# US 11,027,383 B2 · Workpiece clamping device, and processing system having workpiece clamping device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,383 B2 - Document ID: US11027383B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/417,392 - Filed: 2017-01-27 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-02 - Assignees: Fanuc Corporation - Applicants: Fanuc Corporation - Inventors: Yoshiaki Dohi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027383B2 ## CPC - B23Q 3/103: {Constructional elements used for constructing work holders} - B23B 31/1071: {Retention by balls (balls acting as jaws B23B31/22)} - B23Q 1/0081: {using an expanding clamping member insertable in a receiving hole} - B23Q 3/082: {hydraulically actuated} - B25B 1/18: motor driven, e.g. with fluid drive, with or without provision for manual actuation - B25B 1/2421: {the parts having a linear movement} - B25B 1/2457: {with auxiliary attachments} - B25B 5/064: {with clamping means pivoting around an axis perpendicular to the pressing direction (B25B5/122 takes precedence)} - B25J 9/0096: {co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table} - B25J 15/00: Gripping heads {and other end effectors (grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H10P72/7602)} - B29C 45/1756: {Handling of moulds or mould parts, e.g. mould exchanging means (moulds per se B29C45/26)} - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - B23B: TURNING; BORING (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract A workpiece clamping device able to perform a set-up changing operation for clamping members depending on the kind of a workpiece to be processed, at a low cost, by a simple method. The workpiece clamping device includes a bracket, a movable part which is movable with respect to the bracket, a clamping member to be attached to and detached from the bracket or the movable part, to clamp a workpiece, and a detachable device for detachably coupling the bracket or the movable part to the clamping member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processing system comprising: a robot including a robot hand having openable and closable fingers; a robot controller configured to control the robot; and a workpiece clamping device comprising: a bracket; a movable part provided movable in a first direction with respect to the bracket; a clamping member detachably attached to the bracket or the movable part so as to clamp a workpiece, the clamping member including holes configured to engage the fingers respectively; and a detachable device configured to detachably connect the bracket or the movable part and the clamping member to each other, wherein the detachable device includes: a coupling shaft provided at one of the bracket or the movable part and the clamping member so as to project out therefrom in the first direction; a hole formed at the other of the bracket or the movable part and the clamping member so as to receive the coupling shaft slidably in the first direction; and a claw provided at the coupling shaft so as to be movable between: a projection position at which the claw project out from the coupling shaft so as to engage a surface defining the hole; and a retraction position at which the claw retracts inward of the coupling shaft, wherein the robot controller is configured to control the robot so as to: arrange the robot hand such that the clamping member stored in a predetermined place is disposed between the opened fingers; close the fingers to engage the fingers with the respective holes, thereby gripping the clamping member with the robot hand; move the clamping member gripped by the robot hand so as to dispose the clamping member between the bracket and the movable part; and when the clamping member is held between the bracket and the movable part and the detachable device connects the bracket or the movable part with the clamping member, open the fingers to release the clamping member from the robot hand, and retract the robot hand from the clamping member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive part configured to drive the movable part, and including a cylinder shaft coupled to the movable part, and a cylinder main body configured to receive the cylinder shaft to be able to advance and retract; and a spacer configured to be fitted over the outer periphery of the cylinder shaft between the cylinder main body and the movable part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A processing system comprising: the workpiece clamping device according to claim 1; and a robot including a robot hand able to grip the clamping member, the robot gripping the clamping member by the robot hand so as to attach and detach the clamping member to and from the bracket or the movable part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable device includes an automatically-controllable biasing part provided inside of the coupling shaft, and configured to bias the claw to move between the projection position and the retraction position in accordance with a command from a controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, wherein the one of the bracket and the clamping member include: an end face facing the other of the bracket and the clamping member; and a boss projecting from the end face toward the other of the bracket and the clamping member, wherein the coupling shaft is fixedly provided at the boss so as to project from the boss toward the other of the bracket and the clamping member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, wherein the hole is defined by a wall surface surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the coupling shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, wherein the claw includes a pair of claws provided at opposite positions about the coupling shaft.