Robot

{
  "publication_number": "US10515540B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Robot",
  "abstract": "A robot has a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and an encoder placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A robot comprising: a control box including a robot controller, a power source, and a first optical transceiver therein; a base body disposed next to the control box; a first arm connected to the base body via a first joint, the first arm being movable with respect to the base body and rotatable around a first rotation axis, the first arm including a second optical transceiver and a first encoder therein; a first optical wire connected between the first and second transceivers, information being optically transmitted between the first and second optical transceivers via the first optical wire; a single power line extending from the control box to the first encoder by passing through inside the base body, inside the first joint, and inside the first arm, power being distributed from the power source to the first encoder; a first power node disposed on the single power line inside the first arm; and a first power branch line that extends from the first power node so as to connect the second optical transceiver, the power being distributed from the power source to the second optical transceiver via the single power line, the first power node, and the first power branch line.",
    "2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein an electrical signal from the first encoder is output to the second optical transceiver, and the electrical signal is converted into a light signal by the second optical transceiver so as to be propagated to the first optical transceiver by the first optical wire.",
    "3. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising: a second arm connected to the first arm via a second joint, the second arm being movable with respect to the first arm and rotatable around a second axis, the second arm including a third optical transceiver and a second encoder therein; and a second optical wire connected between the second and third transceivers, information being optically transmitted between the second and third optical transceivers via the second optical wire, wherein the second optical wire and the single power line continuously extend inside the second joint and inside the second arm, and the power is distributed from the power source to the second encoder and the third optical transceiver via the single power line."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Technical Field The present invention relates to a robot. 2. Related Art Patent Document 1 (JP-A-63-288693) discloses a robot that transmits and receives signals using an optical transceiver (photon-to-current conversion unit, current-to-photon conversion unit) that can switch between an electrical signal and a light signal. However, the optical transceiver requires a power source and, for example, when a power source line for optical transceiver is mounted, upsizing of the robot is caused. That is, in the robot of Patent Document 1, downsizing is difficult.\n\nAn advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a robot that can make optical communications while upsizing is suppressed. The invention can be implemented as the following configurations. A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and an encoder placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, a power supply wire used exclusively for the photoelectric conversion unit is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot may be suppressed.",
  "cpc": [
    "G08C 23/06",
    "B25J 13/00",
    "B25J 19/0025",
    "B25J 9/046",
    "B25J 9/08",
    "G01D 5/26",
    "H04B 10/25",
    "H04B 10/40",
    "H04B 10/807",
    "Y10S 901/15",
    "Y10S 901/23",
    "Y10S 901/31"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 13/00",
    "B25J 19/00",
    "B25J 9/04",
    "G01D 5/26",
    "G08C 23/06",
    "H04B 10/25",
    "H04B 10/80"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "SEIKO EPSON CORP"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "HARA TATSUYA"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-12-21",
  "publication_date": "2019-12-24",
  "grant_date": "2019-12-24",
  "priority_date": "2016-12-27",
  "application_number": "US-201715850606-A",
  "family_id": "62629940",
  "citations": [
    "JPS63288693A",
    "US2016091117A1",
    "US6678477B1",
    "US8180225B2"
  ]
}