Door breaching robotic manipulator

• US 8,534,983 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeybee Robotics, Ltd., iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: Honeybee Robotics, Ltd., iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Schoenfeld, Erik Emerson Reid, Parrington, Lawrence, Frader-Thompson, Seth, Von Muehlen, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Saul
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIGHE, BRENDAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/406,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20090317223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 414/680, 414/729, 414/739, 414/800, 901/1, 901/15, 901/31, 294/106
• US Class Current: 414/739
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0206 comprising articulated grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0208 Compliance devices
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/4135 with grabs mounted directly on a boom

Abstract

A door breaching robotic manipulator comprises: two fingers, each finger comprising a gripper surface at a distal end thereof, the gripper surfaces being spaced from each other by a predetermined distance; a cable configured to be actuated to drive the gripper surfaces toward each other; and a selectively compliant wrist comprising a U-joint and a magnetic coupling having a predetermined magnetic force strength. The magnetic coupling comprises a metal member and a magnetic element attracted thereto. When a force overcomes the predetermined magnetic force strength of the selectively compliant wrist, the wrist becomes compliant.

Claims

1. A door breaching robotic manipulator configured to be attached to a manipulator arm of a robot, the door breaching robotic manipulator comprising:

two fingers, each finger comprising a gripper surface at a distal end thereof, the gripper surfaces being spaced from each other by a predetermined distance and comprising rubber blocks;

a selectively compliant wrist comprising a magnetic coupling having a predetermined magnetic force, and an adjacent stepped member having a first end to which the magnetic coupling is attracted; and

a restoring spring in contact with the magnetic coupling and configured to bias the magnetic coupling toward the stepped member,

wherein, when a force acting on the compliant wrist does not over the predetermined magnetic force strength of the magnetic coupling, the magnetic coupling does not separate from the stepped member and no compliance is created in the wrist,

wherein, when the force acting on the compliant wrist overcomes the predetermined magnetic force strength of the magnetic coupling, the magnetic coupling separates from the stepped member, creating compliance in the wrist, and

wherein, when the force acting on the compliant wrist no longer overcomes the predetermined magnetic force strength of the magnetic coupling, the restoring spring biases the magnetic coupling toward the stepped member to remove compliance created in the wrist by separation of the magnetic coupling from the stepped member.

2. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 1, wherein the two fingers rest and move in the same plane.

3. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 1, wherein at least one of the gripper surfaces comprises four blocks.

4. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 3, wherein the blocks are separated by perpendicular recesses.

5. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance between the gripper surfaces is greater than a diameter of a knob to be gripped by the door breaching robotic manipulator.

6. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 1, wherein the stepped member comprises a metal member to which the magnetic coupling is attracted.

7. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 6, wherein the stepped member is configured to mate at a second end with the manipulator arm of the robot.

8. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 7, wherein the second end of the stepped member is opposite the first end.

9. The door breaching robotic manipulator of claim 6, wherein the stepped member is configured to mate with the manipulator arm of the robot.