Arm Movement (spatial) Patents (Class 901/14)
  • Patent number: 11964389
    Abstract: A strain wave gear comprising an outer ring and an inner ring rotatably arranged in the outer ring. The inner ring comprises an internally toothed gear and a flex spline is arranged in the inner ring and comprise a flexible part comprising an external toothed gear. A wave generator is rotatable in relation to the flex spline and is configured to flex the flexible part in a radial direction to partly mesh the external toothed gear with the internally toothed gear causing rotation of the inner ring in relation to the outer ring. A part of said inner ring extends out of said outer ring and comprises an outwardly protruding output flange. An encoder reader can be disposed on the outer ring and an encoder track can disposed on the inner ring. A robot joint comprising the strain wave gear is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ROBOTS A/S
    Inventor: Steffen Henrik Johansen
  • Patent number: 11938620
    Abstract: A robot cable-assembly management structure including a first fixing member that fixes, to a turning drum, a cable assembly extending beside the turning drum in a front-rear direction, and a second fixing member that fixes, to a side surface of the arm, the cable assembly extending to a front side of the first fixing member, at a position closer to a distal end of the arm than the second axis, where a movable portion of the cable assembly located between the first fixing member and the second fixing member is provided with a necessary length of allowance and is twisted in one direction, so that the movable portion is bent in a direction away from the side surface of the arm when the arm swings to a rear swing end is displaced toward the side surface of the arm as the arm swings toward a front swing end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11872702
    Abstract: Embodiments provide functionality to prevent collisions between robots and objects. An example embodiment detects a type and a location of an object based on a camera image of the object, where the image has a reference frame. Motion of the object is then predicted based on at least one of: the detected type of the object, the detected location of the object, and a model of object motion. To continue, a motion plan for the robot is generated that avoids having the robot collide with the object based on the predicted motion of the object and a transformation between the reference frame of the image and a reference frame of the robot. The robot can be controlled to move in accordance with the motion plan or a signal can be generated that controls the robot to operate in accordance with the motion plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. S. Johnson, Syler Wagner, Steven Lines, Mitchell Hebert, Connor Lawson
  • Patent number: 11865730
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing a camera position/attitude calibration device with which the relative position/attitude of a camera and a robot can be calibrated without interrupting a task which is set in the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kume, Ryosuke Miki, So Sasatani, Masaya Itoh
  • Patent number: 11842124
    Abstract: A control system for a base supporting a boom assembly comprises long telescopic boom and telescopic stick. Mounted to the remote end of the stick is an end effector that supports a robot arm that moves a further end effector to manipulate the items. The robot arm has a robot base, and mounted above the robot base is a first target in the form of a position sensor, that provides position coordinates relative to a fixed ground reference. Mounted on the end of the robot arm immediately above the end effector is a second target that provides position coordinates relative to the fixed around reference. The fixed ground reference tracks the sensors and feeds data to the control system to move the stick with slow dynamic response and to control movement of the robotic arm and end effector with fast dynamic response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: FASTBRICK IP PTY LTD
    Inventor: Mark Pivac
  • Patent number: 11826918
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for providing extrinsic calibration of a camera to a relative working environment of a programmable motion device that includes an end-effector. The system includes a fiducial located at or near the end-effector, at least one camera system for viewing the fiducial as the programmable motion device moves in at least three degrees of freedom, and for capturing a plurality of images containing the fiducial, and a calibration system for analyzing the plurality of images to determine a fiducial location with respect to the camera to permit calibration of the camera with the programmable motion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Ding, Christopher Geyer, Luis Galup, Jeffrey Kittredge, Thomas Koletschka, Lakshman Kumar, Anjana Nellithimaru, Ryan O'Hern, Jeremy Saslaw
  • Patent number: 11807502
    Abstract: An operation unit includes a lever shaft having an operating lever at one end thereof and orthogonal to the operating lever, a plate with a flange having a bearing of the lever shaft, the other end-side of the lever shaft being arranged with penetrating the plate with a flange from a front surface thereof, a rotation restraint part for the lever shaft fixed to the lever shaft behind the plate with a flange and having a self-return function of forward and reverse rotations of the lever shaft, a cover with a flange covered on a backside of the plate with a flange in a form of sandwiching the rotation restraint part, a tip end-side of the lever shaft penetrating the cover with a flange via a bearing, and a potentiometer provided on a backside of the cover with a flange, rotation of the lever shaft being transmitted to the potentiometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: MOTODAGIKEN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimiyuki Motoda
  • Patent number: 11801571
