Automated device

An automated device comprising an arm, a supporting case mounted on the end of the arm, a rotary actuator mounted on the end of the supporting case and a wrist with a hand rotatably held by the rotary actuator, wherein the rotary actuator has a replaceable stopper on the shaft thereof, and the supporting case has a pair of static members for setting the rotational range of the stopper. In the device, the rotary actuator stops rotating at two positions, i.e., the hand stops rotating at two positions.

The present invention relates generally to an automated machining system 
and, more particularly, to an automated device used in loading and 
unloading of workpieces, changing of tools, disposing of chips, etc., for 
a computer-aided numerically-controlled machine tool system. 
A computer-aided numerically-controlled machine tool system (hereinafter 
referred to a CNC machine tool system) includes an automated device for 
loading and unloading of workpieces, changing of tools, disposing of 
chips, etc. Furthermore, the system includes CNC machines (Such as CNC 
lathes), tables for workpieces, racks for tools, etc., positioned on the 
periphery of the above-mentioned automated device. The automated device 
carries out loading and unloading of workpieces, carrying of workpieces 
and tools, disposing of chips, etc. The automated device basically has a 
hand provided with at least two fingers for gripping workpieces or tools; 
a wrist for holding the hand; a driving unit for rotating the wrist 
together with the hand, and; an arm on which the driving unit is mounted. 
The arm is capable of being extended and retracted. In some situations 
where a small number of regular operations are performed, it is very 
useful for the hand to be capable of ceasing rotation at only two or three 
positions, such as 0, 90 and 180 degrees. 
In an automated device of the prior art, a driving unit for rotating a hand 
is composed of: one or two cylinders having pistons therein, and; a gear 
connected to the hand which is rotated by the lateral movement of the 
pistons. This lateral movement is carried out by inserting and ejecting 
fluid into and out of the cylinders. Therefore, if fluid is inserted or 
ejected into or out of one of the cylinders and the piston thereof reaches 
a terminal point of the cylinder, the gear stops rotating and, 
consequently, the hand stops rotating. Thus, the hand stops rotating at 
two positions which are not adjustable. As a result of the automated 
device being provided with the cylinders, the gear, etc., the automated 
device is of a complex mechanical construction which is high in cost. In 
addition, it is difficult to change the stop positions of the hand, 
because the positions of the cylinders for defining the stop positions are 
non-movable. 
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an automated 
device used for a CNC machine tool system comprising a rotary actuator for 
rotating a hand and a replaceable stopper for stopping the rotation of the 
rotary actuator which requires no cylinders, gears, etc. This automated 
device is simple in construction and low in cost. Also, it is easy to 
change the stop positions of the hand in this automated device.

