U.S. patent application number 15/888084 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-09 for coating system and fixed-type operation robot.
This patent application is currently assigned to KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI. The applicant listed for this patent is KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI. Invention is credited to Tsuyoshi ITO, Satoshi SUEYOSHI, Takahiro UMEZAKI, Katsuhiko YOSHINO.
Application Number | 20180221904 15/888084 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62910214 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180221904 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YOSHINO; Katsuhiko ; et
al. |
August 9, 2018 |
COATING SYSTEM AND FIXED-TYPE OPERATION ROBOT
Abstract
A coating system includes: a plurality of coating robots fixed
in a coating booth, the plurality of coating robots being
configured to coat a vehicle conveyed in a predetermined conveyance
direction; and a fixed-type operation robot fixed in the coating
booth on an upstream side or a downstream side of the plurality of
coating robots in the conveyance direction, the fixed-type
operation robot being configured to operate an open/close member
provided at a front or a rear portion of the vehicle, the
fixed-type operation robot including a first arm turning around a
vertical axis.
Inventors: |
YOSHINO; Katsuhiko;
(Kitakyushu-shi, JP) ; SUEYOSHI; Satoshi;
(Kitakyushu-shi, JP) ; UMEZAKI; Takahiro;
(Kitakyushu-shi, JP) ; ITO; Tsuyoshi;
(Kitakyushu-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI |
Kitakyushu-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA
DENKI
Kitakyushu-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
62910214 |
Appl. No.: |
15/888084 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B 13/0292 20130101;
B25J 9/044 20130101; B25J 15/0014 20130101; B05B 16/95 20180201;
B25J 11/0075 20130101; B25J 9/042 20130101; B25J 5/02 20130101;
B25J 9/046 20130101; B25J 15/0019 20130101; B05B 13/0452 20130101;
B25J 9/0084 20130101; Y10S 901/43 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B05B 13/04 20060101
B05B013/04; B05B 16/00 20060101 B05B016/00; B25J 11/00 20060101
B25J011/00; B25J 15/00 20060101 B25J015/00; B25J 9/00 20060101
B25J009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 9, 2017 |
JP |
2017-022157 |
Claims
1. A coating system comprising: a plurality of coating robots fixed
in a coating booth, the plurality of coating robots being
configured to coat a vehicle conveyed in a predetermined conveyance
direction; and a fixed-type operation robot fixed in the coating
booth on an upstream side or a downstream side of the plurality of
coating robots in the conveyance direction, the fixed-type
operation robot being configured to operate an open/close member
provided at a front or a rear portion of the vehicle, the
fixed-type operation robot including a first arm turning around a
vertical axis.
2. The coating system according to claim 1, wherein the fixed-type
operation robot further includes a second arm, the second arm
having a base end side supported to a tip side of the first arm,
the second arm turning around an axis parallel to the vertical
axis.
3. The coating system according to claim 2, wherein the second arm
has an arm length shorter than an arm length of the first arm.
4. The coating system according to claim 2, wherein the fixed-type
operation robot further includes a third arm, the third arm having
a base end side supported to a tip side of the second arm, the
third arm rotating around an axis parallel to the vertical axis,
the third arm extending downward along the axis.
5. The coating system according to claim 4, wherein the fixed-type
operation robot further includes: a fourth arm having a base end
side supported to a tip side of the third arm, the fourth arm
turning around an axis perpendicular to the vertical axis; a fifth
arm having a base end side supported to a tip side of the fourth
arm, the fifth arm turning around an axis parallel to a turning
axis of the fourth arm; and a tip jig having a base end side
attachably/detachably supported to the fifth arm, the tip jig
turning with respect to the fifth arm.
6. The coating system according to claim 5, wherein the fifth arm
maintains a relative posture to the third arm even when the fourth
arm turns with respect to the third arm.
7. The coating system according to claim 6, wherein the third arm
internally includes a power source to turn the fourth arm and the
tip jig.
8. The coating system according to claim 7, wherein the third arm
includes an internal pressure chamber to house the power
source.
9. The coating system according to claim 5, wherein a direction of
a turning axis of the tip jig with respect to the fifth arm is
changeable by changing a mounting direction of the tip jig with
respect to the fifth arm.
10. The coating system according to claim 5, wherein the tip jig
includes a locking part that locks the open/close member, the tip
jig has a turning axis with respect to the fifth arm offset from
the locking part in a horizontal direction, and the coating system
further includes a determiner configured to determine a lock state
of the open/close member by the tip jig based on an output from a
power source to turn the tip jig.
11. The coating system according to claim 1, further comprising a
conveying device that conveys the vehicle in the conveyance
direction, wherein the fixed-type operation robots are installed by
one on the upstream side and the downstream side of the plurality
of coating robots such that the fixed-type operation robots are
disposed across the conveying device.
12. The coating system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality
of coating robots includes at least a pair of coating robots, the
coating robots having a first axis and a first arm that rotates
around the first axis, and the pair of coating robots is installed
such that the respective first axes are positioned on an identical
straight line parallel to the conveyance direction and the
respective first arms extend in a direction away from one
another.
13. The coating system according to claim 12, wherein the pair of
coating robots has an arm configuration symmetrical with respect to
a surface perpendicular to the identical straight line at an
intermediate position of the pair of coating robots.
14. The coating system according to claim 13, further comprising a
conveying device configured to convey the vehicle in the conveyance
direction, wherein the pair of coating robots is installed for
every one pair at symmetrical positions across the conveying
device, and the coating robots at diagonally opposite positions
mutually have the identical arm configurations.
15. A fixed-type operation robot comprising: a base fixed to an
inside of a coating booth; a first arm having a base end side
supported to the base, the first arm turning around a first axis in
a vertical direction; a second arm having a base end side supported
to a tip side of the first arm, the second arm turning around a
second axis parallel to the first axis; a third arm having a base
end side supported to a tip side of the second arm, the third arm
rotating around a third axis parallel to the second axis, the third
arm extending downward along the third axis; a fourth arm having a
base end side supported to a tip side of the third arm, the fourth
arm turning around a fourth axis perpendicular to the third axis; a
fifth arm having a base end side supported to a tip side of the
fourth arm, the fifth arm turning around a fifth axis parallel to
the fourth axis; and a tip jig attachably/detachably fixed to the
fifth arm, the tip jig operating an open/close member provided at a
front or a rear portion in a vehicle conveyed in a predetermined
conveyance direction in the coating booth.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent
Application No. 2017-022157 filed with the Japan Patent Office on
Feb. 9, 2017, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
[0002] Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a coating system and
a fixed-type operation robot.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] A typically known coating system conveys, by a conveyor, an
object to be coated such as a vehicle in a coating booth having a
space isolated from outside. A robot coats the object to be coated
during conveyance.
[0004] As such coating system, there has been provided the
following system (for example, see WO 2008/108401). In this system,
a first travel guide rail and a second travel guide rail with a
height different from one another are installed in the coating
booth along a conveyor. A mobile robot is installed in each travel
guide rail.
SUMMARY
[0005] A coating system according to one aspect of the present
embodiment includes: a plurality of coating robots fixed in a
coating booth, the plurality of coating robots being configured to
coat a vehicle conveyed in a predetermined conveyance direction;
and a fixed-type operation robot fixed in the coating booth on an
upstream side or a downstream side of the plurality of coating
robots in the conveyance direction, the fixed-type operation robot
being configured to operate an open/close member provided at a
front or a rear portion of the vehicle, the fixed-type operation
robot including a first arm turning around a vertical axis.
[0006] A fixed-type operation robot according to one aspect of the
present embodiment includes: a base fixed to an inside of a coating
booth; a first arm having a base end side supported to the base,
the first arm turning around a first axis in a vertical direction;
a second arm having a base end side supported to a tip side of the
first arm, the second arm turning around a second axis parallel to
the first axis; a third arm having a base end side supported to a
tip side of the second arm, the third arm rotating around a third
axis parallel to the second axis, the third arm extending downward
along the third axis; a fourth arm having a base end side supported
to a tip side of the third arm, the fourth arm turning around a
fourth axis perpendicular to the third axis; a fifth arm having a
base end side supported to a tip side of the fourth arm, the fifth
arm turning around a fifth axis parallel to the fourth axis; and a
tip jig attachably/detachably fixed to the fifth arm, the tip jig
operating an open/close member provided at a front or a rear
portion in a vehicle conveyed in a predetermined conveyance
direction in the coating booth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a side surface pattern diagram of a coating system
according to an embodiment;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a top surface pattern diagram of the coating
system according to the embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a workpiece;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a coating
robot;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a mobile operation
robot;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a fixed-type
operation robot;
[0013] FIG. 7A illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on an upstream side (1);
[0014] FIG. 7B illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on the upstream side (2);
[0015] FIG. 7C illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on the upstream side (3);
[0016] FIG. 7D illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on the upstream side (4);
[0017] FIG. 7E illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on the upstream side (5);
[0018] FIG. 8A illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on a downstream side (1);
[0019] FIG. 8B illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on the downstream side (2);
[0020] FIG. 8C illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on the downstream side (3);
[0021] FIG. 8D illustrates a posture of the fixed-type operation
robot on the downstream side (4);
[0022] FIG. 8E illustrates a posture (5) of the fixed-type
operation robot on the downstream side;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of
the coating system;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating an operating
procedure of the coating system;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a top surface pattern diagram of a coating system
according to a first modification; and
[0026] FIG. 12 is a top surface pattern diagram of a coating system
according to a second modification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0027] In the following detailed description, for purpose of
explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It
will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be
practiced without these specific details. In other instances,
well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order
to simplify the drawing.
