Handling manipulator assembly

1. A handling manipulator assembly comprising:

a vertically extending main support ( 2 ) rotatable about a vertical axis ( 4 );

a horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) supported by a vertically travelling vertical carriage ( 9 ) on said vertical main support ( 2 ); and

a manipulator gripper ( 18 ) supported on said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ),

characterized in that said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) is supported on the underside of said vertical carriage ( 9 ) for horizontal travel by means of a linear guide, wherein said extension arm has a length greater than the length of the linear guide; and

said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) is provided with an articulated arm ( 14 ) rotatable relative to said horizontal extension arm about a vertical axis ( 15 ), said manipulator gripper ( 18 ) being arranged at the end of said articulated arm ( 14 ),

wherein said extension arm is supported for horizontal travel beyond each of the opposite ends of the linear guide with said articulated arm rotated to a position transverse to the direction of horizontal travel.

2. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said main support ( 2 ) is secured to a horizontally travelling main carriage ( 5 ).

3. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said main support ( 2 ) is rotatable about the vertical axis ( 4 ) by more than 360°.

4. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that the ratio of the length of said articulated arm ( 14 ) to the length of said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) is between 0.4:1 and 1:1.

5. A handling manipulator assembly, comprising:

a vertically extending main support ( 2 ) rotatable about a vertical axis ( 4 );

a horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) supported by a vertically travelling vertical carriage ( 9 ) on said vertical main support ( 2 ); and

a manipulator gripper ( 18 ) supported on said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ),

characterized in that said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) is supported on the underside of said vertical carriage ( 9 ) for horizontal travel by means of a linear guide; and

said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) is provided with an articulated arm ( 14 ) rotatable about a vertical axis ( 15 ), said manipulator gripper ( 18 ) being supported at an end of said articulated arm ( 14 ) by means of a jointing link ( 16 ), said jointing link ( 16 ) defining an axis of rotation ( 17 ) at an angle between 30° and 60° to the vertical.

6. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said main support ( 2 ), said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) and said articulated arm ( 14 ) are movable by electric motor about or along the corresponding axis.

7. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said main support ( 2 ) is provided with a slot ( 22 ) extending vertically into which said horizontal extension arm ( 12 ) can extend.

8. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 7 , characterized in that said vertical carriage ( 9 ) is supported on both sides of said slot ( 22 ) for travelling along said the main support ( 2 ).

9. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 8 , characterized in that a rack ( 23 , 24 ) is arranged on both sides of said slot ( 22 ), each said rack ( 23 , 24 ) extending vertically and serving to guide said vertical carriage ( 9 ) and to non-positively support said carriage ( 9 ) on the main support ( 2 ).

10. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 9 , characterized in that said vertical carriage ( 9 ) is provided with pinions for positively engaging each said rack ( 23 , 24 ), said pinions being powered by electric motor to vertically drive said vertical carriage ( 9 ).

11. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said main support ( 2 ) is arranged on a rotary plate ( 3 ) rotatable about said vertical axis ( 4 ).

12. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 11 , characterized in that said main support ( 2 ) is centered on said rotary plate ( 3 ).

13. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 11 , characterized in that said main support ( 2 ) is arranged off-centered on said rotary plate ( 3 ).

14. The handling manipulator assembly as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said manipulator gripper ( 18 ) is configured to grip workpieces and/or workpiece pallets and/or tools.

15. A method comprising using a handling manipulator assembly ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 for feeding/removing workpieces and/or tools to/from a machine tool 26 .

16. A machine tool assembly including a machine tool ( 26 ) comprising a front portal ( 27 ) for feeding and removing tools and/or workpieces and a handling manipulator assembly ( 1 ) configured as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said handling manipulator assembly ( 1 ) is arranged sideways from said front portal ( 27 ) of said machine tool ( 26 ).

17. The machine tool assembly as set forth in claim 16 , characterized in that arranged in the motion range of the handling manipulator assembly ( 1 ) is a crib ( 28 ) for holding tools and/or workpieces and/or workpiece pallets.

18. A machine tool assembly including at least two machine tools each comprising a front portal ( 27 ) for feeding and removing tools and/or workpieces and a handling manipulator assembly ( 1 ) configured as set forth in claim 3 , characterized in that said handling manipulator assembly ( 1 ) is arranged for vertical travel along said machine tools and rotatable about said vertical axis ( 4 ) by more than 360°.

19. The machine tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein said articulated arm is supported on the underside of said horizontal extension arm for rotation about said vertical axis.