Free-traveling manipulator with powered tools

• US 5,672,044 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1974
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenza, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US08/480,113
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 414/4, 414/730, 414/744.3, 414/744.6, 414/744.8, 901/1, 901/9, 901/17, 901/22, 901/28, 901/29, 901/32, 901/41
• US Class Current: 414/744.3
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/02 Hand grip control means handles or pedals for crane control B66C13/56; for measuring the force applied to control members G01L5/22; hand-held casings for switching devices, e.g. joy-sticks H01H9/0214
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/04 with provision for the remote detachment or exchange of the head or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/04 involving servo mechanisms servo-actuated heads B25J15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/00 Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom, or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory of swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib-cranes, derricks, tower cranes base supporting structures with legs B65C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39 Robotics, robotics to robotics hand
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40 Robotics, robotics mapping to robotics vision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45 Nc applications

Abstract

An automatic, controlled manipulator includes a power supply controlling motion of a tool head and providing power to a removeable powered tool supported at the end of the arm. The manipulator may be moveable in multiple or all directions. A storage for remotely generated control signals can be accessed to control motors causing 3D motion of the tool head, attachment of the tool, and (if applicable) motion of the manipulator, and also to control power to operate the tool.

Claims

1. An automatic, moveable manipulator comprising:

(a) a carriage;

(b) a power drive coupled to said carriage and positioned to move the carriage in a multitude of directions, comprising two moving members oriented parallel to each other, which may be driven simultaneously and independently in the same or different directions;

(c) at least one manipulator arm supported by said carriage, wherein said arm includes a tool holder having an engagement-release mechanism configured to support one of a plurality of tools on said arm and an electrical coupling through said arm including a power line extending to the selected, supported one of the tools;

(d) a motor drive coupled to the arm so as to move said arm with said tool holder;

(e) a tool rack containing a plurality of power-operated tools configured to be electrically and physically connected to said tool holder of said manipulator arm;

(f) a wireless receiver supported by said carriage;

(g) an electronic storage device supported by said carriage and structured to store signals received from a remote location by said receiver; and

(h) a controller coupled to reproduce the stored signals from said storage and structured to process the reproduced signals to generate command control signals and to apply said command control signals to control the operation of the manipulator.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said motor drive includes a plurality of motors coupled to move said arm and said tool holder in multi-axis movement through three-dimensional space.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a sensor supported by said manipulator and structured to sense at least one characteristic of the external environment of said manipulator and to generate a sensing signal that varies in accordance with said sensed characteristic.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said sensor comprises a locational sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power drive comprises a pair of moving belt members oriented parallel to each other and a reversible-gear motor coupled to and separately driving each of the belt members.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the two belt members are cleated.

17. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a column supported on the carriage, wherein the arm is supported on and moveable along the column, and wherein the plurality of motors includes a first motor positioned to drive the arm along the column, a second motor positioned to rotate the aim around the column, and a third motor positioned to extend the arm orthogonal to the column.

18. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a column supported on the carriage, wherein the arm is supported on and moveable along the column, wherein the arm is hinged, and wherein the plurality of motors includes a first motor positioned to drive the arm along the column, a second motor positioned to rotate the arm around the column, and a third motor positioned to bend the arm at the hinge.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the tool rack is supported on top of the column.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the tool rack is rotatable around the column.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool rack is supported by the carriage.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the engagement-release mechanism comprises a rotatable, threaded sleeve at the end of the arm and a reversible motor coupled to rotate the sleeve.

23. The apparatus of claim 2:

(a) further comprising a column supported on the carriage;

(b) wherein the arm is supported on and moveable along the column;

(c) wherein the plurality of motors includes a first motor positioned to drive the arm along the column and a second motor positioned to rotate the arm around the column; and

(d) wherein the engagement-release mechanism comprises a rotatable, threaded sleeve at the end of the arm and a third, reversible motor coupled to rotate the sleeve.

5. An automatic manipulator and control system therefor comprising:

(a) at least one manipulator, including;

i) a carriage;

ii) drive means for moving said carriage in a multitude of directions along a surface, comprising two moving members oriented parallel to each other, which may be driven simultaneously and independently in the same or different directions;

iii) a manipulator arm assembly supported by said carriage;

iv) a tool rack containing a plurality of power-operated tools;

v) means for removing a selected one of the tools from the tool rack, for electrically and physically connecting said selected tool to said arm assembly, for supporting said selected tool with said arm assembly, for power operating said selected tool while it is supported by said arm assembly, and for controllably releasing tools from said arm assembly;

vi) motor means for moving said arm assembly through three-dimensional space;

vii) means on said manipulator for receiving command signals;

viii) means on said manipulator for storing a plurality of command control signals; and

ix) means for reproducing a selected group of signals from said storage means, for generating said reproduced signals as a sequence of commands, and for applying said commands to control the movement and operation of said manipulator; and

