# US 2014/0207279 A1 · Robot apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0207279 A1 - Document ID: US20140207279A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/159,448 - Filed: 2014-01-21 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-21 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki - Inventors: Nobukazu MIYAUCHI; Tamio NAKAMURA; Zenta NAKAMOTO; Dai KOUNO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140207279A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 13/084: {Tactile sensors (in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22)} - B25J 19/06: Safety devices - G06F 3/0421: {by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen} - Y10S 901/09: Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement - Y10S 901/47: Optical - 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}) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A robot apparatus includes an arm that includes an outer skin and a detector that detects the deformation of the outer skin. The detector includes a sending unit that sends a signal, a receiving unit that receives the signal, and a transmission route that is provided along the outer skin so as to lead the signal. The detector detects the deformation of the outer skin based on whether a signal reaches the receiving unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot apparatus comprising: an arm that includes an outer skin; and a detector that detects the deformation of the outer skin, wherein the detector includes a sending unit that sends a signal, a receiving unit that receives the signal, and a transmission route that is provided along the outer skin so as to lead the signal, and wherein the detector detects the deformation of the outer skin based on whether the signal reaches the receiving unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal is an electric signal, and wherein the transmission route leads the electric signal from the sending unit to the receiving unit when the outer skin is deformed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robot apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the arm further includes an inner skin that is formed along an inner surface of the outer skin and is separated from the outer skin, wherein the inner surface of the outer skin and an outer surface of the inner skin have conductivity, and form the transmission route, and wherein any one of the sending unit and the receiving unit is electrically connected to the inner surface of the outer skin, and the other thereof is electrically connected to the outer surface of the inner skin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal is an optical signal, and wherein the transmission route leads the optical signal from the sending unit to the receiving unit when the outer skin is not deformed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the detector further includes a plurality of light shielding plates that is provided in the outer skin, wherein the plurality of light shielding plates are arranged in series along the transmission route, and respectively intersect the transmission route, wherein each light shielding plate is provided with a translucent window for the optical signal, and wherein the plurality of translucent windows respectively formed in the plurality of light shielding plates are arranged linearly along the transmission route when the outer skin is not deformed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the detector further includes a plurality of mirrors that are provided in the outer skin, and wherein the plurality of mirrors are arranged in series along the transmission route, and reflects the optical signal so that the optical signal is led from the sending unit to the receiving unit when the outer skin is not deformed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm includes a plurality of arm components and a plurality of actuators that respectively drive the plurality of arm components, and wherein the outer skin and the detector are provided for each of the arm components. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The robot apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the arm includes a plurality of arm components and a plurality of actuators that respectively drive the plurality of arm components, and wherein the outer skin and the detector are provided for each of the arm components. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the arm includes a plurality of arm components and a plurality of actuators that respectively drive the plurality of arm components, and wherein the outer skin and the detector are provided for each of the arm components. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The robot apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a controller that controls the plurality of actuators, wherein the controller decelerates the actuators or reverses the operation directions thereof when the detector detects the deformation of the outer skin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The robot apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a controller that controls the plurality of actuators, wherein the controller decelerates the actuators or reverses the operation directions thereof when the detector detects the deformation of the outer skin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The robot apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a controller that controls the plurality of actuators, wherein the controller decelerates the actuators or reverses the operation directions thereof when the detector detects the deformation. of the outer skin.