[0028] The following describes embodiments of a coating system and
a fixed-type operation robot disclosed in this application in
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following
embodiments do not limit the technique of this disclosure. The
following describes the case where a vehicle such as an automobile
is an object to be coated. Note that the object to be coated is not
limited to the vehicle.
[0029] The following embodiments use expressions such as
"horizontal," "parallel," "perpendicular," "vertical," "center,"
"intermediate," "identical," or "symmetrical." Note that these
expressions do not intend to strictly be "horizontal," "parallel,"
"perpendicular," "vertical," "center," "intermediate," "identical,"
or "symmetrical." That is, the above-described respective
expressions allow discrepancies related to manufacturing accuracy,
installation accuracy, and the like.
[0030] First, the following describes a coating system 1 according
to this embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a
side surface pattern diagram of the coating system 1 according to
this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top surface pattern diagram of the
coating system 1 according to this embodiment.
[0031] Here, FIG. 1 is a side view of a Y-axis positive direction
view in FIG. 2. In view of this, the illustrations of a robot and a
device hidden behind a device on the front side in the Y-axis
positive direction view in FIG. 2 are omitted. Detailed
configurations of respective robots illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2
will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0032] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a three-dimensional orthogonal
coordinate system including a Z-axis whose positive direction is
vertically upward in order to make the description clear. This
orthogonal coordinate system may be illustrated in other drawings
used in the following description.
[0033] The following describes a conveyance direction of a
conveying device 210 (an X-axis positive direction) as a "front
side" or a "downstream side." The inverse direction of the
conveyance direction of the conveying device 210 is described as a
"back side" or an "upstream side." A right side when facing the
conveyance direction of the conveying device 210 is described as a
"right side," and similarly the left side is described as a "left
side." In the top view, a surface that passes through the center of
the conveying device 210 along the conveyance direction of the
conveying device 210 is described as a symmetry plane P2 (see FIG.
2). Furthermore, a surface passing through an intermediate position
of a pair of coating robots 10R1 and 10R2 and an intermediate
position of a pair of coating robots 10L1 and 10L2 is described as
a symmetry plane P1 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).
[0034] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a coating booth 200, a
plurality of robots such as coating robots 10, mobile operation
robots 20, and fixed-type operation robots 40 are installed. In
view of this, characters for identification are added at ends of
reference numerals (10, 20, 30, 31, and 40), which denote a
plurality of installed devices such as the robots.
[0035] For example, "R" is added to a reference numeral of a device
installed on the right side of the conveying device 210 and "L" is
added to a reference numeral of a device installed on the left side
of the conveying device 210. With a plurality of devices along the
conveyance direction, numerals are further added to the reference
numerals of the respective devices. For example, the coating robot
10L2 is one of the plurality of coating robots 10 installed to the
left side of the conveying device 210 and indicates the coating
robot 10 installed downstream side in the conveyance direction in
FIG. 2.
[0036] The mobile operation robot 20, a traveler 30, and a guide 31
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be omitted. That is, the robots in
the coating booth 200 may be the coating robots 10 and the
fixed-type operation robots 40. This point will be described later
with reference to FIG. 11.
[0037] Here, a workpiece 500 as the object to be coated has a
shape, for example, symmetrical with respect to the symmetry plane
P2. However, the workpiece 500 needs not to have the strictly
symmetrical shape. The shape of the workpiece 500 is only necessary
to be a shape having a symmetry with which the robot on the left
side and the robot on the right side of the workpiece 500 perform
identical operations.
[0038] For the left side of the workpiece 500, the coating robots
10L1 and 10L2 and mobile operation robots 20L1 and 20L2 perform
work. For the right side of the workpiece 500, the coating robots
10R1 and 10R2 and mobile operation robots 20R1 and 20R2 perform
work. Fixed-type operation robots 40a and 40b operate open/close
members provided at portions on the front and the rear of the
workpiece 500.
[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the workpiece 500 has the
symmetrical shape with respect to the symmetry plane P2. In view of
this, while mutually performing laterally symmetrical operations,
the respective robots opposed across the conveying device 210 coat
or operate the workpiece 500. Specifically, the mobile operation
robots 20R1 and 20L1, travelers 30R1 and 30L1, the coating robots
10R1 and 10L1, the coating robots 10R2 and 10L2, travelers 30R2 and
30L2, and the mobile operation robots 20R2 and 20L2 mutually
perform the laterally symmetrical operations.
[0040] The following describes the respective devices such as the
robots installed in the coating booth 200 (see FIG. 1). In the
coating booth 200, the conveying device 210, for example, two pairs
of the travelers 30, and, for example, a pair of the guides 31 is
installed. Here, the coating booth 200 is a room for coating that
includes a space isolated from outside.
[0041] On a floor surface of the coating booth 200, the conveying
device 210 such as a conveyor is installed. The conveying device
210 conveys the workpiece 500 as the object to be coated in a
predetermined conveyance direction (in the X-axis positive
direction in the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2) at a
predetermined speed. The workpiece 500 is conveyed in a state of
being fixed to a movable part of the conveying device 210 with a
jig (not illustrated) and the like.
[0042] The pair of guides 31 is installed, for example, at
symmetrical positions with respect to the symmetry plane P2
described above on the floor surface of the conveying device 210
(see FIG. 2). As illustrated in FIG. 2, a guide 31R is installed on
the right side of the conveying device 210 and a guide 31L is
installed on the left side of the conveying device 210. Here, the
travelers 30 can travel along the guide 31. That is, the traveler
30 can travel in the X-axis positive direction and in the X-axis
negative direction in FIG. 2. The traveler 30 supports the
above-described mobile operation robot 20.
[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the two travelers 30 are installed
at each of the guides 31. That is, the travelers 30R1 and 30R2 are
installed on the guide 31R on the right side. The travelers 30L1
and 30L2 are installed on the guide 31L on the left side. Here, the
respective travelers 30 can travel independently of one another.
That is, the mobile operation robot 20 supported by the traveler 30
is movable independently of one another. The following may
designate a member including the mobile operation robot 20 and the
traveler 30 as the mobile operation robot 20.
[0044] The coating robot 10 is a robot that coats the workpiece 500
and is, for example, a six-axis articulated robot. The coating
robot 10 is fixed to a wall surface or a ceiling surface of the
coating booth 200. Specifically, the coating robot 10 is fixed to a
support pillar, a beam, or the like disposed surrounding the
coating booth 200. For example, the wall surface such as an upper
wall or a side wall is mounted to an inner portion where the
coating robot 10 is fixed. The coating robot 10 increases an
internal pressure by introducing gas such as uninflammable gas to
the inside to ensure restraining a gas flow from the outside.
[0045] Here, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coating robots 10
(the coating robots 10R1 and 10R2) are installed such that a first
axis (see A11 in FIG. 4) of the pair of coating robots 10R1 and
10R2 is positioned on an identical straight line parallel to, for
example, the conveyance direction.
[0046] The pair of coating robots 10R1 and 10R2 is installed such
that respective first arms (see 11 in FIG. 4) rotating around the
first axis extend to directions separating from one another. The
pair of coating robots 10L1 and 10L2 illustrated in FIG. 2 is
similarly installed.
[0047] Thus installing the coating robots 10 ensures arranging the
robots in highly dense. Arranging the robots in highly dense
ensures restraining a footprint (an area in the top view) of the
coating booth 200. Here, a running cost of the coating booth 200
mainly includes a cost for maintaining the coating environment such
as an air conditioning cost and is proportionate to the footprint.
Accordingly, arranging the robots in highly dense ensures
restraining such running cost.
[0048] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the coating robot
10, an "arm configuration" of the coating robot 10R1 and an "arm
configuration" of the coating robot 10R2 are symmetrical with
respect to the symmetry plane P1 at the intermediate position of
the pair of coating robots 10R1 and 10R2. Here, the "arm
configuration" means arrangements of axes provided for each arm to
turn or rotate the plurality of arms provided in the coating robot
10. The arrangements of the respective axes include an angle formed
by adjacent axes and a distance (a distance between axes) between
adjacent axes.
[0049] That is, when referred to as the symmetrical "arm
configuration," differences in the outer shape or the shape of the
arm do not matter. That is, even when the outer shape or the shape
of the arms is different, the arm configuration is referred to as
symmetrical as long as the arrangement of each of the axes is
symmetrical. Similarly, even when the outer shape or the shape of
the arms is different, the arm configuration is referred to as
identical as long as the arrangement of each of the axes is
identical.
[0050] Thus, using the pair of coating robots 10R1 and 10R2 having
the arm configurations symmetrical to one another ensures using
teaching data and inverted teaching data to drive these robots. In
view of this, a cost to create the teaching data can be restrained.
As a result, the production cost for the robots can be restrained.
This point is similar to the pair of coating robots 10L1 and 10L2
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0051] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the coating robots 10 are
installed by one pair at the positions symmetrical with respect to
the symmetry plane P2. That is, the coating robots 10 are installed
by one pair at the positions symmetrical across the conveying
device 210. The coating robots 10R1 and 10L1 are opposed with
respect to the symmetry plane P2. Furthermore, the coating robots
10R2 and 10L2 are also opposed with respect to the symmetry plane
P2. The arm configuration of the coating robot 10R1 and the arm
configuration of the coating robot 10L1 are symmetrical with
respect to the symmetry plane P2. The arm configuration of the
coating robot 10R2 and the arm configuration of the coating robot
10L2 are symmetrical with respect to the symmetry plane P2.
