Clamping feet for an end effector

• US 10,201,847 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Oberoi, Harinder S., Findlay, Melissa Ann, Arriaga, Jorge Alberto, Sarh, Branko, Draper, Alan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Jr., Tyrone V
• Application Number:
  US14/559,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/02 Riveting procedures
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/10 Riveting machines electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/142 Aerospace structures
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/28 Control devices specially adapted to riveting machines not restricted to one of the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/32 Devices for inserting or holding rivets in position with or without feeding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/40 for forming rivet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/002 the units stationary whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/00 Indexing scheme relating to the articles being treated, e.g. manufactured, repaired, assembled, connected or other operations covered in the subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/01 Aircraft parts
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/163 Jaws or jaw attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/005 Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/007 Riveting
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1687 Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14368 holes with means for anchoring the injected material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/0081 before shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/026 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/10 : incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/123 : Making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/22 : Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 : Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/70 : by moulding using a particular moulding technique, see the relevant technique , e.g. by injection B29C45/14467
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2715/00 : Condition, form or state of preformed parts, e.g. inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/748 : Machines or parts thereof not otherwise provided for conveyor belts B29L2031/7092; driving belts B29L2031/7094; bearings B29L2031/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/143 : on the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 : Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/8207 : by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/60 : Vehicles using regenerative power
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/145 : the arm forming the axle housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/001 : Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features B60G7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/008 : Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle B60G7/005, B60G7/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/025 : the object being a shop, cafeteria or display the object being a theatre or stagethe object being a workshop B60P3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 : Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/06 : Frames; Stringers; Longerons ; Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/068 : Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/069 : Joining arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 : Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/50 : Handling or transporting aircraft components
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/06 : Solid rivets made in one piece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 : characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45071 : Aircraft, airplane, ship cleaning manipulator, paint stripping
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/12 : using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 : Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 : Tool

Abstract

An attachment for an end effector. The attachment may include a clamp and a foot adhesively bonded to an edge of the clamp and having a set of interlocking features that form a mechanical interlock with the clamp.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an end effector for a robotic device, the end effector comprising;

a cylindrical clamp at a distal end of the end effector, the cylindrical clamp configured to hold a tool within a cavity extending through the cylindrical clamp;

a foot adhesively bonded to an edge of the cylindrical clamp such that the foot is positioned between the edge of the cylindrical clamp and a part when the cylindrical clamp is used to apply a clamping force to the part and having a set of interlocking features that form a mechanical interlock with the cylindrical clamp, wherein the set of interlocking features have a shape configured to increase a cohesive strength of an interface between the cylindrical clamp and the foot; and

wherein the cylindrical clamp is comprised of a first material and the foot is comprised of a second material different from the first material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of interlocking features give the interface between the cylindrical clamp and the foot cohesive strength to resist bending forces.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of interlocking features is a set of projections.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the foot further comprises:

a base portion, wherein the set of interlocking features extend from the base portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein an interlocking feature in the set of interlocking features comprises:

an elongated portion that extends from the base portion of the foot, the elongated portion having opposing parallel sides extending from the base.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the interlocking feature further comprises:

a locking portion located at an end of the elongated portion and having a first width greater than a second width between the sides of the elongated portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the locking portion is a circular portion having a diameter greater than the second width of the elongated portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the elongated portion extends substantially perpendicularly from the base portion into the cylindrical clamp.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical clamp is detachable from the end effector.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the foot comprises a plastic material that acts as a shock absorber when the cylindrical clamp with the foot is placed on the part.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the foot taken along an axis substantially parallel to the edge of the cylindrical clamp has a width that changes along a length of the cross-sectional area.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first material is a metallic material and the second material is a plastic material comprising at least one of a thermosetting plastic or a thermoplastic material.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second material is polyurethane.

14. An attachment for an end effector comprising:

a first element configured to be attached to an end effector for a robotic device, having a substantially cylindrical shape, and having a complementary set of interlocking features along an edge of the first element, wherein the set of interlocking features comprise an elongated portion having parallel sides extending from the edge and a circular locking portion at an end of the elongated portion;

a second element adhesively bonded to the first element at the edge such that the second element is positioned between the edge of the first element and a part when the attachment is used for performing an operation on the part and such that a set of interlocking features of the second element mate with the complementary set of interlocking features of the first element to form a mechanical interlock between the first element and the second element, and

wherein the second element is comprised of a plastic material and the first element is comprised of a metallic material.

15. The attachment of claim 14, wherein the first element and the second element together form a first tool.

16. The attachment of claim 15, wherein the first tool is a clamp.

17. The attachment of claim 15 further comprising:

a second tool integrated with the first tool.

18. The attachment of claim 17, wherein the second tool is a bucking bar.

19. An apparatus comprising:

an end effector for a robotic device, the end effector comprising;

a cylindrical clamp at a distal end of the end effector, the cylindrical clamp configured to hold a tool within a cavity extending through the cylindrical clamp; and

a foot adhesively bonded to an edge of the cylindrical clamp such that the foot is positioned between the edge of the cylindrical clamp and a part when the cylindrical clamp is used to apply a clamping force to the part and having a set of interlocking features that form a mechanical interlock with the cylindrical clamp.