TOOL FOR AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT

• US 20110208353A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: KJELLSSON, Jimmy, Frey, Jan-Erik, Bryne, Giale, Strand, Martin, Scheible, Guntram, Gentzell, Tobias
• Application Number:
  US13/035,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0025 Means for supplying energy to the end effector
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0045 Contactless power transmission, e.g. by magnetic induction
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33203 Wireless transmission of power and data, inductively, rotary transformer

Abstract

A method to control an industrial robot with a tool including at least one actuator. The industrial robot has at least one robot arm with a tool holder arranged on the arm. A contactless power supply is provided to the at least one actuator of the tool. Control signals are transmitted to and/or received from at least one wireless node including a radio communicator arranged on the tool. Radio technology is utilized that works in a high frequency band from 400 MHz and higher with significant interference suppression by spread spectrum technology.

Claims

1. A tool for an industrial robot comprising at least one actuator, said industrial robot having at least one arm with a tool holder arranged on the arm, characterised in that

the tool (1, 301) comprises at least one wireless communication member (21, 321) and a contactless power supply (12, 12′

) for the at least one actuator (4).

2. A tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the power supply (10, 12) includes a power supply member (12) comprising a logic member (16) arranged to provide two or more power supplies (31, 32) of which at least one power supply (32) is separately controllable.

3. A tool according to claim 1, characterised by comprising at least one sensor.

4. A tool according to claim 3, characterised in that the sensor receives power from the contactless power supply.

5. A tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the power supply is based on electromagnetic induction devices.

6. A tool according to claim 5, characterised by comprising one or more coils (11, 311) for induction of a time-varying voltage arranged connected relative a power supply (12).

7. A tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the wireless communication member a radio technology working in a high frequency band from 400 MHz and higher with significant interference suppression means by spread spectrum technology.

8. A tool according to claim 7, characterised in that the radio technology works in frequencies compatible with the ISM band or any other suitable radio band.

9. A tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the or each wireless communication member (21-23, 321-323) of the tool (1, 301) is arranged with means for wireless transmission of data to a control unit of the robot from an actuator and/or sensor arranged with the tool.

10. A tool according to claim 9, characterised in that the or each wireless communication member (321-323) is arranged with means for receiving instructions and/or data for an actuator arranged with the tool from a control unit (325, 325′

) of the robot.

11. A tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the power supply has means (16) for detecting a signal comprised in the power of the power supply.

12. A tool according to claim 11, characterised in that the signal is overlaid on a time varying voltage.

13. A tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the tool comprises a means (61) for locking the tool to the tool holder of the robot.

37. Use of a tool according to any of claims 1-11 for operations with a robot or automation application (1) in an industrial or commercial installation or place of work.

14. A method to control an industrial robot with a control unit (25, 325) and with a tool (1, 301) comprising at least one actuator, said industrial robot having at least one robot arm with a tool holder arranged on the arm, characterised by:

providing a contactless power supply (12, 12′

) to said at least one actuator of said tool (1, 301), and

transmitting and/or receiving control signals to at least one wireless node (21, 321, 321′

-323′

) arranged on said tool.

15. A method according to claim 14, characterised by the control unit (25, 325, 325′

) providing control signals to cause the actions of;

moving the robot arm and arranging the tool in a storage position (66) for present said tool,

releasing a locking member (61) of the tool,

moving the robot arm to a second tool arranged at a second storage position (67),

actuating the locking member.

16. A method according to claim 15, characterised by moving to the next task in the control program of the robot.

17. A method according to claim 16, characterised by stopping and waiting before moving to the next task in the control program of the robot in the event that a common reference value is not acceptable.

18. A method according to claim 15, characterised by moving to a home position of the robot.

19. A method according to claim 14, characterised by providing control signals from the control unit (325, 325′

) dependent on a signal from a wirelessly controlled peripheral device (73) and/or a storage rack (75, 77).

21. A computer program comprising computer code means and/or software code portions for making a computer or processor perform a method according to any of claims 14-19.

22. A computer program product comprising the computer program according to claim 21 comprised in one or more computer readable media.

36. A control system according any previous claim 23-34, characterised by one or more computer programs comprising computer code means and/or software code portions for making a computer or processor perform a method according to any of claims 14-19.

20. A graphical user interface for controlling an industrial robot with a tool (301) comprising at least one actuator, said industrial robot having at least one robot arm with a tool holder arranged on the arm, characterised by a display of a computing device or portable computing device (78) with means for monitoring and/or interacting with a robot tool (1, 301) comprising at least one wireless communication member (21, 321) and a contactless power supply (12).

23. A control system for an industrial robot equipped with a tool (301) comprising at least one actuator, said industrial robot having at least one robot arm with a tool holder arranged on the arm, and a robot control unit (325, 325′

), characterised in that said at least one tool (301) is arranged with a contactless power supply means (12), and a wireless communication member (321) for communication with a control unit (320).

24. A control system according to claim 23, characterised in that the industrial robot is arranged with a wireless power supply means (311) on the robot arm or the tool holder (345).

25. A control system according to claim 24, characterised in that the tool of the industrial robot is arranged with at least one contactlessly powered actuator.

26. A control system according to claim 23, characterised in that the tool of the industrial robot is arranged with at least one sensor arranged for wireless communication with a control unit.

27. A control system according to any of claims claim 23-26, characterised in that the wireless communication to the robot tool may be carried out using a wireless protocol compatible with any standard issued by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), any variation of IEEE-802.11, WiFi, Ultra Wide Band (UWB), ZigBee or IEEE-802.15.4, IEEE-802.13, or equivalent or similar;

WAPI according to GB15629.11-2003 or later. V

28. A control system according to any of claims claim 23-27, characterised by in that the wireless communication to the robot tool is carried out using a broad spectrum wireless protocol in a high frequency band, the ISM band or a band up to 4 GHz or more with significant interference suppression means by spread spectrum technology.

29. A control system according to claim 28, characterised in that a broad spectrum wireless protocol is used for wireless communications in which each or any data packet may be re-sent at other frequencies of the broad spectrum a plurality of times.

30. A control system according any previous claim 23-29, characterised by comprising a wirelessly controlled peripheral device (73).

31. A control system according claim 30, characterised in that the wirelessly controlled peripheral device (73) is equipped with a contactless power supply.

32. A control system according claim 30, characterised in that the wireless peripheral device (73) comprises any device from the list of:

turntable, tool changer, jig, tool.

33. A control system according claim 30, characterised in that the wireless peripheral device (73) comprises any rotating or moveable or transfer device from the list of:

turntable, tool changer, jig, tool.

34. A control system according claim 30, characterised in that at least one of the one or more tool storage members (75, 77) is wirelessly controlled.

35. A control system according any previous claim 23-33, characterised in that a wireless peripheral device (73) and/or a storage member (75, 77) is controlled at least in part by a programmable logic controller.

38. Use of a system according to any of claims 23-35 to control operations with a robot or automation application (1) in an industrial or commercial installation to carry an operation comprising any from the list of:

fitting parts to automobiles, painting, welding, soldering, riveting, gluing, folding plate, bending plate, hemming plate, fettling, cutting, laser cutting, water-jet cutting, gripping an object, manipulating an object, stacking, pick and place, palletising, depalletising.