Apparatus and method for surface finishing
OwnerMatthew S. Ulliman, Jeff Martininventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for surface finishing includes a robot and an end effector. The end effector includes a compliance wrist having an axis of movement and coupled to the robot and a grinder tool coupled to the compliance wrist. The robot is configured to controllably position the end effector in three-dimensional space. The compliance wrist is configured to bias the grinder tool to a biased position relative to the robot and enable the grinder tool to move relative to the robot in response to an external force acting upon the grinder tool.
Claims20
An apparatus for surface finishing, said apparatus comprising:
- a robot;
- and
- an end effector comprising:
- a compliance wrist having an axis of movement and comprising:
- a robot-mounting member coupled to an end of said robot;
- a tool-supporting member coupled to said grinder tool;
- and
- a movement assembly movably coupling said tool-supporting member with said robot-mounting member and biasing said tool-supporting member to a biased position relative to said robot-mounting member;
- a switch coupled to said compliance wrist;
- and
- a grinder tool coupled to said compliance wrist;
- and wherein:
- said robot is configured to controllably position said end effector in three-dimensional space;
- said compliance wrist is configured to:
- bias the grinder tool to a biased position relative to said robot;
- and
- enable said grinder tool to move relative to said robot in response to an external force acting upon said grinder tool;
- and
- said switch is configured to actuate said grinder tool in response to at least one of linear movement of said tool-supporting member along said axis of movement and pivotal movement of said tool-supporting member about said axis of movement.
An apparatus for surface finishing, said apparatus comprising:
- a robot;
- and
- an end effector comprising:
- a compliance wrist having an axis of movement and coupled to said robot;
- a grinder tool coupled to said compliance wrist;
- and
- an air monitor coupled to said compliant wrist;
- and wherein:
- said robot is configured to controllably position said end effector in three-dimensional space;
- said compliance wrist is configured to:
- bias the grinder tool to a biased position relative to said robot;
- and
- enable said grinder tool to move relative to said robot in response to an external force acting upon said grinder tool;
- and
- said air monitor is configured to measure an exposure level of respirable crystalline silica dust.
An apparatus for surface finishing, said apparatus comprising:
- a robot;
- and
- a compliance wrist having an axis of movement and comprising:
- a robot-mounting member coupled to an end of said robot;
- a ball-and-socket joint coupled to said robot-mounting member;
- a tool-supporting member coupled to said ball-and-socket joint, wherein said ball-and-socket joint enables movement of said tool-supporting member relative to said robot-mounting member;
- a plurality of biasing elements extending between said robot-mounting member and said tool-supporting member, wherein said plurality of biasing elements biases said tool-supporting member relative to said robot-mounting member;
- and
- at least two movement-limiting elements projecting outward from said robot-mounting member, wherein said at least two movement-limiting elements limit movement of said tool-supporting member relative to said robot-mounting member;
- and wherein:
- said tool-supporting member of said compliance wrist is configured to be coupled to a grinder tool;
- said robot is configured to controllably position said grinder tool, coupled to said tool-supporting member, in three-dimensional space;
- and
- said compliance wrist is configured to:
- bias the grinder tool to a biased position relative to said robot;
- and
- enable said grinder tool to move relative to said robot in response to an external force acting upon said grinder tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.