Enhanced robotic teaching tool
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsCamille Doristine Carter, Daniel David Bloch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for aligning a robotic arm with an end-effector is provided. The device may include a spherical tool and a receiver. The spherical tool may include a spherical end portion and a distal base portion configured to releasably couple to the end-effector. The receiver may include a plurality of arms and a proximal base portion configured to releasably couple to the robotic arm. Furthermore, the arms may be configured to receive the spherical end portion and include one or more indicators configured to track alignment between the robotic arm and the end-effector.
Claims18
A device for aligning a robotic arm with an end-effector mounted on a tool rack provided independent of the robotic arm, the device comprising:
- a spherical tool having:
- a distal base portion releasably coupled to the end effector, so that the spherical tool is supported by the tool rack independent of the robotic arm;
- and
- a spherical end portion coupled to the distal base portion and having an outer surface defining a tool center point;
- and
- a receiver having:
- a proximal base portion releasably coupled to the robotic arm, so that the receiver is supported by the robotic arm independent of the tool rack and the spherical tool;
- a plurality of arms coupled to the proximal base portion and including arm surfaces, each arm surface having a shape configured to mateably receive the outer surface of the spherical end portion so that the arm surfaces define a receiver arm center point;
- and
- one or more indicators configured to indicate when the arm surfaces of the receiver engage the outer surface of the spherical tool, thereby indicating that the tool center point is aligned with the receiver arm center point.
A system for programming alignment of a robotic assembly, comprising:
- an end-effector mounted on a tool rack and having a tool-side connection base;
- a robotic arm provided independent of the tool rack and having a machine-side connection base that is movable relative to the end-effector into one of a plurality of programmable poses;
- a spherical tool having:
- a distal base portion releasably coupled to the tool-side connection base of the end effector, so that the spherical tool is supported by the tool rack independent of the robotic arm;
- and
- a spherical end portion coupled to the distal base portion and having an outer surface defining a tool center point;
- and
- a receiver having:
- a proximal base portion releasably coupled to the robotic arm, so that the receiver is supported by the robotic arm independent of the tool rack and the spherical tool;
- a plurality of arms coupled to the proximal base portion and including arm surfaces, each arm surface having a shape configured to mateably receive the outer surface of the spherical end portion so that the arm surfaces define a receiver arm center point;
- and
- one or more indicators configured to indicate when the arm surfaces of the receiver engage the outer surface of the spherical tool, thereby indicating that the tool center point is aligned with the receiver arm center point.
A method of aligning a robotic arm with an end-effector mounted on a tool rack provided independent of the robotic arm, the method comprising:
- providing a spherical tool having a distal base portion releasably coupled to the end effector, so that the spherical tool is supported by the tool rack independent of the robotic arm, and a spherical end portion coupled to the distal base portion and having an outer surface defining a tool center point;
- providing a receiver having a proximal base portion releasably coupled to the robotic arm, so that the receiver is supported by the robotic arm independent of the tool rack and the spherical tool, a plurality of arms coupled to the proximal base portion and including arm surfaces, each arm surface having a shape configured to mateably receive the outer surface of the spherical end portion so that the arm surfaces define a receiver arm center point, and a plurality of indicators configured to indicate when the arm surfaces of the receiver engage the outer surface of the spherical tool, thereby indicating that the tool center point is aligned with the receiver arm center point;
- adjusting a pose of the robotic arm relative to the end-effector until the indicators indicate proper alignment;
- and
- programming the pose of the robotic arm when the indicators indicate proper alignment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.