    Abstract: A laser processing device for processing shielded conductors includes a processing chamber configured to process an end portion of a shielded conductor disposed therein using laser radiation. The processing chamber has a housing defining an opening. In a processing position of the laser processing device, the end portion of the shielded conductor is inserted along an insertion axis into the opening and extends into the processing chamber. A gripping device is configured to fix the shielded conductor in the opening in the processing position of the laser processing device. In the processing position of the laser processing device, the gripping device is positioned at the housing without contact therebetween. The gripping device includes a first projection portion which extends at least partially into the opening along the insertion axis in the processing position of the laser processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: MD ELEKTRONIK GMBH
    Inventor: Benedikt Strauss
  • Patent number: 11786239
    Abstract: Articulation joint arrangements for facilitating multi-axis articulation of a surgical end effector relative to a shaft assembly of a surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Aaron J. Chow, Adam D. Hensel, Luke C. Ice, Sudhir B. Patel
  • Patent number: 11752644
    Abstract: Systems are provided for gripping one or more workpieces. A tooling system includes a plurality of grippers configured to engage and grip the workpieces. An arm is connected with each gripper. A lock releasably locks each arm in a number of positions, including a home position. A pneumatic circuit is coupled with the grippers. A valve is disposed in the pneumatic power supply circuit and is positionable in an open state and in a closed state. When the arm is moved to the home position, in response the valve is mechanically moved to the closed state, idling the gripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Yhu-tin Lin
  • Patent number: 11752631
    Abstract: Systems and methods for fleet inspection and maintenance using a robot are provided. The robot may detect a maintenance issue of a vehicle of a fleet of vehicles via one or more sensors, generate a navigation route to a position proximal to the maintenance issue of the vehicle, traverse along the navigation route to the position, and execute a maintenance to rectify the maintenance issue of the vehicle. The robot may include a mobile base removably coupled to a modular platform for performing a maintenance task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Smruti Panigrahi, Pavithra Madhavan, Justin Miller, Timothy Feldkamp, Sanghyun Hong, Kevin Hwang, Kurt Lundeen, Jianbo Lu
  • Patent number: 11685449
    Abstract: Provided is a system for robotic collaboration, including a first robotic chassis and a second robotic chassis each including a medium storing instructions that when executed by a respective processor effectuates operations including: capturing data of an environment and data indicative of movement; inferring locations visited up to a current location based on at least the data of the environment; and tracking areas cleaned based on the locations visited. The first robotic chassis performs a first part of a task and the second robotic chassis performs a second part of the task after the first robotic chassis completes the first part of the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Lukas Robinson, Shahin Fathi Djalali
  • Patent number: 11679502
    Abstract: To provide a robot control system that performs a process by a robot for a continuously-moving process target or a repeatedly-moving/stopped process target, the robot control system being configured so that even in a case where the robot process cannot be properly performed in the robot control system, disadvantages such as occurrence of damage of equipment can be avoided by sensing of such failure in the robot process. The robot control system includes a robot that performs a process for a process target, a control unit that controls drive of the robot, a first area setting unit that sets a first area where the process is performed for the process target, and a second area setting unit that sets a second area outside the first area such that the robot performs a retraction motion when a working apparatus provided at the robot moves out of the first area and enters the second area while the robot is following the moving process target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masafumi Ooba
  • Patent number: 11644302
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for determining pose information of a robot, a device and a medium. The method includes: fitting a target curve according to a motion trajectory of an image module relative to a target label when the robot rotates; determining a coordinate offset of the image module relative to a body of the robot according to the target curve, and determining a relative distance between the image module and the target label according to the image module; and determining the pose information of the robot according to the coordinate offset and the relative distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Keenon Robotics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuai Ma, Yuanxun Ma, Yayun Yang, Lin He
  • Patent number: 11633242
    Abstract: A deformable segment with combined motion includes a flexible center backbone, the tendons of deformable segment with combined motion, a connecting piece, a proximal disk and a distal disk. The proximal end of the flexible center backbone and the proximal ends of the tendons of deformable segment with combined motion are fixedly connected to the proximal disk. The distal ends of the tendons of deformable segment with combined motion are fixedly connected to the distal disk. The distal end of the flexible center backbone penetrates through the distal disk and then extends into the distal execution segment, and is connected with the end-effector. The deformable segment with combined motion is provided with the connecting piece. The proximal driving segment is provided with proximal driving tendons. The proximal driving tendons penetrate through the proximal disk, and then are fixedly connected with the connecting piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: SHENYANG INSTITUTE OF AUTOMATION, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Hao Liu, Guohao Jiang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Lianqing Liu, Zhongtao Zhang, Wei Guo
