Compliance and protection system for robotic arm

A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer, comprising:

• a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part;
• a chassis coupled to the first part;
• an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part;
• and
• a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis, the relative displacement permitted by the compliance mechanism being in a first translational degree of freedom, and the compliance mechanism constrains the relative displacement in at least one translational degree of freedom other than the first translational degree of freedom, or constrains the relative displacement in at least one rotational degree of freedom.

A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer, comprising:

• a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part;
• a chassis coupled to the first part;
• an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part;
• and
• a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis, at least one destructible coupling mechanism coupled between at least a portion of the EOT and at least a portion of the chassis, wherein the destructible coupling mechanism is configured to break when a force exceeding a threshold force is applied to the destructible coupling mechanism, wherein the threshold force is less than a first force level that would damage the EOT or is less than a second force level that would damage a robotic arm coupled to the chassis.

A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer, comprising:

• a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part;
• a chassis coupled to the first part;
• an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part;
• a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis;
• and
• at least one sensor configured to move in tandem with the chassis such that there is no relative motion between the at least one sensor and the chassis, the at least one sensor configured to sense at least one fiducial.

A robotic arm assembly comprising:

• an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) having an EOT chassis with a first end and a second end, and including a first fiducial coupled to the first end and a second fiducial coupled between the first end and the second end;
• an automated tool coupler having a first connector and a second connector configured to be selectively coupled together, the first connector coupled to the EOT and the second connector coupled to a compliance mechanism;
• and
• a chassis coupled to the compliance mechanism, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis.

A system for preventing a catastrophic failure of a robotic arm, the robotic arm including a first section and a second section, comprising:

• a breakaway mechanism configured to be coupled between the first section and the second section, the breakaway mechanism including a bracket coupled between the first section and the second section, the bracket being configured to break when a threshold force is applied to the second section;
• an automated tool coupler coupled between the bracket and the second section, the automated tool coupler including a first connection coupled to the bracket and a second connection coupled to the second section;
• and
• a compliance mechanism including a mechanical linkage and a biasing mechanism, the biasing mechanism configured to apply a restoring force in a direction that opposes displacement of the automated tool coupler.