End effector for robotic equipment

A robotic component insertion system for handling electrical components having a component body and at least one lead depending therefrom, comprising:

• a component pick-up station adapted to provide a component at a predetermined location in relation to its component leads;
• a programmable robot comprising a robot controller, a robot arm and an end effector coupled to said arm, the controller comprising means for controlling the robot arm and end effector through a predetermined sequence of movements to sequentially grip the body of a component at said pick-up station and insert the leads of said component into predetermined openings formed in a circuit board;
• wherein said end effector comprises:
• a component gripping mechanism comprising first and second jaw members for gripping the body of an electrical component;
• an actuating means for opening and closing the jaw members relative to said component body;
• means activated during a complying state for permitting linear and rotational movement of the gripping mechanism relative to a predetermined portion of said robot along or about each of the three orthogonal axes of an X, Y, Z coordinate system within an operating range of movement, said means comprising means for permitting said gripping mechanism to move along or about each of said three orthogonal axes during said complying state in response to reaction forces exerted on said gripping mechanism as said jaw members are closed relative to the body of a component whose position is constrained, from the initial position of the gripping mechanism relative to said robot to any adapted position relative to said robot within said operating range;
• and
• fixing means activated following said complying state while said jaw members are closed on said component and said leads are constrained at said station for fixing the position of said component gripping mechanism relative to said robot at said adapted position within said operating range.

An end effector device for robotic equipment, comprising:

• gripping mechanism comprising first and second grip jaw members and an actuating means for opening and closing the gripping mechanism;
• compliance means for coupling said gripping means to said robotic equipment, comprising first and second compliance mechanisms coupled together by connecting link means, said first mechanism connected to said robotic apparatus and said second mechanism connected to said gripping mechanism, said compliance means further adapted for operation in first and second states, wherein, in the first state, said gripping mechanism is freely moveable through predetermined ranges of movement with respect to said robotic apparatus, and said second state wherein the location of said gripping means is substantially fixed with respect to said robotic apparatus;
• and
• wherein said first compliance mechanism includes a first split ball and socket assembly comprising:
• a first socket member fixedly coupled to said robotic apparatus;
• a floating socket member coupled to said first socket member, said first and floating socket members cooperatively arranged to define a split socket cavity;
• first and second split ball members adapted for disposition in said socket cavity, one on either side of said connecting link;
• and
• first actuating means for exerting compression forces on said socket members so as to substantially fix the location of said connecting link in relation to said first compliance mechanism.

A robotic component insertion system comprising:

• programmable robot comprising a robot controller, a robot arm and an end effector coupled thereto, the controller adapted to control the robot arm and end effector through a predetermined sequence of movements to sequentially pick up and insert components in a printed circuit board;
• component pick up station adapted to provide a component at a predetermined location in relation to its component leads;
• and
• end effector means attached to said robot arm, comprising:
• (i) gripping means actuated by control signals from said controller for gripping said component, said gripping means comprising a fixed first jaw member, a movable second jaw member and a pneumatic means adapted to move said second jaw member in relation to said first jaw member, said pneumatic means including a compound piston assembly having first and second piston members coupled to a piston rod disposed in a cylinder, said second jaw being carried by said rod, and wherein said second piston is slidably mounted on said rod in relation to said first piston, with a spring means biasing the second piston in an expanded position in relation to said first piston, said gripping means adapted such that said jaw members are urged into a clamp position by actuating said pneumatic means whereby said compound piston assembly is urged into a compressed position, and whereby upon release of said pneumatic means, said spring member urges said compound piston assembly into said expanded position, whereby said piston is moved through an expansion stroke;
• (ii) compliance means for coupling said gripping means to said robot arm, said compliance means selectively operable in a first state wherein the location of said gripping means is movable throughout a predetermined range of movement with respect to said robot arm and in a second state wherein the lateral location of said gripping mechanism is substantially fixed with respect to said robot arm,
• wherein said system is adapted to release said component at a predetermined inserted position by opening the jaw members an incremental distance.

An end effector for use in combination with a robot circuit board insertion of the leads of electrical components characterized by a component body and at least one depending component lead, comprising:

• a component gripping mechanism coupled to said robot for gripping said component body, said mechanism comprising first and second jaw members;
• an actuating means for opening and closing the jaw members relative to the body of an electrical component;
• means activated during a complying state for permitting linear and rotational movement of the gripping mechanism relative to a predetermined portion of said robot along or about each of the three orthogonal axes of an X, Y, Z coordinate system within an operating range of movement, said means comprising means for permitting said gripping mechanism to move along or about each of said orthogonal axes during said complying state in response to reaction forces exerted on said gripping mechanism as said jaw members are closed relative to the body of a component whose position is constrained, from the initial position of the gripping mechanism relative to said robot to any adapted position relative to said robot within said operating range;
• and
• fixing means activated following said complying state for fixing the position of said component gripping mechanism relative to said robot at said adapted position at least with respect to rotation about said orthogonal axes and linear translation with respect to two of said orthogonal axes.

