Assembly equipment and assembly method

Abstract

Assembly equipment comprises a base, a first holding hand provided in a first robot arm set on the base, a second holding hand provided in a second robot arm set on the base, and a control device configured to control the first and second robot arms and the first and second holding hands. The first holding hand comprises an attachment connected to the first robot arm and having a rotation shaft, and an aligning holding mechanism provided in a rotation mechanism having a rotation shaft located to intersect the rotation shaft of the attachment or located in a skewed positional relationship with the rotation shaft of the attachment. A cooperative working area of the first and second holding hands is provided in an overlapping area where working areas of the first and second holding hands overlap with each other.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A robot apparatus comprising:
 a robot arm; and   a holding hand,   wherein the holding hand includes an attachment and a holding mechanism,   wherein the attachment includes a first rotation unit that rotates about a first axis of rotation and a second rotation unit that rotates about a second axis of rotation, a direction of which corresponds to a direction intersecting the first axis of rotation or a direction skew with respect to the first axis of rotation,   wherein the first rotation unit includes a first portion having a first attaching portion with respect to the first axis of rotation and a second portion having a second attaching portion,   wherein the second rotation unit is attached to the second attaching portion,   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit,   wherein the second rotation unit is disposed between the holding mechanism and the second portion,   wherein the second rotation unit and the holding mechanism rotate together with the first rotation unit about the first axis of rotation, and   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit in such a manner that the holding mechanism rotates together with the second rotation unit about the second axis of rotation and that the holding mechanism or the second rotation unit intersects a virtual line extending from the first axis of rotation.   
     
     
         3 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the robot arm is a six-axis articulated robot arm. 
     
     
         4 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the holding mechanism includes an alignment mechanism, and an alignment position of the alignment mechanism coincides with the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of claws is attached to the holding mechanism and the plurality of claws opens and closes in a same phase. 
     
     
         6 . The robot apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are orthogonal to each other. 
     
     
         7 . An assembly equipment comprising:
 a first robot arm;   a second robot arm;   a first holding hand; and   a second holding hand,   wherein the first holding hand includes an attachment and a holding mechanism,   wherein the attachment includes a first rotation unit that rotates about a first axis of rotation and a second rotation unit that rotates about a second axis of rotation, a direction of which corresponds to a direction intersecting the first axis of rotation or a direction skew with respect to the first axis of rotation,   wherein the first rotation unit includes a first portion having a first attaching portion with respect to the first axis of rotation and a second portion having a second attaching portion,   wherein the second rotation unit is attached to the second attaching portion,   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit,   wherein the second rotation unit is disposed between the holding mechanism and the second portion,   wherein the second rotation unit and the holding mechanism rotate together with the first rotation unit about the first axis of rotation,   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit in such a manner that the holding mechanism rotates together with the second rotation unit about the second axis of rotation and that the holding mechanism or the second rotation unit intersects a virtual line extending from the first axis of rotation, and   wherein the second holding hand is attached to the second robot arm and the second holding hand includes a holding mechanism for holding a component to be assembled to a component held by the first holding hand.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly equipment according to  claim 7 , wherein the robot arm is a six-axis articulated robot arm. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly equipment according to  claim 7 , wherein the holding mechanism includes an alignment mechanism, and an alignment position of the alignment mechanism coincides with the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly equipment according to  claim 7 , wherein a plurality of claws is attached to the holding mechanism and the plurality of claws opens and closes in a same phase. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly equipment according to  claim 7 , wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are orthogonal to each other. 
     
     
         12 . A holding hand to be attached to a robot arm, comprising:
 an attachment; and   a holding mechanism,   wherein the attachment includes a first rotation unit that rotates about a first axis of rotation and a second rotation unit that rotates about a second axis of rotation, a direction of which corresponds to a direction intersecting the first axis of rotation or a direction skew with respect to the first axis of rotation,   wherein the first rotation unit includes a first portion having a first attaching portion with respect to the first axis of rotation and a second portion having a second attaching portion,   wherein the second rotation unit is attached to the second attaching portion,   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit,   wherein the second rotation unit is disposed between the holding mechanism and the second portion,   wherein the second rotation unit and the holding mechanism rotate together with the first rotation unit about the first axis of rotation, and   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit in such a manner that the holding mechanism rotates together with the second rotation unit about the second axis of rotation and that the holding mechanism or the second rotation unit intersects a virtual line extending from the first axis of rotation.   
     
     
         13 . The holding hand according to  claim 12 , wherein the holding mechanism includes an alignment mechanism, and an alignment position of the alignment mechanism coincides with the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         14 . The holding hand according to  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of claws is attached to the holding mechanism and the plurality of claws opens and closes in a same phase. 
     
     
         15 . The holding hand according to  claim 12 , wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are orthogonal to each other. 
     
     
         16 . A manufacturing method for an article by using equipment comprising:
 a first robot arm;   a second robot arm;   a first holding hand; and   a second holding hand attached to the second robot arm,   wherein the first holding hand includes an attachment and a holding mechanism,   wherein the attachment includes a first rotation unit that rotates about a first axis of rotation and a second rotation unit that rotates about a second axis of rotation, a direction of which corresponds to a direction intersecting the first axis of rotation or a direction skew with respect to the first axis of rotation,   wherein the first rotation unit includes a first portion having a first attaching portion with respect to the first axis of rotation and a second portion having a second attaching portion,   wherein the second rotation unit is attached to the second attaching portion,   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit,   wherein the second rotation unit is disposed between the holding mechanism and the second portion,   wherein the second rotation unit and the holding mechanism rotate together with the first rotation unit about the first axis of rotation, and   wherein the holding mechanism is attached to the second rotation unit in such a manner that the holding mechanism rotates together with the second rotation unit about the second axis of rotation and that the holding mechanism or the second rotation unit intersects a virtual line extending from the first axis of rotation, the method comprising:   driving the second robot arm to assemble a component held by the second holding hand to a component held by the first holding hand.   
     
     
         17 . The manufacturing method for an article according to  claim 16 , wherein the robot arm is a six-axis articulated robot arm. 
     
     
         18 . The manufacturing method for an article according to  claim 16 , wherein the holding mechanism includes an alignment mechanism, and an alignment position of the alignment mechanism coincides with the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         19 . The manufacturing method for an article according to  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of claws is attached to the holding mechanism and the plurality of claws opens and closes in a same phase. 
     
     
         20 . The manufacturing method for an article according to  claim 16 , wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are orthogonal to each other.