Window mechanism for sensor in industrial robot

• US 5,520,062 A
• Filed: 03/28/1995
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Atsushi, Nihei, Ryo, Terada, Akihiro, Hase, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/412,123
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 73/866.5, 15/250.29, 901/41, 901/42, 901/43, 901/44, 901/46, 901/47, 901/49, 356/448
• US Class Current: 73/866.5
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1274 Using non-contact, optical means, e.g. laser means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0058 Means for cleaning manipulators, e.g. dust removing means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/02 Sensing devices

Abstract

A window mechanism for a sensor provided at the distal end of a robot arm of an industrial robot comprises a housing for enclosing the sensor which housing includes an opening, a glass plate for closing the opening, wiper for wiping the outer surface of the glass plate, a holder plate for slidably holding the glass plate member on the housing, and an exchanger for exchanging the plate member held by the holder with a new glass plate.

Claims

1. A window mechanism for a sensor provided at the distal end of a robot arm of an industrial robot having an end effector for machining a workpiece, said sensor having a projecting means for projecting detection waves toward said workpiece and a transducing means for receiving reflected waves from said workpiece and for generating an electrical signal according to said received wave, in which said window mechanism comprises;

means for enclosing said sensor, said enclosing means having a housing which includes an opening through which said detection waves are projected by said projecting means and said reflected waves are received by said transducing means;

means for closing said opening which comprises a plate member provided on said housing and being transparent to said detection waves and said reflected waves; and

means for wiping the outer surface of said plate member to remove contamination substances generated during a machining process and attached to said outer surface of said plate member.

2. A window mechanism according to claim 1, in which said wiping means comprises,

a wiper member provided so as to engage the outer surface of said plate member;

and

means for actuating said wiper member such that said wiper member reciprocates across the outer surface of said plate member.

3. A window mechanism according to claim 2, in which said plate member comprises a glass plate;

said wiper member being made of a fluorocarbon rubber material; and

said actuating means comprising at least a double acting air cylinder mounted to said housing to reciprocate said wiper means.

4. A window mechanism according to claim 3, in which said window mechanism further comprises;

means for slidably holding said plate member on said housing; and

means for exchanging said plate member on said housing with a new closing member.

5. A window mechanism according to claim 4, in which said exchanging means comprises a housing within which a plurality of new plate members are piled, and means for moving one of said plurality of new plate 10 members piled within said housing in the horizontal direction in such a manner that the end of said moved plate member abuts that of said plate member held by said holding means and can emerge from the housing by sliding in the horizontal direction;

and

said window mechanism further comprising means for controlling the movement of said robot arm to move said housing to an exchanging position where said closing member on said housing is exchanged with said new plate member.

6. A window mechanism according to claim 5, in which said means for moving said one of a plurality of plate members piled within said housing comprises a pusher member slidably provided to abut and press said one of said plurality of piled plate members;

means for guiding said pusher member in the horizontal direction; and

means for driving said pusher member when said housing for said sensor is disposed at said exchanging position.

7. A window mechanism for a sensor provided at the distal end of a robot arm of an industrial robot having an end effector for machining a workpiece, said sensor having a projecting means for projecting detection waves toward said workpiece and a transducing means for receiving reflected waves from said workpiece and for generating an electrical signal according to said received wave, said window mechanism comprising;

means for enclosing said sensor, said enclosing means having a housing which includes an opening through which said detection waves are projected by said projecting means and said reflected waves are received by said transducing means;

means for closing said opening which comprises a plate member provided on said housing and is transparent to said detection waves and said reflected waves;

means for slidably holding said plate member on said housing; and

means for exchanging said plate member on said housing with a new plate member.

8. A window mechanism according to claim 7, in which said exchanging means comprises a housing within which a plurality of new plate members are piled, and means for moving one of said plurality of new plate members piled within said housing in the horizontal direction in such a manner that the end of said moved plate member abuts that of said plate member held by said holding means and can emerge from the housing by sliding in the horizontal direction;

and

said window mechanism further comprising means for controlling the movement of said robot arm to move said housing to an exchanging position where said closing member on said housing can be exchanged with said new plate member.

9. A window mechanism according to claim 8, in which said means for moving said one of plurality of plate members piled within said housing comprises a pusher member slidably provided to abut and press said one of said plurality of piled plate members;

means for guiding said pusher member in the horizontal direction; and

means for driving said pusher member when said housing for said sensor is disposed at said exchanging position.

10. A window mechanism according to claim 9, in which said plate member comprises a glass plate.

11. A window mechanism according to claim 10, in which said window mechanism further comprises means for wiping the outer surface of said plate member on said housing to remove any contaminating substance generated during said machining process and attached to said outer surface of said plate member.

12. A window mechanism according to claim 11, in which said wiping means comprises;

a wiper member provided so as to engage the outer surface of said plate member;

a means for actuating said wiper member such that said wiper member reciprocates across the outer surface of said plate member; and

means for controlling the operation of said actuating means.

13. A window mechanism according to claim 12, in which said wiper member is made of a fluorocarbon rubber material;

and

said actuating means comprising at least a double action air cylinder mounted to said housing to reciprocate said wiper means.

14. A window mechanism according to claim 13, in which said window mechanism further comprises;

means for slidably holding said plate member on said housing; and

means for exchanging said plate member on said housing with a new closing member.