Six-degree-of-freedom compliancy/breakaway device
US5484219A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 22, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 16, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 22, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T403/32041
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A compliancy joint for a robot has six degrees of compliancy freedom and comprises a housing having an inner ring. A float block is movably disposed in the interior of the housing and a plurality of circumferentially arranged pneumatic cylinders on the housing apply force circumferentially to the float block. Sensors are used to detect when the float block is near its compliancy limit and a controller is operatively connected to the sensors and the cylinders for preventing the float block from reaching its compliancy limit. This joint is able to break away from the robot should the robot exceed the device's compliancy limit, preventing damage to the robot and robot end of arm tooling.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.