[0052] In view of this, the coating robots 10 at diagonally
opposite positions in FIG. 2 have the identical arm configuration.
That is, the coating robot 10R1 and the coating robot 10L2 have the
identical arm configuration. Furthermore, the coating robot 10R2
and the coating robot 10L1 have the identical arm
configuration.
[0053] Thus arranging the coating robots 10 ensures sharing the
above-described teaching data and reusing the teaching data by
performing a simple correction. As a result, the workpiece 500
symmetrical with respect to the symmetry plane P2 can be
efficiently coated. For example, inverting the direction of the
Y-axis in the teaching data for driving the coating robot 10R1
ensures creating the teaching data for driving the coating robot
10L1, and this can be used for driving the coating robot 10L1. The
coating robot 10R2 and the coating robot 10L2 are similar in this
point.
[0054] The mobile operation robot 20 is a robot that operates the
open/close member provided in the workpiece 500. Specifically, the
mobile operation robot 20 is a three-axis articulated robot and
includes a two-axis arm extending and contracting in the horizontal
direction and an elevating axis. The mobile operation robot 20
opens and closes doors on side surfaces of the workpiece 500. The
mobile operation robot 20 is supported to the above-described
traveler 30. In view of this, the mobile operation robot 20 is
movable along the guide 31, that is, movable along the conveyance
direction of the conveying device 210.
[0055] Here, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile operation robot
20 is installed at the position lower than that of the coating
robot 10. Thus, installing the mobile operation robot 20 at the
position lower than that of the coating robot 10 ensures
restraining interference between the coating robot 10 and the
mobile operation robot 20. As illustrated in FIG. 1, it is
preferable to install the coating robot 10 at a position higher
than a height which the mobile operation robot 20 can reach.
[0056] Assume that the coating robot 10 heavier than and has a
structure more complicated than the mobile operation robot 20 is
configured to be mobile, members having a larger withstand load and
more complicated are used as the traveler 30 and the guide 31.
However, in this embodiment, the mobile operation robot 20
relatively light in weight is moved by the traveler 30 and the
guide 31. This ensures simplifying the traveler 30 and the guide
31. As a result, the cost of the coating system 1 can be
restrained. Introducing the gas, such as the uninflammable gas,
inside the mobile operation robot 20 and the traveler 30 to
increase the internal pressure of the mobile operation robot 20 and
the traveler 30 ensures restraining the gas flow into the mobile
operation robot 20 and the traveler 30 from the outside.
[0057] The fixed-type operation robot 40 is a robot that operates
the open/close members provided at the portions on the front and
the rear of the workpiece 500. The fixed-type operation robot 40
is, for example, the six-axis articulated robot having a horizontal
link. The fixed-type operation robot 40 is fixed to the wall
surface or the ceiling surface of the coating booth 200 such that
the first arm (see 41 in FIG. 6) turns around the first axis along
the vertical axis (the Z-axis). The fixed-type operation robot 40
opens and closes the open/close members provided at the portions on
the front and the rear of the workpiece 500, such as a hood (520 in
FIG. 3) or a tailgate (530 in FIG. 3).
[0058] Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
fixed-type operation robot 40a positioned at the upstream side in
the conveyance direction opens and closes the tailgate (530 in FIG.
3) of the workpiece 500. The fixed-type operation robot 40b
positioned at the downstream side opens and closes the hood (520 in
FIG. 3) of the workpiece 500. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
fixed-type operation robots 40a and 40b are, for example, each
installed at the positions across the coating robots 10R1 and 10R2
along the conveyance direction. Alternatively, for example, the
fixed-type operation robot 40a may be provided at the upstream side
of the coating robot 10R1 and the fixed-type operation robot 40b
may be provided at the downstream side of the coating robot
10L2.
[0059] The fixed-type operation robot 40a is installed such that at
least a part of the fixed-type operation robot 40a overlaps with an
extension range of the guide 31R in the top view (along the
conveyance direction). Furthermore, the fixed-type operation robot
40b is installed such that at least a part of the fixed-type
operation robot 40b overlaps with an extension range of the guide
31L in the top view (along the conveyance direction). Thus
arranging the fixed-type operation robots 40a and 40b ensures
keeping the whole length of the coating booth 200 short.
[0060] The fixed-type operation robot 40a opens the tailgate by
locking the tailgate (530 in FIG. 3) in a closed state and changing
a posture of each arm. Then, while changing the postures of the
arms so as to follow the conveyed workpiece 500, the fixed-type
operation robot 40a holds the tailgate in the open state. Upon the
completion of the coating of a portion opened by opening the
tailgate, the fixed-type operation robot 40a closes the tailgate.
The fixed-type operation robot 40b opens and closes the hood (520
in FIG. 3) by the similar procedure.
[0061] Here, the fixed-type operation robot 40 is installed at a
position higher than that of the mobile operation robot 20. FIG. 1
illustrates the case where the fixed-type operation robot 40 and
the coating robot 10 are installed at an equal height as the
example. Instead of this, both the robots may be installed at
mutually different heights.
[0062] In the examples illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the
direction along the X-axis, the fixed-type operation robot 40a is
arranged on the right side of the conveying device 210 and the
fixed-type operation robot 40b is arranged on the left side. Thus
arranging the fixed-type operation robot 40 easily obtains a
strength balance in the right-left direction in the coating booth
200.
[0063] The fixed-type operation robot 40a may be arranged on the
left side of the conveying device 210 and the fixed-type operation
robot 40b may be arranged on the right side. Both of the two
fixed-type operation robots 40 may be arranged on the right side of
the conveying device 210 or may be arranged on the left side.
Furthermore, any one of the fixed-type operation robot 40a and the
fixed-type operation robot 40b may be omitted.
[0064] In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile operation
robot 20 is arranged at the position far from the conveying device
210 with respect to the coating robot 10 in the direction along the
Y-axis. Instead of this, the mobile operation robot 20 may be
arranged at a position close to the conveying device 210 with
respect to the coating robot 10 in the direction along the Y-axis.
The mobile operation robot 20 and the coating robot 10 may be
arranged at a position separated from the conveying device 210 by
an equal distance.
[0065] Next, the following describes a concrete example of the
workpiece 500 with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an explanatory
view of the workpiece 500. FIG. 3 is a top view of the workpiece
500 and illustrates the workpiece 500 whose open/close members on
side surfaces are open.
[0066] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the workpiece 500 is a so-called
four-door vehicle. An interior member, an engine, and the like are
not mounted to the workpiece 500. The workpiece 500 is conveyed
fixed to the movable part of the conveying device 210. The
workpiece 500 includes an A pillar 501, a B pillar 502, and a C
pillar 503 from forward to rearward.
[0067] Here, with the door at the side surface closed, the B pillar
502 is positioned inside the room of the workpiece 500. In view of
this, it can be said that, with the door closed, the B pillar 502
is at the position where performing the coating is difficult. In
view of this, the coating system 1 coats the B pillar 502 with the
front door and the rear door opened.
[0068] The workpiece 500 includes a right front door 510RF and a
right rear door 510RR at the side surface on the right side and
includes a left front door 510LF and a left rear door 510LR at the
side surface on the left side as the open/close members. These
doors 510 are opened and closed sideways. The following may
designate such open/close members provided at the right and left
side surfaces of the workpiece 500 as side surface open/close
members. The right front door 510RF, the right rear door 510RR, the
left front door 510LF, and the left rear door 510LR may be
collectively referred to as the door 510.
[0069] The workpiece 500 includes a front open/close member 520
such as the hood on the front and includes a rear open/close member
530 such as the tailgate or a trunk on the rear as the open/close
members. The front open/close member 520 and the rear open/close
member 530 are opened and closed in the vertical direction.
[0070] The following may collectively designate such open/close
members provided at the front and rear portions of the workpiece
500 as "front/rear open/close members."
[0071] The coating system 1 performs a so-called inner plate
coating on the workpiece 500 illustrated in FIG. 3. The coating
system 1, that is, coats the portion opened when the
above-described open/close member is opened. This portion, for
example, includes the above-described B pillar 502, a side surface
panel of the workpiece 500, and the insides of the respective doors
510. The specific coating procedure will be described later with
reference to FIG. 10.
[0072] Next, the following describes the configuration of the
coating robot 10 with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a perspective
view illustrating the coating robot 10. Here, the coating robot 10
illustrated in FIG. 4 is equivalent to the coating robot 10R2
illustrated in FIG. 1 and has the arm configuration similar to that
of the coating robot 10R2. The coating robot 10R1 illustrated in
FIG. 1 has the arm configuration symmetrical to the arm
configuration of the coating robot 10 illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0073] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the coating robot 10 is a six-axis
robot having six rotation axes and has the first axis A11, a second
axis A12, a third axis A13, a fourth axis A14, a fifth axis A15,
and a sixth axis A16.
[0074] The coating robot 10 has joints corresponding to the
respective axes. An actuator (not illustrated) as a power source
driving the respective joints turns or rotates each arm to change
the posture of the coating robot 10. The six-axis robot illustrated
in FIG. 4 is one example of the coating robot 10. The coating robot
10 may be a robot having other than six axes.