A robotic component insertion apparatus for insertion of electrical components having randomly varying body and body-to-lead relationships into circuit boards, comprising:

• a component pick up station adapted to provide a component at a predetermined location in relation to its component leads;
• a programmable robot comprising a robot controller, a robot arm and an end effector coupled thereto, the controller comprising means for controlling the robot arm and end effector to sequentially pick up components at said pick up station and insert them into a circuit board at predetermined locations therein, said means utilizing said predetermined location as a reference to establish the component lead location in relation to the robot arm;
• and
• wherein said end effector comprises means for gripping components with randomly varying body or body-to-lead relationships while maintaining a component lead-to-robot arm relationship, comprising:
• a component gripping mechanism controlled by said robot controller and comprising first and second jaw members;
• an actuating means for opening and closing the jaw members relative to the body of an electrical component;
• means activated during a complying state for permitting linear and rotational movement of the gripping mechanism relative to a predetermined portion of said robot along or about each of the three orthogonal axes of an X, Y, Z coordinate system within an operating range of movement, said means comprising means for permitting said gripping mechanism to move freely along or about each of said orthogonal axes during said complying state in response to reaction forces exerted on said gripping mechanism as said jaw members are closed relative to the body of a component whose position is constrained, from the initial position of the gripping mechanism relative to said robot to any adapted position relative to said robot portion within said operating range;
• and
• fixing means activated following said complying state for fixing the position of said component gripping mechanism relative to said robot portion at said adapted position at least with respect to rotation about said orthogonal axes and linear translation with respect to two of said orthogonal axes.

A robotic component insertion apparatus for insertion of electrical components having randomly varying body and body-to-lead relationships into circuit boards, comprising:

• a component pick up station adapted to provide a component at a predetermined location in relation to its component leads;
• a programmable robot comprising a robot controller, a robot arm and an end effector coupled thereto, the controller comprising means for controlling the robot arm and end effector to sequentially pick up components at said pick up station and insert them into a circuit board at predetermined locations therein, said means utilizing said predetermined location as a reference to establish the component lead location in relation to the robot arm;
• said pick-up station comprising a lead clamping device controlled by said robot controller and wherein said predetermined position is defined by the location of the leads of the component when clamped by the lead clamping device;
• and
• wherein said end effector comprises means for gripping components with randomly varying body or body-to-lead relationships while maintaining a component lead-to-robot arm relationship, comprising:
• a component gripping mechanism controlled by said robot controller and comprising first and second jaw members;
• an actuating means for opening and closing the jaw members relative to the body of an electrical component;
• means activated during a complying state for permitting linear and rotational movement of the gripping mechanism relative to a predetermined portion of said robot with respect to each of the three orthogonal axes of an X, Y, Z coordinate system within an operating range of movement, said means comprising means for permitting said gripping mechanism to move during said complying state in response to reaction forces exerted on said gripping mechanism as said jaw members are closed relative to the body of a component whose postition is constrained, from the initial position of the gripping mechanism relative to said robot to any adapted position relative to said robot portion within said operating range;
• and
• fixing means activated following said complying state for fixing the position of said component gripping mechanism relative to said robot portion at said adapted position at least with respect to rotation about said orthogonal axes and linear translation with respect to two of said orthogonal axes.

A method for robot insertion of components having randomly variable body and body-to-lead configurations at a predetermined hole pattern in a circuit board, comprising a sequence of the following steps:

• (i) providing a component at a pick up station and clamping its leads so that the lead position is established at a predetermined reference location and the component body is stationary;
• (ii) providing a robot having a robot arm with a component gripping mechanism for gripping the component body comprising first and second jaw members coupled to said robot arm by an adaptive compliance mechanism which allows the gripping mechanism to move in a first state freely throughout an operating range in relation to the robot arm which includes linear translation and rotational movement relative to each of the X, Y and Z axes in a three dimensinal space, and which fixes the relative location of the gripping means with respect to at least said rotational movement and said linear movement along two of the three axes in a second state;
• (iii) with the gripping mechanism opened and the compliance mechanism in the first state, positioning the gripping mechanism over the component at the pick up station;
• (iv) with the robot arm held stationary, gripping the body of the component by the gripping mechanism at the pick up station with the compliance mechanism in the first state so that the gripping mechanism assumes a clamping equilibrium position within said operating range at which substantially no preloading force is applied to the component leads when clamped at the pick up station;
• (v) actuating the compliance mechanism to the second state to fix the component lead-to-robot arm relationship existing with the component lead at said reference position and said gripping mechanism at said equilibrium position;
• (vi) releasing the component leads at the pick up station;
• (vii) moving the robot arm to a circuit board and inserting the component leads at said hole pattern location on said board;
• and
• (viii) releasing the gripping mechanism and withdrawing the arm.

