Robot for guiding movements and control method thereof
First Claim
1. A manually powered robot comprising:
- movement sensors associated respectively to degrees of freedom of the robot, each degree of freedom having first and second directions;
a tool fixed to an arm of the robot, said tool being exclusively moved by an operator;
a computer for storing a path, calculating the position of said tool from the information given by the sensors, and providing for each degree of movement a control signal having four possible values as a function of the position of the tool relative to said path;
a movement control device associated to each degree of freedom for;
allowing total freedom of movement about the degree of freedom if the associated control signal has a first value;
allowing movement in only the first direction of the degree of freedom if the associated control signal has a second value;
allowing movement in only the second direction of the degree of freedom if the control signal has a third value; and
allowing no movement along the degree of freedom if the control signal has a fourth value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A robot for guiding movements has its power provided by an operator who handles a tool integral with the robot. Like a conventional robot, the guiding robot has several axes respectively associated with rotation sensors that are connected to a computer system memorizing a path to be followed. When the operator moves the tool beyond the stored path, blocking devices, controlled by the computer system and replacing the robot'"'"'s motors, prevent the tool from continuing to depart from the path. Thus, at any time, the operator can move the tool within the stored path only. The blocking devices are passive, that is, they are such that they can only resist to a movement but cannot generate a movement, which prevents the occurrence of any uncontrolled movement.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A manually powered robot comprising:
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movement sensors associated respectively to degrees of freedom of the robot, each degree of freedom having first and second directions; a tool fixed to an arm of the robot, said tool being exclusively moved by an operator; a computer for storing a path, calculating the position of said tool from the information given by the sensors, and providing for each degree of movement a control signal having four possible values as a function of the position of the tool relative to said path; a movement control device associated to each degree of freedom for; allowing total freedom of movement about the degree of freedom if the associated control signal has a first value; allowing movement in only the first direction of the degree of freedom if the associated control signal has a second value; allowing movement in only the second direction of the degree of freedom if the control signal has a third value; and allowing no movement along the degree of freedom if the control signal has a fourth value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for controlling a robot with an arm having several degrees of freedom associated with respective movement sensors and having a tool fixed to said arm, comprising the following steps:
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storing a path to be followed by the tool in a computer system; moving the tool, wherein said movement is manually performed by an operator; calculating the current position of the tool and determining as a function of this position a preferential direction, corresponding to said path, to be followed by the tool; and authorizing a movement about each degree of freedom of the robot only in a direction allowing the operator to move the tool in the preferential direction. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification