Control system and teach pendant for an industrial robot
AssigneeABB AB
InventorTormod Henne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A live handle switch in the form of a hand operated safety switch for an industrial robot or a machine is described. The live handle comprises a safety certified switch for operating a robot or other machine safely while under manual control. The live handle switch may be comprised in a portable robot controller of the TPU Teach Pendant Unit type. Such a TPU may comprise control means for moving a robot in three or more degrees of freedom. In other aspects of the invention a system comprising a robot and a control unit and the live handle switch are described.
Claims26
A hand operated safety switch for an industrial robot or machine, said safety switch comprising:
- two safe switches connected in parallel and arranged with a first operating contact device, wherein said set of parallel connected switches are arranged with at least two moveable members such that said safety switches may be actuated by urging either of the first or the second moveable member against said set of parallel connected switches in parallel.
A method for using a hand operated safety switch to operate an industrial robot or machine, wherein said method comprises:
- moving a first operating handle in a first direction from a neutral position to an operating position so closing a circuit;
- moving a second operating handle in a second direction to another operating position so closing a parallel circuit;
- and
- moving the first operating handle back to a neutral position without opening the first circuit.
A system, comprising:
- a robot;
- a robot controller;
- and
- a hand operated safety switch for an industrial robot or machine, said safety switch comprising two safe switches connected in parallel and arranged with a first operating contact device, wherein at least one said hand operated safety switch comprises a set of parallel connected switches arranged with at least two moveable members such that said safety switches may be actuated by urging either of the first or the second moveable member against said set of parallel connected switches in parallel for safe manual control of a robot or machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.