and to drive the amplifiers so as to cause the robot to perform the sequential operations,

whereby said robot is caused to travel on said endless track by movement of said moving means thereon and to perform working/assembling operations while having its operations controlled by said control unit;

means mounted on said moving means for slidably electrically connecting said electric power supply means and for supplying the electric power to the control unit;

a concentrated control unit not mounted on said moving means but arranged to transmit control signals to said programmable control unit for instructing said programmable control unit as to which sequence of operations is to be selected from a predetermined plurality of sequences of operations stored in said memory means;

signal receiving means mounted on said moving means;

signal transmitting means for transmitting said signals from said concentrated control unit to the programmable control unit through said signal receiving means, said signal transmitting means comprising a plurality of signal transmitting units mounted at predetermined spaced positions along said endless track means;

a path of conveyance extending along at least a portion of said track means, at least one member being conveyed along said path of conveyance in synchronism with said moving means with workpieces or parts on said member, whereby said programmable robot hands said workpieces or parts on said member and works/assembles said workpieces or parts by using said working/assembling jig in accordance with control instructions from the programmable control unit while the robot moves with said moving means along the endless track means; and

peripheral units located along said endless track means for performing working/assembling operations, said concentrated control unit operating to obtain synchronization of the operations of said peripheral units with those of said robot.

2. A working/assembling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data process means includes a micro-computer means reading out information on operations stored in the memory means.

3. A working/assembling system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising signal receiving units connected to said control unit and mounted on said moving means, and signal transmitting units mounted in a predetermined position along said endless track for giving instructions through said signal receiving units to said control unit to start up the robot and cause same to perform predetermined operations.

4. A working/assembling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said robot has at least five degrees of freedom.

5. A working/assembling system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising signal receiving and transmitting units for supplying a robot startup signal to said control unit as soon as it receives a robot startup signal from said concentrated control unit.

6. A working/assembling system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said signal receiving and transmitting units comprise optical signal receiving and transmitting units comprising signal receiving members and signal transmitting members, said signal transmitting members being located in a predetermined position along said endless track and said signal receiving members being located on said moving means.