Ball Lock Compensator for Use with a Robotic Device
AssigneeATI Industrial Automation, Inc.
InventorDaniel Allen Norton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compensation device configured to be positioned between a robotic arm and a robotic tool. The device may be configured to directly attach to the tool, or may be configured to be positioned away from the tool. The device generally includes a first section that connects to the robotic arm and a second section that connects to the tool. The second section is movable relative to the first section to provide for the tool to be positioned at various orientations. The second section may comply rotationally about a first axis. The second section may be movable in a second plane. In one embodiment, the second plane is perpendicular to the first axis.
Claims20
A compensation device configured to be interposed between a robot and a robotic tool, the compensation device comprising:
- a first section having an interior space with an axis;
- a second section connected to the first section and including a central opening, the second section extending radially around the interior space;
- a piston positioned in the interior space and being movable along the axis;
- ball members positioned within the interior space and the central opening, the ball members being radially movable relative to the axis;
- the piston being movable within the interior space and along the axis between a first position and a second position, the second position being farther away from a bottom of the interior space than the first position, the piston being in contact with the ball members in the second position to force the ball members radially outward away from the axis and into contact with the second section to secure the position about the axis of the second section relative to the first section.
A compensation device configured to be interposed between a robot and a robotic tool, the compensation device comprising:
- a first section;
- a piston positioned within the first section and movable along an axis, the piston including a contact surface;
- a second section including an open central section defined by a wall and having a plurality of lobes spaced around the wall and extending into the wall away from the central section, the second section being connected to the first section with the wall extending radially around the first section and the piston;
- ball members having a spherical shape and being positioned within the second section and being spaced around the axis, the ball members being radially movable relative to the axis;
- the piston being movable along the axis between a first position and a second position, the first position including the contact surface spaced farther away from a second end of the second section than in the second position, the second position including the contact surface positioned against the ball members and positioning the ball members radially outward away from the axis and into the lobes to secure the position of the second section relative to the first section about the axis.
A compensation device configured to be interposed between a robot and a robotic tool, the compensation device comprising:
- a first section having an interior chamber and a plurality of openings spaced around a periphery of the interior chamber;
- a piston positioned within the chamber and being sized to be movable along an axis of the chamber, the piston including a contact surface that radially faces outward away from the axis;
- a second section including an interior space defined by a wall and having a plurality of lobes spaced around the wall and extending into the wall away from the interior space, the second section being connected to the first section with the lobes being radially aligned with the plurality of openings;
- spherical ball members with one of the ball members positioned within each of the openings, the ball members being radially movable relative to the axis;
- the piston being movable within the interior chamber and along the axis between a first position with the contact surface spaced away from the ball members and a second position with the contact surface in contact with the ball members and the piston sized to move the ball members radially outward away from the axis and into contact with the lobes to secure the rotational position of the second section relative to the first section about the axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.