  • Patent number: 11618169
    Abstract: A method for determining coordinates of a mechanical arm includes taking a first picture of a marker on a target object on a first jig, obtaining first position coordinates of the marker, calculating reference position coordinates, controlling the mechanical arm to move to the reference position coordinates, moving the mechanical arm from the reference position coordinates to an intermediate position, setting current position coordinates as intermediate position coordinates, moving the mechanical arm from the intermediate position to a target position, setting current position coordinates as target position coordinates, moving the target object onto a second jig, taking a second picture of the marker to obtain second position coordinates, calculating reference position coordinates based on the second position coordinates, controlling the mechanical arm to move to the reference position coordinates, calculating intermediate position coordinates corresponding to the second jig, and calculating target position c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Chiun Mai Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Wei Wu, Tung-Chun Hsieh, Chih-Wei Li, Sung-Chuan Lee, Tze-Chin Lo
  • Patent number: 11609574
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide extrinsic sensor calibration for mobile structures. A sensor calibration system includes first and second sensors coupled to a mobile structure and a logic device. The logic device is configured to receive first and second series of pose measurements corresponding to sensor data provided by the respective first and second sensors, determine a set of intermediate calibration transformation estimates corresponding to the first and second sensors based, at least in part, on a scale-dependent calibration error function and/or the first and second series of pose measurements, and determine an ongoing calibration transformation estimate corresponding to the first and second sensors based, at least in part, on the determined set of intermediate calibration transformation estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: FLIR Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Celyn Walters, Richard Bowden, Oscar Mendez Maldonado, Simon Hadfield
  • Patent number: 11608697
    Abstract: The invention discloses systems for improving performance and operational efficiency of wireline tractors. A cooling system improves power capabilities of electrical motors mounted in wheels, which are mounted on a linkage pivotably connected to an arm extended from a tractor tool body, in an in-line arm configuration. The linkage and arm mechanism significantly improve the tractor's ability to traverse wellbore obstructions. The hydraulic system of the tractor ensures adequate wellbore centralization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventors: Sam Schroit, Jeffrey Wensrich
  • Patent number: 11590647
    Abstract: An exoskeleton for interfacing with a joint includes a base configured to be coupled to a user, a platform configured to be coupled to the user proximate the joint, and a plurality of substructures extending between the base and the platform. The substructures are actuated in parallel in order to move the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Justin Hunt, Hyunglae Lee
  • Patent number: 11583966
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an machining device based on a portable 5-DOF parallel module. The machining device based on a portable 5-DOF parallel module comprises: a table for moving a parallel module to increase the stroke of the machine tool such that the machine tool can machine large components and can also simultaneously conduct the mounting and the machining of workpieces at different stations; a CNC rotary table; and a portable 5-DOF parallel module. The portable parallel module has a large swing angle range, can conduct the conversion between vertical and horizontal machining modes and can achieve five-face machining in one setup in cooperation with the CNC rotary table. The parallel module can move flexibly, and can machine large and complex components after mounted on the sliding table. After the machining of the workpiece is completed, the parallel module can move to the position of a mounted component through the table to conduct the machining of the next component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventors: Xinjun Liu, Fugui Xie, Zenghui Xie, Jinsong Wang
  • Patent number: 11571764
    Abstract: A weld overlay machine assembly includes a carriage to support a hinged index bar and a wire feed assembly. The index bar has an auto height control unit and an index assembly to locate the position of a weld torch relative to the index bar. The assembly is configured to adjust the index bar to interior contours of the vessel while applying a layer of overlay material to a surface therein. The assembly runs along a track in the interior of the vessel. The assembly is configured to transition from sides of the vessel to that of the top or bottom domes wherein the curve of the domes are perpendicular to that of the radial sides. This transition is done without the need to add or remove components to the assembly. This is accomplished by providing the pivoting of the index bar relative to the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: TURN2 SPECIALTY COMPANIES LLC
    Inventors: Paul Huetter, Gary Wahl
  • Patent number: 11565284
