Manual Robotic Tool Changer with Rolling Members

• US 20100059943A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Industrial Automation Incorporated (Novanta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Industrial Automation Incorporated (Novanta Inc.)
• Inventors: Potts, Kenneth L., Norton, Daniel Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,724,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 279/72
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/22 Jaws in the form of balls
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/04 with provision for the remote detachment or exchange of the head or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1037 Axially moving actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1041 Wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1045 Internal cone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1074 Rotary actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1091 Ball or roller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/17726 Roller and rocking jaw

Abstract

A manually actuated robotic tool changer comprises master and tool units, each adapted to be connected to a different one of a robotic arm and a robotic tool. The tool changer includes a plurality of rolling members retained in one of the units and a piston mounted in one of the units and moveable in an axial direction. The piston includes a multi-faceted cam surface including an initial contact surface, a locking surface, and a failsafe surface interposed between the initial contact surface and the locking surface. When the piston is in a locked position in the tool changer, the cam surface is operative to contact the rolling members in one of the units and to urge each rolling member against a surface of the other unit to couple the master and tool units together.

Claims

1. A manually actuated robotic tool changer, comprising:

a first unit adapted to be connected to one of a robotic arm or a robotic tool;

a second unit adapted to be connected to the other of the robotic arm or the robotic tool;

a plurality of rolling members retained in one of the units;

a piston mounted in one of the units, the piston moveable along its axis between unlocked and locked positions under manual actuation, the piston having a multi-faceted cam surface including an initial contact surface, a locking surface, and a failsafe surface interposed between the initial contact surface and the locking surface;

wherein, when the piston is in the locked position, the cam surface is operative to contact the rolling members in one of the units and to urge each rolling member against a surface of the other unit to couple the two units together.

2. The tool changer of claim 1 wherein the piston includes a threaded portion, and wherein it is mounted in one of the units through a correspondingly tapped hole.

3. The tool changer of claim 1 wherein the initial contact surface and the locking surface are conical, and inclined with respect to the axis of the piston so as to urge the rolling members radially outward as the piston advances from the unlocked position to the locked position.

4. The tool changer of claim 3 wherein the failsafe surface is not inclined with respect to the axis of the piston in the same direction as the initial contact surface and the locking surface.

5. The tool changer of claim 4 wherein the failsafe surface is cylindrical about the axis of the piston.

6. The tool changer of claim 5 wherein the piston may assume a failsafe position between the locked and unlocked positions wherein the rolling members contact the failsafe surface and wherein the failsafe surface includes a retarding surface thereon operative to at least partially resist the movement of the piston from the failsafe position towards the unlocked position.

7. The tool changer of claim 6 wherein the retarding surface comprises a ridge disposed adjacent the contact surface.

8. The tool changer of claim 4 wherein the failsafe surface is inclined with respect to the axis of the piston in the opposite direction as the initial contact surface and the locking surface.

9. The tool changer of claim 1 wherein the piston comprises a plurality of multi-faceted cam surfaces, each operative to urge a corresponding plurality of rolling members against a surface to couple the first and second units together.

10. The tool changer of claim 1 further comprising a locking mechanism operative to maintain the piston in the locked position.

11. The tool changer of claim 10 wherein the locking mechanism includes a spring-loaded latch operative to physically block the piston from movement towards the unlocked position.

12. A piston for a manually actuated robotic tool coupler comprising two units and including a plurality of rolling members retained in one of the units and a rolling member contact surface on the other unit, the piston comprising:

a threaded portion; and

one or more multi-faceted cam surfaces, each comprising

an initial contact surface operative to contact the rolling members and urge them radially outward as the piston moves axially in a first direction in the tool coupler;

a locking surface operative to press the rolling members against the rolling member contact surface; and

a failsafe surface interposed between the initial contact surface and the locking surface, the failsafe surface operative to retard movement of the piston in a second axial direction opposite the first direction.

13. The piston of claim 12 wherein the initial contact surface and the locking surface are conical, and inclined with respect to the axis of the piston so as to urge the rolling members radially outward as the piston moves in the first axial direction.

14. The piston of claim 13 wherein the failsafe surface is not inclined with respect to the axis of the piston in the same direction as the initial contact surface and the locking surface.

15. The piston of claim 14 wherein the failsafe surface is cylindrical about the axis of the piston.

16. The piston of claim 15 wherein the failsafe surface includes a retarding surface thereon operative to at least partially resist the movement of the piston in the second axial direction.

17. The piston of claim 16 wherein the retarding surface comprises a ridge disposed adjacent the contact surface.

18. The piston of claim 14 wherein the failsafe surface is inclined with respect to the axis of the piston in the opposite direction as the initial contact surface and the locking surface.

19. The piston of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of multi-faceted cam surfaces.