# US 8,594,847 B2 · Manipulator, particularly industrial robot, having a redundant sensor arrangement, and method for the control thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,594,847 B2 - Document ID: US8594847B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/738,765 - Filed: 2008-10-17 - Published: 2010-09-16 - Granted: 2013-11-26 - Earliest claimed: 2007-10-20 - Assignees: KUKA Laboratories GmbH - Applicants: Günter Schreiber; Ulrich Hagn - Inventors: Günter Schreiber; Ulrich Hagn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8594847B2 ## CPC - B25J 13/085: {Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence)} - G05B 2219/39319: Force control, force as reference, active compliance - G05B 2219/40582: Force sensor in robot fixture, base - G05B 2219/42318: Using two, more, redundant measurements or scales to detect bad function - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A manipulator for an industrial robot includes a plurality of actuators associated with a plurality of motion axes. An axis sensor is associated with each of the plurality of motion axes. Each axis sensor is configured to determine a single axis value for the corresponding axis of the plurality of motion axes. A redundant sensor arrangement is configured to ascertain an overall manipulator value. A control is configured to balance the overall manipulator value and the single axis values acquired by the axis sensors. A method of controlling the manipulator is also provided. Axis values are acquired by the axis sensors associated with each of the plurality of motion axes. A redundant manipulator value is acquired by the redundant sensor arrangement. The redundant manipulator value and the axis values acquired by the axis sensors are balanced, and a signal corresponding to the result of the balancing is output. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A manipulator for an industrial robot, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each actuator associated with a respective one of a plurality of motion axes; at least one axis sensor associated with each of the plurality of motion axes, the axis sensor configured to determine a single axis value for the corresponding axis of the plurality of motion axes; a redundant sensor arrangement including a plurality of redundant sensors redundant to one another and configured to ascertain an overall manipulator value related to combined forces and/or moments acting on the overall manipulator; and a controller configured to balance the overall manipulator value and the single axis values acquired by the axis sensors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the redundant sensor arrangement ascertains the overall manipulator value by ascertaining a sum value of forces, moments, or combinations thereof acting on the manipulator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the redundant sensor arrangement ascertains the overall manipulator value of all forces, moments, or combinations thereof acting on a particular component of the manipulator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the redundant sensor arrangement is of multiaxial design. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the axis sensors are provided for ascertaining values as individual addends for each axis of the plurality of motion axes separately. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the control is further configured to output a signal corresponding to the result of the balancing. ### Claim 7 An industrial robot, comprising: a stationary robot base; a manipulator supported by the stationary robot base, the manipulator having a plurality of motion axes movably situated thereon, the manipulator including: a plurality of actuators corresponding to the plurality of motion axes; and at least one axis sensor associated with each of the axes of the plurality of motion axes; a multiaxial redundant sensor arrangement including a plurality of redundant sensors redundant to one another; and a robot controller configured to: acquire an axis value by the axis sensor for each of the plurality of motion axes; acquire at least one overall redundant manipulator value by the redundant sensor arrangement that is related to combined forces and/or moments acting on the overall manipulator; balance the overall redundant manipulator value and the axis values acquired by the axis sensors; and output a signal corresponding to the result of the balancing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The industrial robot of claim 7, wherein the redundant sensors are force sensors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The industrial robot of claim 8, wherein the redundant sensor arrangement comprises: three redundant sensors arranged spatially relative to each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The industrial robot of claim 7, wherein the redundant sensors are moment sensors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The industrial robot of claim 7, wherein the redundant sensor arrangement is situated on the stationary robot base. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The industrial robot of claim 7, wherein the axis sensors associated with each of the axes of the plurality of motion axes are designed as sensors selected from a group consisting of force sensors, torque sensors, position sensors, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 A method of controlling a manipulator for an industrial robot, the manipulator including a plurality of motion axes, to each of which at least one axis sensor is associated, the manipulator further including a redundant sensor arrangement, the method comprising: acquiring an axis value by a robot controller from the axis sensor associated with each of the plurality of motion axes, acquiring at least one overall redundant manipulator value by the robot controller from the redundant sensor arrangement that is related to combined forces and/or moments acting on the overall manipulator, wherein the redundant sensor arrangement includes a plurality of redundant sensors redundant to one another, balancing, by the robot controller, the overall redundant manipulator value and the axis values acquired by the axis sensors, and outputting, by the robot controller, a signal corresponding to the result of the balancing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein balancing comprises: determining a redundant axis value from the overall redundant manipulator value, and comparing the redundant axis value with an axis value of the axis values acquired by the axis sensors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein balancing comprises: calculating a manipulator sum value from the axis values acquired by the axis sensors, and comparing the manipulator sum value with the overall redundant manipulator value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein balancing comprises: comparing a stored desired value with a respective acquired axis value of the axis values acquired by the axis sensors and the acquired overall redundant manipulator value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein balancing comprises: comparing a stored desired redundant sensor value with a respective acquired axis value of the axis values acquired by the axis sensors and the acquired overall redundant manipulator value.