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a crop harvesting apparatus configured to garner or harvest crops from plants via vacuum suction and sort the garnered crops via a quick-switching gate system. A vacuum source generates the vacuum suction for the apparatus so that crops are garnered (or plucked) from the plant via suction through an end-effector, which are then transferred to a crop sorter by way of tubing that has a smooth inner surface. The crop sorter utilizes a gate system that exploits vacuum suction from the vacuum source and gravity to quickly and effectively sort the garnered crops into a hopper and a rejection bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Four Growers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yun Nuo Chi, Brandon M. Contino
  • Patent number: 11559363
    Abstract: A computer-assisted teleoperated system includes a pre-load assembly in an instrument manipulator that is under the control of a controller. The controller can automatically cause the preload assembly to engage and disengage a preload. A surgical apparatus includes an instrument manipulator assembly and a sterile adapter assembly. The sterile adapter assembly is mounted in the distal face of the instrument manipulator assembly. When the preload assembly configures the instrument manipulator assembly to apply a preload force on the sterile adapter assembly, the sterile adapter assembly is removable from the distal face of the instrument manipulator. The sterile adapter assembly includes a mechanical sterile adapter assembly removal lockout and a mechanical instrument removal lockout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert E. Holop, Anthony K. McGrogan, Jeffrey R. Roeder, Daniel H. Gomez, Arjang M. Hourtash, Thomas Brennan-Marquez, Probal Mitra
  • Patent number: 11542108
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a palletizing plant (5) which comprises a palletizing apparatus (10) for forming a layer stack (100) and at least one driverless transport vehicle (40) for transporting the layer stack (100). In the method, the driverless transport vehicle (40) is moved to a palletizing location (41) close to the palletizing apparatus (10) and a layer stack (100) is formed on the driverless transport vehicle (40). The driverless transport vehicle (40) remains at the palletizing location (41) during the formation of the layer stack (100). The invention also relates to a palletizing plant (5) which is set up to carry out the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Koerber Supply Chain Automation Eisenberg GmbH
    Inventor: Christopher Blasius
  • Patent number: 11541556
    Abstract: A robot wrist structure includes a first wrist element that is supported by a forearm in a rotatable manner about a first axis; a second wrist element that is supported by the first wrist element in a rotatable manner about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis; and a third wrist element that is supported by the second wrist element in a rotatable manner about a third axis that is orthogonal to the second axis and that is disposed in the same plane as the first axis. Further the second wrist element is provided with, at a position at which the second axis is included, a second axial hollow hole that passes therethrough in a direction along the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Shunsuke Abiko
  • Patent number: 11534874
    Abstract: A portable device for precision plasma and oxy-fuel torch cutting is provided. Versions of an example portable cutting torch tool guide the gun of a cutting torch to make precision linear cuts or curved cuts in a metal workpiece. In an implementation, the device is a gun for a cutting torch, with an integrated rail follower and adjustable vertical and horizontal offsets from a workpiece. The cutting torch tool may use various kinds of rails for stable cuts, with optional movement damping, motorized drive, servos for vertical and horizontal offset, and remote control with user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: Jerry Prusek
  • Patent number: 11427266
    Abstract: A system for robotic collaboration, including: a first robotic chassis and a second robotic chassis, each including wheels; a control system; a power supply; at least one sensor; a processor, and a medium storing instructions that when executed by the respective processor effectuates operations including: capturing data of an environment and data indicative of movement; generating a map of the environment based on at least some of the captured data; inferring a current location of the respective robotic chassis based on at least some of the captured data; and executing a portion of a task, the second robotic chassis executing a second part of the task after the first robotic chassis completes a first part of the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Lukas Fath, Shahin Fathi Djalali
  • Patent number: 11426886
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to protective covers, for example, suitable for protecting parts of a robot. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a protective wrap for a robot component. The protective wrap includes a continuous strip of a material sheet configured to wrap around the robot component in a plurality of loops so as to form a tubular body that surrounds a portion of the robot component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: RJ Hanlon Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Joseph Hanlon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11340139
    Abstract: A method of controlling a machine tool comprising the steps of: providing a data memory containing, for at least one specific working axis of the plurality of working axes, a plurality of data tuples each assigning a load value to a position value relative to the specific working axis, selecting a first data tuple and a second data tuple whose load values are different, and generating at least one control command for the machine tool, wherein the control command is adapted to perform a first tolerance measurement at a first position value and a second tolerance measurement at a second position value, and wherein, based on a first result of the first tolerance measurement and a second result of the second tolerance measurement, information about wear of a part of the machine tool is output. A corresponding device is also be disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CHIRON-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Pascal Schroeder, Claus Eppler
