METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ROBOT ARM STRUCTURE, ROBOT ARM MECHANISM, ROBOT ARM STRUCTURE AND PRODUCT MANUFACTURING METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot arm structure capable of conducting non-radial straight line motion and three-dimensional motion. SOLUTION: The robot arm structure 10 has at least a link 1 and a link 2, and θ motion is provided about a primary axis (z1) at the proximal end portion of the proximalmost of the link 1. R motion proceeds radially from the primary axis, whereby the distal end portion of the distalmost of a link 3 can be moved in a radially extending straight line. An end effector 18 is pivotally mounted for rotation relative to the distal end portion of the distalmost link 3 about an end effecter axis which is parallel to the primary axis. The structure 10 is improved by adding one or more of a yaw motor, a pitch motor and a roll motor for rotating the wrist of the arm about the respective axis. A sensor array senses one or more of r, θ, z, yaw, pitch and roll motions, and a computer monitors and controls one or more of r, θ, z, yaw, pitch, and roll motions. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT