Robot alignment system and method
AssigneeMicrotool, Inc.
InventorsGordon Haggott Beckhart, Patrick Rooney Conarro, Kevin James Harrell, Michael Charles Krause, Kamran Michael Farivar-Sadri
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Abstract
A robot alignment system (10) includes a sensor system (12). The sensor system (12) is designed to attach to an end effector of a robot arm (14). A rough alignment target (16) is attached to a work station. A fine alignment target (22) is placed on a work surface of the work station. The sensor system (12) first determines the rough alignment target (16). The robot arm (14) is then moved to detect the fine alignment target (22).
Claims19
A robot alignment system, comprising:
- a sensor system designed to attach to an end effector of a robot arm;
- a rough alignment target attached to a work station to be sensed by the sensor system;
- and
- a fine alignment target placed on a work surface of the work station to be sensed by the sensor system.
A method of aligning a robot arm, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a rough angle and a rough height associated with the rough alignment;
- (b) identifying a fine alignment target using the non-contact sensor system;
- and
- (c) determining a fine range, a fine angle and a fine height associated with the fine alignment target.
A robot alignment system comprising:
- a non-contact sensor system designed to attach to an end effector of a robot arm;
- a communication system transmitting messages from the non-contact sensor system to a robot controller;
- and
- a target for being sensed by the non-contact sensor system wherein the target includes a rough alignment target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.