Sensorized covering for an industrial device
AssigneeComau S.p.A.
InventorsStefano Bordegnoni, Francesco Ciniello, Giuseppe Colombina
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensorized covering, prearranged for covering at least part of a movable structure of an automated device. The sensorized covering is useful for sensing an actual impact or anticipating an imminent impact to the automated device. The sensorized covering includes one or more covering modules wherein each covering module may include contact sensors and/or proximity sensors, a loading bearing structure and/or controls. The individual sensorized modules may be independently connected or controlled, or connected together and collectively controlled. Examples of the automated device my include a movable robots or an automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
Claims20
An automated device comprising:
- a movable structure;
- an actuator for causing displacements of the movable structure;
- a control system including a control unit and operable to control the actuator;
- a sensorized covering for covering at least part of the movable structure,
- wherein the sensorized covering comprises at least one of a contact sensor or a proximity sensor,
- wherein the sensorized covering further comprises a plurality of covering modules mutually couplable in a separable way, each covering module of the plurality of covering modules including a respective load-bearing structure having a predefined shape to which at least one layer of elastically yielding material is connected,
- wherein at least two of said plurality of covering modules each having connected thereto at least one of:
- an electrical connector operable to electrically interconnect in a separable way the at least two covering modules to each other, or
- a mechanical connector operable to mechanically interconnect in a separable way the at least two covering modules positioned adjacent to each other.
An automated robot device comprising:
- a movable structure;
- an actuator in communication with the movable structure, the actuator operable to selectively move portions of the movable structure;
- a control unit in electronic communication with the actuator, the control unit operable to selectively send signals to actuator to selectively move the portions of the movable structure;
- a sensorized covering having a first and a second covering module operable to cover at least a portion of the movable structure, each of the first and the second covering modules comprising:
- a load bearing structure;
- a cushioning layer positioned outward of the load bearing structure relative to the movable structure;
- a contact sensor positioned outward of the cushioning layer relative to the movable structure, the contact sensor operable to detect a physical impact of the sensorized covering with a foreign object and send an impact signal to the control unit;
- a proximity sensor positioned outward of the contact sensor relative to the movable structure, the proximity sensor operable to detect the presence of a foreign object within a predetermined distance from the sensorized covering and send a detection signal to the control unit;
- an outer coating layer substantially covering the proximity sensor;
- a peripheral wall positioned to oppose a complementary opposing wall on the first or the second covering module;
- a first mechanical connector or a second mechanical connector connected to the peripheral wall, the second mechanical connector complementary to the first mechanical connector, the first and the second mechanical connectors operable to removably connect the first covering module to the second covering module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.