Safety coupling device for robotic tooling
AssigneeProcess Equipment Company
InventorsHarold E. Knasel, David A. Grigsby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupling device includes a first support member which is connected to the arm of a robot and which supports a second support member for universal tilting and axial movement from an aligned normal position. The second support member supports robotic tooling, and a set of springs and ball members bias the support members to the normal position. An electrical control circuit is effective to stop movement of the robot arm in response to minute tilting or axial movement of the second support member in the event the tooling or article carried by the tooling is accidentally hit or overloaded.
Claims16
A device adapted for connecting a first element to a second element, comprising a first support member, means for rigidly securing said first support member to the first element, a second support member, means for rigidly securing said second support member to the second element, means connecting said first and second support members and providing for relative universal tilting movement between said first and second support members from a normal position where said first support member is in predetermined relation to said second support member, said connecting means including a plurality of pins spaced angularly about an axis and secured to one of said support members, a corresponding plurality of ball members slidably mounted on said pins, the other said support member having a corresponding plurality of slots each receiving one of said ball members for relative movement along a linear path, and means for biasing said first and second support members toward said normal position.
A device adapted for connecting a first element to a second element, comprising a first support member, means for rigidly securing said first support member to the first element, a second support member, means for rigidly securing said second support member to the second element, means connecting said first and second support members and providing for relative universal tilting and axial movement between said first and second support members from a normal position where said first support member is in predetermined relation to said second support member, said connecting means further preventing relative rotation between said first and second support members while providing for said tilting movement, means forming a positive stop at said normal position, and means for biasing said first and second support members toward said normal position.
A device adapted for connecting a first element to a second element, comprising a first support member, means for rigidly securing said first support member to the first element, a second support member, means for rigidly securing said second support member to the second element, means connecting said first and second support members and providing for relative universal tilting movement between said first and second support members from a normal position where said first support member is in predetermined relation to said second support member, means for biasing said first and second support members toward said normal position, said connecting means including a set of relative moveable electrically conductive balls, an electrical circuit having means for electrically connecting said balls in series, and said circuit opens by movement of at least one of said balls in response to said tilting movement of said support members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.