Robot control device and robot system

• US 7,769,489 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Teranaka, Ryosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMPLE, JONATHAN L
• Application Number:
  US11/605,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20070119049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/18 Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form G05B19/418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1464 Functional units accommodated in the same PLC module housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1477 including backplanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 Chip component

Abstract

A robot control device that controls operation of a robot having an actuator includes a casing, an actuator driver, a drive-control board, a main control board, a main power supply board, a vent passage, a cooling fan, and a holding member. The actuator driver is accommodated in the casing and drives the actuator. The drive-control board is accommodated in the casing and controls operation of the actuator driver. The main control board is accommodated in the casing and controls operation of the drive-control board. The main power supply board is accommodated in the casing and supplies a power to the drive-control board and the main control board. The vent passage is defined by at least the drive-control board, the main control board, and the main power supply board and has an end open to the exterior of the casing. The cooling fan is arranged at an end of the vent passage and causes the air to flow through the vent passage. The holding member is provided in the vent passage and holds the actuator driver.

Claims

1. A robot control device that controls operation of a robot having an actuator, the device comprising:

a casing;

an actuator driver that is accommodated in the casing and drives the actuator;

a cover that is accommodated in the casing;

a drive-control board that is accommodated in the casing and controls operation of the actuator driver;

a main control board that is accommodated in the casing and controls operation of the drive-control board;

a main power supply board that is accommodated in the casing and supplies a power to the drive-control board and the main control board;

a vent passage defined by the drive-control board, the main control board, the main power supply board, and the cover, each of which serves as a side wall of the vent passage so that the vent passage has a rectangular cross section and extends substantially linearly, the vent passage having an end open to the exterior of the casing;

a cooling fan that is arranged at an end of the vent passage and causes the air to flow through the vent passage; and

a holding member that is provided in the vent passage and holds the actuator driver,

wherein the holding member is provided on the cover.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator driver has a heat radiating surface, and wherein the holding member holds the actuator driver in such a manner that the heat radiating surface extends substantially parallel with an air vent direction in the vent passage.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cover has an opening through which the actuator driver is removable, and wherein the opening is selectively opened and closed with a side plate.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the casing includes:

a first plate to which the drive-control board is secured;

a second plate to which the main control board is secured; and

a third plate to which the main power supply board is secured.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein:

the side plate is a front side plate,

the casing has a rear side plate to which the drive-control board is secured and which covers the vent passage;

the holding member holds the actuator driver in such a manner as to allow movement of the actuator driver in a forward-rearward direction of the casing; and

the drive-control board has a connector to which the actuator driver is detachably connected in the forward-rearward direction of the casing.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the casing includes:

a bottom plate to which the main control board is secured; and

a top plate to which the main power supply board is secured.

7. The device according to claim 4, further comprising a first switching power supply board that converts an AC power supplied by the main power supply board into a DC power and provides the DC power to the drive-control board, the first switching power supply board being secured to the first plate or the third plate at a location between the main power supply board and the drive-control board.

8. The device according to claim 4, further comprising a second switching power supply board that converts an AC power supplied by the main power supply board into a DC power and provides the DC power to the main control board, the second switching power supply board being secured to the second plate or the third plate at a location between the main power supply board (DB) and the main control board.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the casing has a first side plate and a second side plate opposed to the first side plate, the first and second side plates each having an opening; and

the vent passage extends between the opening of the first side plate and the opening of the second side plate.

10. A robot control device that controls operation of a robot having an actuator, the device comprising:

an actuator driver that drives the actuator;

a drive-control board that controls operation of the actuator driver;

a main control board that controls operation of the drive-control board;

a main power supply board that supplies a power to the drive-control board and the main control board;

a casing that accommodates the actuator driver, the drive-control board, the main control board, and the main power supply board, the casing including four plates that are arranged in such a manner as to form a rectangular pipe, the drive-control board, the main control board, and the main power supply board being each secured to a corresponding one of three of the four plates;

a vent passage defined by the drive-control board, the main control board, the main power supply board, and the remaining plate to which none of the boards is attached, the vent passage having an end open to the exterior of the casing;

a cooling fan that is arranged at an end of the vent passage and causes the air to flow through the vent passage; and

a holding member that is provided in the vent passage and holds the actuator driver.

11. A robot system including a robot having an actuator and a control device that controls operation of the robot, wherein the control device includes:

a casing;

an actuator driver that is accommodated in the casing and drives the actuator;

a cover that is accommodated in the casing;

a drive-control board that is accommodated in the casing and controls operation of the actuator driver;

a main control board that is accommodated in the casing and controls operation of the drive-control board;

a main power supply board that is accommodated in the casing and supplies a power to the drive-control board and the main control board;

a vent passage defined by the drive-control board, the main control board, the main power supply board, and the cover, each of which serves as a side wall of the vent passage so that the vent passage has a rectangular cross section and extends substantially linearly, the vent passage having an end open to the exterior of the casing;

a cooling fan that is arranged at an end of the vent passage and causes the air to flow through the vent passage; and

a holding member that is provided in the vent passage and holds the actuator driver, wherein the holding member is provided on the cover.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the casing has a first side plate and a second side plate opposed to the first side plate, the first and second side plates each having an opening, the vent passage extending between the opening of the first side plate and the opening of the second side plate.