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US 8,242,730 B2Granted
Automated robot teach tool and method of use
OwnerMichael J. Nichols, Louis J. Guarracinainventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robot teach tool is provided that enables automatic teaching of pick and place positions for a robot. The automated robot teach tool obviates the need for manual operation of the robot during the teaching. The result is an automated process that is much faster, more accurate, more repeatable and less taxing on a robot operator.
Claims29
A robot teach tool, comprising:
- a body assembly with a proximity sensor mounted therein that is releasably mated with a robot end effector;
- a foot assembly coupled to the body assembly, wherein the foot assembly comprises a sensor target mounted therein that is located about the proximity sensor;
- and
- wherein the proximity sensor and the sensor target are configured to detect signals representative of a perturbation as the robot end effector moves the body assembly and foot assembly from a central position within a workpiece receptacle through six degrees of freedom, wherein the signals are used to determine a precise orientation for the robot end effector to pick up and place a workpiece to and from the workpiece receptacle, wherein the signals representative of the perturbation are generated in response to the foot assembly colliding with a horizontal surface or a vertical surface of the workpiece receptacle.
1 more element
A system for automatically teaching a robot a plurality of pick and place positions, comprising:
- a robot teach tool comprising a body assembly with a proximity sensor mounted therein and a foot assembly coupled to the body assembly, wherein the foot assembly comprises a sensor target mounted therein that is located about the proximity sensor, wherein the robot teach tool is separate and distinct from the robot without being physically integrated therewith;
- and
- a robot controller that controls operation of the robot, wherein the robot controller directs a robot end effector to pick up the robot teach tool and move the robot teach tool from a central position within a workpiece receptacle through six degrees of freedom, the robot controller comprising a robot orienter that receives perturbation signals from the proximity sensor as the robot end effector moves the robot teach tool from the central position within the workpiece receptacle through the six degrees of freedom and determines a precise orientation of the plurality of pick and place positions from the perturbation signals, wherein the perturbation signals are generated in response to the foot assembly of the robot teach tool colliding with a horizontal surface or a vertical surface of the workpiece receptacle.
A method for automatically teaching a robot a plurality of pick and place positions for a workstation located about the robot, comprising:
- providing a robot teach tool that is separate and distinct from the robot without being physically integrated therewith;
- directing a robot end effector to pick up the robot teach tool;
- directing the robot end effector to move the robot teach tool towards a workpiece receptacle located at the workstation to a central position and from the central position, to a place position in all six degrees of freedom;
- receiving perturbation signals detected from the teach tool as the robot end effector moves the robot teach tool from the central position with the workpiece receptacle through six degrees of freedom, wherein the perturbation signals are detected in response to the robot teach tool colliding with a horizontal surface or a vertical surface of the workpiece receptacle;
- and
- determining a precise orientation of the plurality of pick and place positions for the workpiece receptacle from the perturbation signals.
3 more elements
A modular robotic system, comprising:
- a plurality of modular robotic workstations;
- a robot that moves material to and from each of the plurality of modular robotic workstations;
- and
- a robot teach tool configured to interact with the plurality of robotic modular workstations and the robot, wherein the robot teach tool facilitates automatic learning of pick and place locations of each of the plurality of modular robotic workstations, where the robot teach tool is separate and distinct from the plurality of modular robotic workstations and the robot without being physically integrated therewith.
1 more element
A method for automatically teaching a plurality of pick and place positions for a modular robotic system having a plurality of modular robotic workstations and a robot that moves material to and from each of the plurality of modular robotic workstations, the method comprising:
- providing a robot teach tool that is separate and distinct from the plurality of modular robotic workstations and the robot without being physically integrated therewith;
- directing the robot to pick up the robot teach tool;
- directing the robot to move the robot teach tool towards a workpiece receptacle located at one of the plurality of modular robotic workstations;
- directing the robot teach tool to a central position within the workpiece receptacle and from the central position, to a place position in all six degrees of freedom;
- receiving perturbation signals detected from the robot teach tool as the robot end moves the robot teach tool from the central position with the workpiece receptacle through six degrees of freedom, wherein the perturbation signals are detected in response to the robot teach tool colliding with a horizontal surface or a vertical surface of the workpiece receptacle;
- and
- determining a precise orientation of the plurality of pick and place positions for the workpiece receptacle from the perturbation signals.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.