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US 9,250,624 B2Granted
Industrial robot and method for programming an industrial robot
AssigneeKUKA Roboter GmbH
InventorUwe Zimmermann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to an industrial robot and a method for programming an industrial robot, for which the industrial robot is guided manually to a virtual surface (25) in the room, at which point the industrial robot is selected such that it cannot be guided any further manually. Next, that force (F) and/or torque acting on the industrial robot when an attempt is made to guide the industrial robot further manually is ascertained and stored, despite reaching the virtual surface (25).
Claims11
A method of programming an industrial robot having a flange for receiving a tool or object, the method comprising:
- placing the robot in a state wherein the robot flange can be manually guided;
- manually guiding the robot flange to a virtual surface defined in space;
- actuating the robot to resist further manual movement of the flange past the virtual surface once the robot flange has arrived at the virtual surface;
- sensing, with a sensor or a drive mechanism, at least one of a force or a torque acting on the robot when further movement of the flange is attempted after having arrived at the virtual surface;
- and
- storing the sensed force or torque for subsequent recall during operation of the robot.
3 more elements
An industrial robot, comprising:
- a robot arm configured for manual and driven movement;
- a plurality of drives associated with respective axes of said robot arm and operable to actuate said robot arm for movement about said respective axes;
- a flange on said robot arm and adapted to receive a tool or object;
- a control operative to actuate said drives for movement of said robot arm about said respective axes and, when the robot is being manually moved, to actuate said drives to resist further manual movement of the robot when a virtual surface defined in space is reached by said flange;
- and
- at least one device operative to sense at least one of a force or torque acting on the industrial robot when further manual movement of said flange is attempted after having reached the virtual surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.