Robotic sanding systems and methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDominic Wierzbicki, Benjamin Stanislaw Zielinski
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Abstract
An end effector for a robotic sanding system includes a sanding head including a sander configured to sand a surface of a workpiece. A motor is operatively coupled to the sander. The motor is configured to rotate the sander to sand the surface of the workpiece. The motor includes a first central longitudinal axis. A coupler is configured to removably secure the end effector to an attachment interface of an arm of the robotic sanding system. The coupler includes a second central longitudinal axis. The first central longitudinal axis is offset from the second central longitudinal axis. One or more sensors are coupled to the sanding head. The one or more sensors are configured to detect presence of a metal within the predefined range.
Claims22
An end effector for a robotic sanding system, the end effector comprising:
- a sanding head including a sander configured to sand a surface of a workpiece;
- a motor operatively coupled to the sander, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the sander to sand the surface of the workpiece, wherein the motor comprises a first central longitudinal axis;
- a coupler configured to removably secure the end effector to an attachment interface of an arm of the robotic sanding system, wherein the coupler comprises one or more of clamps, latches, plugs, sockets, or electrical interfaces that removably couple to reciprocal features of the attachment interface, wherein the coupler further comprises a second central longitudinal axis, and wherein the first central longitudinal axis is offset from the second central longitudinal axis;
- and
- one or more sensors coupled to the sanding head, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect presence of a metal within a predefined range.
A robotic sanding system comprising:
- one or more arms;
- one or more actuators operatively coupled to the one or more arms;
- and
- an end effector coupled to the one or more arms, wherein the end effector comprises:
- a sanding head including a sander configured to sand a surface of a workpiece;
- a motor operatively coupled to the sander, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the sander to sand the surface of the workpiece, wherein the motor comprises a first central longitudinal axis;
- a coupler configured to removably secure the end effector to an attachment interface of an arm of the robotic sanding system, wherein the coupler comprises one or more of clamps, latches, plugs, sockets, or electrical interfaces that removably couple to reciprocal features of the attachment interface, wherein the coupler comprises a second central longitudinal axis, and wherein the first central longitudinal axis is offset from the second central longitudinal axis;
- and
- one or more sensors coupled to the sanding head, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect presence of a metal within a predefined range, and wherein the motor is prevented from activation in response to the metal being outside of the predefined range.
A robotic sanding method, comprising:
- providing an end effector with a sanding head including a sander configured to sand a surface of a workpiece, wherein an electric motor is coupled to the sander within the end effector, wherein one or more sensors are coupled to the sanding head, and wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect presence of a metal within a predefined range;
- and
- preventing activation of the electric motor in response to the metal being outside of the predefined range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.