Referring to FIG. 1, an automated device of the present invention is 
composed of a main body A and a gripping part B. The gripping part B is 
movable in three directions (see arrows R, H and Z). The gripping part B 
is moved back and forth along the directions of the arrows R by a motor 
contained in a driving unit 1. The gripping part B together with a turning 
table 2 is moved to the right and the left along the directions of the 
arrows H by a motor contained in a driving unit 3. Furthermore, the 
gripping part B is moved up and down along the directions of the arrows Z 
by another motor contained in the driving unit 1, with the help of two 
shafts 4, 4' and a lead screw 5. Thus, the gripping part B can be moved in 
three directions with respect to the main body A. The elements composing 
the gripping part B will now be explained. 
FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the gripping part B of the 
automated device illustrated in FIG. 1. As indicated in FIG. 2, the 
gripping part B is composed of an arm 21, a supporting case 22 mounted on 
the end of the arm 21, and a rotary actuator 23 fixed to the supporting 
case 22. The rotary actuator 23 is of a well-known type which is driven by 
air pressure or liquid pressure. On the shaft 23' of the rotary actuator 
23 are mounted a stopper 38 and a wrist 24 with a hand 25. Accordingly, 
when the shaft 23' of the rotary actuator 23 rotates, the hand 25 and the 
stopper 38 also rotate (see arrow R'). As a result, when the shaft 23' is 
rotated, the stopper 38 comes into contact with a pin 27 of a cushion 26, 
wherein the pin 27 is connected to a disk contained within the fluid of 
the cushion 26. After that, the stopper 38 abuts against one of bolts 35a 
and 35b. This cushion 26 is useful for slowing down the velocity of 
rotation of the shaft 23'. 
FIG. 3A is a detailed cross-sectional view of the supporting case 22, 
illustrated in FIG. 2, used for setting the rotational range of the hand 
at 90 degrees. In FIG. 3A, the supporting case 22 has a pair of threaded 
holes 33a and 33b and another pair of threaded holes 34a and 34b. The 
supporting case 22 is provided with a pair of bolts 35a and 35b in the 
threaded holes 33a and 33b, respectively, and nuts 36a and 36b for the 
bolts 35a and 35b, respectively, for defining the stop positions of the 
stopper 38. The supporting case 22 is also provided with a pair of bolts 
37a and 37b for blocking the threaded holes 34a and 34b, respectively. The 
stopper 38 has four surface 101, 102, 103 and 104, wherein the surfaces 
101 and 102 are used for abutting against the bolts 35a and 35b, 
respectively, and the surfaces 103 and 104 are used for abutting against 
the pin 27 of the cushion 26. The surfaces 101 and 103 are parallel to 
each other and perpendicular to the surfaces 102 and 104, which are 
parallel to each other. The stopper 38 operates as follows. When the shaft 
23' of the rotary actuator 23 (FIG. 2) is rotated in the clockwise 
direction in FIG. 3A, the surface 103 of the stopper 38 comes into contact 
with the pin 27 of the cushion 26. In this case, the pin 27 moves to the 
right relatively slowly due to the viscosity of the fluid within the 
cushion 26. Therefore, the rotational velocity of the stopper 38 slows 
down. Finally, the stopper 38 stops its movement when the surface 102 
abuts against the bolt 35b. Similarly, when the shaft 23' is rotated in 
the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3A, the surface 104 of the stopper 
38 comes into contact with the pin 27. After that, the stopper 38 stops 
its movement when the surface 101 abuts against the bolt 35a. In this 
case, the stopper 38 corresponds to a stopper 38' indicated by dotted 
lines in FIG. 3A. Thus, the rotational range of the stopper 38, i.e., the 
rotational range of the hand 25 (FIG. 2), is set at 90 degrees. 
FIG. 3B is a partial perspective view of FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 3B, the 
surfaces 101, 102, 103 and 104 of the stopper 38, and the bolts 36a and 
36b are positioned in a plane perpendicular to the shaft 23' of the rotary 
actuator 23 (FIG. 2). 
FIG. 4A is another detailed cross-sectional view of the supporting case 22, 
illustrated in FIG. 2, used for setting the rotational range of the hand 
at 180 degrees. In FIG. 4A, the stopper 38 (FIG. 3A) is replaced by a 
stopper 39. In addition, the bolts 35a and 35b are transferred from the 
threaded holes 33a and 33b to the threaded holes 34a and 34b, 
respectively, while the bolts 37a and 37b are transferred from the 
threaded holes 34a and 34b to the threaded holes 33a and 33b, 
respectively. The stopper 39 has four surfaces 105, 106, 107 and 108 which 
are parallel to each other. The stopper 39 operates in the same way as the 
stopper 38 (FIG. 3A), as described above. For example, when the shaft 23' 
of the rotary actuator 23 (FIG. 2) is rotated in the clockwise direction 
in FIG. 4A, the surface 107 comes into contact with the pin 27 of the 
cushion 26, so that the rotational velocity of the stopper 39 slows down. 
After that, the stopper 39 stops its movement when the surface 106 abuts 
against the bolt 35a. Similarly, when the shaft 23' is rotated in the 
counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4A, the surface 108 comes into contact 
with the pin 27 of the cushion 26. After that, the stopper 39 stops its 
movement when the surface 105 abuts against the bolt 35b. In this case, 
the stopper 39 corresponds to a stopper 39' indicated by dotted lines in 
FIG. 4A. Thus, the rotational range of the stopper 39, i.e., the 
rotational range of the hand 25 (FIG. 2) is set at 180.degree. degrees. 
FIG. 4B is a partial perspective view of FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4B, the 
positions of the surfaces 106, 108 and the bolt 35a are different from 
those of the surfaces 105, 107 and the bolt 35b. As a result, the surfaces 
106 and 108 never abut against the bolt 35b, while the surfaces 105 and 
107 never abut against the bolt 35a. 
As mentioned above, the rotational range of 90 or 180 degrees of the hand 
25 (FIG. 2) can be selected easily by mounting the stopper 38 (FIG. 3A) or 
the stopper 39 (FIG. 4A), respectively, on the shaft 23' of the rotary 
actuator 23 (FIG. 2) and by exchanging the pair of bolts 35a and 35b with 
the pair of bolts 37a and 37b, respectively. However, it should be noted 
that the rotational ranges of the hand 25 are arbitarily adjustable by 
changing the shape of the stoppers or by changing the positions of the 
threaded holes 33a, 33b, 34a and 34b. 
As explained hereinbefore, the automated device according to the present 
invention has the following advantages as compared with those of the prior 
art. 
(1) The automated device is simple in construction, because no cylinders, 
gears, etc., are contained in the automated device for setting the 
rotational range of the hand. 
(2) The changing of the rotational range of the hand is very easy, because 
it canm be carried out only by replacing the stopper and by changing the 
positions of the bolts. 
(3) The total cost of the automated device is relatively low because of its 
simple construction.