Apparatuses and systems for finishing three-dimensional surfaces
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsMax A. Maloney, Howard E. Bujtor, Brian K. Miehm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for smart automation of robotic surface finishing of a three-dimensional surface of a work piece is described. A three-dimensional motion path is created along the surface of the work piece. A variable contact force profile is specified along the three-dimensional motion path. The three-dimensional motion path is modified based on the specified variable contact force profile. The surface of the work piece is finished using one or more surface finishing tools along the modified three-dimensional motion path. The surface of the work piece includes at least a flat region and a curved region.
Claims20
A system used to finish a three-dimensional surface of a part, the system comprising:
- a controller unit configured to generate a finishing tool control signal;
- a finishing tool having a finishing surface, the finishing tool being coupled to a movable arm that responds to the control signal received from the controller unit during a finishing operation;
- and
- a sensor unit configured to measure a contact force between the finishing surface of the finishing tool and the three-dimensional surface of the part during the finishing operation, wherein the controller unit dynamically adjusts a position of the finishing tool based on a variable contact force profile that specifies the contact force of the finishing surface applied along a plurality of contact surface areas along the three-dimensional surface of the part and that accommodates variations along the three-dimensional surface of the part compared to a calculated three-dimensional tool path.
A system used to finish a three-dimensional surface of a part, the system comprising:
- a positioning assembly configured to position a finishing tool with respect to the three-dimensional surface of the part;
- a controller unit configured to generate and send a control signal to the positioning assembly for controlling the position of the finishing tool during a finishing operation, the control signal based on a variable contact force profile;
- and
- a sensor unit configured to measure a contact force between a finishing surface of the finishing tool and the three-dimensional surface of the part during the finishing operation, wherein the variable contact force profile is based on variations along the three-dimensional surface of the part measured by the sensor unit compared to a calculated three-dimensional tool path.
An system for finishing a three-dimensional surface of a part, the system comprising:
- a robotic arm having a finishing surface and configured to apply a variable contact force profile between the finishing surface and the three-dimensional surface, the variable contact force profile specifying a plurality of contact forces along the three-dimensional surface during a finishing operation;
- a contact force sensor positioned on the robotic arm and configured to measure a an actual contact force between the finishing surface and the three-dimensional surface;
- and
- a controller unit configured to send a signal corresponding to the variable contact force profile to the robotic arm, wherein the variable contact force profile is based on the actual contact force and a calculated three-dimensional tool path and accommodates for variations along the three-dimensional surface of the part compared to the calculated three-dimensional tool path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.