METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSISTED OBJECT HANDLING IN DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20090116947A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safe-T-Arm, LLC
• Original Assignee: Safe-T-Arm, LLC
• Inventors: Talpis, Matthew B., Piccioni, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,815,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/732
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0025 handling explosives, bombs or hazardous objects
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/10 with three or more finger members B25J15/0009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/04 involving servo mechanisms servo-actuated heads B25J15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/44 Jib-cranes adapted for attachment to standard vehicles, e.g. agricultural tractors

Abstract

A system for remote object handling including a public safety vehicle having a front portion. An articulated arm has a first end and a second end distinct from the first end, the arm being coupled to the front portion at the first end, and has at least one pivot disposed between the first end and the second end. A gripping element is removably coupled to the second end, wherein the gripping element is one of a pincer device, a hand device having at least three fingers or a shovel. A video camera is also coupled to the second end. An arm control is disposed within the vehicle and is operable to control the operation of the arm, the manipulator and the video camera, and a video interface is coupled to the video camera which is operable to display output from the video camera.

Claims

1. A system for remote object handling comprising:

a vehicle;

an arm coupled to the vehicle;

a manipulator coupled to the arm;

a remote control disposed within the vehicle and operable to control the arm and the manipulator.

2. The system for remote object handling according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator comprises a gripping element.

3. The system for remote object handling according to claim 2, wherein the gripping element is one of a pincer device, a hand device having at least three fingers, a shovel or a magnetic attraction device.

4. The system for remote object handling according to claim 1 and further comprising:

a mounting coupled to a front portion of the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle has an associated retraction opening disposed proximate to the mounting; and

wherein at least a portion of the arm is operable to retract into the retraction opening.

5. The system for remote object handling according to claim 1 and further comprising:

a video camera coupled to the arm and disposed proximate to the manipulator, the video camera being controllable by the remote control; and

a video display communicatively coupled to the video camera and disposed within the vehicle, and operable to display visual data associated with the video camera.

6. The system for remote object handling according to claim 1, wherein the arm comprises a plurality of segments and wherein a pivot is disposed between the segments.

7. The system for remote object handling according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator comprises a munitions dispenser.

8. A system for remote object handling comprising:

a public safety vehicle having a front portion;

an articulated arm having a first end and a second end distinct from the first end, the arm being coupled to the front portion at the first end, and having at least one pivot disposed between the first end and the second end;

a gripping element removably coupled to the second end, wherein the gripping element is one of a pincer device, a hand device having at least three fingers or a shovel;

a video camera coupled to the second end;

an arm control disposed within the vehicle and operable to control the operation of the arm, the gripping element and the video camera; and

a video interface coupled to the video camera and operable to display output from the video camera.