[0075] The coating robot 10 includes a base 10B, a first arm 11, a
second arm 12, a third arm 13, a fourth arm 14, a fifth arm 15, and
a sixth arm 16 from the base end side to the tip side.
[0076] The base 10B is fixed to another member such as the coating
booth 200 (see FIG. 1). Here, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the base
10B has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Among the six surfaces
of the base 10B, any of the five surfaces other than the surface on
which the first arm 11 is provided can be fixed to a mounting
surface of the above-described other member. That is, this base 10B
allows the coating robot 10 to be freely arranged.
[0077] The base end side of the first arm 11 is supported to the
base 10B. The first arm 11 rotates around the first axis A11 in the
direction along the X-axis illustrated in FIG. 4. The base end side
of the second arm 12 is supported to the tip side of the first arm
11. The second arm 12 turns around the second axis A12
perpendicular to the first axis A11. The base end side of the third
arm 13 is supported to the tip side of the second arm 12. The third
arm 13 turns around the third axis A13 parallel to the second axis
A12.
[0078] The base end side of the fourth arm 14 is supported to the
tip side of the third arm 13. The fourth arm 14 rotates around the
fourth axis A14 perpendicular to the third axis A13. The base end
side of the fifth arm 15 is supported to the tip side of the fourth
arm 14. The fifth arm 15 rotates around the fifth axis A15, which
intersects with the fourth axis A14 inclined at a predetermined
angle. The base end side of the sixth arm 16 is supported to the
tip side of the fifth arm 15. The sixth arm 16 rotates around the
sixth axis A16, which intersects with the fifth axis A15 inclined
at a predetermined angle.
[0079] To the sixth arm 16, which is the arm at the tip of the
coating robot 10, an end effector 10E (illustrated by the dashed
line in FIG. 4) such as a paint gun is attachable/detachable. The
coating robot 10 has an internal space through which a cable, a
tube, or the like to be connected to the end effector 10E is
passed. In view of this, these cables and the like can be connected
to the end effector 10E without being exposed to the outside.
[0080] As the fixed-type operation robots 40a and 40b illustrated
in FIG. 1, the robot illustrated in FIG. 4 or a pair of robots
having the arm configuration symmetrical to one another can be
used. In this case, as the end effector, an aduncate end effector
(not illustrated) to lock the front open/close member 520 or the
rear open/close member 530 illustrated in FIG. 3 can be used. The
details will be described later with reference to FIG. 6.
[0081] Next, the following describes the configuration of the
mobile operation robot 20 with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a
perspective view illustrating the mobile operation robot 20. As
illustrated in FIG. 5, the mobile operation robot 20 is supported
to the traveler 30 and is movable in the X-axis positive direction
and the X-axis negative direction in FIG. 5 along the guide 31. The
mobile operation robot 20 illustrated in FIG. 5 is equivalent to
the mobile operation robot 20R1 illustrated in FIG. 1 and is
installed in the direction similar to the mobile operation robot
20R1.
[0082] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the mobile operation robot 20 is a
three-axis robot and has two rotation axes, which are a first axis
A21 and a second axis A22, and one elevating axis, which is a third
axis A23. The mobile operation robot 20 includes a base 20B, a
first arm 21, a second arm 22, and a third arm 23 from the base end
side to the tip side.
[0083] The base 20B is fixed to the traveler 30. The base end side
of the first arm 21 is supported to the base 20B such that the
first arm 21 is turnable around the first axis A21 in the vertical
direction. The base end side of the second arm 22 is supported to
the tip side of the first arm 21 such that the second arm 22 is
turnable around the second axis A22 parallel to the first axis
A21.
[0084] Here, the second arm 22 includes a horizontal extending
portion 22a, which horizontally extends, and a vertical extending
portion 22b, which extends vertically upward from the tip side of
the horizontal extending portion 22a. The vertical extending
portion 22b incorporates an elevating mechanism to move up and down
the third arm 23.
[0085] The third arm 23 is supported to the second arm 22 such that
the tip portion of the third arm 23 projects from the top surface
of the vertical extending portion 22b of the second arm 22 and
moves up and down along the third axis A23. To the third arm 23,
the arm at the tip of the mobile operation robot 20, an end
effector 20E to lock the open/close member of the workpiece 500
(see FIG. 3) is attachable/detachable.
[0086] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the end effector 20E can, for
example, have a link shape horizontally extending and having the
tip bending downward. Here, in the top view, an angle formed by the
end effector 20E in the horizontally extending direction and the
second arm 22 in the horizontally extending direction can be fixed
to any angle. By configuring the third arm 23 to be rotatable
around the third axis A23, the mobile operation robot 20 may be
configured as a four-axis robot.
[0087] Here, the following describes operations of the mobile
operation robot 20. When the door 510 (see FIG. 3) of the workpiece
500 is opened, the mobile operation robot 20 moves the tip of the
end effector 20E upward of a space of the door 510 in which a
window glass is stored, with the third arm 23 moved up.
[0088] The mobile operation robot 20 moves down the third arm 23 to
lock the door 510. Next, the mobile operation robot 20 folds the
first arm 21 and the second arm 22 to open the door 510. While
locking the opened door 510, the mobile operation robot 20 moves on
the guide 31 so as to follow the conveyed workpiece 500 (see FIG.
3).
[0089] Subsequently, upon the completion of the coating of the
relevant portion by the coating robot 10 (see FIG. 4), the mobile
operation robot 20 increases the angle formed by the first arm 21
and the second arm 22 to close the door 510. Furthermore, the
mobile operation robot 20 moves up the third arm 23 to release the
lock on the door 510. Then, the mobile operation robot 20 moves on
the guide 31 in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction of
the workpiece 500 and returns to a predetermined home position.
[0090] FIG. 5 illustrates the example where the one traveler 30
supports the one mobile operation robot 20. Instead of this, the
one traveler 30 may support the two mobile operation robots 20.
That is, the one traveler 30 may be installed to each pair of the
guides 31 and the respective travelers 30 may support the two
mobile operation robots 20.
[0091] Next, the following describes the configuration of the
fixed-type operation robot 40 with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a
perspective view illustrating the fixed-type operation robot 40.
Here, the fixed-type operation robot 40 illustrated in FIG. 6 is
equivalent to the fixed-type operation robot 40b illustrated in
FIG. 1 and is installed in the direction similar to the fixed-type
operation robot 40b. The fixed-type operation robot 40a illustrated
in FIG. 1 has the arm configuration similar to the arm
configuration of the fixed-type operation robot 40b.
[0092] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the fixed-type operation robot 40
is the six-axis robot having six rotation axes and has a first axis
A41, a second axis A42, a third axis A43, a fourth axis A44, a
fifth axis A45, and a sixth axis A46. As described later, the
fourth axis A44 and the fifth axis A45 are coordinated by a belt or
a closed link mechanism such as a parallel link mechanism. In view
of this, the fixed-type operation robot 40 can also be referred to
as a robot having five degrees of freedom.
[0093] The fixed-type operation robot 40 has joints corresponding
to the respective axes. An actuator 40d (see FIG. 9) as a power
source driving the respective joints turns or rotates each arm to
change the posture of the fixed-type operation robot 40. The
six-axis robot illustrated in FIG. 6 is one example of the
fixed-type operation robot 40. The fixed-type operation robot 40
may be a robot having other than six axes.
[0094] The fixed-type operation robot 40 includes a base 40B, a
first arm 41, a second arm 42, a third arm 43, a fourth arm 44, and
a fifth arm 45 from the base end side to the tip side. The
fixed-type operation robot 40 includes a tip jig 40E
attachable/detachable to the fifth arm 45. The base 40B is fixed to
another member such as the coating booth 200 (see FIG. 1).
[0095] The base end side of the first arm 41 is supported to the
base 40B. The first arm 41 turns around the first axis A41 in the
direction (the vertical direction) along the Z-axis illustrated in
FIG. 6. Thus, the first arm 41 turns around the vertical axis. In
view of this, the first arm 41 is less likely to interfere with the
coating robot 10 (see FIG. 4) and the coating booth 200 (see FIG.
1). This ensures reducing an installation space of the coating
system 1 (see FIG. 1) itself.
[0096] The base end side of the second arm 42 is supported to the
tip side of the first arm 41. The second arm 42 turns around the
second axis A42 parallel to the first axis A41. Thus, the
fixed-type operation robot 40 further turns the second arm 42
around the vertical axis, ensuring easily following the conveyed
workpiece 500 (see FIG. 1).
[0097] Here, the second arm 42 has an arm length shorter than the
arm length of the first arm 41. The arm length means the length
along the extension direction of each arm. Thus, by shortening the
arm length of the second arm 42 than the arm length of the first
arm 41, for example, when the fixed-type operation robot 40 takes
an evacuation posture, the coupling part of the first arm 41 to the
second arm 42 is less likely to interfere with the side wall of the
coating booth 200 (see FIG. 1).
[0098] The base end side of the third arm 43 is supported to the
tip side of the second arm 42. The third arm 43 rotates around the
third axis A43 parallel to the second axis A42 and extends downward
along the third axis A43. Thus, extending the third arm 43 downward
from the second arm 42 allows reducing the height of the coating
booth 200 (see FIG. 1).
[0099] The base 40B, the first arm 41, the second arm 42, and the
third arm 43 internally have an internal pressure chamber 40c (see
FIG. 9). The gas such as the uninflammable gas is introduced into
the internal pressure chamber 40c to increase the internal
pressure. Conversely, since the members closer to the tip side than
the fourth arm 44 need not to increase the internal pressure as
described later, the internal pressure chamber 40c can be omitted.
