Patent ID: 8219245
Filing Date: 2012-07-10
Classification: B25J,G05B

Abstract:
1. An articulated arm robot comprising: a robot arm comprising a plurality of articulated robot members that operate safely dependent on a plurality of different functions; a plurality of different pairs of redundant components, each different pair of redundant components being respectively associated with one different function among said plurality of different functions, and each redundant component in each of said redundant pairs being operable by itself to perform the function associated with that pair of redundant components; said plurality of pairs of redundant components comprising a pair of redundant drive motors that each perform, by itself, one of said functions, and a pair of redundant gears that each perform, by itself, one of said functions, and a pair of redundant blocking brakes that each perform, by itself, one of said functions, and a plurality of redundant weight balance systems that each perform, by itself, one of said functions; and a monitoring system configured to detect continued occurrence of each of said plurality of functions during operation of said robot arm, and configured to automatically stop operation of said robot arm upon an absence of any of said functions being detected during said operation of said robot arm.