Programmable automatic assembly system

In a programmable manipulator the combination of, a manipulator arm, means for moving said arm to different positions in a plurality of independent axes, memory storage means for storing digital representations corresponding to different positions of said arm in said axes, encoder means for each of said axes and operative to develop position signals corresponding to the actual position of said arm in said plurality of axes, means for storing said position signals in said memory storage means during an initial teaching operation so that said stored position signals can act as command signals to control movement of said arm during playback, means controlled in part by said encoder means for calculating new digital representations which are different from said position signals and correspond to a desired new position of said arm, and means for storing said calculated digital representations in said memory storage means so that said stored digital representations may also act as command signals to control movement of said arm during playback.

In a programmable manipulator, the combination of, a manipulator arm movable with respect to a plurality of different axes, a manipulator hand connected to one end of said arm and movable with respect thereto, memory storage means for storing digital representations corresponding to different positions of said arm in said axes and different positions of said hand, encoder means for each of said axes and operative to develop position signals corresponding to the actual position of said arm in said plurality of axes, hand encoder means operative to develop position signals corresponding to actual positions of said hand, means controlled in part by said encoder means and said hand encoder means for calculating new digital representations during an initial teaching operation which are different from said position signals and correspond to a desired new position of said arm and said hand, and means for storing said calculated digital representations in said memory storage means.

In a programmable automatic assembly system, the combination of, a manipulator arm including a first arm portion mounted for movement about a horizontal axis, a second arm portion mounted on the upper end of said first arm portion for movement about a horizontal axis, and a manipulator hand mounted on the outer end of said second arm portion and movable about a wrist bend axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second arm portion, memory storage means for storing digital representations corresponding to different positions of said first and second arm portions and said hand, encoder means for each of said axes and operative to develop position signals corresponding to the actual position of said arm in said axes, means controlled in part by said encoder means for calculating new digital representations during an initial teach mode which are different from said actual position signals and correspond to a desired new position of said arm, and means for storing said calculated digital representations in said memory storage means.

The method of programming a manipulator provided with an arm which is movable in a plurality of axes and having encoder means for said axes operative to develop position signals corresponding to the actual position of said arm in said plurality of axes, which comprises the steps of moving said arm to a first position, storing said position signals corresponding to said first position in a memory, utilizing said position signals to calculate digital representations which are different from said first position signals and correspond to a desired new position of said arm, storing said calculated digital representations in said memory, and controlling movement of said arm during playback in accordance with both said stored position signals and said stored digital representations.

The method of programming a manipulator provided with an arm which is movable in a plurality of axes and a hand connected to said arm and movable in a plurality of axes and having encoder means for said axes operative to develop position signals corresponding to the actual position of said arm and said hand in said plurality of axes, which comprises the steps of moving said arm to a first position, and pointing said hand in a desired direction, storing said position signals corresponding to said first position in a memory, utilizing said position signals to calculate digital representations which are different from said first position signals and correspond to a desired new position of said arm and a new position of said hand along said desired direction, storing said calculated digital representations in said memory, and controlling movement of said arm and said hand during playback in accordance with both said stored position signals and said stored digital representations.

The method of programming a manipulator to perform a pallet loading or unloading operation wherein a group of identical parts are to be loaded on or removed from predetermined areas on a pallet, said manipulator being provided with an arm which is movable in a plurality of axes and having encoder means operative to develop position signals corresponding to the actual position of said arm in said plurality of axes, which comprises the steps of moving said arm to predetermined locations on the pallet and storing said position signals when said arm is at said predetermined locations, means for generating and storing first digital representations corresponding to the spacing of said identical parts on the pallet, means controlled by stored position signals and said stored first digital representations for developing second digital representations corresponding to the positions of other ones of said identical parts on the pallet, storing said second digital representations in a memory, and controlling movement of said arm during playback in accordance with said stored second digital representations.

In a programmable manipulator the combination of, a manipulator arm movable to different positions in a plurality of axes, said plurality of axes being arranged and interconnected in a predetermined relationship and with a predetermined interaction relationship among said plurality of axes, means for moving said arm to different positions in said plurality of axes, said moving means comprising drive train means for controlling said plurality of axes and arranged to move said axes in said predetermined interaction relationship, encoder means for each of said axes and operative to develop encoder position signals corresponding to the position of said arm in said plurality of axes as measured from the location of said encoder means, and means for calculating new position signal representations which are different from said encoder position signals and correspond to a desired new position of said arm, said calculating means including means responsive to said encoder position signals and said predetermined interaction relationship among said axes for developing axis position signal representations corresponding to the position of said arm in said plurality of axes accounting for said predetermined interaction relationship of said plurality of axes.