ROBOT WITH CALIBRATION POSITION

• US 20110132131A1
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Multivac SEPP Haggenmã¼Ller GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Wörz, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 8,899,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/490.05
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1623 Parallel manipulator, Stewart platform, links are attached to a common base and to a common platform, plate which is moved parallel to the base
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/03 Teaching system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20329 Joint between elements

Abstract

A robot according to the present disclosure includes a support structure and at least three main arms mounted to be movable relative to the support structure, wherein the outer ends facing away from the support structure are movable to different spatial positions relative to the support structure and relative to each other. The robot further comprises connecting elements having the same lengths by means of which the outer end of each main arm can be connected at a defined distance from the outer end of the two adjacent main arms. The present disclosure also provides a method of calibrating a robot.

Claims

1. A robot comprising:

a support structure;

at least three main arms mounted to be movable relative to the support structure, the main arms having outer ends facing away from the support structure and being movable in different relative positions relative to the support structure and relative to each other; and

connecting elements having the same length by means of which the outer end of each main arm is connectable with the outer ends of two adjacent main arms at a defined distance.

2. The robot according to claim 1 wherein the main arms are movable manually.

3. The robot according to claim 1 wherein the outer ends of the main arms comprise joints that are interconnectable by means of the connecting elements.

4. The robot according claim 1 wherein the outer ends of the main arms have joints, and the robot includes forearms for connecting the outer ends of the main arms at the joints, and wherein each forearm comprises two forearm bars, the forearm bars comprise the connecting elements, and at least one forearm bar is releasable from the joint of one of the main arms.

5. The robot according to claim 1 wherein the robot is designed as a three-axis delta robot.

6. A method of calibrating a robot with a support structure and at least three main arms mounted to be movable relative to the support structure, the method comprising:

moving outer ends of the main arms facing away from the support structure to a spatial position relative to each other; and

connecting the outer ends of the main arms with connecting elements having the same length such that the outer end of each main arm is connected with the outer end of at least one adjacent main arm.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the connecting step is performed such that each main arm is connected with two adjacent main arms.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the moving step is performed manually.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the outer ends of the main arms comprise joints, and the connecting step is performed such that the joints of adjacent main arms are each connected by means of the connecting elements.

10. The method according to claim 6 wherein the robot includes forearms for connecting the outer ends of the main arms, each forearm comprises two forearm bars, and the forearm bars comprise the connecting elements, and wherein at least one forearm bar is releasable from the outer end of one of the main arms.

11. A robot comprising:

a support structure;

at least three main arms mounted to the support structure such that the main arms are movable relative to the support structure, the main arms having outer ends spaced away from the support structure and being movable in different positions relative to the support structure and relative to each other; and

connecting elements of equal length for connecting the outer end of each main arm with the outer end of at least one adjacent main arm.

12. The robot of claim 11 wherein the connecting elements are located in a common plane when the connecting elements are connected with the outer ends of the main arms.

13. The robot of claim 12 wherein the connecting elements are configured to connect the outer end of each man arm with the outer ends of two adjacent main arms.

14. The robot of claim 13 wherein the connecting elements define an equilateral triangle when the connecting elements are connected with the outer ends of the main arms.

15. The robot of claim 11 further comprising a positioning member, wherein the connecting elements are connectable with the positioning member and the main arms such that movement of the main arms controls position of the positioning member.

16. The robot of claim 15 wherein each connecting element has a first end connected to a one of the main arms, and a second end releasably connectable with the positioning member and releasably connectable with another one of the main arms.