# US 2014/0207283 A1 · Robot with handling unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0207283 A1 - Document ID: US20140207283A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/149,522 - Filed: 2014-01-07 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-22 - Assignees: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH - Inventors: Christoph Kuhmichel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140207283A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/1633: {compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control} - B25J 11/0045: {Manipulators used in the food industry} - B25J 13/085: {Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence)} - B25J 19/063: {working only upon contact with an outside 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}) ## Abstract The disclosure relates to a robot for picking up a food product from a support and for shifting it to a desired location, said robot comprising at least one robot arm with a handling unit for picking up the food product, and the food product being displaceable by moving the handling unit by means of the robot arm. The robot arm and the handling unit have provided between them a sensor, in particular a force sensor, with the aid of which the force acting between the robot arm and the handling unit can be detected in at least one direction. The invention additionally relates to a method of operating a robot for shifting a food product. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot for picking up a food product from a support and for shifting it to a desired location, said robot comprising at least one robot arm having provided thereon a handling unit which is configured for picking up the food product, the food product being displaceable by moving the handling unit by means of the robot arm, characterized in that the robot arm and the handling unit have provided between them a sensor, in particular a force sensor, with the aid of which the force acting between the robot arm and the handling unit can be detected in at least one direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect a vertical and/or horizontal force component and/or acceleration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured for detecting the force and/or the acceleration in the vertical direction and in at least one horizontal direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is fixedly arranged on a reception element having arranged thereon at least one robot arm, the handling unit being releasably fixed to the force sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein a sensor unit is provided, which includes a data memory, said sensor unit being configured for recording in the data memory the profile of the signal ascertained by the sensor over time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The robot according to claim 5, wherein the sensor unit is configured for calculating the accumulated mechanical loads on the robot from the force/time curve and indicate adaptive maintenance intervals in a suitable way. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the handling unit is a gripper unit engaging the food product from below. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot is a delta robot. ### Claim 9 A method of operating a robot for shifting a food product, said method comprising: i) picking up the food product by means of a handling unit provided on a robot arm, ii) moving the handling unit by means of the robot arm so that the food product is shifted to a desired location, and iii) depositing the food product, characterized by detecting in at least one direction the force and/or acceleration acting between the robot arm and the handling unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, characterized by detecting the force when the handling unit touches down on a food-product providing unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9, 10) The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by detecting the force during acceleration of the handling unit and ascertaining the weight of the food product from this force. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to one of the claim 9, characterized by stopping the movement of the robot if the force and/or acceleration ascertained exceeds a limit value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to one of the claim 9, wherein the trajectory of the handling unit is adapted depending on the force ascertained. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method according to one of the claim 9, wherein the force ascertained over time is recorded. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the force/time curve is used for configuring the mechanical stability of the robot.