Dual-arm robot system — Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
US12370670B2 · Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Patent number
- US12370670B2
- Applicant
- Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Filing date
- 2022-01-12
- CPC class
- B25J 9/0087 (2013.01)
- Pillar
- Brain
A dual-arm robot system comprising two robot arms supported coaxially on a body, each with horizontal links and hands, and a controller that uses three-dimensional models of the hands, horizontal links, and body to determine and prevent interference between the arms by checking for overlaps in the models.
Claims
1. A dual-arm robot system comprising: a first robot arm and a second robot arm each including a horizontal link to which a hand is attached, the horizontal link being operable to rotate along a horizontal plane; a body to support the first robot arm and the second robot arm such that the first robot arm and the second robot arm coaxially rotate; a controller configured or programmed to determine whether or not interference determination targets interfere with each other based on whether or not three-dimensional models generated with a plurality of portions including at least the hand among the hand, the horizontal link, and the body as the interference determination targets overlap each other; ... (20 claims total, focusing on interference avoidance via 3D modeling and vertical link mechanisms).
Technical analysis
The patent describes a mechanical dual-arm setup with coaxial rotation for compact design, enhanced by a software controller that generates simplified 3D models of key components (hands, links, body) for real-time overlap detection to avoid collisions. This combines hardware kinematics (horizontal/vertical links, motors) with algorithmic interference checking, improving safety and efficiency in coordinated dual-arm operations without requiring full complex simulations.
Commercial impact
Enables safer, more efficient dual-arm robots for industrial tasks like assembly or material handling where arms must work in close proximity, potentially reducing downtime from collisions and allowing higher payload/precision operations. Assigned to Kawasaki, a major robotics player, it strengthens their portfolio in collaborative and multi-arm systems for manufacturing automation.
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