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US 2014/0196290 A1Published application
Electromagnetic Crawler Assembly System
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsBranko Sarh, David Hassan Amirehteshami
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing operations on a workpiece. A first frame in a frame system may be held on the workpiece by applying a vacuum to the first frame. A second frame in the frame system may be detached from the workpiece by applying a pressure to the second frame. The second frame may be moved to a location on the workpiece. The second frame may be attached to the workpiece by applying the vacuum to the second frame. An operation may be performed on the workpiece.
Claims8
1-19. (canceled)
A method for performing operations on a workpiece, the method comprising:
- holding a first frame in a frame system on the workpiece by applying a vacuum to the first frame;
- detaching a second frame in the frame system from the workpiece by applying a pressure to the second frame;
- moving the second frame to a location on the workpiece;
- attaching the second frame to the workpiece by applying the vacuum to the second frame;
- and
- performing an operation on the workpiece.
3 more elements
A method for performing operations on a workpiece, the method comprising:
- moving a crawler assembly system from a first location to a second location in which the crawler assembly system comprises a frame system having a first frame and a second frame in which the frame system is configured to hold an end effector that is configured to perform a number of operations;
- a first number of suction cups associated with the first frame by a number of legs in which the first number of suction cups is configured for attachment to the workpiece;
- a second number of suction cups associated with the second frame in which the second number of suction cups is configured for attachment to the workpiece;
- and a controller configured to control an application of a vacuum and a pressure by the first number of suction cups and the second number of suction cups during movement of the frame system, in which the step of moving the crawler assembly system from the first location to the second location comprises:
- applying the vacuum to the first number of suction cups and the pressure to the second number of suction cups;
- moving the second frame relative to the first frame while the first number of suction cups holds the first frame to the workpiece;
- applying the vacuum to the second number of suction cups after movement of the second frame;
- applying the pressure to the first number of suction cups after the vacuum is applied to the second number of suction cups;
- moving the first frame relative to the second frame while the second number of suction cups holds the second frame to the workpiece;
- repeating the steps of applying the vacuum to the first number of suction cups and the pressure to the second number of suction cups;
- moving the second frame relative to the first frame while the first number of suction cups holds the first frame to the workpiece;
- applying the vacuum to the second number of suction cups after the movement of the second frame;
- applying the pressure to the first number of suction cups after the vacuum is applied to the second number of suction cups;
- and moving the first frame relative to the second frame while the second number of suction cups holds the second frame to the workpiece until the second location is reached;
- applying the vacuum to a first portion of the first number of suction cups connected to a first portion of the number of legs and to a second portion of the first number of suction cups connected to a second portion of the number of legs;
- applying the pressure to the second number of suction cups;
- rotating a first leg in the first portion of the number of legs in a first direction around a first axis;
- rotating a second leg in the second portion of the number of legs in a second direction about the first axis in which rotation of the first leg and the second leg causes rotation of the frame system about a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece;
- and
- performing the number of operations at the location on the workpiece.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.