Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Robot control
Patent
1995-10-04
2000-02-29
Grant, William
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Robot control
700 79, 700 95, 700 96, 395200, 395275, 395901, 361683, 361686, 361724, 3122236, 34082506, G05B 1500, G05B 1900
Patent
active
060320869
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a control system for industrial robots, and more particularly to a control system for industrial robots which is applied to a robot system which dispenses with a connecting cable for connecting the control system to a robot mechanical unit by arranging the control system adjacent to the robot mechanical unit, with enhanced maintainability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, to control a robot mechanical unit by a robot control system, it is required to arrange the robot control system outside a range of operation of the robot mechanical unit, e.g. outside the safety fence, and establish a connection between the robot mechanical unit and the robot control system by a connecting cable for remote control of the former by the latter. Such an arrangement of the robot control system necessitates a space for installing the robot control system, and furthermore equipment for protection of the connecting cable.
So long as installation of an industrial robot within a limited space, such as a factory site, is concerned, it is gradually getting difficult to secure a space for installing a robot control system and provide equipment for protection of a connecting cable therefor. For this reason, the arrangement of a robot mechanical unit and a robot control system which dispenses with the connecting cable is contemplated. According to this arrangement, the control system is reduced in size and installed in a dead space, i.e., in a nonusable range of operation of the robot mechanical unit which is at a location adjacent to the robot mechanical unit.
Normally, the maintenance of the control system for industrial robots is carried out component by component. However, the arrangement of the control system installed adjacent to the robot mechanical unit necessitates reduction of the sizes of components of the control system and the size of a cabinet for receiving these components therein. Further, an operator need enter within the safety fence and work in such a narrow space, which makes it difficult to carry out maintenance of the control system component by component, and requires longer working time e.g. in replacement of a faulty component.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and the object thereof is to provide a control system for an industrial robot, which is capable of simplifying the maintenance work of the control system arranged adjacent to a robot mechanical unit to thereby reduce working time.
To attain the object, the present invention provides a control system for an industrial robot, which is constructed such that the control system is arranged adjacent to a robot mechanical unit, the control system comprising a first unit mainly containing components each having a low maintenance-demanding property, and a second unit connected to the first unit in a manner mechanically and electrically separable therefrom and mainly containing components each having a high maintenance-demanding property.
According to the means described above, the components contained in the first unit suffer from a fault with very little frequency and hence require almost no maintenance, while the components contained in the second unit are components in which most faults occur in a concentrated manner. When a fault occurs in the control system, maintenance is not carried out component by component, but the second unit is removed from the first unit for replacement, thereby permitting maintenance to be carried out unit by unit. This simplifies the maintenance work very much, and shortens working time required in maintenance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a control system for an industrial robot, according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of internal construction of a second unit;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of internal construction of a first unit; and
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the
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Hashimoto Yoshiki
Obi Tatsuya
Fanuc Ltd.
Grant William
Marc McDieunel
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