End arm effector set-up
AssigneeBTM Corporation
InventorStephen E. Sawdon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable end arm effector alignment system and process is provided. The system includes an arm having a working end and an alignment support in a known location relative to said arm. An adjustable end arm effector including at least two alignment members is attached to one of said working end of said arm and said alignment support. A control system is also provided that is operable to move the working end of the arm into a first and a second alignment position, each permitting appropriate adjustment of the adjustable end arm effector with respect thereto.
Claims21
An adjustable end arm effector alignment system comprising:
- an arm having a working end;
- an alignment support in a known location relative to said arm;
- an adjustable end arm effector attached to one of said working end of said arm and said alignment support, said adjustable end arm effector including at least two alignment members;
- at least one cooperating alignment member attached to the other of said working end of said arm and said alignment support, said at least one cooperating alignment member being adapted to cooperate with said at least two alignment members;
- and
- a control system operable to move said working end of said arm into a first alignment position where one of said at least two alignment members cooperates with said at least one cooperating alignment member to identify when said adjustable end arm effector is appropriately adjusted with respect thereto, and operable to subsequently move said working end into a second alignment position where another of said at least two alignment members cooperates with said at least one cooperating alignment member to identify when said adjustable end arm effector is appropriately adjusted with respect thereto.
An adjustable end arm effector alignment system comprising:
- an arm having a working end
- an alignment support in a known location relative to said arm;
- an adjustable end arm effector attached to one of said working end of said arm and said alignment support, the adjustable end arm effector including at least two workpiece interfacing tools each having a workpiece interfacing feature;
- an alignment member attached to the other of said working end of said arm and said alignment support;
- and
- a cooperating alignment member attached to at least one of said at least two workpiece interfacing tools, said cooperating alignment member including a feature other than the workpiece interfacing feature of the workpiece interfacing tool, said feature of said cooperating alignment member being adapted to cooperate with said alignment member, the cooperating alignment member being independently moveable relative to another of said at least two workpiece interfacing tools to enable said alignment member to cooperate with said cooperating alignment member to identify when said adjustable end arm effector is appropriately adjusted with respect thereto.
An adjustable end arm effector alignment system comprising:
- two alignment members each with a mechanical alignment feature attached to said adjustable end arm effector;
- and
- a cooperating alignment member having a cooperating mechanical alignment feature in a known location relative to an adjustable end arm effector, said mechanical alignment features and said cooperating mechanical alignment feature being adapted to provide mechanically cooperating engagement which, when cooperatively engaged, operates to accurately locate the first alignment member in a specific aligned position when the adjustable end arm effector is appropriately adjusted with respect thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.