# US 10,118,714 B2 · System and method for positioning an automated assembly tool relative to a structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,714 B2 - Document ID: US10118714B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/558,853 - Filed: 2014-12-03 - Published: 2015-11-05 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-30 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Eric M. Reid; David Paul Banks; Darrell Darwin Jones - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118714B2 ## CPC - B64F 5/10: Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor - B25J 9/1687: {Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement} - B25J 13/089: {Determining the position of the robot with reference to its environment} - Y10S 901/41: Tool - Y10S 901/44: inspection - Y10S 901/46: Sensing device - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method and apparatus for positioning an end effector relative to a structure. The apparatus may comprise the end effector and a sensor system. The end effector may be configured to perform an operation on the structure. The sensor system may have a plurality of sensors extending outward from the end effector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: an end effector configured to perform an operation on a structure; a sensor system having a plurality of sensors extending outward from the end effector; and a pressure foot connected to the end effector and configured to contact a surface of the structure, wherein the plurality of sensors extends outward from the pressure foot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors generate position data about a position of the plurality of sensors relative to the surface of the structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors is located centrally in the pressure foot and extends outward substantially perpendicular to a contact surface of the pressure foot. ### Claim 4 An apparatus comprising: an end effector configured to perform an operation on a structure; a sensor system having a plurality of sensors extending outward from the end effector; and a pressure foot connected to the end effector and configured to contact a surface of the structure, wherein the plurality of sensors has an equilateral triangular arrangement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is located at a corner in the equilateral triangular arrangement, and wherein a channel runs through a center of the equilateral triangular arrangement. ### Claim 6 An apparatus comprising: an end effector configured to perform an operation on a structure; a sensor system having a plurality of sensors extending outward from the end effector; and a pressure foot connected to the end effector and configured to contact a surface of the structure, wherein the plurality of sensors is configured to contact the surface of the structure prior to the pressure foot contacting the surface of the structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors extends outward from a channel located centrally in the pressure foot. ### Claim 8 The apparatus of claim further comprising: a load cell associated with the pressure foot and configured to identify a contact force between the pressure foot and the surface of the structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of a speed of the end effector or a distance traveled by the end effector is modified as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure based on the contact force identified by the load cell. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor system is configured to identify whether an object is present on the surface of the structure and generate a signal configured to stop the end effector before the pressure foot reaches the object. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a movement system configured to change a position of the end effector relative to the surface of the structure based on position data from the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the movement system is configured to dynamically change the position of the end effector as the end effector moves closer to the surface of the structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the movement system is configured to change an orientation of the end effector to a desired orientation prior to contact with the surface of the structure based on the position data from the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the orientation of the end effector is changed as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a contact surface of the pressure foot is substantially parallel to the surface of the structure when the end effector is in the desired orientation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the movement system moves the end effector at a first speed and reduces the first speed to a second speed prior to the pressure foot contacting the surface of the structure based on the position data from the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a speed of the end effector is dynamically changed from the first speed to the second speed as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a biasing system associated with the plurality of sensors and configured to move the plurality of sensors between an extended position and a retracted position in response to the plurality of sensors contacting the surface of the structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure is selected from one of a wing, a fuselage, an aileron, a flap, a slat, a spoiler, a stabilizer, a door, a housing, and a nacelle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a sensor in the plurality of sensors is selected from one of a linear variable differential transformer, a capacitive transducer, a contact encoder, a capacitive displacement sensor, an eddy-current sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a laser, and a multi-axis displacement transducer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor system is configured to measure a flushness of a fastener inserted into a hole drilled in a surface of the structure. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the end effector is configured to hold a set of tools comprising at least one of a drilling system, an inspection system, a fastener installer, a sealant applicator, a sprayer, or a cleaning system. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a number of protective elements positioned on at least one sensor in the plurality of sensors and configured to substantially prevent the at least one sensor from scratching a surface of the structure. ### Claim 24 A method for positioning an end effector relative to a structure, the method comprising: generating position data about a position of a plurality of sensors in a sensor system relative to a surface of the structure, wherein the plurality of sensors extends outward from a pressure foot associated with the end effector; and changing a position of the end effector relative to the surface of the structure based on the position data generated by the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: changing the position of the end effector as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of sensors is located centrally in the pressure foot and extends outward substantially perpendicular to a contact surface of the pressure foot. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of sensors has an equilateral triangular arrangement. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is located at a corner in the equilateral triangular arrangement, and wherein a channel runs through a center of the equilateral triangular arrangement. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of sensors generate the position data about the position of the plurality of sensors relative to the surface of the structure. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26 further comprising: changing an orientation of the end effector to a desired orientation prior to contact with the surface of the structure based on the position data from the plurality of sensors, wherein the contact surface of the pressure foot is substantially normal to the surface of the structure when the end effector is in the desired orientation. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 further comprising: changing the orientation of the end effector as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 further comprising: moving the end effector at a first speed using a movement system; and contacting the surface of the structure with at least one sensor in the plurality of sensors as the end effector moves at the first speed. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 further comprising: reducing the first speed to a second speed prior to the pressure foot contacting the surface of the structure based on the position data from the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33 further comprising: reducing the first speed to the second speed as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure. ### Claim 35 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: contacting the surface of the structure with the plurality of sensors; and moving the plurality of sensors between an extended position and a retracted position within a housing of the pressure foot as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure. ### Claim 36 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: biasing the plurality of sensors outward from the pressure foot from a channel located centrally in the pressure foot. ### Claim 37 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: contacting the surface of the structure using the pressure foot with a desired contact force; and performing an operation on the surface of the structure using a set of tools associated with the end effector. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37 further comprising: moving the set of tools relative to the surface of the structure using a track system on a shuttle table associated with the end effector to perform the operation. ### Claim 39 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: identifying a contact force between the pressure foot and the surface of the structure using a load cell associated with the pressure foot; and modifying at least one of a speed of the end effector or a distance traveled by the end effector based on the contact force identified. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39 further comprising: modifying at least one of the speed of the end effector or the distance traveled by the end effector as the end effector moves toward the surface of the structure. ### Claim 41 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: identifying whether an object is present on the surface of the structure using a sensor in the plurality of sensors, wherein the object protrudes from the surface of the structure; and generating a signal configured to stop the end effector before the pressure foot reaches the object. ### Claim 42 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: positioning the plurality of sensors relative to a desired location for a hole to be drilled on the surface of the structure. ### Claim 43 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising: inspecting a flushness of a fastener inserted into a hole drilled in the surface of the structure using the sensor system. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43 further comprising: modifying an operation of the end effector based on the flushness of the fastener.