Hand-held controller with external light source

• US 7,623,934 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MORI Seiki Company Limited
• Original Assignee: MORI Seiki Company Limited
• Inventors: Ota, Yasuhide, Iefuji, Nobuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick; Michael D
• Application Number:
  US11/609,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/85, 700/180, 700/245, 901/3
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/02 Controlling members for hand actuation by linear movement, e.g. push buttons
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels

Abstract

A manual pulse generator (1) attached to the control panel of a machine tool made up of: a spindle mechanism for holding a tool; a workpiece mounting mechanism; a feed mechanism for moving the spindle mechanism relative to the workpiece mounting mechanism along three orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis paths, a control device for controlling the feed mechanism, a control panel having control keys and a keyboard for inputting various types of data to the control device, and a display for displaying on a screen control state resulting from the control device. The manual pulse generator (1) is provided with a control section (11) for inputting a pulse signal to the control device, and a light-emitting diode (15) for illumination, which is provided on an upper surface thereof to emit light upwardly, and which lights only when a pulse signal can be input to the control device.

Claims

1. A hand-held controller for connection to a control device for controlling an operating mechanism unit of a machine, and employed by being gripped by an operator when the operating mechanism unit is manually operated, the controller comprising:

a control section for inputting to the control device control signals relating to operational control of the operating mechanism unit; and

an illumination light source for emitting light directed outward of the hand-held controller, wherein;

the hand-held controller is formed boxlike;

said control section is provided on the front side of the hand-held controller;

said light source is provided in an outer peripheral surface of the hand-held controller on a portion thereof oriented toward the operating mechanism unit when an operator grips the controller to operate the controller and operates the control section in a manner facing the operating mechanism unit of the machine to input a control signal to the control device; and

said light source is configured so as to light only when the control signal can be input to the control device from the control section and a lighting switch provided either on the machine or on the hand-held controller is turned on.

2. A hand-held controller according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a light-emitting diode.

3. A hand-held controller according to claim 1, wherein:

the machine is a machine tool; and

the hand-held controller is a manual pulse generator.

4. A hand-held controller according to claim 1, wherein:

the machine is a robot; and

the hand-held controller is a teaching box.