Vehicle e-coat drain plug insertion tool

• US 10,639,796 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc America Corporation (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc America Corporation (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Turner, Richard William
• Primary Examiner(s): Cozart, Jermie E
• Application Number:
  US15/802,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20190134817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/02 for connecting objects by press fit or for detaching same B23P19/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/007 Riveting
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/08 by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0019 End effectors other than grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0441 having vacuum or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0491 comprising end-effector racks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0608 with magnetic holding means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1687 Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/24 Superstructure sub-units with access or drainage openings having movable or removable closures; Sealing means thereforinlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/02 Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4978 Assisting assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53478 with magazine supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53483 and magnetic work-holder or positioner

Abstract

Methods and systems for installing a plug into an aperture of an article are provided, such as drain hole in an electrocoated vehicle floor pan. A robot system used herein includes a robot and a tool, where the tool includes a plug reservoir, a sensor, and an actuator. The sensor is configured to detect the aperture of the article and the actuator is configured to place one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the aperture. The robot system can include a tool change nest, where the plug reservoir can be received with the tool change nest and the removed from a remainder of the tool. Quick change of plug reservoirs using the present technology improves operation speed and use of one or more tool change nests can reload and/or reconfigure the robot system for plugging various apertures with minimized input or interaction.

Claims

1. A robot system for installing a plug into an aperture of an article, the robot system comprising:

a robot; and

a tool including;

a plug reservoir reversibly coupled to the tool and configured to hold a plurality of plugs;

a sensor configured to detect the aperture of the article; and

an actuator configured to place one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the aperture.

2. The robot system of claim 1, further comprising a counter configured to ascertain a number of plugs in the plug reservoir.

3. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor.

4. The robot system of claim 3, wherein the image sensor is configured to differentiate between an unplugged aperture and a plugged aperture.

5. The robot system of claim 3, further comprising a light configured to operate with the image sensor to differentiate between an unplugged aperture and a plugged aperture.

6. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a pneumatic actuator.

7. The robot system of claim 1, further comprising a tool change nest, wherein the plug reservoir is configured to be reversibly received by the tool change nest.

8. The robot system of claim 7, wherein the plug reservoir is configured to be decoupled from the tool and remain received by the tool change nest.

9. The robot system of claim 7, wherein the plug reservoir is reversibly coupled to the tool by a magnetic force.

10. A method of installing a plug into an aperture of an article, the method comprising:

providing a robot system comprising;

a robot; and

a tool including;

a plug reservoir reversibly coupled to the tool and including a plurality of plugs;

a sensor configured to detect the aperture of the article; and

an actuator configured to place one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the aperture of the article;

locating the aperture of the article; and

placing one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the aperture of the article using the actuator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor and the image sensor is configured to differentiate between an unplugged aperture and a plugged aperture, the method further comprising:

determining whether the aperture is one of an unplugged aperture and a plugged aperture; and

placing another one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the aperture of the article using the actuator when the aperture is an unplugged aperture.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

locating another aperture of the article; and

placing another one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the another aperture of the article using the actuator.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the robot system further comprises a tool change nest, and the plug reservoir is reversibly receivable by the tool change nest, the method further comprising:

receiving the plug reservoir with the tool change nest; and

decoupling the plug reservoir from the tool, wherein the plug reservoir remains received by the tool change nest.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling another plug reservoir to the tool.

15. A method of configuring a tool for installing a plug into an aperture of an article, the method comprising:

providing a robot system comprising;

a robot;

a tool including;

a plug reservoir;

a sensor configured to detect the aperture of the article; and

an actuator configured to place one of the plugs from the plug reservoir into the aperture of the article;

and

a tool change nest;

receiving the plug reservoir with the tool change nest; and

removing the plug reservoir from the tool.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising coupling another plug reservoir to the tool.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the another plug reservoir is received by another tool change nest.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising removing the another plug reservoir from the another tool change nest, wherein the another plug reservoir includes a plurality of plugs.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

locating the aperture of the article; and

placing one of the plugs from the another plug reservoir into the aperture of the article using the actuator.