Tool changer
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsTristan E. Lee, David M. Foisy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, method, and apparatus for changing a set of old tools for a set of new tools may be presented. The system may comprise a crawler robot, a robotic arm, a tool changer, a vision system, and at least one of a tool rack or a storage area. The tool changer may be an end effector of the robotic arm. The tool changer may comprise a number of grippers and a number of movement assemblies. The number of grippers may perform at least one of moving a set of new tools to the crawler robot or removing the set of old tools from the crawler robot. The number of movement assemblies may be associated with the number of grippers. The vision system may be associated with at least one of the robotic arm and the tool changer.
Claims28
A system comprising:
- a crawler robot;
- a robotic arm;
- a tool changer that is an end effector of the robotic arm, the tool changer comprising:
- a number of grippers, in which the number of grippers performs at least one of moving a set of new tools to the crawler robot or removing a set of old tools from the crawler robot;
- and
- a number of movement assemblies associated with the number of grippers;
- a vision system associated with at least one of the robotic arm and the tool changer;
- and
- at least one of a tool rack or storage area.
A method of changing a set of old tools for a set of new tools, the method comprising:
- moving a tool changer to a location relative to a crawler robot;
- initiating a frame adjustment routine;
- moving the tool changer to an adjusted frame from the frame adjustment routine;
- determining a location of the crawler robot using the frame adjustment routine and a three-dimensional camera system;
- determining an operating location based on the location of the crawler robot;
- moving the tool changer to the operating location;
- and
- transferring at least one of a set of new tools or a set of old tools between the tool changer and the crawler robot at the operating location.
A tool changer comprising:
- a number of grippers;
- and
- a number of movement assemblies configured to move the number of grippers relative to a crawler robot;
- wherein the number of movement assemblies comprises a rotating section;
- wherein the number of grippers comprises:
- a first set of grippers associated with the rotating section, in which the first set of grippers remove a set of old tools from the crawler robot;
- and
- a second set of grippers associated with the rotating section, in which the second set of grippers inserts a set of new tools into the crawler robot.
A method of changing a set of old tools for a set of new tools, the method comprising:
- taking a set of new tools from a tool rack or storage area using a tool changer;
- moving the set of new tools towards a crawler robot using the tool changer;
- removing the set of old tools from the crawler robot using a first set of grippers associated with a rotating section of the tool changer;
- rotating the rotating section such that a second set of grippers holding the set of new tools are in a position for installing the set of new tools on the crawler robot;
- and
- inserting the set of new tools into the crawler robot using the second set of grippers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.