US 12,128,556 B2
Robot system
Takeshi Hashimoto, Kobe (JP); Shogo Kubota, Kobe (JP); Hiroto Kitaura, Kobe (JP); and Takashi Sasaki, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Kobe (JP); and KYOTO SEISAKUSHO CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/624,371
Filed by Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Kobe (JP); and Kyoto Seisakusho Co., Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Jul. 6, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/026492
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 3, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/006255, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-126077 (JP), filed on Jul. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0355466 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B65B 43/28 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/0087 (2013.01) [B25J 15/0616 (2013.01); B65B 43/285 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot system comprising:
a first hand that holds an article, the article including a first foldable portion and a second foldable portion that is to be folded in a direction crossing a direction in which the first foldable portion is folded, the article forming into a bottomed tubular shape by being subjected to folding processes;
a first arm that moves the first hand;
a second hand;
a second arm that moves and rotates the second hand; and
a first contacting portion with which the first foldable portion of the article is brought into contact during a first folding process that is a process of folding the first foldable portion in a state where the article is held by the first hand, wherein
the first hand includes:
a base that is connected to the first arm; and
a holder that includes a suctioner and that is rotatable relative to the base and holds the article by suction,
the second hand includes a contact surface that faces in a direction crossing a rotational axis of the second hand and that rotates together with the second hand,
the first hand and the first arm cause the article in a collapsed state to form into a rectangular tubular shape by holding and lifting the article,
when the first hand and the first arm cause the article to form into the rectangular tubular shape, the second hand and the second arm perform assisting to assist the article in forming into and keeping the rectangular tubular shape by bringing the contact surface of the second hand into contact with, or pressing the contact surface of the second hand against, the article laterally,
during the first folding process, the first hand and the first arm fold the first foldable portion of the article in the rectangular tubular shape by rotating the holder while keeping the first foldable portion in contact with the first contacting portion,
the second hand and the second arm perform assisting to assist the article in keeping the rectangular tubular shape by bringing the contact surface of the second hand into contact with the article, and
during a second folding process of folding the second foldable portion of the article in a state where the article in the rectangular tubular shape is held by the first hand, the second hand and the second arm fold the second foldable portion by rotating the contact surface of the second hand while keeping the contact surface of the second hand in contact with the second foldable portion.