Breakaway tool coupler for robot arm
OwnerRandy L. Irelandinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A breakaway unit for a tool mount of a robotic positioner, the breakaway unit having a magnetic coupler mechanism and a mechanical coupler mechanism for omnidirectional collision contacts of the tool and/or tool mount, the magnetic coupler mechanism having an adjustably positioned magnetizable disk in one coupler component and a fixed position magnet member in the other coupler component and the mechanical coupler mechanism having an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the force of release in the +Z direction of contact by the tool.
Claims15
A breakaway unit for mounting a tool to a robot positioner, the breakaway unit comprising:
- a magnetic coupler mechanism having a first coupler component with means for attaching the breakaway unit to the robot positioner and a second coupler component with means for connecting the breakaway unit to the tool, wherein the coupler mechanism has a magnet member in one of the two coupler components and a magnetizable member in the other of the two coupler components wherein when the two coupler components are coupled, the magnet member and the magnetizable member are proximately positioned and the magnet member magnetically attracts the magnetizable member, wherein the coupler component having the magnetizable member is magnetically held to the coupler member having the magnet member with a holding force dependent on the distance of the magnet member from the magnetizable member, and, the coupler mechanism has a mechanical means for incrementally adjusting the relative distance between the magnetic member and the magnetizable member for adjusting the holding force.
A breakaway unit for mounting a tool to a robot positioner the breakaway unit comprising:
- a magnetic coupler mechanism having a first coupler component with means for attaching the breakaway unit to the robot positioner and a second coupler component with means for connecting the breakaway unit to the tool, wherein the coupler mechanism has a magnet member in one of the two coupler components, and a magnetizable member in the other of the two coupler components and has means for adjusting the relative distance between the magnetic member and the magnetizable member wherein the coupler component having the magnetizable member includes a housing with a recess, the magnetizable member being located in the recess, the adjustment means comprising adjustment screws with first ends projecting from the magnetizable member and contacting the magnetic member when the coupler components are coupled, wherein the magnet member is displaced from the magnetizable member by the adjustment screws.
A breakaway unit for mounting a tool to a robot positioner the breakaway unit comprising:
- first and second coupler mechanisms, wherein the first coupler mechanism has a first coupler component with means for attaching the breakaway unit to the robot positioner and a second coupler component with a tool mount and means cooperating with means on the first coupler component for releasably connecting the second coupler component to the first coupler component with decoupling on a predetermined deflection force on the tool or tool mount;
- and, wherein the second coupler mechanism has a support structure with a mounting bracket displaced from the first coupler mechanism to releasably support the tool mount without interference from the first coupler mechanism and the robot positioner, the mounting bracket having a seating component with at least one pin receiving bushing, wherein the tool mount has a pin bracket with at least one pin insertable in the pin receiving bushing;
- wherein the pin and bushing have an axis capable of being substantially parallel with an axis of the tool, wherein when the pin of the pin bracket is inserted in the bushing of the seating component, the tool mount of the second coupler mechanism decouples from the support structure when the tool or tool mount contacts an object in a direction along the axis of the tool during a compressive contact that tends to force the tool or tool mount into the support structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.