An end effector for use in combination with a robot for circuit board insertion of the leads of electrical components characterized by a component body and at least one depending component lead, comprising:

• a component gripping mechanism coupled to said robot for gripping said component body, said mechanism comprising first and second jaw members;
• an actuating means for opening and closing the jaw members relative to the body of an electrical component;
• means activated during a complying state for permitting linear and rotational movement of the gripping mechanism relative to a predetermined portion of said robot with respect to each of the three orthogonal axes of an X, Y, Z coordinate system within an operating range of movement, said means comprising means for permitting said gripping mechanism to move during said complying state in response to reaction forces exerted on said gripping mechanism as said jaw members are closed relative to the body of a component whose position is constrained, from the initial position of the gripping mechanism relative to said robot to any adapted position relative to said robot within said operating range, said means for permitting said gripping mechanism to move comprising:
• (i) a first compliance means for allowing the location of said gripping mechanism to rotate in an operating range about a first point fixed in relation to said robot:
• (ii) a second compliance means for allowing the location of said gripping mechanism to rotate freely about a second point fixed in relation to said gripping mechanism and displaced from said first point;
• and
• (iii) means connecting said first and second compliance means for allowing said first compliance means and said second compliance means to translate relative to each other;
• and
• fixing means activated following said complying state for fixing the position of said component gripping mechanism relative to said robot at said adapted position at least with respect to rotation about said orthogonal axes and linear translation with respect to two of said orthogonal axes.

A robotic component insertion system for handling electrical components having a component body and at least one lead depending therefrom, comprising:

• a component pick-up station for providing electrical components at a predetermined location in relation to the component leads;
• a programmable robot comprising a robot controller, a positionable robot arm and an end effector coupled thereto, the controller comprising means for directing the robot arm and end effector to sequentially pick up components at said pick-up station and insert them into a circuit board at predetermined locations therein, said robot comprising means for using said predetermined location of said leads as a reference to establish the component lead location in relation to the robot arm;
• and
• wherein said end effector comprises means for gripping the body of said component at said pick-up station and thereafter maintaining a component lead-to-robot arm relationship, said end effector comprising:
• a component body gripping mechanism comprising first and second jaw members, an actuating mechanism for opening and closing the jaw members relative to such component body, and a structural member carrying said jaw members;
• means for coupling said gripping mechanism to said robot arm, comprising:
• a connecting link member having a first end and a second end;
• a first compliance mechanism connected to said robot arm and coupled to said first end of said connecting link, said mechanism comprising means activated during a first state for permitting rotation of said link member about a first compliance point relative to said robot arm and means activated during a second state for fixing the position of said connecting link to prevent said rotation;
• a second compliance mechanism connected to said structural member carrying said jaw members and coupled to said second end of said connecting link, said mechanism comprising means activated during said first state for permitting rotation of said link member about a second compliance point relative to said structural member and means activated during said second state for fixing the position of said connecting link member to prevent said rotation;
• said connecting link and said first and second compliance mechanism further comprising means permitting translational movement between said robot arm and said structural member during said first state.

An end effector for use in combination with a robot for circuit board insertion of the leads of electrical components characterized by a component body and at least one depending component lead, comprising:

• a component gripping mechanism coupled to said robot for gripping said component body, said mechanism comprising first and second jaw members;
• an actuating means for opening and closing the jaw members relative to the body of an electrical component;
• first compliance means coupled to the robot for controllably allowing incremental rotation about a first compliance point and being selectively lockable to prevent said incremental rotation;
• second compliance means coupled to said first compliance means by a connecting link member and to said gripping mechanism for controllably allowing incremental rotation about a second compliance point and being lockable to prevent said incremental rotation;
• said first and second compliance means being capable of linear relative translation and cooperating to selectively provide linear and rotational movement of said gripping mechanism relative to each of the three orthogonal axes of a three dimensional space, and to selectively prevent rotation of said gripping mechanism relative to said robot.

A robotic component insertion system for handling electrical components having a component body and at least one lead depending therefrom, comprising:

• a component pick-up station for providing electrical components at a predetermined location in relation to the component leads;
• a programmable robot comprising a robot controller, a positionable robot arm and an end effector coupled thereto, the controller comprising means for directing the robot arm and end effector to sequentially pick up components at said pick-up station and insert them into a circuit board at predetermined locations therein, said robot comprising means for using said predetermined location of said leads as a reference to establish the component lead location in relation to the robot arm;
• and
• wherein said end effector comprises means for gripping the body of said component at said pick-up station and thereafter maintaining a component lead-to-robot arm relationship, said end effector comprising:
• a component body gripping mechanism comprising first and second jaw members, an actuating mechanism for opening and closing the jaw members relative to such component body, and a structural member carrying said jaw members;
• means for coupling said gripping mechanism to said robot arm, comprising:
• a connecting link member having a first end and a second end;
• a first compliance mechanism connected to said robot arm and coupled to said first end of said connecting link, said mechanism comprising means activated during a first state for permitting rotation of said link member about a first compliance point relative to said robot arm and means activated during a second state for fixing the position of said connecting link to prevent said rotation;
• a second compliance mechanism connected to said structural member carrying said jaw members and coupled to said second end of said connecting link, said mechanism comprising means activated during said first state for permitting rotation of said link member about a second compliance point relative to said structural member and means activated during said second state for fixing the position of said connecting link member to prevent said rotation;
• and
• means for permitting translational movement between said robot arm and said structural member during said first state.