In view of this, the structure can be simplified.
[0100] The base end side of the fourth arm 44 is supported to the
tip side of the third arm 43. The fourth arm 44 turns around the
fourth axis A44 perpendicular to the third axis A43. The base end
side of the fifth arm 45 is supported to the tip side of the fourth
arm 44. The fifth arm 45 turns around the fifth axis A45 parallel
to the fourth axis A44. The base end side of the tip jig 40E
(equivalent to the sixth arm) is attachably/detachably supported to
the fifth arm 45. The tip jig 40E turns around the sixth axis A46
in the horizontal direction. That is, the tip jig 40E turns with
respect to the fifth arm 45. The tip jig 40E operates the
open/close member provided at the front or the rear portion in the
workpiece 500 (see FIG. 1) conveyed in the predetermined conveyance
direction in the coating booth 200 (see FIG. 1).
[0101] Here, even when the fourth arm 44 turns with respect to the
third arm 43, the fifth arm 45 maintains the posture relative to
the third arm 43. That is, turning the fourth arm 44 around the
fourth axis A44 by ".theta. degrees" causes the fifth arm 45 to
turn around the fifth axis A45 by "-.theta. degrees."
[0102] Thus, even when the posture of the fourth arm 44 changes,
the direction of the fifth arm 45 is less likely to change. In view
of this, the fixed-type operation robot 40 can smoothly open and
close the open/close member while avoiding the interference with
the workpiece 500 (see FIG. 1).
[0103] The base end side of the tip jig 40E is supported to the
fifth arm 45. The tip jig 40E turns around the sixth axis A46
perpendicular to the fifth axis A45. The base end side of the tip
jig 40E has a shape extending in the horizontal direction and
further bending downward and extending. For example, an aduncate
locking part is provided at the tip side of the tip jig 40E. This
locking part locks the operation target (the front/rear open/close
member).
[0104] That is, as illustrated in FIG. 6, in the tip jig 40E, the
sixth axis A46 is horizontally offset from the center portion of
the locking part in the horizontal direction by an amount of offset
61.
[0105] Thus offsetting the sixth axis A46 with the locking part
allows easy determination of whether the locking part has locked
the operation target or not, that is, whether the locking part has
succeeded in the locking of the operation target or not as
described later. The base end side of the tip jig 40E may have a
shape extending downward and further horizontally bending and
extending. The amount of offset 61 may be 0.
[0106] As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the sixth axis A46 is
perpendicular to the fifth axis A45, the direction of offset of the
sixth axis A46 with the locking part becomes the direction along
the fourth axis A44 and the fifth axis A45. FIG. 6 illustrates the
example where the locking part is offset in the Y-axis negative
direction with respect to the sixth axis A46. Instead of this, the
locking part may be offset in the Y-axis positive direction with
respect to the sixth axis A46. Additionally, the rotation of the
mounting direction of the tip jig 40E around the Z-axis by 90
degrees allows the sixth axis A46 to be parallel to the fifth axis
A45. In this case, the direction of offset becomes the horizontal
direction perpendicular to the fifth axis A45. That is, changing
the mounting direction of the tip jig 40E to the fifth arm 45 makes
the direction of a turning axis (the sixth axis A46) of the tip jig
40E to the fifth arm 45 changeable.
[0107] Thus, by making the tip jig 40E turnable with respect to the
fifth arm 45, the relative angle of the tip jig 40E to the
operation target is easily fine-adjusted. This ensures efficiently
locking the operation target and releasing the locking on the
operation target. Making the direction of the sixth axis A46
changeable increases the degree of freedom of the posture of the
fixed-type operation robot 40 relative to the operation target.
[0108] Based on the output from the power source to turn the tip
jig 40E, whether the tip jig 40E has succeeded in the locking of
the operation target by the locking part or not can be determined.
For example, when the tip jig 40E is moved upward after the lock
operation, in the case where a torque holding the posture of the
tip jig 40E is larger than a predetermined value, it can be
determined that the locking of the operation target has succeeded.
As described above, the locking part of the tip jig 40E with the
shape offset from the sixth axis A46 can enhance detection
sensitivity. Consequently, accuracy of the lock determination can
be improved.
[0109] The actuator 40d (see FIG. 9) as the power source to turn
the respective fourth arm 44 and tip jig 40E is arranged inside the
third arm 43, for example, in the internal pressure chamber 40c of
the third arm 43. The driving power from the power source to turn
the fourth arm 44 is transmitted to the fourth arm 44 by the belt
and a pulley incorporated into the third arm 43. The fifth arm 45
turns so as to coordinate with the turning of the fourth arm
44.
[0110] The driving power from the power source to turn the tip jig
40E is transmitted to the tip jig 40E by the belt and the pulley
incorporated into the fourth arm 44 and the fifth arm 45 to turn
the tip jig 40E.
[0111] Thus, since the fourth arm 44, the fifth arm 45, and the tip
jig 40E do not include the driving source, a mechanism to increase
the internal pressure may be omitted. Accordingly, the
configuration of the fourth arm 44, the fifth arm 45, and the tip
jig 40E can be simplified. Instead of the transmission mechanism
including the belt and the pulley, a transmission mechanism
including a gear and/or a shaft or the like may be used.
[0112] With the fixed-type operation robot 40 illustrated in FIG.
6, the fourth arm 44 and the fifth arm 45 are mechanically
coordinated. Instead of this, the fixed-type operation robot 40 may
be configured such that the fourth arm 44 and the fifth arm 45
operate independent of each other. In this case, the fourth arm 44
and the fifth arm 45 may be controlled so as to perform the
above-described coordinated operation.
[0113] Next, the following describes the operation example of the
fixed-type operation robot 40a on the upstream side illustrated in
FIG. 1 with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7E. FIGS. 7A to 7E each
illustrate postures (1) to (5) of the fixed-type operation robot
40a on the upstream side. FIGS. 7A to 7D illustrate examples where
the tip jig 40E is moved along the symmetry plane P2 illustrated in
FIG. 2. Instead of this, the tip jig 40E may be moved on any plane
parallel to the symmetry plane P2. In FIGS. 7A to 7D, assume that
the sixth axis A46 illustrated in FIG. 6 is held to be
perpendicular to the symmetry plane P2.
[0114] FIG. 7A illustrates the posture of the fixed-type operation
robot 40a that accesses the closed rear open/close member 530. As
illustrated in FIG. 7A, the fixed-type operation robot 40a turns
the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 to access the rear
open/close member 530 from the upstream side.
[0115] Here, on the fourth arm 44, the fourth axis A44 takes a
posture perpendicular to the symmetry plane P2 on the upstream side
with respect to the third axis A43. This ensures making the fourth
arm 44 away from the rear open/close member 530. As a result, the
interference of the fourth arm 44 with the rear open/close member
530 can be restrained. The fourth arm 44 illustrated in FIG. 7A
takes a posture where the tip side is inclined obliquely
downward.
[0116] FIG. 7B illustrates the posture of the fixed-type operation
robot 40a where the rear open/close member 530 is held to be the
open state. As illustrated in FIG. 7B, the fixed-type operation
robot 40a turns the fourth arm 44 to a direction where the tip side
is moved up compared with FIG. 7A. Furthermore, the fixed-type
operation robot 40a turns the first arm 41 and the second arm 42
such that the tip jig 40E is held on the symmetry plane P2.
[0117] Furthermore, the fixed-type operation robot 40a causes the
third arm 43 to coordinate with these operations to rotate around
the third axis A43, thus holding the fourth axis A44 parallel to
the symmetry plane P2. As already described with reference to FIG.
6, even if the fourth arm 44 is turned, the relative posture
between the third arm 43 and the fifth arm 45 is maintained.
[0118] FIG. 7C illustrates an example of the posture of the
fixed-type operation robot 40a following the conveyed workpiece 500
with the rear open/close member 530 open. As illustrated in FIG.
7C, the fixed-type operation robot 40a causes the respective
rotation axes to coordinate with one another such that the tip jig
40E moves the downstream side on the symmetry plane P2. The tip jig
40E has a height maintained to be a height illustrated in FIG.
7B.
[0119] FIG. 7D illustrates the posture of the fixed-type operation
robot 40a where the rear open/close member 530 is returned to the
closed state. As illustrated in FIG. 7D, the fixed-type operation
robot 40a turns the fourth arm 44 to a direction where the tip side
of the fourth arm 44 is moved down compared with a position
illustrated in FIG. 7C. Furthermore, the fixed-type operation robot
40a turns the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 such that the tip
jig 40E is held on the symmetry plane P2. Furthermore, the
fixed-type operation robot 40a causes the third arm 43 to
coordinate with these operations to rotate around the third axis
A43, thus holding the fourth axis A44 parallel to the symmetry
plane P2.
[0120] FIG. 7E illustrates an example of the posture of the
fixed-type operation robot 40a on the home position. As illustrated
in FIG. 7E, the fixed-type operation robot 40a turns the tip side
of the fourth arm 44 downward to the side opposite to the symmetry
plane P2 and takes a posture of folding the first arm 41 and the
second arm 42. This secures the fixed-type operation robot 40a
having a distance between the fixed-type operation robot 40a and
the symmetry plane P2.
