US 4,636,137 A · Tool and material manipulation apparatus and method

Article manipulation apparatus comprising:

(a) a manipulator including a carriage having transport means adapted to support and guide said carriage on a ground surface,
(b) a manipulator arm assembly supported by said carriage and including a tool head,
(c) first power means for propelling and maneuvering said transport means across said ground surface in an infinite number of directions so as to permit the manipulator to reach different locations and to attain different positions on said surface,
(d) second power means including a plurality of separately operable motors for operating said arm assembly,
(e) first control means for controlling said plurality of motors to cause said arm assembly to execute various maneuvers,
(f) said first control means including input means for receiving command control signals, and
(g) respective closed loop control means for each of said motors connected to said input means,
(h) program control means for generating a plurality of command control signals which are operative for controlling said plurality of motors defining said second power means for causing said arm assembly to execute a programmed maneuver,
(i) said program control means being connected to said input means to permit the signals generated thereby to be applied to said closed loop control means for respective of said motors,
(j) cycle initiating means for initiating operation of said program control means to cause it to generate said command control signals,
(k) remote control means for said manipulator located at a monitor station and including a command control signal generator and a wireless signal transmitter connected to transmit signals generated by said generator by shortwave,
(l) a wireless receiver supported by said manipulator for receiving said shortwave command control signals transmitted thereto by said transmitter, said receiver being connected for selectively controlling operation of said first power means and said motors defining said second power means in accordance with signals received from said transmitter so as to permit said carriage to be remotely controlled in its movement and to remotely control the movement of and predeterminately position said arm assembly and said carriage by applying said command control signals to said closed loop control means for respectively operating said motors,
(m) a first television camera disposed on said manipulator, a second television camera disposed on said tool head and arranged to always have its scanning axis in a direction toward said tool head, motor means for driving said first television camera to scan the area in the immediate vicinity of the manipulator along a plurality of axes which are different than said scanning axis of said second television camera, and a television receiver at said monitor station for signals generated by said cameras whereby movement of said tool head can be viewed by the first and second television cameras to control said manipulator,
(n) said cycle initiating means being operable when said manipulator is predeterminately located for causing said program control means to generate said command control signals and to thereby control the operation of said manipulator to execute a programmed cycle of operation.

11 more elements

A remote controlled manipulation apparatus comprising:

(a) an article manipulator having a support including means for propelling said support across a surface,
(b) a manipulation fixture supported above said support and having at least one article seizing means and power operated connection means between said seizing means and support to permit said seizing means to be variably maneuvered above said support to align it with various articles to be picked up and released by said manipulator,
(c) means located at a remote station for remotely controlling said manipulator,
(d) a first video scanner mounted on said support,
(e) means for movably supporting said first video scanner on said support,
(f) a second video scanner mounted on said article seizing means and arranged to always have its scanning axis in a direction toward said article seizing means,
(g) motor means for driving said first video scanner to scan an image field adjacent said manipulator along different axes,
(h) monitor means located at said remote station having a screen for viewing information scanned by said first and second video scanners and means for transmitting video signals from said first and second video scanners to said monitor means,
(i) control means at said remote station for controlling said motor means for driving said first video scanner to permit the scanning axis thereof to be remotely controlled whereby a person controlling the operation of said manipulator may selectively vary the scanning axis of said first video scanner to permit him to remotely view at least a portion of the area surrounding said manipulator,
(j) said second video scanner permitting said person to view along a fixed axis relative to said article seizing means,
(k) whereby said person can remotely control said manipulator and article seizing means.

8 more elements

Article manipulator apparatus comprising:

(a) a monitor station;
(b) a manipulator including a carriage having transport means adapted to support and guide said carriage on a planar surface,
(c) a manipulator arm assembly supported by said carriage and including a tool head,
(d) first power means for controlling and propelling said transport means across said planar surface in a plurality of directions so as to permit the manipulator to attain different positions,
(e) second power means for operating said arm assembly to cause it to execute various maneuvers,
(f) program control means for controlling said second power means for causing said arm assembly to repeatedly execute a program maneuver,
(g) stationary remote control means at said monitor station, sending means for control signals generated at said monitor station and receiving means located on said manipulator for said control signals for selectively remotely controlling operation of said first and second power means to change the position of said carriage and to predeterminately position said arm assembly and said carriage prior to initiating a programmed operation of the apparatus,
(h) a first television camera disposed on said manipulator, a second television camera disposed on said tool head and arranged to always have its scanning axis in a direction toward said tool head, motor means for driving said first television camera to scan the area in the immediate vicinity of the manipulator along a plurality of axes which are different than said scanning axis of said second television camera, and a television receiver at said monitor station for signals generated by said cameras whereby movement of said tool head can be viewed by the first and second television cameras to control said manipulator, and
(i) cycle control initiating means operable upon predeterminately positioning said manipulator carriage for causing said program control means to control the operation of said second power means to cause said arm assembly to execute a programmed operation.

