Machine for aligning items in a pattern and a method of use

A machine for aligning items in a pattern comprising:

• a) a robotic assembly having at least five spaced apart joints, said joints including a base joint, a shoulder joint, an elbow joint, a first wrist joint and a second wrist joint, said base joint being mounted to a stationary object and said second wrist joint capable of being spaced farthest away from said stationary object, and each of said joints having 360° of rotational motion;
• b) an effector having a first surface and an oppositely aligned second surface, said first surface being removable secured to said second wrist joint, said effector having a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, and said first side is perpendicularly aligned to said second side;
• c) at least one suction cup mounted on said second surface of said effector, said suction cup being connected to a vacuum source, said suction cup capable to picking up, positioning and releasing a new item relative to an X-X axis of a first laid item and a Y-Y axis of a second laid item, and each of said first and second laid items having an upper surface and each being aligned perpendicular to one another;
• d) first, second and third edge sensors, at least one of said three edge sensors secured to said first side of said effector and capable of detecting an edge aligned along an X-X axis of said first laid item, and at least one of said three edge sensors secured to said second side of said effector and capable of detecting an edge aligned along a Y-Y axis of said second laid item;
• e) first, second and third height sensors, at least one of said three height sensors secured to said first side of said effector and capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said first laid item, and at least one of said three height sensors secured to said second side of said effector and capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said second laid item;
• f) a control mechanism for operating said robotic assembly, said vacuum source and said edge and height sensors;
• and
• g) a power source for supplying power to said control mechanism.

A method of using a machine for aligning items in a pattern having a robotic assembly having four spaced apart joints, said joints including a base joint, a shoulder joint, an elbow joint and a wrist joint, said base joint being mounted to a stationary object and said wrist joint capable of being spaced farthest away from said stationary object, said stationary object having a planar surface on which a frame can be positioned, and each of said joints having 360° of rotational motion;

• an effector having a first surface and an oppositely aligned second surface, said first surface being removably secured to said wrist joint, said effector having a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, and said first side is perpendicularly aligned to said second side;
• a suction cup mounted on said second surface of said effector which is connected to a vacuum source, said suction cup capable to picking up, positioning and releasing a to be installed item relative to a first laid item and a second laid item, each of said first and second laid items having an upper surface and each being aligned perpendicular to one another;
• first, second and third edge sensors, at least one of said three edge sensors is secured to said first side of said effector and is capable of detecting an edge aligned along an X-X axis of said first laid item, and at least one of said three edge sensors is secured to said second side of said effector and is capable of detecting an edge aligned along a Y-Y axis of said second laid item;
• first, second and third height sensors, at least one of said three height sensors is secured to said first side of said effector and is capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said first laid item, and at least one of said three height sensors is secured to said second side of said effector and is capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said second laid item;
• a control mechanism for operating said robotic assembly, said vacuum source and said edge and height sensors;
• and a power source for supplying power to said control mechanism, said method comprising the steps of:
• a) positioning a frame on said planar surface of said stationary object, said frame having a bottom member with an interior surface to which a bonding material is applied;
• b) manually laying a first item on said bonding material and a second item perpendicular to said first item, and said first laid item being offset from said second laid item;
• c) positioning said first side of said effector within a predetermined distance of said X-X axis of said first laid item and said second side of said effector within a predetermined distance of said Y-Y axis of said second laid item;
• d) using said control mechanism to move said robotic assembly such that said suction cup is positioned above a to be installed item and activating said vacuum source to lift said item and move it into position adjacent said X-X axis of said first laid item and said Y-Y axis of said second laid item using data generated by said first, second and third edge sensors and by said first, second and third height sensors;
• e) applying a pre-calculated force against said to be installed item to set it in said bonding material at an appropriate height relative to said first and second laid items;
• and
• f) repeating steps d and e to lay additional items.