[0121] Accordingly, the interference of the fixed-type operation
robot 40a with the workpiece 500 can be restrained. The fixed-type
operation robot 40a can take the posture illustrated in FIG. 7E on
a previous step of the posture illustrated in FIG. 7A and a latter
step of the posture illustrated in FIG. 7D. Thus, the fixed-type
operation robot 40a accesses the workpiece 500 from the upstream
side in the conveyance direction. Accordingly, the fixed-type
operation robot 40a can smoothly perform the operation to open the
rear open/close member 530, the operation to maintain the open
state of the rear open/close member 530, and the operation to close
the rear open/close member 530.
[0122] Next, the following describes an operation example of the
fixed-type operation robot 40b on the downstream side illustrated
in FIG. 1 with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8E. FIGS. 8A to 8E each
illustrate postures (1) to (5) of the fixed-type operation robot
40b on the downstream side. FIGS. 8A to 8D illustrate examples
where the tip jig 40E is moved along the symmetry plane P2
illustrated in FIG. 2. Instead of this, the tip jig 40E may be
moved on any plane parallel to the symmetry plane P2. In FIGS. 8A
to 8D, assume that the sixth axis A46 illustrated in FIG. 6 is held
to be perpendicular to the symmetry plane P2.
[0123] FIG. 8A illustrates the posture of the fixed-type operation
robot 40b that accesses the front open/close member 520 in a closed
state. As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the fixed-type operation robot
40b turns the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 to access the
front open/close member 520 from the downstream side.
[0124] Here, on the fourth arm 44, the fourth axis A44 takes a
posture perpendicular to the symmetry plane P2 at a position far
from the base 40B with respect to the third axis A43. Accordingly,
the interference of the workpiece 500 with the fixed-type operation
robot 40b can be restrained. The fourth arm 44 illustrated in FIG.
8A takes a posture where the tip side is inclined obliquely
downward.
[0125] FIG. 8B illustrates the posture of the fixed-type operation
robot 40b where the front open/close member 520 is held to be the
open state. As illustrated in FIG. 8B, the fixed-type operation
robot 40b turns the fourth arm 44 to a direction where the tip side
is moved up compared with FIG. 8A. Furthermore, the fixed-type
operation robot 40b turns the first arm 41 and the second arm 42
such that the tip jig 40E is held on the symmetry plane P2.
[0126] Furthermore, the fixed-type operation robot 40b causes the
third arm 43 to coordinate with these operations to rotate around
the third axis A43, thus holding the fourth axis A44 perpendicular
to the symmetry plane P2. As already described with reference to
FIG. 6, even if the fourth arm 44 is turned, the relative posture
between the third arm 43 and the fifth arm 45 is maintained.
[0127] FIG. 8C illustrates an example of the posture of the
fixed-type operation robot 40b following the conveyed workpiece 500
with the front open/close member 520 open. As illustrated in FIG.
8C, the fixed-type operation robot 40b causes the respective
rotation axes to coordinate with one another such that the tip jig
40E moves the downstream side on the symmetry plane P2. The tip jig
40E has a height maintained to be a height illustrated in FIG.
8B.
[0128] FIG. 8D illustrates the posture of the fixed-type operation
robot 40b where the front open/close member 520 is returned to the
closed state. As illustrated in FIG. 8D, the fixed-type operation
robot 40b turns the fourth arm 44 to a direction where the tip side
of the fourth arm 44 is moved down compared with the position
illustrated in FIG. 8C. Furthermore, the fixed-type operation robot
40b turns the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 such that the tip
jig 40E is held on the symmetry plane P2. Furthermore, the
fixed-type operation robot 40b causes the third arm 43 to
coordinate with these operations to rotate around the third axis
A43, thus holding the fourth axis A44 perpendicular to the symmetry
plane P2.
[0129] FIG. 8E illustrates an example of the posture of the
fixed-type operation robot 40b on the home position. As illustrated
in FIG. 8E, the fixed-type operation robot 40b turns the tip side
of the fourth arm 44 downward to the side opposite to the symmetry
plane P2 and takes a posture of folding the first arm 41 and the
second arm 42. This secures the fixed-type operation robot 40b
having a distance between the fixed-type operation robot 40b and
the symmetry plane P2.
[0130] Accordingly, the interference of the fixed-type operation
robot 40b with the workpiece 500 can be restrained. The fixed-type
operation robot 40b can take the posture illustrated in FIG. 8E on
a previous step of the posture illustrated in FIG. 8A and a latter
step of the posture illustrated in FIG. 8D. Thus, the fixed-type
operation robot 40b accesses the workpiece 500 from the downstream
side in the conveyance direction. Accordingly, the fixed-type
operation robot 40b can smoothly perform the operation to open the
front open/close member 520, the operation to maintain the open
state of the front open/close member 520, and the operation to
close the front open/close member 520.
[0131] Next, the following describes the configuration of the
coating system 1 according to this embodiment with reference to
FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of
the coating system 1. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the coating system
1 includes the conveying device 210, the coating robot 10, the
mobile operation robot 20, and the fixed-type operation robot 40 in
the coating booth 200. As described above, the mobile operation
robot 20 may be omitted.
[0132] The coating system 1 further includes a robot control device
100. The conveying device 210, the coating robot 10, the mobile
operation robot 20, and the fixed-type operation robot 40 are
connected to the robot control device 100.
[0133] The coating system 1 includes a superordinate device 300.
The superordinate device 300 controls the entire operation of the
conveying device 210 and the robot control device 100. The
superordinate device 300 notifies the robot control device 100 of
information such as vehicle type information indicative of the type
of the workpiece 500 (see FIG. 3). The superordinate device 300 is
a device including a computer and various circuits similar to the
robot control device 100 described later. Here, this superordinate
device 300 may be omitted. In this case, the robot control device
100 may be configured so as to receive the information such as the
above-described vehicle type information from the conveying device
210 or a device such as a network-connected terminal.
[0134] As already described above, the conveying device 210 is the
device such as the conveyor to convey the workpiece 500 in the
predetermined conveyance direction. The conveying device 210
includes a detecting device (not illustrated) such as a sensor to
detect the position of the workpiece 500. The conveying device 210
notifies the robot control device 100 of a timing of passing of the
workpiece 500 or the like. The conveying device 210, for example,
conveys the workpiece 500 at a constant speed.
[0135] The coating robot 10 is the robot to coat the workpiece 500.
In the examples illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the four coating
robots 10 are installed in the coating booth 200. Since the
configuration of the coating robot 10 has been already explained
with reference to FIG. 4, the explanation is omitted here.
[0136] The mobile operation robots 20 are the robots that operate
the doors 510 (see FIG. 3) as the side surface open/close members
among the open/close members of the workpiece 500. In the examples
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the four mobile operation robots 20
are installed in the coating booth 200. FIG. 9 describes the
traveler 30 (see FIG. 1) as the member included in the mobile
operation robot 20. Since the configuration of the mobile operation
robot 20 has been already explained with reference to FIG. 5, the
explanation is omitted here.
[0137] The fixed-type operation robots 40 are the robots that
operate the front/rear open/close members such as the front
open/close member 520 and the rear open/close member 530 (see FIG.
3) among the open/close members of the workpiece 500. In the
examples illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two fixed-type operation
robots 40 are installed in the coating booth 200. Since the
configuration of the fixed-type operation robot 40 has been already
explained with reference to FIG. 6, the explanation is omitted
here.
[0138] The robot control device 100 includes a controller 110 and a
storage 120. The controller 110 includes a timing obtainer 111 and
an operation controller 112. The storage 120 stores teaching
information 121. For simplification of the explanation, FIG. 9
illustrates the one robot control device 100. Instead of this, the
coating system 1 may include a plurality of the robot control
devices corresponding to the respective coating robots 10 and
mobile operation robots 20. In this case, the coating system 1 may
include the superordinate robot control device that manages the
respective control devices.
[0139] Here, the robot control device 100, for example, includes
the computer and the various circuits. The computer, for example,
includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM),
a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), input/output
ports, and the like.
[0140] The CPU in the computer, for example, reads a program stored
in the ROM and executes this program to function as the timing
obtainer 111 and the operation controller 112 in the controller
110.
[0141] At least any one of or all the timing obtainer 111 and the
operation controller 112 can be configured as hardware such as an
application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field
programmable gate array (FPGA).
[0142] The storage 120, for example, corresponds to the RAM and/or
the HDD. The RAM and the HDD can store the teaching information
121. The robot control device 100 may be configured so as to obtain
the above-described program and/or various pieces of information
via another computer coupled over wired or wireless network or a
portable storage medium. Furthermore, as described above, the
coating system 1 may be configured to include the plurality of
robot control devices 100 communicable with one another.
Alternatively, the robot control devices 100 may be configured as
hierarchical devices communicable with the upper or the lower
device.
[0143] While the controller 110 obtains location information (a
pulse signal) of a tool such as a base to fix the workpiece 500
(see FIG. 3) to the movable part of conveying device 210 and/or an
interlock signal to exclusively operate each device from the
conveying device 210, the controller 110 performs the operation
control on each robot With the plurality of robot control devices
100, the controller 110 performs a process to synchronize the robot
control devices 100 together.
[0144] The timing obtainer 111 obtains the above-described location
information and/or interlock signal from the conveying device 210.
The timing obtainer 111 determines the operation timing of each
robot according to the obtained location information and/or
interlock signal. The timing obtainer 111 notifies the operation
controller 112 of the determined operation timing. For example, the
timing obtainer 111 obtains (determines) the timing at which the
workpiece 500 (see FIG. 3) reaches a predetermined position in the
coating booth 200. The timing obtainer 111 notifies the operation
controller 112 of the command (the operation timing) such that each
robot is operated based on the obtained (determined) timing.
