Monitoring device for position monitoring a robotic device and production system including a monitoring device

• US 9,026,251 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2013
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EROWA AG
• Original Assignee: EROWA AG
• Inventors: Hediger, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US13/875,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/250, 700/258, 700/259, 700/262, 318/568.12, 318/568.11, 318/568.16
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/089 Determining the position of the robot with reference to its environment
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/041 Cylindrical coordinate type
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/101 using limit-switches, -stops
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49137 Store working envelop, limit, allowed zone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/49 Protective device

Abstract

Proposed is a monitoring device for monitoring and/or sensing predefined positions of a robotic device (5) having at least two axes of motion. The monitoring device comprises at least two sensors (15, 16), the first (15) of which is defined to sense a horizontal position and/or rotative position of the main support (9) and the second sensor (16) a defined horizontal position of the robotic arm (11). The monitoring device comprises furthermore sensor active faces (17a, 18a, 18b) arranged selectively for the first sensor (15) arranged in the horizontal motion zone and/or swiveling zone of the robotic device (5).

Claims

1. A monitoring device for monitoring and/or sensing predefined positions of a robotic device, the robotic device having at least two axes of motion, the monitoring device comprising a main support rotatable about a Z axis and a robotic arm supported thereby, the monitoring device comprising at least two sensors and corresponding sensor active faces assigned to each of said at least two sensors, and said monitoring device operable to send to the robotic device an enabling signal as a function of a signal available at one of the at least two sensors to implement predefined movements, wherein a first sensor of said at least two sensors is defined to sense a horizontal position and/or rotational position of the main support and a second sensor of said at least two sensors is defined to sense a horizontal position of the robotic arm, particularly in its retracted position and selective ones of said sensor active faces are arranged in the horizontal motion zone and/or swivelling zone of the robotic device independently of the robotic device for the first sensor.

2. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein corresponding sensor active faces assigned to the first sensor are arranged fixed in location.

3. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensor active faces assigned to the first sensor is arranged movable in an axis and independently of the robotic device.

4. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least some of said at least two sensors are configured as digital proximity switches at which when activated an output signal of 1 is available.

5. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one sensor of said at least two sensors is an optical sensor, by means of which a predefined position of the robotic device is detectable.

6. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitoring device includes a sensing controller connected to the at least two sensors for controlling the robotic device so that it is declared free to move only when the first and/or second sensor is activated.

7. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said sensing controller controls the robotic device such that motion of the robotic arm is not enabled until the first sensor is activated.

8. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said sensing controller controls the robotic device such that enabling horizontal movement of the robotic device as a whole is only allowed when the second sensor is activated.

9. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor active faces assigned to the first sensor are arranged only in the zone of permitted motion of the robotic arm, and especially in the region of a machine tool and/or a cribs.

10. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1 for monitoring the positions of a robotic device arranged fixed but swivelable, wherein said curved sensor active faces are arranged in the swivelling zone of the robotic device and assigned to the first sensor.

11. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sensor is arranged on a vertical slide supporting the robotic arm at which a sensor active face assigned to the second sensor is arranged such that an output signal of 1 is output at the second sensor as soon as the robotic arm is in its retracted resting position.

12. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 1 for monitoring the horizontal positions of a robotic device arranged to travel in a Y direction, wherein the monitoring device comprises sensor active faces running parallel and/or transversely to the Y direction in being assigned to the first sensor.

13. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 11 for monitoring a robotic device whose main support is supported by means of a rotatable footing on a baseplate, wherein said monitoring device comprises at least two sensors arranged at an angle to each other on the baseplate of the robotic device as well as a sensor active face arranged on a rotatable footing and cooperating with the other sensors of said at least two sensors arranged so that in predefined rotational positions of the main support one of the sensors is activated.

14. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 12 for monitoring a robotic device whose main support is supported by means of a rotatable footing on a baseplate, wherein said monitoring device comprises at least two sensors arranged at an angle to each other on the baseplate of the robotic device which cooperate with the sensor active faces arranged in the region of the floor so that in predefined shifted positions of the robotic device one of the sensors is activated.

15. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 11 for monitoring a robotic device the robotic arm of which is shiftable in the horizontal direction and in relation to the main support only along an axis, wherein said second sensor is configured to monitor the retracted horizontal position of the robotic arm.

16. A production system including a monitoring device configured in accordance with any of the preceding claims, the production system comprising at least one robotic device as well as a machine tool and/or a crib which can be loaded or unloaded by means of the robotic device, wherein a sensor active face is arranged in the zone of the crib to be loaded or unloaded by means of the robotic device or of the machine tool to be loaded or unloaded such that the first sensor is activated by each sensor active face when the robotic device is in the loading zone or unloading zone of the corresponding crib or the corresponding machine tool and that the second sensor is arranged on the robotic device such that a defined horizontal position of the robotic arm, particularly its retracted position can be sensed.

17. The production system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the horizontal extent of each sensor active face is selected so that when the corresponding sensor is activated the robotic device can be travelled by a predefined amount and/or rotated about a predefined angle.

18. The production system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said second sensor is activated when the robotic arm is in a retracted resting position.

19. The production system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said sensing controller will only okay a motion to the robotic device when at least one of the at least two sensors is in the activated condition.

20. The production system as set forth in claim 16, wherein an okay to motion to the robotic device by means of the sensing controller is negated when none of the two sensors is in the activated condition.

21. The monitoring device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said sensing controller controls the robotic device such that enabling horizontal movement of the robotic device as a whole is only allowed when the second sensor is activated.

22. The production system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said second sensor is activated when the robotic arm is in a retracted resting position.

23. The production system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said sensing controller will only okay a motion to the robotic device when at least one of the two sensors is in the activated condition.

24. The production system as set forth in claim 18, wherein said sensing controller will only okay a motion to the robotic device when at least one of the two sensors is in the activated condition.

25. The production system as set forth in claim 17, wherein an okay to motion to the robotic device by means of the sensing controller is negated when none of the two sensors is in the activated condition.

26. The production system as set forth in claim 18, wherein an okay to motion to the robotic device by means of the sensing controller is negated when none of the two sensors is in the activated condition.

27. The production system as set forth in claim 19, wherein an okay to motion to the robotic device by means of the sensing controller is negated when none of the two sensors is in the activated condition.