# US 2014/0154036 A1 · Apparatus for the automated handling of workpieces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154036 A1 - Document ID: US20140154036A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/929,647 - Filed: 2013-06-27 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-29 - Assignees: Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH - Applicants: Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH - Inventors: Thomas Mattern; David Haenschke; Bernhard Riedmiller; Alois Mundt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154036A1 ## CPC - B25J 11/00: Manipulators not otherwise provided for - B25J 9/0084: {comprising a plurality of manipulators} - B25J 9/0096: {co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table} - B25J 9/1612: {characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control} - B25J 19/023: {including video camera means} - B65G 47/1478: {by means of pick-up devices, the container remaining immobile} - B65G 2203/041: Camera - G05B 2219/39508: Reorientation of object, orient, regrasp object - 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}) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - 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 An apparatus for the automated handling of workpieces comprising at least one gripper for picking the workpiece; a control for controlling the at least one gripper and an intermediate station for placing the workpiece, with the apparatus being configured such that the workpiece is placed in a defined position and/or defined orientation on the intermediate station and is picked up again with a changed orientation and/or with greater accuracy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for automated handling of workpieces comprising at least one gripper for picking up the workpieces, a control for controlling the at least one gripper, and an intermediate station for placing down the workpieces, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the workpieces are placed on the intermediate station in a defined position and/or in a defined orientation and are picked up again with a changed orientation and/or with a greater accuracy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one gripper for placing the workpieces and/or for the repeat picking up of the workpieces is a mechanical, pneumatic, or magnetic gripper. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the same gripper is used for placing down and for the repeat picking up of the workpieces; or wherein two separate grippers are used for placing down and for the repeat picking up of the workpieces. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the intermediate station has at least one receiver in which the workpieces can be placed in a defined position and/or orientation, with the at least one receiver advantageously being specifically adapted to the workpieces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the at least one receiver allows a picking up of a workpiece with at least two different orientations of the gripper toward the workpiece, for example a gripping from two sides, with the workpiece advantageously being placed down gripped from a first side for changing the orientation of the workpiece and being picked up again gripped from the other side. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the intermediate station and/or the at least one receiver has a compensation apparatus which allows an inaccurate placing down. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus in accordance with claim 6 comprising a positioning arrangement which arranges and/or fixes the workpieces and/or the compensation apparatus in a predefined position for the more exact picking up of the workpieces. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The apparatus in accordance with claim 5 comprising a travel arrangement by which the workpieces and/or the at least one receiver is traveled on the intermediate station; wherein abutments and/or fixing regions are advantageously provided against which the workpiece and/or the at least one receiver are moved for fixing; and/or wherein the at least one receiver can be traveled from a placing position into a removal position, with the receiver advantageously having a compensation apparatus which is movable in the placing position, which allows an inaccurate placing and which can be fixed by traveling into the removal position, with a plurality of receivers advantageously being arranged next to one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus in accordance with claim 8 comprising a plurality of receivers for receiving workpieces, wherein the plurality of receivers advantageously serve as a storage apparatus and/or as a transport apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The apparatus in accordance with claim 4 comprising a functional region and/or a functional arrangement which serve, for example, a pretreatment, recognition and/or marking of the workpieces, in particular a demagnetization station, wherein the at least one receiver can advantageously be traveled from a placing position into a removal position, with the workpieces running through the functional arrangement on the traveling of the at least one receiver. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The apparatus in accordance with claim 2 for automated removal of workpieces arranged in a container comprising an object recognition device for detecting the workpieces and a first gripper for picking and removing the workpieces from the container; and a control for evaluating data of the object recognition device and for controlling the first gripper; and comprising a first intermediate station on which the first gripper places the workpieces after the removal from the container; and comprising a positioning apparatus which positions the workpieces more accurately starting from the intermediate station and/or singularizes them; wherein the positioning apparatus advantageously places the workpieces on a second intermediate station in a defined position and/or in a defined orientation and the workpieces are picked up from the second intermediate station again with a changed orientation and/or with greater accuracy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) An intermediate station for the apparatus in accordance with claim 2, with the at least one receiver allowing a picking up of workpieces from two sides and/or having a compensation apparatus which allows an inaccurate placing. ### Claim 13 A method for the automated handling of workpieces on an apparatus for automated handling of workpieces comprising at least one gripper for picking up the workpieces, a control for controlling the at least one gripper, and an intermediate station for placing down the workpieces,wherein the apparatus is configured such that the workpieces are placed on the intermediate station in a defined position and/or in a defined orientation and are picked up again with a changed orientation and/or with a greater accuracy, wherein workpieces are placed on an intermediate station in a defined position and/or in a defined orientation and are picked up again with a changed orientation and/or with a greater accuracy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the workpieces are placed on the intermediate station with a certain permitted inaccuracy and are fixed in a specific position thereon for the more accurate picking up; and/or wherein the workpieces are placed down gripped from a first side for changing the orientation at the gripper and are picked up again gripped from the other side. ### Claim 15 (canceled)