Industrial robot and teaching method therefor

Abstract

A teaching method for an industrial robot may include, while the hand is lifted up and down by the lifting mechanism, detecting, with the first sensor, a position of either the installation unit or a teaching jig to be installed on the installation unit in a vertical direction; while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, detecting, with the first sensor, a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction; while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, detecting, with the second sensor, a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction; and calculating a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the second direction, in order to teach a position of the transfer object to be installed on the installation unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An industrial robot for loading a transfer object onto an installation unit on which the transfer object is installed, and unloading the transfer object out of the installation unit; the industrial robot comprising:
 a hand structured to grasp the transfer object and linearly move in a horizontal direction;   a lifting mechanism structured to move the hand up and down;   a transfer mechanism structured to transfer the hand in a first direction, wherein the first direction represents a transfer direction of the hand at a time of transferring the transfer object to the installation unit, and a second direction represents a direction perpendicular to the first direction and a vertical direction as well; and   a first sensor and a second sensor, individually including a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and being provided to the hand;   wherein the first sensor is placed in such a way that an optical axis of the light emitting element of the first sensor and an optical axis of the light receiving element of the first sensor are in parallel with the second direction;   the second sensor is placed in such a way that an optical axis of the light emitting element of the second sensor and an optical axis of the light receiving element of the second sensor are in a direction tilted with respect to the first direction and the second direction, while the optical axes being in parallel with a horizontal direction; and   the first sensor is structured to detect a position of either the installation unit or a teaching jig to be installed on the installation unit in a vertical direction while the hand is lifted up and down by the lifting mechanism;   while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, the first sensor is structured to detect a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism;   while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, the second sensor is structured to detect a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism   
     
     
         2 . The industrial robot according to  claim 1 ;
 wherein, the second sensor is a sensor structured to detect the hand grasping the transfer object.   
     
     
         3 . A teaching method for an industrial robot comprising a hand that grasps a transfer object and linearly moves in a horizontal direction; a lifting mechanism for moving the hand up and down; a transfer mechanism for transferring the hand in a first direction, wherein the first direction represents a transfer direction of the hand at a time of transferring the transfer object to an installation unit on which the transfer object is installed, and a second direction represents a direction perpendicular to the first direction and a vertical direction as well; and a first sensor and a second sensor, individually including a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and being provided to the hand; wherein the first sensor is placed in such a way that an optical axis of the light emitting element of the first sensor and an optical axis of the light receiving element of the first sensor are in parallel with the second direction; the second sensor is placed in such a way that an optical axis of the light emitting element of the second sensor and an optical axis of the light receiving element of the second sensor are in a direction tilted with respect to the first direction and the second direction as well, while the optical axes being in parallel with a horizontal direction; the teaching method comprising:
 while the hand is lifted up and down by the lifting mechanism, detecting, with the first sensor, a position of either the installation unit or a teaching jig to be installed on the installation unit in a vertical direction;   while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, detecting, with the first sensor, a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction;   while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, detecting, with the second sensor, a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction; and   calculating a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the second direction, in order to teach a position of the transfer object to be installed on the installation unit.