A managing structure for an umbilical member of an industrial robot, the
umbilical member being for supplying air and electric energy to a work
tool attached to an end of a wrist of the robot, in which the umbilical
member is properly moved and interference between the umbilical member
and a peripheral object or a forearm of the robot is prevented. The
umbilical member elastically contacts a guide surface of a guide plate
attached to a second wrist element of the robot without widely projecting
from the robot. The umbilical member is guided such that the extending
direction of the umbilical member generally coincides with the
longitudinal direction of the guide plate before the umbilical member is
connected to the work tool. The thickness of the guide plate may be
gradually reduced or constant toward a free end of the guide plate. The
rotational motion about a third axis of the work tool by a final axis of
the robot is converted to the rotational motion about a fourth axis via a
transmission, so as to rotate the work tool. Even when the work tool is
rotated, the umbilical member is properly moved. The work tool may also
be rotated about the third axis.