Patent ID: 7241969

Claim:
An umbilical-member managing system for laying and managing, along a manipulator, an umbilical member connected to a working tool attached to said manipulator, comprising: a support unit provided on said manipulator, said support unit being movable toward and away from said working tool to support said umbilical member; a biasing mechanism continually biasing said support unit on said manipulator in a direction away from said working tool; and a guide unit provided on said manipulator, said guide unit being capable of guiding said support unit in a direction toward and away from said working tool; wherein said working tool comprises a welding torch; wherein said umbilical member includes a welding wire to be fed to said welding torch; wherein said support unit comprises a wire feeding device for feeding said welding wire in said umbilical member toward said welding torch; wherein said guide unit is capable of guiding said wire feeding device in a direction toward and away from said welding torch; wherein said manipulator includes a forearm having a first longitudinal axis, a first wrist element rotatably joined to said forearm at said first axis, and a second wrist element rotatably joined to said first wrist element at a second axis extending generally perpendicularly to said first axis; wherein said support unit is provided on said forearm; wherein said working tool is rotatably attached to said second wrist element at a third axis extending at a position spaced from said second axis in a direction generally perpendicular to said second axis; wherein said biasing mechanism comprises a tension generating device provided on said forearm to bias said support unit away from said working tool and to apply tension to said umbilical member; and wherein said biasing mechanism further comprises a traction wire transmitting a power of said tension generating device to said support unit, and a pulley provided on said forearm to direct said traction wire along said forearm.