IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,409,560
Granted Patent B2
US 12,409,560 · App. 18/034,261 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Work system and work method

Inventor: Yasuhiko Hashimoto (Kobe, JP)
Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B25J11/008B25J5/00B64D1/02B64U10/17B64U20/00H02G1/02B25J13/06B64U2101/30B64U2101/60B64U2101/67
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,409,560
App. No.
18/034,261
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A work system which performs a work to a structure, and includes an aircraft, and a robot which performs the work to the structure. After the aircraft conveys the robot to the structure while holding the robot, the aircraft releases the robot after the aircraft lowers the robot onto the structure. The robot is released from the aircraft, and then performs the work to the structure.

Claims (30)

1. A work system that performs a work on a structure, comprising:

an aircraft; and

a robot that is configured to perform the work on the structure,

wherein, after the aircraft conveys the robot to the structure while holding the robot, the aircraft is configured to release the robot after the aircraft lowers the robot onto the structure,

the robot includes a robot body and a fixing device that is configured to fix the robot body to the structure,

the aircraft is configured to release the robot on the structure after the robot is fixed to the structure by the fixing device,

the robot body includes a base, a first robotic arm attached at a base-end part thereof to the base, and a first robot hand that is provided at a tip end of the first robotic arm and is configured to perform the work on the structure,

the fixing device is provided to the base,

the fixing device includes a second robotic arm attached at a base-end part thereof to the base, and a second robot hand provided at a tip end of the second robotic arm, and

the fixing device is configured to fix the robot body to the structure by grasping and clenching a part of the structure with the second robot hand.

2. The work system of claim 1 , wherein the robot is configured to move on the structure by repeating an operation in which, after the robot holds a part of the structure by the first robot hand, the robot changes a posture of the first robotic arm and holds another part of the structure by the first robot hand.

3. The work system of claim 1 , wherein, the base is configured as a travel cart, and the robot is configured to travel on the structure by itself.

4. The work system of claim 1 , further comprising an interface for an operator to remotely operate the aircraft and the robot,

wherein the operator remotely performs, using the interface, at least one operation of controlling the aircraft to lower the robot onto the structure and controlling the robot to perform the work to on the structure.

5. The work system of claim 4 , wherein the robot includes a plurality of robots, and

wherein the operator remotely controls, using the interface, the plurality of robots to perform the work on the structure, and the interface is configured to switch the robot to be remotely operated from among the plurality of robots.

6. The work system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft includes a storage device that stores the robot, and the aircraft is configured to convey the robot to the structure while storing the robot inside the storage device.

7. The work system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is a drone.

8. The work system of claim 1 , wherein the robot includes three assembly units comprised of the first robotic arm, the base, and a mobile part that moves the robot, and

wherein the first robotic arm is attached to an upper surface of the base, and the mobile part is attached to a side surface of the base.

9. The work system of claim 8 , wherein the base is configured so that:

a third robotic arm including a torso part extending perpendicularly from an upper surface of the base, and the first robotic arm that is directly attached to the upper surface of the base and is extendable near and along the upper surface of the base, are selectively attached to the upper surface, and

a traveling part that propels the robot, and the second robotic arm that makes the robot walk at a high location, are attached to the side surface.

10. A work method that performs a work on a structure with an aircraft and a robot, wherein the robot includes a robot body and a fixing device that is configured to fix the robot body to the structure, the aircraft is configured to release the robot on the structure after the robot is fixed to the structure by the fixing device, the robot body includes a base, a first robotic arm attached at a base-end part thereof to the base, and a first robot hand that is provided at a tip end of the first robotic arm and is configured to perform the work on the structure, the fixing device is provided to the base, the fixing device includes a second robotic arm attached at a base-end part thereof to the base, and a second robot hand provided at a tip end of the second robotic arm, and the fixing device is configured to fix the robot body to the structure by grasping and clenching a part of the structure with the second robot hand, the work method comprising the steps of:

a first step in which an aircraft and a robot that performs the work to-on the structure are prepared;

a second step in which, after performing the first step, the robot is held by the aircraft;

a third step in which, after performing the first and second steps, the robot is conveyed to the structure by the aircraft;

a fourth step in which, after performing the first to third steps, the robot is lowered onto the structure from the aircraft;

a fifth step in which, after performing the first to fourth steps, the robot is released from the aircraft; and

a sixth step in which, after performing the first to fifth steps, the work is performed on the structure by the robot.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2023
From: HASHIMOTO, YASUHIKO
To: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 063466/0022 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2020-183354 · Oct 30, 2020 · national
JP 2020-198394 · Nov 30, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230390939A1 · Dec 7, 2023
References Cited (22)
US 6675068B1 · Kawasaki · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20120125876A1 · Park · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20190377346A1 · Freitas et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200175468A1 · Tsuruta et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20240309854A1 · Jensen · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CA 2722748A1 · 2009 [cited by examiner]
CN 108382591A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 111469114A · 2020 [cited by examiner]
CN 108382591B · 2020 [cited by examiner]
EP 3238881A1 · 2017 [cited by examiner]
JP 2001121459A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 6371959B2 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
JP 2018534953A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020083600A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 101225691B1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
KR 101291120B1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
KR 101302990B1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
KR 101592904B1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2009132671A2 · 2009 [cited by examiner]
WO 2017042551A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022092262A1 · 2022 [cited by examiner]
Drones (Year: 2022). [cited by examiner]
Cited By (1)
US 1,142,118