Robot system with interchangeable hands
AssigneeZymark Corporation
InventorsBurleigh M. Hutchins, Louis Abrahams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robot system comprising readily interchangeable hands. Usually the system will be controlled by a computer which will communicate with servo motors in each hand through an analog pulse width generator on the robot. The computer controller will also be able to utilize robot-associated circuitry to obtain information directly from each hand.
Claims7
In a robot system comprising a robot arm permanently attached to said system, and (a) computer control means to control said robot arm and wherein (b) said robot arm is powered responsive to said control means and (c) manipulator means attached to said permanent robot arm,
- the improvement wherein said robot system comprises means for automatically attaching and detaching said manipulator means from said arm under computer controlled action of said robot system
- wherein said computer means comprises means to send data to said manipulator means through said robot, including data for operation of at least one control motor on said manipulator means, and to receive output data from manipulator means.
A manipulator having means thereon to automatically connect and disconnect to an arm of a robot, said manipulator means bearing at least one control motor and also bearing circuitry forming means to operate said motor and means for achieving at least one of the following functions:
- (a) identifying said manipulator means;
- (b) providing a signal from a transducer which signal is convertible into a computer-readable digital signal;
- (c) identifying a condition of said manipulator through a servo input signal, operable through an on-off switch means which is, in turn, adapted for operation from a control computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.