Multi-axis robot with adjustable end of arm tool
AssigneeBACA Systems, LLC
InventorsWhitney Moon, Ryan Fossett, Rhett King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robot system includes an articulated robot having a base near one end, a wrist flange near an opposite end, and a plurality of robot portions between the base and the wrist flange. A cutting tool is secured to the wrist flange and selectively moveable about at least one tool axis to change an angle of orientation of the cutting tool. A controller coordinates movement of the robot portions and at least one change in the angle of orientation of the cutting tool to move the cutting tool in an uninterrupted manner along a continuous cutting path to cut a slab of material while avoiding a singularity condition in which any two of the robot's axes are collinear.
Claims19
A robot system, comprising:
- an articulated robot including a base near one end, a wrist flange near an opposite end, and a plurality of robot portions between the base and the wrist flange, the robot portions being moveable about respective axes relative to at least one other of the robot portions;
- a cutting tool secured to the wrist flange, the cutting tool being selectively moveable about at least one tool axis to change an angle of orientation of the cutting tool relative to the wrist flange;
- and
- a controller that is configured to coordinate movement of the plurality of robot portions with at least one change in the angle of orientation of the cutting tool relative to the wrist flange to move the cutting tool in an uninterrupted manner along a continuous cutting path to cut a slab of material at a first angle relative to a primary face of the slab while avoiding a singularity condition in which any two of the respective axes are collinear;
- wherein the controller is configured to maintain the wrist flange in an orientation relative to the primary face of the slab along the continuous cutting path such that an angle between the wrist flange and the primary face of the slab is between 0° and 25°.
A method of operating a robot system, comprising:
- securing a cutting tool to a wrist flange of an articulated robot, wherein the wrist flange interconnects the cutting tool and a plurality of robot portions;
- moving one or more of the robot portions about a respective axis relative to at least one other of the robot portions;
- changing an angle of orientation of the cutting tool relative to the wrist flange;
- and
- moving the cutting tool in an uninterrupted manner along a continuous cutting path to cut a workpiece at a first angle relative to a primary face of the workpiece while avoiding a singularity condition in which any two of the respective axes of the robot portions are collinear, including maintaining the wrist flange in an orientation relative to the primary face of the workpiece along the continuous cutting path such that an angle between the wrist flange and the primary face of the workpiece is ween 0° and 25°.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.