# US 10,478,935 B2 · Deburring apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,935 B2 - Document ID: US10478935B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/831,971 - Filed: 2017-12-05 - Published: 2018-06-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-08 - Assignees: Fanuc Corporation - Applicants: Fanuc Corporation - Inventors: Yihua Gu; Takashi Satou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478935B2 ## CPC - B24B 27/0038: {with the grinding tool mounted at the end of a set of bars} - B24B 9/00: Machines or devices designed for grinding edges or bevels on work or for removing burrs; Accessories therefor (B24B21/00 takes precedence; for sharpening cutting edges on tools B24B3/00; removing burrs by loose abrasive material B24B31/00) - B24B 49/12: involving optical means - B24B 49/16: taking regard of the load - B25J 9/1633: {compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 11/006: {Deburring or trimming} - G05B 2219/37208: Vision, visual inspection of workpiece - G05B 2219/40617: Agile eye, control position of camera, active vision, pan-tilt camera, follow object - G05B 2219/45151: Deburring - B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS - 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}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A deburring apparatus including: a robot that uses a deburring tool to deburr an object supported by a support in a machine tool, a visual sensor, a relative movement mechanism for causing relative movement between the visual sensor and the object supported by the support; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to conduct: an operation process that operates the relative movement mechanism based on a visual sensor relative movement program for controlling an operation of the relative movement mechanism so that a ridge of the object supported by the support is detected by the visual sensor during the relative movement; and a deburring operation program generation process which generates a deburring operation program by using the detected ridge obtained by the visual sensor when the relative movement mechanism is operated based on the visual sensor relative movement program. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A deburring apparatus comprising: a robot that supports a deburring tool, and uses the deburring tool to conduct a deburring process for an object supported by a support in a machine tool and having been cut; a visual sensor; a relative movement mechanism for causing relative movement between the visual sensor and the object supported by the support; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to conduct: an operation process that operates the relative movement mechanism based on a visual sensor relative movement program for controlling operation of the relative movement mechanism so that the relative movement mechanism moves the visual sensor relative to the object along a locus corresponding to a deburring target portion along an outer edge of the object in a state in which at least a portion of the outer edge of the object is located within a visual field of the visual sensor, wherein the controller is configured to operate the relative movement mechanism so that a ridge of the object supported by the support is detected by the visual sensor during the relative movement; and a deburring operation program generation process which generates a deburring operation program by using the detected ridge obtained by the visual sensor when the relative movement mechanism is operated based on the visual sensor relative movement program; wherein the deburring operation program is a program which operates the robot and/or the machine tool so that the deburring tool moves along a locus based on the detected ridge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The deburring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to conduct a visual sensor program generation process which generates the visual sensor relative movement program by using at least one of position and shape information containing at least information regarding a position and a shape of a portion to be deburred in the cut object and information regarding a machining locus along which a machining tool is moved during cutting in order to cause the relative movement after the cutting so that the ridge is detected by the visual sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The deburring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to conduct: an actual shape information obtaining process for obtaining information regarding an actual shape of the cut object; and a visual sensor program generation process which generates the visual sensor relative movement program by using the information regarding the actual shape obtained by the actual shape information obtaining process and information regarding a visual field of the visual sensor in order to cause the relative movement after the cutting so that the ridge is detected by the visual sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The deburring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the visual sensor relative movement program is for operating the relative movement mechanism so that the visual sensor is moved relative to the object whose position and orientation are not changed or so that the object is moved relative to the visual sensor whose position and orientation are not changed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The deburring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deburring operation program contains robot operation commands for operating the robot supporting the deburring tool relative to the object whose position and orientation are not changed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The deburring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deburring operation program contains machine tool operation commands for operating the machine tool to change the position and orientation of the object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The deburring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to conduct a machining propriety determination process which determines propriety of deburring process during or after the deburring process by using a detection result from at least one of a force sensor provided in the machine tool and the visual sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The deburring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to conduct a machining propriety determination process which determines propriety of deburring process during or after the deburring process by using a detection result from at least one of a force sensor provided in the robot and the visual sensor.