  • Patent number: 9043017
    Abstract: Provided are a home network system and a method for an autonomous mobile robot to travel along a shortest travel route. The home network system capable of home automation includes a plurality of beacons for sensing a user located in a cell coverage area and for transmitting resulting sensing information of the user; an autonomous mobile robot for executing travel to reach the user based on provided travel route information; and a home server for calculating a travel route along which the autonomous mobile robot can easily reach the user based on the sensing information of the user transmitted from the beacons, and for providing the travel route to the autonomous mobile robot. Therefore, the autonomous mobile robot may reach the user by the shortest travel route and thus reducing energy loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-Won Jung, Jong-Hee Kim, Seung-Gun Park
  • Patent number: 9033644
    Abstract: Boom drive apparatus for substrate transport systems and methods are described. The boom drive apparatus is adapted to drive one or more multi-arm robots rotationally mounted to the boom to efficiently put or pick substrates. The boom drive apparatus has a boom including a hub, a web, a first pilot above the web, and a second pilot below the web, a first driving member rotationally mounted to the first pilot, a second driving member rotationally mounted to the second pilot, a first driven member rotationally mounted to the boom above the a web, a second driven member rotationally mounted to the boom below the a web, and a first and second transmission members coupling the driving members to driven members located outboard on the boom. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Izya Kremerman, Jeffrey A. Brodine
  • Patent number: 9022714
    Abstract: A substrate processing system and substrate transferring method capable of transferring a substrate bi-directionally through the use of substrate transferring device provided between two rows of processing chambers arranged linearly, thereby improving the substrate-transferring efficiency, the substrate processing system includes a transfer chamber having at least one bi-directional substrate transferring device for bi-directionally transferring a substrate; and a plurality of processing chambers for applying a semiconductor-manufacturing process to the substrate, wherein the plurality of processing chambers are linearly arranged along two rows confronting each other, and the transfer chamber is interposed between the two rows of the processing chambers, wherein the bi-directional substrate transferring device have a moving unit inside the transfer chamber, and horizontally moved by a linear motor; and a bi-directional substrate transferring unit in the moving unit, the bi-directional substrate transferring u
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Jusung Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoo Hwan Lee, Duck Won Moon, Jae Wook Choi
  • Patent number: 9023060
    Abstract: A robotic surgery system comprises a mounting base, a plurality of surgical instruments, and an articulate support assembly. Each instrument is insertable into a patient through an associated minimally invasive aperture to a desired internal surgical site. The articulate support assembly movably supports the instruments relative to the base. The support generally comprises an orienting platform, a platform linkage movably supporting the orienting platform relative to the base, and a plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cooper, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Gary S. Guthart, David J. Rosa
  • Publication number: 20150120042
    Abstract: A robot includes a tool shaft, a first supporting mechanism attached to one portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a second supporting mechanism attached to a different portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a first in-plane movement mechanism that moves the first supporting mechanism in a first plane, a second in-plane movement mechanism that moves the second supporting mechanism in a second plane, and a controller that controls an in-plane position and an inclination angle of the tool shaft to control the first in-plane movement mechanism and the second in-plane movement mechanism. The first supporting mechanism or the second supporting mechanism supports the tool shaft movably in an axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: IKUO TAKEDA
  • Publication number: 20150120059
    Abstract: In an axis angle determination method, an angle or a position of each axis of a six-axis robot is determined. The robot is capable of taking an attitude of a singular point being a state in which rotation axes of fourth and sixth axes match. Based on teaching results of a position and attitude of a hand by point-to-point teaching, the method judges whether an attitude of the robot in which the angle or the position of each angle is to be determined next is a singular point. If judged that the attitude is the singular point, angles of the fourth and sixth axes required for the six-axis robot to move to the singular point are determined such that an angle of one of the fourth and sixth axes is fixed to a current value and an angle of the other axis is determined based on the fixed angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi IDE, Naoya KAGAWA, Daisuke KAWASE
  • Patent number: 9003919
    Abstract: A ceiling-mounted SCARA robot includes: a base, a first arm that is connected to the lower side of the base via a first coupling part centering around a first articulated shaft and that can pivotally move around the first articulated shaft within a horizontal plane, a second arm that is connected to the lower side of the first arm via a second coupling part centering around a second articulated shaft and that can pivotally move around the second articulated shaft within a horizontal plane, a working shaft that is mounted on the second arm, a second articulated shaft motor and a second articulated shaft reducer for driving the second arm, and a working-shaft rotation motor that rotates the working shaft. The second articulated shaft reducer is provided on the second coupling part, and the working-shaft rotation motor is arranged directly below the second articulated shaft reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kumagai, Mitsuhiro Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 9002514
