Patent ID: 8051741

Claim:
An umbilical member managing structure for laying and managing an umbilical member of an industrial robot, said industrial robot comprising a first wrist element mounted at a forward end of a front arm thereof so as to be rotatable about a first axis extending in a longitudinal direction thereof, a second wrist element mounted on said first wrist element so as to be rotatable about a second axis extending substantially perpendicular to the first axis, said second wrist element extending along a longitudinal axis thereof substantially perpendicular to the second axis, and a working tool mounted on the second wrist element so as to be rotatable about a third axis extending substantially perpendicular to the second axis, said umbilical member including a tube connected to said working tool, wherein said third axis is offset by a predetermined distance from said longitudinal axis of said second wrist element so as to extend parallel to said longitudinal axis, wherein said managing structure comprises: a flexible conduit for leading said umbilical member inserted therein from said front arm to said working tool; a first conduit mounting portion provided adjacent to said front arm; a second conduit mounting portion provided on a side of said working tool opposite to a forward end of said working tool and adjacent to a point where said umbilical member is connected to said working tool; one end of said conduit being attached to said first conduit mounting portion and the other end of said conduit being attached to said second conduit mounting portion so that said umbilical member extends lateral to said second wrist element on the side of said axis substantially in a direction of said third axis through said second conduit mounting portion from said working tool into said conduit and extends above an air section unit provided on said front arm; and said conduit is laid so that a section thereof between said first conduit mounting portion and said second conduit mounting portion does not contact a body of said robot, and wherein at least said other end of said conduit is attached to said second conduit mounting portion so as to be rotatable relative to said second conduit mounting portion and wherein air in said conduit is sucked by the air suction unit.