[0145] The operation controller 112 operates each robot based on
the command from the timing obtainer 111 and the teaching
information 121. To improve the operation accuracy of each robot,
the operation controller 112, for example, performs the feedback
control using an encoder value in the actuator as the power source
for each robot. When the operation controller 112 receives the
vehicle type information indicative of the type of the workpiece
500 (see FIG. 3) from the superordinate device 300, the operation
controller 112 operates each robot according to this type.
[0146] The operation controller 112 includes a determiner 112a. The
determiner 112a determines whether the tip jig 40E (see FIG. 6) of
the fixed-type operation robot 40 has succeeded in the locking of
the open/close members provided at the front and rear portions of
the workpiece 500 or not, namely, performs the determination on the
lock state. Specifically, the determiner 112a determines the lock
state of the open/close member by the tip jig 40E based on the
output from the power source such as the actuator 40d, which turns
the tip jig 40E. That is, when the output torque from the power
source such as the actuator 40d to turn the tip jig 40E is larger
than the predetermined value, the determiner 112a determines that
the locking of the open/close member has succeeded. The output
torque may be detected by a torque sensor or may be detected based
on a value converted from a torque command value and/or an electric
current value of the power source.
[0147] The teaching information 121 is created at a teaching stage
that teaches the operation to each robot. The teaching information
121 is information including a "job" as a program to specify an
operation route of each robot. As described above, the coating
system 1 uses the paired robots with the arm configurations
symmetrical to one another and further the respective robots are
disposed at the positions symmetrical with respect to the conveying
device 210 (see FIG. 2). This allows using the teaching data for
each robot and the inverted teaching data. Accordingly, the coating
system 1 can restrain the labor and the cost taken to create the
teaching information 121 including such teaching data.
[0148] The following describes an operation procedure of the
coating system 1 with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a sequence
diagram illustrating the operation procedure of the coating system
1. "HOME" illustrated in this diagram is an abbreviation of "HOME
POSITION," and represents a standby posture or a standby position
of the respective robots. The vertical axis in this diagram
represents a time (T). The time passes along a direction of an
arrow indicated in the vertical axis.
[0149] The following describes the operation procedure of the
coating system 1 using the respective robots illustrated in FIG. 2
and the workpiece 500 illustrated in FIG. 3. The following
describes, first, the coating procedure of the rear half of the
workpiece 500 in association with the opening and closing of the
tailgate (530 in FIG. 3) and the rear doors (510RR and 510LR in
FIG. 3) of the workpiece 500. Next, the following describes the
coating procedure of the front half of the workpiece 500 in
association with the opening and closing of the hood (520 in FIG.
3) and the front doors (510RF and 510LF in FIG. 3).
[0150] First, the following describes the coating procedure of the
rear half. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the mobile operation robots
20R1 and 20L1 wait in their home positions (step S201), and at a
timing t1, the respective rear doors of the workpiece 500 are
opened (step S202). At the timing t1, the fixed-type operation
robot 40a is waiting in its home position (step S101), and the
coating robots 10R1 and 10L1 are also waiting in their home
positions (step S301).
[0151] The fixed-type operation robot 40a opens the tailgate of the
workpiece 500 at a timing t2 (step S102), and by changing the
posture of the arm following the conveyed workpiece 500, holds the
tailgate open (step S103). In the process procedure at step S102,
the determiner 112a (see FIG. 9) of the operation controller 112
may determine whether the fixed-type operation robot 40a has
succeeded in the locking of the tailgate in the workpiece 500 or
not. When the determiner 112a determines that the fixed-type
operation robot 40a has failed the locking, the operation
controller 112 may repeat the locking operation by the fixed-type
operation robot 40a by predetermined number of times. On the other
hand, the mobile operation robots 20R1 and 20L1, in a holding state
where the rear doors are open, move to the conveyance direction
following the conveyed workpiece 500 (step S203).
[0152] The coating robots 10R1 and 10L1 coat the side surface
panels opened by opening the rear doors (step S302). Next, the
coating robots 10R1 and 10L1 coat the inside of the open tailgate
(step S303). Next, the coating robots 10R1 and 10L1 coat the
insides of the open rear doors (step S304). The coating robots 10R1
and 10L1 return to the home positions after the coating at step
S304 has been completed (step S305).
[0153] The fixed-type operation robot 40a closes the tailgate of
the workpiece 500 at a timing t4 after the timing when the coating
of the tailgate by the coating robots 10R1 and 10L1 has been
completed (step S104). The fixed-type operation robot 40a returns
to the home position after the process at step S104 has been
completed (step S105).
[0154] On the other hand, the mobile operation robots 20R1 and 20L1
close the respective rear doors of the workpiece 500 at a timing t6
after the timing when the coating of the insides of the rear doors
by the coating robots 10R1 and 10L1 has been completed (step S204).
After the process at step S204 has been completed, the mobile
operation robots 20R1 and 20L1 move to the direction opposite to
the conveyance direction of the workpiece 500, thus returning to
the home positions (step S205).
[0155] As described above, the rear doors of the workpiece 500 are
opened at the timing t1 and closed at the timing t6. On the other
hand, the tailgate of the workpiece 500 is opened at the timing t2
later than the timing t1, and closed at the timing t4 earlier than
the timing t6. That is, open periods of the tailgate and the rear
doors overlap with one another.
[0156] Thus, since the period during which the front/rear
open/close members are open overlaps with the period during which
the side surface open/close members are open, the coating process
can be performed in a short time. FIG. 10 illustrates the case
where the tailgate is closed before the rear doors of the workpiece
500 are closed. Instead of this, in the coating process, the
tailgate may be closed after the rear doors are closed.
[0157] The following describes the coating procedure of the front
half. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the fixed-type operation robot 40b
waits in the home position (step S601), and at the timing t3, opens
the hood of the workpiece 500 (step S602). The fixed-type operation
robot 40b holds the hood open by changing the posture of the arm
following the conveyed workpiece 500 (step S603). In the process
procedure at step S602, the determiner 112a (see FIG. 9) of the
operation controller 112 may determine whether the fixed-type
operation robot 40b has succeeded in the locking of the hood in the
workpiece 500 or not. When the determiner 112a determines that the
fixed-type operation robot 40b has failed the locking, the
operation controller 112 may repeat the locking operation by the
fixed-type operation robot 40b by predetermined number of
times.
[0158] At the timing t3, the mobile operation robots 20R2 and 20L2
are waiting in their home positions (step S501), and the coating
robots 10R2 and 10L2 are also waiting in their home positions (step
S401).
[0159] On the other hand, the mobile operation robots 20R2 and 20L2
open the respective front doors of the workpiece 500 at the timing
t4 (step S502). The mobile operation robots 20R2 and 20L2, in a
holding state where the front doors are open, move to the
conveyance direction following the conveyed workpiece 500 (step
S503). In FIG. 10, a timing when the mobile operation robots 20R2
and 20L2 open the respective front doors of the workpiece 500 and a
timing when the fixed-type operation robot 40a closes the tailgate
of the workpiece 500 are both the timing t4. However, it is not
necessary to match both timings.
[0160] The coating robots 10R2 and 10L2 coat the inside of the open
hood (step S402). Next, the coating robots 10R2 and 10L2 coat the B
pillars (502 in FIG. 3) opened by opening the rear doors and the
front doors (step S403). Next, the coating robots 10R2 and 10L2
coat front parts of the side surface panels opened by opening the
front doors (step S404).
[0161] Next, the coating robots 10R2 and 10L2 coat the insides of
the open front doors (step S405). Then, the coating robots 10R2 and
10L2 coat rear parts of the side surface panels (step S406). The
coating robots 10R2 and 10L2 return to the home positions after the
process at step S406 has been completed (step S407).
[0162] The fixed-type operation robot 40b closes the hood of the
workpiece 500 at a timing t5 after the timing when the coating of
the hood by the coating robots 10R2 and 10L2 has been completed
(step S604). The fixed-type operation robot 40b returns to the home
position after the process at step S604 has been completed (step
S605).
[0163] On the other hand, the mobile operation robots 20R2 and 20L2
close the respective front doors of the workpiece 500 at a timing
t7 after the timing when the coating of the rear parts of the side
surface panels by the coating robots 10R2 and 10L2 has been
completed (step S504). Then, after the process at step S504 has
been completed, the mobile operation robots 20R2 and 20L2 move to
the direction opposite to the conveyance direction of the workpiece
500, thus returning to the home position (step S505).
[0164] As described above, the rear doors of the workpiece 500 are
opened at the timing t1 and closed at the timing t6. On the other
hand, the front doors of the workpiece 500 are opened at the timing
t4 later than the timing t1 and closed at the timing t7 later than
the timing t6. That is, open periods of the front doors and the
rear doors overlap with one another.
[0165] Thus, since the period during which the front doors are open
overlaps with the period during which the rear doors are open, the
coating in the state where both doors are open can be performed. In
view of this, the coating on preferable portions (for example, the
B pillar 502 in FIG. 3) can be properly performed. By overlapping
both periods with one another, the coating process can be performed
in a short time.
[0166] As described above, the front doors of the workpiece 500 are
opened at the timing t4 and closed at the timing t7. On the other
hand, the hood of the workpiece 500 is opened at the timing t3
earlier than the timing t4 and closed at the timing t5 earlier than
the timing t7. That is, open periods of the hood and the front
doors overlap with one another.
