US 10,429,824 B2Granted

System and method for self-contained modular manufacturing device having nested controllers

AssigneeMTM Robotics, LLC

InventorsChace Howard Fadlovich, Robert Allen Brown, David James Whalen-Robinson, Michael Gary Woogerd, Eric J Davis

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Abstract

A system and method for a self-contained modular manufacturing device having self-contained modular tools configured to collectively accomplish a specific task or function in a hierarchical control manner. In an embodiment, the modular device includes a housing that has a mount configured to engage a robotic arm or other form of maneuvering actuator (such a crane or gantry). The housing may provide a base by which additional modules may be mounted and coupled. The modular device also includes an interface configured to communicate with a remote master control system capable of control the robotic arm. The modular device also includes one or more other modules that are configured to accomplish a particular task or function. Such modules are sometimes called end-effectors and work in conjunction with each other to accomplish tasks and functions. In a self-contained modular manufacturing device, individual processors disposed in the housing may be configured to control the functional tools (e.g., each end-effector) independent of the overall manufacturing control system and pass control of the self-contained modular device between local controllers in a hierarchical manner.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A self-contained modular device, comprising:

a plurality of self-contained modules communicatively coupled to each other, each self-contained module including:
an actuator mount configured to removably engage an actuator suited to maneuver any module coupled thereto;
an interface configured to communicate with a controller remote from each self-contained module, the controller capable of controlling the actuator;
an end-effector configured to accomplish a manufacturing function;
and
a local controller disposed within the end-effector and configured to control the respective end-effector independent of a remote master controller;
wherein at least one of the plurality of self-contained modules is configured to be controlled by at least one other local controller of at least one other self-contained module independent of the remote master controller, at least one local controller configured to receive an electronic start signal from the remote master controller that causes the at least one local controller to initiate the manufacturing function of at least one other device module, and further configured to send an electronic finish signal to the remote master controller corresponding to the at least one other device module accomplishing the manufacturing function;
wherein each local controller is configured to communicate with every other local controller according to a hierarchy of control protocol with respect to each local controller present in the self-contained modular device.

5 more elements

A manufacturing system, comprising:

a first modular system, having a plurality of self-contained modular devices, each self-contained modular device including
an actuator mount configured to removably engage an actuator suited to maneuver any modular device coupled thereto;
an interface configured to communicate with a remote master controller that is remote from each self-contained modular device and configured to control the actuator;
an end-effector configured to accomplish a manufacturing function;
and
a local controller disposed within the end-effector and configured to control the respective end-effector independent of the remote master controller, the local controller configured to receive an electronic start signal from the remote master controller that causes the local controller to initiate the manufacturing function of at least one other device module and further configured to send an electronic finish signal to the remote master controller corresponding to the at least one other device module accomplishing the manufacturing function;
wherein the local controller is configured to communicate with other local controllers according to a hierarchy of control protocol with respect to each other local controller present in the self-contained modular device;
and
a second modular system having at least one modular device that includes a self-contained local controller configured to control the respective end-effector independent of the remote master controller and configured to be controlled by at least one other local controller of at least one other self-contained modular device in the manufacturing system.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/010,309Filed 15 Jun 2018 · continuation
Priority: 6 Oct 2015
Published: US 2018/0292814 A111 Oct 2018
Granted: 1 Oct 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

G05B 19/41845
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
B21J 15/10
Riveting: riveting machines
B25J 9/161
Characterised by the control system, structure, architecture: hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
G05B 19/4148
Structure of the control system, e.g. common controller or multiprocessor systems, interface to servo, programmable interface controller:…

Family

Application14/876,564Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Oct 2015
US 2018/0292814 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Oct 2018
US 10,025,299 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2017/0097633 A1Published application
US 10,429,824 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.