Automatic manipulator with reservoir and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automatic, moveable manipulator comprising:
- (a) a carriage;
(b) drive means for moving the carriage in a plurality of directions;
(c) at least one manipulator arm supported by the carriage;
(d) at least one tool supported by the arm;
(e) motor means for moving the arm with the tool;
(f) means supported by the carriage for receiving a wireless transmission of control signals from a remote location;
(g) storage means for storing information defined by the signals received by the receiving means;
(h) means for reproducing the stored signals from the storage means, for processing the reproduced signals to generate command control signals, and for applying the command control signals to control the operation of the manipulator;
(i) a reservoir supported by the carriage; and
(j) an outlet means for receiving materials from the reservoir and applying same to work on which the tool operates.
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Abstract
An automatic, moveable manipulator includes an arm supported on a carriage and holding at least one tool. Both the arm and the carriage can be moved under the control of signals transmitted from a remote location, such as a central controller, which signal is stored in a storage device. The manipulator further supports a reservoir for holding materials that can be used by the tool, for example to apply to the workpieces, such as fluids, fasteners, expendable materials, and the like. An automatic resupply system permits the manipulator to re-fill the reservoir, such as when it is emptied.
54 Citations
47 Claims
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1. An automatic, moveable manipulator comprising:
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(a) a carriage; (b) drive means for moving the carriage in a plurality of directions; (c) at least one manipulator arm supported by the carriage; (d) at least one tool supported by the arm; (e) motor means for moving the arm with the tool; (f) means supported by the carriage for receiving a wireless transmission of control signals from a remote location; (g) storage means for storing information defined by the signals received by the receiving means; (h) means for reproducing the stored signals from the storage means, for processing the reproduced signals to generate command control signals, and for applying the command control signals to control the operation of the manipulator; (i) a reservoir supported by the carriage; and (j) an outlet means for receiving materials from the reservoir and applying same to work on which the tool operates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An automatic manipulator and control system therefor comprising:
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(a) at least one manipulator, including; i) a carriage, ii) drive means for moving the carriage in a plurality of directions along a surface, iii) a manipulator arm assembly supported by the carriage, iv) a tool rack containing a plurality of tools, v) means for removing a selected one of the tools from the tool rack, for connecting the selected tool to the arm assembly, for supporting the selected tool with the arm assembly, for operating the selected tool while it is supported by the arm assembly, and for controllably releasing tools from the arm assembly, vi) motor means for moving the arm assembly through three-dimensional space, vii) means on the manipulator for receiving command signals, viii) means on the manipulator for storing the command control signals, ix) means for reproducing signals from the storage means, for generating the reproduced signals as a sequence of commands, and for applying the commands to control the movement and operation of the manipulator, and x) at least one reservoir and means for transferring material from the reservoir to the work on which the tool operates; (b) a remote computer, including; i) means for storing a plurality of control programs as signals controlling the manipulator to cause it to perform a preselected sequence of operations involving the programmed operation of the drive means, the motor means, and the tool-connecting means, ii) means for selectively reproducing the control programs from the storage means, and iii) means for transmitting trains of signals defining the selected control programs to the receiving means of the manipulator; (c) means for sensing at least one characteristic of the external environment of the manipulator and for generating output signals that vary in accordance with variations in the sensed characteristic; and (d) signal processing means for digitizing the output signal from the sensing means, for computer analyzing the digitized signals, and for using the results of the analysis to modify the operation of the manipulator.
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5. An automatic, moveable manipulator comprising:
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(a) a base; (b) a power drive controllable to move the base in a plurality of directions; (c) at least one manipulator arm coupled to and supported by the base; (d) a tool head coupled to the arm that is configured to hold and operate at least one tool; (e) a motor drive assembly controllable to move the arm to cause the tool head to execute multi-axis travel; and (f) a reservoir supported at least indirectly by the base and configured to contain a quantity of expendable material. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of operating an automatic manipulator having (i) a base, (ii) a power drive controllable to move the base in a plurality of directions, (iii) at least one manipulator arm coupled to and supported by the base, (iv) a tool head coupled to the arm, (v) at least one tool connected to the tool head, (vi) a motor drive assembly controllable to move the arm to cause the tool head to execute multi-axis travel, and (vii) a reservoir supported at least indirectly by the base and holding a quantity of replenishable material, the method comprising:
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(a) generating a plurality of control signals; (b) storing the control signals in a storage device; and (c) causing the tool to perform a selected operation on work by selectively reproducing control signals from the storage device and applying the selected signals to cause; i) the power drive to move the manipulator, ii) the motor drive to move the tool head, iii) the tool head to operate a tool connected thereto, and iv) the tool to use some of the material in the reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification