Fanuc Robotics North America, Inc.

Ernest M Otani

Stan Henry McClosky

Hadi A Akeel

H Dean McGee

Scott J Clifford

Donald S Bartlett

Robert C Foti

James C Hobson

Gary J Rutledge

Lupcho Najdovski

Robert V Bauer, Jr

James S Hager

John C Reinicke

Robert Frease

A waterborne paint bell applicator is movable to and from a docking position and includes a paint receptacle connected to a paint canister. A paint filling station has a plurality of paint injectors each connected to a different color paint supply and being movable to the docking position for engagement with the paint receptacle for filling the paint canister with paint. A servomotor drives a piston in the canister. A paint valve in each injector is prevented from opening when the bell applicator is not present at the docking position

Electrostatic painting apparatus with paint filling station and method for operating same

An intelligent power assisted manual manipulator controllable by operator inputs from an operator for moving an object is provided. The manipulator includes a movable base supporting a lift mechanism for moving the object. The manipulator also includes at least one servomotor for actuating at least one of the movable base and the lift mechanism for moving the object. An operator control mechanism for receiving the operator inputs is supported on the lift mechanism. A plurality of force sensors are disposed between the operator control mechanism and the lift mechanism for sensing said operator inputs and actuating at least one of the at least one servomotor. The movable base includes an overhead rail defining a generally horizontal first axis and a carriage supported on the overhead rail and movable along the first axis. The lift mechanism includes a turret assembly supported on the carriage having a generally vertical second axis, and a generally horizontal third axis. The carriage has first and second elongated portions in opposing generally horizontal planes and third and fourth elongated portions in generally vertical planes. Oversize rollers on unhardened ways support the carriage. A main arm extends from the turret with the main arm being rotatable about the second and third axes. An attachment interface is supported by the main arm and adapted to support the object, the attachment interface having a fifth axis about which the attachment interface is rotatable. The manipulator is also adapted for lifting different objects having different weights. The arm has a portion opposite the pivotal connection adapted to support the object. A gravity balancer mechanism is adapted to support the different weights, and a motion servomotor is adapted to produce a movement of the arm by drivingly rotating the arm about the axis.

Intelligent power assisted manual manipulator

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White Lake, MI, United States of America

Ernest M Otani