[0167] Thus, since the period during which the front/rear
open/close members are open overlaps with the period during which
the side surface open/close members are open, the coat process can
be performed in a short time. FIG. 10 illustrates the case where
the hood is closed before the front doors of the workpiece 500 are
closed. Instead of this, in the coating process, the hood may be
closed after the front door is closed.
[0168] As described above, the coating system 1 according to this
embodiment includes the plurality of coating robots 10 and
fixed-type operation robots 40. The coating robots 10 are fixed in
the coating booth 200 to coat the vehicle (the workpiece 500)
conveyed in the predetermined conveyance direction. The fixed-type
operation robot 40 is fixed in the coating booth 200 on the
upstream side or the downstream side of the plurality of coating
robots 10 in the conveyance direction. The fixed-type operation
robot 40 operates the open/close member provided on the front or
the rear portion in the vehicle (the workpiece 500). The fixed-type
operation robot 40 includes the first arm 41, which turns around
the vertical axis.
[0169] Thus, with the coating system 1 according to this
embodiment, since the coating robot 10 is less likely to interfere
with the fixed-type operation robot 40, the respective robots can
be compactly arranged. Accordingly, the installation space as the
entire coating system 1 can be reduced.
[0170] In the coating system 1 according to this embodiment, the
case where the mobile operation robots 20 are provided by two on
the right side and the left side of the conveying device 210 is
described. Instead of this, the mobile operation robots 20 may be
provided by one on each side. In this case, with the workpiece 500
of a so-called four-door vehicle, the mobile operation robots 20
perform the operation that opens the front doors after closing the
rear doors. With the workpiece 500 of a so-called two-door vehicle,
it is sufficient to arrange the mobile operation robots 20 by one
on each side.
[0171] Next, the following describes a coating system 1a according
to a first modification with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a
top-surface pattern diagram of the coating system 1a according to
the first modification. The coating system 1a illustrated in FIG.
11 has a configuration where the mobile operation robot 20, the
traveler 30, and the guide 31 are omitted from the coating system 1
illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 11, like reference numerals
designate configurations common to those in FIG. 2, and will not be
further elaborated here.
[0172] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the doors on the side surfaces of
the workpiece 500 are fixed in an open state using jigs or the
like. In such a case, the mobile operation robots 20 illustrated in
FIG. 2 are unnecessary. That is, when the opening and closing of
the doors on the side surfaces of the workpiece 500 are
unnecessary, the robots in the coating system 1a can be limited to
the coating robots 10 and the fixed-type operation robots 40.
[0173] FIG. 11 illustrates the case of the four coating robots 10.
Instead of this, two or more of any number of coating robots 10 may
be provided. In the coating system 1a illustrated in FIG. 11, the
fixed-type operation robots 40 are provided by one on each upstream
side and downstream side of the coating robot 10 group. Instead of
this, any one of the fixed-type operation robots 40 may be
omitted.
[0174] Next, the following describes a coating system 1b according
to a second modification with reference to FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is a
top-surface pattern diagram of the coating system 1b according to
the second modification. The coating system 1b illustrated in FIG.
12 has a configuration that is the configuration of the coating
system 1a illustrated in FIG. 11 and where the fixed-type operation
robots 40 are changed from the robots illustrated in FIG. 6 to the
robots illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0175] As illustrated in FIG. 12, the fixed-type operation robot 40
is the robot having the arm configuration similar to that of the
coating robot 10 illustrated in FIG. 4. Here, the fixed-type
operation robot 40 is installed on a rotating table 49 having a
rotation axis A49 in the vertical direction. The rotating table 49
is fixed to the floor surface or the like of the coating booth 200
(see FIG. 1). The following designates the member including the
fixed-type operation robot 40 and the rotating table 49 as the
fixed-type operation robot 40.
[0176] Thus, since the fixed-type operation robot 40 has the
rotation axis A49, the first arm 11 illustrated in FIG. 4 can be
turned around the rotation axis A49 along the vertical axis.
Accordingly, the fixed-type operation robot 40 easily takes the
evacuation posture such as the home position. This ensures causing
the fixed-type operation robot 40 to be less likely to interfere
with the workpiece 500 and the coating robot 10.
[0177] In the fixed-type operation robots 40a, 40b illustrated in
FIG. 12, when the rotation axis A49 is referred to as the first
axis, the first axis A11 to the sixth axis A16 illustrated in FIG.
4 are equivalent to the second axis to the seventh axis,
respectively.
[0178] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present disclosure in
its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and
representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
[0179] The embodiments of this disclosure may be the following
first to fourteenth coating systems and the first fixed-type
operation robot.
[0180] The first coating system includes a plurality of coating
robots and a fixed-type operation robot. The plurality of coating
robots is fixed in a coating booth. The plurality of coating robots
is configured to coat a vehicle conveyed in a predetermined
conveyance direction. The fixed-type operation robot is fixed in
the coating booth on an upstream side or a downstream side of the
plurality of coating robots in the conveyance direction. The
fixed-type operation robot is configured to operate an open/close
member at a front or a rear of the vehicle. The fixed-type
operation robot includes a first arm turning around a vertical
axis.
[0181] In the second coating system according to the first coating
system, the fixed-type operation robot further includes a second
arm. The second arm has a base end side supported to a tip side of
the first arm. The second arm turns around an axis parallel to the
vertical axis.
[0182] In the third coating system according to the second coating
system, the second arm has an arm length shorter than an arm length
of the first arm.
[0183] In the fourth coating system according to the second or the
third coating system, the fixed-type operation robot includes a
third arm. The third arm has a base end side supported to a tip
side of the second arm. The third arm rotates around an axis
parallel to the vertical axis. The third arm extends downward along
the axis.
[0184] In the fifth coating system according to the fourth coating
system, the fixed-type operation robot includes a fourth arm, a
fifth arm, and a tip jig. The fourth arm has a base end side
supported to a tip side of the third arm. The fourth arm turns
around an axis perpendicular to the vertical axis. The fifth arm
has a base end side supported to a tip side of the fourth arm. The
fifth arm turns around an axis parallel to a turning axis of the
fourth arm. The tip jig has a base end side attachably/detachably
supported to the fifth arm. The tip jig turns with respect to the
fifth arm.
[0185] In the sixth coating system according to the fifth coating
system, the fifth arm maintains a relative posture to the third arm
even when the fourth arm turns with respect to the third arm.
[0186] In the seventh coating system according to the sixth coating
system, the third arm internally includes a power source to turn
the fourth arm and the tip jig.
[0187] In the eighth coating system according to the seventh
coating system, the third arm includes an internal pressure chamber
to house the power source.
[0188] In the ninth coating system according to any one of the
fifth to the eighth coating systems, a direction of a turning axis
of the tip jig with respect to the fifth arm is changeable by
changing a mounting direction of the tip jig with respect to the
fifth arm.
[0189] In the tenth coating system according to any one of the
fifth to the ninth coating systems, in the tip jig, a turning axis
with respect to the fifth arm is offset from a locking part that
locks the open/close member in a horizontal direction. A determiner
is further included. The determiner is configured to determine a
lock state of the open/close member based on an output from a power
source to turn the tip jig.
[0190] In the eleventh coating system according to any one of the
first to the tenth coating systems, the fixed-type operation robots
are installed by one on the upstream side and the downstream side
such that the fixed-type operation robots are disposed across a
conveying device that conveys the vehicle in the conveyance
direction.
[0191] In the twelfth coating system according to any one of the
first to the eleventh coating systems, at least a pair of the
coating robots is installed such that the coating robots each have
a first axis on an identical straight line parallel to the
conveyance direction and first arms rotating around the first axes
extend in a direction away from one another.
[0192] In the thirteenth coating system according to the twelfth
coating system, the pair of coating robots each has an arm
configuration symmetrical with respect to a surface perpendicular
to the identical straight line at an intermediate position of the
pair of coating robots.
[0193] In the fourteenth coating system according to the thirteenth
coating system, the pair of coating robots is installed by one pair
at symmetrical positions across a conveying device configured to
convey the vehicle in the conveyance direction. The coating robots
at diagonally opposite positions mutually have the identical arm
configurations.
[0194] The first fixed-type operation robot includes a base, a
first arm, a second arm, a third arm, a fourth arm, a fifth arm,
and a tip jig. The base is fixed to an inside of a coating booth.
The first arm has a base end portion supported to the base. The
first arm turns around a first axis in a vertical direction. The
second arm has a base end side supported to a tip side of the first
arm. The second arm turns around a second axis parallel to the
first axis. The third arm has a base end side supported to a tip
side of the second arm. The third arm rotates around a third axis
parallel to the second axis. The third arm extends downward along
the third axis. The fourth arm has a base end side supported to a
tip side of the third arm. The fourth arm turns around a fourth
axis perpendicular to the third axis. The fifth arm has a base end
side supported to a tip side of the fourth arm. The fifth arm turns
around a fifth axis parallel to the fourth axis. The tip jig is
attachably/detachably fixed to the fifth arm. The tip jig operates
an open/close member at a front or a rear in a vehicle conveyed in
a predetermined conveyance direction in the coating booth.
[0195] The foregoing detailed description has been presented for
the purposes of illustration and description. Many modifications
and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is
not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the subject matter
described herein to the precise form disclosed. Although the
subject matter has been described in language specific to
structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be
understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims
is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts
described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described
above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims
appended hereto.
* * * * *