Robot apparatus

Abstract

A plurality of robot arms are each provided with indication devices that have indicators which indicate operability states of at least one other robot arm different from the robot arm on which the indication device is provided. Alternatively or in addition, the indication devices have indicators which indicate operability states of a respective robot arm upon which the indication devices are provided. Robot control devices which control operations of the robot arms communicate through a LAN to share information regarding the states of the robot arms. Indication drive signals for the indication devices are generated based on states of servo control signals and/or brake control signals for the robot arms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A robot apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of robot arms each including an indication device having a first indicator configured to indicate an operation state of at least one of the plurality of robot arms different from a respective robot arm on which each indication device is provided.   
     
     
         2 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the indication device of each arm has a second indicator configured to indicate an operation state of the robot arm where the indication device is provided. 
     
     
         3 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the robot arms includes a tip part and the indication device of each arm is provided at the tip part. 
     
     
         4 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of robot arms are a plurality of juxtaposed robot arms. 
     
     
         5 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising, for each of the robot arms, a robot control device configured to control an operation of a respective robot arm, wherein the robot control devices communicate over a network to share information regarding the operation states of the robot arms. 
     
     
         6 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation states of the robot arms indicated by the indication device is an operability state indicating whether the corresponding robot arms are operable or not. 
     
     
         7 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an indication drive signal for each of the indication devices is generated based on a servo control signal which controls a servomotor which drives a joint of each corresponding robot arm. 
     
     
         8 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an indication drive signal for each indication device is generated based on a brake control signal which controls a brake which controls an operation of a joint of each corresponding robot arm. 
     
     
         9 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the brake control signal is derived from a joint of a robot arm having a brake controlled by the brake control signal and is converted, by the indication control device provided near the joint, to an indication drive signal to be used in the indication device. 
     
     
         10 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each indication device has an indication surface across at least a half circumference of a tip part of a respective robot arm. 
     
     
         11 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each indication device is provided on a tool provided in a tip part of a respective robot arm for handling an object.