Method and apparatus for performing work in a three dimensional space
AssigneeApplied Microbotics Corporation
InventorsRobert L. Anderson, James A. Pilarski, Jerry A. Klintz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for moving a workpiece and/or a tool to various locations in a three-dimensional space to perform operations on the workpiece wherein a micro-computer numeric control system is used to provide a multi-axis motion control system using DC electric servo motors, each of which responds to its own control system to operate mechanisms which cooperate to perform the desired operations on the workpiece.
Claims43
A method for controlling the relative movement of a workpiece and a tool in a three dimensional space so as to perform desired operations on the workpiece comprising:
- providing a motor control means for moving at least one of said workpiece and tool in a direction along an x, y or z axis;
- and
- generating a signal by concurrently performing a first set of tasks including foreground tasks, midground tasks and background tasks;
- transmitting said signal to a motor control board;
- generating another signal by said motor control board by concurrently performing a second set of tasks including foreground tasks, midground tasks and background tasks;
- and
- using said another signal to operate said motor control means.
In apparatus for use in moving a movable element in a computer controlled mechanism wherein the movable element is connected to a rotatable member so that rotation of the rotatable member moves the movable element and wherein the rotatable member is rotated by a DC servo electric motor, the improvement comprising:
- means for establishing a relatively high speed drive ratio of between about 2.4 and 3.2 to 1 between said rotatable member and said DC servo electric motor.
Apparatus for controlling the relative movement of a workpiece and a tool in a three-dimensional space so as to perform desired operations on the workpiece comprising:
- means for mounting a workpiece on a work table;
- means for mounting a tool adjacent to said work table;
- means for causing relative movement of one of said workpiece and said tool in a three-dimensional space along a x-axis, a y-axis or a z-axis;
- said means for causing relative movement includes a DC servo electric motor associated with each of said x-axis, y-axis and z-axis;
- a motor control board for each of said DC servo electric motors;
- each of said motor control boards concurrently performing a set of tasks including foreground tasks, midground tasks and background tasks to generate a signal;
- and
- means for transmitting each generated signal to an associated one of said DC servo electric motors.
Apparatus for controlling the relative movement of a workpiece and a tool in a three dimensional space so as to perform desired operations on said workpiece comprising:
- means for mounting a workpiece on a work table;
- means for mounting a tool adjacent to said work table;
- means for causing relative movement of one of said workpiece and said tool in a three-dimensional space along a x-axis, a y-axis or a z-axis;
- said means for causing relative movement includes a DC servo electric motor associated with each of said x-axis, y-axis and z-axis;
- a motor control board for each of said DC servo electric motors;
- each of said motor control boards concurrently performing a set of tasks to generate a signal;
- means for transmitting each generated signal to an associated one of said DC servo electric motors;
- and
- an opto-isolator chip located between each of said motor control boards and each of said DC servo electric motors and through which said signal is transmitted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.