    Abstract: Methods and systems for positioning wafers using a dual side-by-side end effector robot are provided. The methods involve performing place moves using dual side-by-side end effector robots with active wafer position correction. According to various embodiments, the methods may be used for placement into a process module, loadlock or other destination by a dual wafer transfer robot. The methods provide nearly double the throughput of a single wafer transfer schemes by transferring two wafers with the same number of moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon Genetti, Shawn Hamilton, Rich Blank, Sheldon Templeton
  • Patent number: 8996166
    Abstract: A touch screen testing platform may be used to perform repeatable testing of a touch screen enabled device using a robotic device tester and a controller. Prior to running a test, the controller and/or robot may be calibrated to determine a planar surface of the touch screen and to establish a relative coordinate system across the touch screen. The controller may then be programmed to allow a robot to engage the touch screen using known input zones designated using the coordinate system. The platform may employ object recognition to determine and interact with content rendered by the device. The platform may use various types of tips that engage the touch screen, thereby simulating human behavior. The platform may perform multi-touch operations by employing multiple tips that can engage the touch screen simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventor: David Ross Jenkinson
  • Publication number: 20150076131
    Abstract: A robot according to an embodiment includes a flange, a wrist arm, a forearm, a feeder, and a power cable. The flange configured so that a welding torch is attached thereto and configured to rotate about a T axis. The wrist arm configured to rotate about a B axis substantially perpendicular to the T axis and configured to support the flange. The forearm configured to support the wrist arm. The feeder attached to a position between a base end and a tip end of the forearm and configured to feed a welding wire. The power cable is a supply route of electricity to the welding torch and is provided separately from a feeding route of the welding wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Atsushi TERADA, Kazuhiro YASUTOMI
  • Patent number: 8983659
    Abstract: A robot system according to the embodiments includes a robot that includes a hand including a gripping mechanism that grips a thin plate-shaped work and an arm that moves the hand, and a robot control apparatus that controls the robot. The robot control apparatus, when causing the robot to transfer the work at a predetermined work transfer position by controlling the robot, performs a presence/absence confirmation of the work by operating the gripping mechanism while causing the hand to retract after the hand reaches the work transfer position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Yoshiki Kimura
  • Patent number: 8965575
    Abstract: In a robot simulator, a central processing unit (CPU) determines whether or not a portion of an operable area set for each of a right-hand system and a left-hand system of a robot overlaps. If it is determined that the portion of the operable area overlaps and that an obstacle is positioned within the operable areas, the CPU color-codes and displays an image of the operable area of each of the right-hand system and the left-hand system reset in adherence to the obstacle in a display. As a result the operable areas in a periphery of the obstacle, differing for each of the right-hand system and the left-hand system, are displayed in a clearly discernable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Wave Incorporated
    Inventor: Koji Kamiya
  • Publication number: 20150039125
    Abstract: A robot includes: a stage unit; a rotation base connected to the stage unit in a rotatable manner around a predetermined rotating axis; an arm unit connected to the rotation base and having a base end rotatable around a first rotation axis that is substantially orthogonal to the rotating axis; a first attachment unit provided to the rotation base, arranged in an outside, in a rotation radius direction, of the rotation base and nearer to the stage unit than the first rotation axis, and formed so that one part of a balancer is attached thereto; and a second attachment unit provided to the arm unit and formed so that another part of the balancer is attached thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Shingi TAKAHASHI, Tomoyuki SHIRAKI, Masato ITO, Kaori SAKAKI
  • Publication number: 20150032256
    Abstract: To enable simple loading of an appropriate operation control program into a robot controller, provided is a robot system, including: a robot management computer; and robot controllers for controlling robots, respectively, in which the robot management computer includes: a robot information receiving unit for receiving set-up location information about a set-up location of each of the robots; a storage for storing an operation control program of the each of the robots in association with the set-up location information; and an operation control program transmitting unit for transmitting, to each of the robot controllers, the operation control program that is associated with the set-up location information received from the robot information receiving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Yukio HASHIGUCHI, Shinji MURAI, Tomoyuki SHIRAKI
  • Publication number: 20150027996
