Smart loader apparatus for trunk lid hinge

• US 10,168,686 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Choi, Chanwoo, Seo, Jongchol
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Scott L
• Application Number:
  US15/209,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20170168475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/085 Force or torque sensors B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/086 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/024 Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/026 by using a jig or the like; Positioning of the jig
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/06 the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/35 for point-to-point control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35191 Project workpiece and gripper, control relative movement, store result
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42063 Position and speed and current and force, moment, torque

Abstract

A smart loader apparatus for a trunk lid hinge includes a hinge alignment jig at which a trunk lid hinge is aligned and disposed at a predetermined position, a smart loader of which a transfer gripper for gripping the trunk lid hinge aligned at the hinge alignment jig is disposed at a front end portion, and the smart loader includes an articulated arm for transferring the trunk lid hinge gripped by the transfer gripper to a predetermined position of a vehicle body, a driving portion that drives the transfer gripper and the articulated arm to change a position of the transfer gripper, a force and torque (FT) sensor installed at a portion at which the articulated arm and the transfer gripper are connected, and a controller that controls the driving portion to move the transfer gripper in the direction of the force sensed by the FT sensor.

Claims

1. A smart loader apparatus for a trunk lid hinge, comprising:

a hinge alignment jig at which a trunk lid hinge is aligned and disposed at a predetermined position;

a smart loader of which a transfer gripper for gripping the trunk lid hinge aligned at the hinge alignment jig is disposed at a front end portion, and the smart loader includes an articulated arm for transferring the trunk lid hinge gripped by the transfer gripper to a predetermined position of a vehicle body;

a driving portion that drives the transfer gripper and the articulated arm to change a position of the transfer gripper and allows the transfer gripper to grip or release the trunk lid hinge;

a force and torque (FT) sensor installed at a portion at which the articulated arm and the transfer gripper are connected for sensing a direction of a force applied to the transfer gripper or the trunk lid hinge in an operational standby state of the articulated arm and the transfer gripper; and

a controller that controls the driving portion to move the transfer gripper in the direction of the force sensed by the FT sensor,

wherein the smart loader includes;

a fixed body fixed on a floor;

a vertically moving member disposed to be vertically movable along a rail from one side of the fixed body; and

a gas spring that elastically upwardly supports the vertically moving member through a rod inserted into a gas cylinder in which a gas is filled at a predetermined pressure,

wherein the transfer gripper is rotatably disposed at one end of the articulated arm, and another end of the articulated arm is rotatably disposed at the vertically moving member.

2. The smart loader apparatus for the trunk lid hinge of claim 1, wherein the hinge alignment jig includes:

a moving frame disposed on a fixed frame to be movable along a guide;

a first alignment gripper disposed on the moving frame to grip one side of the trunk lid hinge and a second alignment gripper disposed to grip another side of the trunk lid hinge; and

a first cylinder for operating the first alignment gripper, a second cylinder for operating the second alignment gripper and a third cylinder disposed to move the moving frame along the guide on the fixed frame.

3. The smart loader apparatus for the trunk lid hinge of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity sensor disposed at one side of the articulated arm of the smart loader to sense an object within a predetermined distance region,

wherein the controller controls the driving portion and stops an operation of the driving portion depending on a signal sensed by the proximity sensor.

4. The smart loader apparatus for the trunk lid hinge of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the driving portion in the direction of the force sensed by the FT sensor to correct a position of the transfer gripper through the articulated arm.

5. The smart loader apparatus for the trunk lid hinge of claim 1, wherein the transfer gripper includes:

a gripper body fixed to a front end portion of the articulated arm;

a fixed finger fixed to one side of the gripper body; and

a driving finger combined with the other side of the gripper body through a hinge,

wherein the driving portion includes a gripper cylinder that rotates the driving finger based on the trunk lid hinge on the gripper body such that the fixed finger and the driving finger grip the trunk lid hinge.

6. The smart loader apparatus for the trunk lid hinge of claim 3, wherein a plurality of proximity sensors is arranged at a predetermined interval in a length direction of the articulated arm to sense an object or a worker within a predetermined distance.

7. The smart loader apparatus for the trunk lid hinge of claim 1, wherein the driving portion includes a motor that outputs torque to control a position of the articulated arm,

the controller calculates a difference between an actual rotational position and a theoretical rotational position of the motor and determines whether a collision has occurred depending on a magnitude of the difference, and

when it is determined that the collision has occurred, the controller stops an operation of the driving portion to stop a movement of the articulated arm.

8. The smart loader apparatus for the trunk lid hinge of claim 1, wherein the articulated arm includes:

a first arm connected to the vertically moving member and disposed in a horizontal direction to be rotatable in the horizontal direction; and

a second arm connected to the first arm and disposed in a horizontal direction to be rotatable in the horizontal direction based on the first arm,

wherein the motor and a decelerator are disposed at a portion at which the vertically moving member and the first arm are connected and at a portion at which the first arm and the second arm are connected, and rotational positions of the first and second arms are changed by the motor and the decelerator.

9. A control method of a smart loader apparatus, comprising:

aligning a trunk lid hinge to be assembled at a vehicle body on a hinge alignment jig;

gripping the trunk lid hinge aligned at the hinge alignment jig with a transfer gripper disposed at an end portion of an articulated arm and transferring the trunk lid hinge to a predetermined position of the vehicle body;

sensing a direction of a force applied to the transfer gripper or the trunk lid hinge in an operational standby state of the articulated arm and the transfer gripper with a force and torque (FT) sensor installed between the articulated arm and the transfer gripper; and

correcting a position of the transfer gripper in the direction of the force sensed by the FT sensor,

wherein the smart loader includes;

a fixed body fixed on a floor;

a vertically moving member vertically movable along a rail from one side of the fixed body; and

a gas spring that elastically upwardly supports the vertically moving member through a rod inserted into a gas cylinder in which a gas is filled at a predetermined pressure,

wherein the transfer gripper is rotatably disposed at one end of the articulated arm, and another end of the articulated arm is rotatably disposed at the vertically moving member.

10. The control method of the smart loader apparatus of claim 9, further comprising aligning a position of the trunk lid hinge disposed at the hinge alignment jig with an alignment gripper that grips the trunk lid hinge disposed at the hinge alignment jig and a cylinder moving the alignment gripper.

11. The control method of the smart loader apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

sensing an object or a worker with a proximity sensor disposed at a predetermined position relative to the articulated arm of the smart loader; and

stopping operations of the articulated arm and the transfer gripper when the object or the worker is sensed.

12. The control method of the smart loader apparatus of claim 9, wherein a motor outputting torque for driving the articulated arm is included, and the control method further comprises:

calculating a difference between an actual rotational position and a theoretical rotational position of the motor;

determining whether a collision has occurred depending on a magnitude of the difference; and

stopping a movement of the articulated arm when it is determined that a collision has occurred.