(b) a remote computer, including;

i) means for storing a plurality of control programs as signals controlling said manipulator to cause it to perform a preselected sequence of operations involving the programmed operation of said drive means, said motor means, and said coupling means;

ii) means for selectively reproducing said control programs from said storage means; and

iii) means for transmitting trains of signals defining said selected control programs to said receiving means of said manipulator.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 comprising a plurality of said manipulators, and wherein said storage means of said remote computer contains a plurality of control programs as signals for controlling selected of said manipulators.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said transmitting and said receiving means comprise a wireless transmission and reception system.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said manipulator includes a stabilizer positioned to counterbalance a load supported by said manipulator arm assembly.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said stabilizer includes a retractable extension positioned to stabilize said manipulator by bracing said manipulator against a stable surface.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 further comprising means for manually selecting individual commands to control the operation of said manipulator, for translating said commands to command control signals, and for conducting said command control signals to said transmitting means for wireless transmission to said receiving means of said manipulator.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said manual selection means includes at least one pivotally operated control stick.

12. An automatic, moveable manipulator comprising:

(a) a base comprising a plurality of moving members arranged on opposing sides of the base and a reversible motive drive coupled to and driving the moving members parallel to each other, which motive drive can drive the moving members simultaneously and independently in the same or opposing directions, to permit omnidirectional movement of the base in two dimensions;

(b) at least one multi-part manipulator arm having one end supported by said base, wherein said arm includes;

(i) a tool support at another end of the arm;

(ii) a reversible, powered tool-clamping mechanism associated with the tool support; and

(iii) a power receptacle configured to electrically connect a tool supported and clamped by the tool support and the clamping mechanism;

(c) motors coupled to the arm so as to permit three-dimensional movement of the tool support at the end of the manipulator arm; and

(d) a power supply coupled to the motors, the clamping mechanism and the power receptacle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

(a) an antenna;

(b) a storage device coupled to the antenna and structured to store control signals received by said antenna; and

(c) a transducer positioned to reproduce stored control signals and coupled to feed the reproduced signals to control the motors, the clamping mechanism, and the power receptacle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said transducer is also coupled to feed reproduced signals to control the motive drive.

24. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the moving members comprise a pair of moving belts oriented parallel to each other, and wherein the motive drive comprises two reversible-gear motors, each coupled to and separately driving one of the belts.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the two belts are cleated.

26. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the arm comprises a column supported on the base and an extendable shaft supported on and moveable along the column, and wherein the motors include a first motor positioned to drive the shaft along the column, a second motor positioned to rotate the shaft around the column, and a third motor positioned to extend the shaft orthogonal to the column.

27. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the arm comprises a column supported on the base and a hinged shaft supported on and moveable along the column, and wherein the motors include a first motor positioned to drive the shaft along the column, a second motor positioned to rotate the shaft around the column, and a third motor positioned to bend the shaft at the hinge.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a rotatable tool rack supported on top of the column.

29. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a rotatable, threaded sleeve at the end of the arm and a reversible motor coupled to rotate the sleeve.

30. The apparatus of claim 12:

(a) wherein the arm comprises a column supported on the carriage and a shaft supported on and moveable along the column;

(b) wherein the motors include a first motor positioned to drive the shaft along the column and a second motor positioned to rotate the shaft around the column; and

(c) wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a rotatable, threaded sleeve at the end of the shaft and a third, reversible motor coupled to rotate the sleeve.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the shaft is hinged, further comprising a rotatable tool rack supported on top of the column, and wherein the motors include a fourth motor positioned to bend the shaft at the hinge.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the moving members comprise a pair of moving, cleated belts oriented parallel to each other, and wherein the motive drive comprises two reversible-gear motors, each coupled to and separately driving one of the belts.

33. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a stabilizer positioned to counterbalance a load supported by said manipulator arm, including a retractable extension positioned to stabilize said manipulator by bracing said manipulator against a stable surface.

34. The apparatus of claim 31:

(a) further comprising a stabilizer positioned to counterbalance a load supported by said manipulator arm, including a lineal actuator driving an extension positioned to stabilize said manipulator by bracing said manipulator against a stable surface;

(b) wherein the moving members comprise a pair of moving belts oriented parallel to each other, and wherein the motive drive comprises two reversible-gear motors, each coupled to and separately driving one of the belts;

(c) an antenna;

(d) a storage device coupled to the antenna and structured to store control signals received by said antenna;

(e) a transducer positioned to reproduce stored control signals and coupled to feed the reproduced signals to control the first, second, third, and fourth motors, the power receptacle, the two reversible-gear motors of the motive drive, and the lineal actuator of the stabilizer.