    Abstract: A tool welding system is disclosed that includes a table that heats a tool. A multi-axis robot includes a welding head that is moved relative to the table in response to a command. A controller is in communication with the robot and generates the command in response to welding parameters. The weld parameters are based upon a difference between an initial tool shape and a desired tool shape. The difference between the initial tool shape and the desired tool shape corresponds to a desired weld shape. The desired weld shape is adjusted based upon initial tool shape variations, which includes thermal growth of the tool. The tool is welded to provide the desired weld shape to achieve a desired tool shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Ariel Andre Waitzman
  • Publication number: 20150032257
    Abstract: To enable a recovery control program to be executed quickly by a robot controller without needing to equip the robot controller with a large-capacity storage device, provided is a robot system, including a first robot controller for controlling a first robot. The first robot controller includes a posture information obtaining unit for obtaining information indicating a posture of the first robot when an anomaly occurs in the first robot. The robot system further includes a recovery control program generating unit for generating, by computing, based on the posture of the first robot, a recovery control program for changing the posture of the first robot to a given standby posture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Yukio HASHIGUCHI, Shinji MURAI, Tomoyuki SHIRAKI
  • Publication number: 20150025682
    Abstract: A robot controller includes an input unit that receives operation instruction information, a database that stores grasp pattern information, and a processing unit that performs control processing based on information from the input unit and information from the database, and the input unit receives first to N-th operation instructions as operation instruction information, the processing unit loads i-th grasp pattern information that enables execution of the i-th operation instruction and j-th grasp pattern information that enables execution of the j-th operation instruction as the next operation instruction to the i-th operation instruction from the database, and performs control processing based on the i-th grasp pattern information and the j-th grasp pattern information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Kaori SATO, Hiroshi HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20150005936
    Abstract: Provided is a control method for a robot system including: working units; and a robot having unit related processes that include moving between two of the working units and executing work. The control method includes: determining, in a case of detecting a first working unit that has come into a work required condition, whether an operation of the robot is stopped on a way from a current position to a position of a second working unit; stopping the operation of the robot on the way if determining that the operation of the robot is stopped on the way; and selecting a unit related process corresponding to a working unit other than the first working unit, moving the robot until the robot arrives at a position, and stopping the operation of the robot at the position, if determining that the operation of the robot is not stopped on the way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: Keisuke Ito
  • Patent number: 8924009
    Abstract: A haptic device for telerobotic surgery, including a base; a linkage system having first and second linkage members coupled to the base; a motor that provides a motor force; a transmission including first and second driving pulleys arranged such that their faces form an angle and their axes form a plane, first and second idler pulleys offset from the plane and arranged between the first and second driving pulleys such that their axes divide the angle between the first and second driving pulleys, and a cable that traverses the first and second driving pulleys and the set of idler pulleys and transfers the motor force to the linkage system; an end effector coupled to distal ends of the first and second linkage members and maneuverable relative to the base; and a controller that modulates the motor force to simulate a body part at a point portion of the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Curt Salisbury, J. Kenneth Salisbury, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8904899
    Abstract: A delta robot includes a stationary housing, in which at least three drives are installed, at least three upper arms, at least three pairs of elongate and mutually parallel lower arms, and a movable parallel plate. Each of the upper arms is connected to one of the drives. Each lower arm comprises a corrosion-resistant metal tube having a first end connected to a free end of one of the upper arms through a ball joint and a second end connected to the movable parallel plate through a ball joint. Each ball joint includes a ball head and a ball socket, one of which is attached to the first or second end of one of the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Bunsendal, Christian Hombach
  • Patent number: 8899124
    Abstract: An industrial robot includes a support body, a moving platform, a pivot shaft, a plurality of driving devices, a plurality of transfer branch joints, and a base. The support body includes a main body, and an installing portion opposite to the main body; the pivot shaft is rotatably connected with the main body and the moving platform; the driving devices are positioned at a bottom of the main body; each transfer branch joint is movably connected with the moving platform and one corresponding driving device; the installing base includes a bottom base, and two supporting arms extending from opposite sides of the bottom base; the bottom base and the two supporting arms cooperatively forming a receiving space; the bottom base and the two supporting arms are detachable in relation to the installing portion and the main body; the main body is received in the receiving space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhen-Xing Liu, Xiao-Ming Xu