Patent Abstracts

Citation

(2005), "Patent Abstracts", Industrial Robot, Vol. 32 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2005.04932cad.003

Patent Abstracts

Title: An autonomous machineApplicant: Dyson Ltd; Aldred Michael David; Bommer Alexander PhilipPatent number: WO2004072752Publication date: 26 August 2004Keywords: Patents, Robots, Manufacturing systems

A control system is provided for navigating an autonomous machine around a working area in a manner that causes the machine to traverse substantially all of the free surface of the working area. The control system is arranged to cause the machine to follow a boundary of the working area and to perform a plurality of movements, each movement comprising the machine travelling away from the boundary of the working area, at an angle to the boundary, and returning again to the boundary. The machine moves along the boundary of the working area between each movement and repeats the movements as the machine follows substantially the entire boundary of the working area.

Title: Light weight parallel manipulators using active/passive cablesApplicant: Khajepour Amir; Behzadipour Saeed; Dekker Robert; Chan EdmonPatent number: WO2004004986Publication date: 15 January 2005

The present invention provides parallel, cable-based robotic manipulators for use in different applications such as ultra high-speed robots or positioning devices with 3-6 degrees of freedom. The manipulators provide more options for the number of degrees of freedom and also more simplicity compared to the current cable-based robots. The general structure of these manipulators includes a base platform, a moving platform or end effector, an extensible or telescoping central post connecting the base to moving platform to apply a pushing force to the platforms. The central post can apply the force by an actuator (active), or spring or air pressure (passive) using telescoping cylinders. The robotic manipulators use a combination of active and passive tensile (cable) members, and collapsible and rigid links to maximize the benefits of both pure cable and conventional parallel mechanisms. Different embodiments of the robotic manipulators use either active cables only, passive cables only, or combinations of active and passive cables. An active cable is one whose length is varied by means of a winch. A passive cable is one whose length is constant and which is used to provide a mechanical constraint. These mechanisms reduce the moving inertia significantly to enhance the operational speed of the robots. They also provide a simpler, more cost effective way to manufacture parallel mechanisms for use in robotic applications.

Title: Combination tool with automated tool change for robot assisted assemblyApplicant: ABBPatent number: US2004006864Publication date: 15 January 2005

A method of assembling a part to a workpiece with a combination tool supported on a robot, where a mounting surface of the part is assembled on a target surface of the workpiece including the following steps.

1. 1.

   Indexing to the assembly position.

2. 2.

   Picking a part with the part gripper on the part delivery arm from a part supply station.

3. 3.

   Indexing part delivery and workpiece preparation arms to the preparation position.

4. 4.

   Simultaneously: engaging the part mounting surface with the part surface preparation module; and engaging the workpiece target surface preparation module with the target surface.

5. 5.

   Indexing to the assembly position.

6. 6.

   Using the previously set tool operating axis and calculated tool offsets, engaging the prepared part mounting surface with the prepared workpiece target surface.

7. 7.

   Releasing the part gripper and withdrawing the tool from the part/ workpiece assembly.

Title: Dual-arm robot and method for controlling the sameApplicant: RICOH KKPatent number: JP2003159683Publication date: 3 June 2003

Problem to be solved: To provide a method for controlling an object holding mechanism of a dual-arm robot and the location and position of an object by the dual-arm robot, the dual- arm robot operating two robot arms to hold and move the same object in collaboration with each other, and absorbing an influence of a relative error occurring during the collaborative operation thereof by an object holding portion of a slave robot, thereby easily carrying out the collaborative operation at higher speed.

Solution: There is provided the dual- arm robot which includes a robot 1 as a master robot and the other robot 1 as the slave robot, and carries out the dual- arm collaborative operation in order to hold and move the same object through collaboration of the two arms. According to the dual-arm robot, the master robot is comprised of a gripping means for rigidly holding an end of the object, to thereby control the location and position of the object. The slave robot is comprised of a bearing means for bearing the one end of the object only in the gravity direction to compensate for an influence by the gravity. The bearing means functions to auxiliarily hold the other end of the object the location and position of which is controlled by the master robot.

Title: CobotsApplicant: Colgate James E; Peshkin Michael A.Patent number: US5952796Publication date: 14 September 1999

An apparatus and method for direct physical interaction between a person and a general purpose manipulator controlled by a computer. The apparatus, known as a collaborative robot or “cobot,” may take a number of configurations common to conventional robots. In place of the actuators that move conventional robots, however, cobots use variable transmission elements, whose transmission ratio is adjustable under computer control via small servomotors. Cobots thus need few if any powerful, and potentially dangerous, actuators. Instead, cobots guide, redirect, or steer motions that originate with the person. A method is also disclosed for using the cobot's ability to redirect and steer motion in order to provide physical guidance for the person, and for any payload being moved by the person and the cobot. Virtual surfaces, virtual potential fields, and other guidance schemes may be defined in software and brought into physical effect by the cobot.