6 more elements

A remote control system for self-propelled vehicle containing a tool operable to perform selected operations with respect to matter adjacent said vehicle comprising:

(a) a vehicle body,
(b) means for propelling said vehicle body in a plurality of directions across a surface and direction control means for controlling movement of said vehicle on said surface,
(c) a tool head supported by said vehicle body and said tool supported by said tool head,
(d) tool operating means for causing said tool to perform selected operations on matter and control means for said tool operating means,
(e) a first television camera movably supported on said vehicle body for scanning an area adjacent said vehicle, first television camera motor means for causing said first television camera to scan areas to the front and sides of said vehicle, control means for controlling operation of said first television camera motor means,
(f) a second television camera supported adjacent said tool head and operable to scan the tool supported by said head and the area immediately adjacent said tool,
(g) a control and monitor station including a control console for controlling the movement and operation of said self-propelled vehicle including a control console having television receiving and monitor means for receiving and generating images of the areas scanned by said first and second television cameras,
(h) first shortwave signal generating means at said monitor station for generating and transmitting first command control signals to said vehicle and shortwave receiving means supported by said vehicle for receiving said shortwave signals and passing same to said direction control means for said means propelling said vehicle body to selectively locate said vehicle on said surface,
(i) second shortwave signal generating means at said monitor station for generating and transmitting to said receiving means supported by said vehicle second shortwave signals for controlling the operation of said motor means driving said first television camera, and
(j) third shortwave signal generating means at said monitor station for generating third shortwave signals for controlling the operation of said tool to cause it to exercise remote controlled movements with respect to matter disposed adjacent said vehicle.

7 more elements

Automatic manipulation apparatus comprising:

(a) a manipulator including a carriage and transport means adapted to support said manipulator in movement across a surface,
(b) a manipulator arm assembly supported by said carriage,
(c) first power operated means for propelling and maneuvering said carriage in multiple direction free travel movement across a surface so as to permit said manipulator to reach different operative locations in the realm of its movement on said surface,
(d) second power operated means including a plurality of separately operable motors connected for operating said arm assembly,
(e) first motor control means for controlling the operation of said first power operated means,
(f) second control means for controlling said plurality of separately operable motors to cause said arm assembly to execute various maneuvers above said carriage,
(g) selectively operable control means for gating command control signals to said first and second control means,
(h) program control means for generating a plurality of said command control signals for controlling said plurality of separately operable motors to cause said arm assembly to execute a programmed maneuver,
(i) cycle initiating means for initiating operation of said program control means to generate said command control signals,
(j) a monitor station,
(k) first means at said monitor station for selectively generating first control signals for controlling the operation of said first motor control means and second means for generating a second control signal for controlling the operation of the cycle initiating means for initiating operation of said program control means,
(l) said monitor station including a wireless signal transmitting means connected to shortwave transmit control signals to said manipulator,
(m) wireless receiving means supported by said manipulator for receiving signals transmitted from said monitor station,
(n) said selectively operable control means for gating command control signals being effective to gate said signals received by said wireless receiving means and operable for controlling the operation of said first power operated means and said separately operable motors in accordance with signals received from said transmitting means to permit said carriage to be remotely controlled in its movement across said surface and to remotely control the movement of and predeterminately position said arm assembly,
(o) a pivotally supported television camera disposed on said manipulator,
(p) television camera drive means for causing said camera to scan the area in the immediate vicinity of the manipulator along a plurality of axes, and
(q) a television receiver at said monitor station for receiving video signals generated by said television camera whereby the movement of said manipulator may be viewed along said plurality of axes to permit a person at said television receiver to properly effect remote control of said manipulator,
(r) said cycle initiating means being operable when said manipulator is predeterminately located in its realm of movement for causing said program control means to generate command control signals and to thereby control the operation of said manipulator to execute a programmed cycle of operation.

15 more elements

A tool and article manipulation apparatus comprising:

(a) a manipulator including a carriage adapted for multi-axis free travel movement across a surface,
(b) an upstanding support secured at its lower end to said carriage,
(c) a manipulator arm assembly supported on said upstanding support,
(d) an operating manipulator head supported on said arm assembly for movement with said arm assembly, and a power operated device secured to said operating manipulator head,
(e) a first television camera supported on said upstanding support and operable for scanning an area adjacent said manipulator,
(f) a second television camera supported adjacent said operating manipulator head and movable therewith for scanning at least part of said operating manipulator head and the area immediately adjacent said head,
(g) first power means for propelling said carriage in movement on said surface to permit the manipulator to attain selected positions in its realm of movement,
(h) second power means for operating said arm assembly to cause it to execute various maneuvers in space for selectively positioning and directing said operating manipulator head,
(i) remote control means for selectively remotely controlling operation of said first and second power means to change the position of said carriage and to selectively position said arm assembly and said operating manipulator head.

6 more elements

In a manipulator having a carriage adapted for free travel movement along a surface and reversible first motor means for driving said carriage, an upstanding support supported by said carriage and a manipulation arm assembly supported for movement on said upstanding support, reversible second motor means for driving said arm assembly on said upstanding support and an operating head including a tool supported at the end of said manipulation arm assembly, remote control means for controlling the operation of said first and second motor means and said operating head at a remote location distantly spaced from said manipulator, the improvement comprising:

(a) a first television camera supported at the upper end of said upstanding support and adapted to scan a first image field in front of said manipulator,
(b) a second television camera supported by said manipulation arm assembly and adapted to scan a second image field including said operating head and an article to be operated on by said operating head,
(c) receiving means for the video signals transmitted by said transmitting means including video monitor display means for displaying picture information defined by the first and second image fields scanned by said first and said second television cameras to permit a person operating said remote control means at said remote location to view an area immediately in front of said manipulator, said operating head and an area immediately in front of said operating head and to thereby properly operate said remote control means to selectively control the operation of said manipulator from said remote location.

Tool and material manipulation apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Tool and material manipulation apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims46