Patents Assigned to KUKA DEUTSCHLAND
  • Patent number: 10405933
    Abstract: A robotic surgery system includes a robot and an instrument assembly. The instrument assembly includes a drive unit with at least one rotary drive having an electric motor and a drive shaft that has a coupling part for coupling to a drive shaft of the instrument; an instrument including an instrument shaft and a drive shaft that has a coupling part for coupling to a drive shaft of the drive unit; and an instrument interface including a sheath that encompasses the drive unit. In order to detachably couple an instrument module to an instrument part of a surgical instrument, an electromagnet in a magnet assembly of the instrument module is activated or deactivated, a permanent magnet of said magnet assembly is moved into a locking position and/or an angular position of a coupled counter element assembly of the instrument part is detected by an angle sensor of the instrument module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Lohmeier, Wolfgang Schober
  • Patent number: 10390900
    Abstract: A surgical instrument arrangement has a modular motor drive unit which has a drive arrangement having at least one output element, an instrument shaft that can be detachably connected to the drive unit, and a drive arrangement having at least one input drive element. The output drive arrangement and the input drive arrangement can be coupled to each other by a mechanical interface that has at least one single-sided linkage, a pin, and a cut-out, wherein the pin can be radially expanded in the cut-out. Alternatively, a gap may be formed between the pin and the cut-out, which gap is wavy in the radial direction, and in which a radially displaceable, axially fixed intermediate element arrangement is arranged. The surgical instrument arrangement may also include a sterile barrier, which is provided to envelop the drive unit and to be arranged between the drive unit and the instrument shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Lohmeier, Wolfgang Schober, Sven Brudniok
  • Patent number: 10391644
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot controller that is designed and configured to execute a robot program, and a robot arm having at least three joints connected by links and a number of drives corresponding to the at least three joints. Each drive is designed to adjust one of the at least three joints allocated to the drive. The joints can be actuated in an automated manner in accordance with the robot program or in a manual drive mode by the robot controller to automatically adjust the associated joint, wherein at least one of the links includes a force measuring device designed to measure a force on the link in a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Sven Brudniok
  • Patent number: 10391412
    Abstract: An amusement ride includes a robot assembly having at least one multi-link robot arm with a base and a passenger holder for transporting at least one person. A controller for controlling the robot assembly includes a storage device for storing a limit of a working space arrangement having at least one work space, a distance device for determining a distance of the passenger holder from the working space arrangement, and a safety device for determining maximum permissible motion components in at least two spatial directions depending on the determined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Fornoff, Axel Tillmann
  • Patent number: 10394216
    Abstract: A method for correcting the processing path of a robot-guided tool for processing at least one component, wherein: a target position for a plurality of points of a target processing path is specified; from the specified points, points to be corrected are selected; the actual position for the selected points to be corrected is measured or detected on at least one component to be processed; and the processing path corresponding to the measured or detected actual position of the points of the component to be processed is correspondingly corrected. The method is suitable, for example, for welding a component into a borehole using a laser beam, wherein the processing path of the laser beam is corrected so as to correspond to the contour of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Jochen Krause
  • Patent number: 10391635
    Abstract: A positioning device for a robot includes an end effector, in particular a surgical end effector, which has a base and a flange to which the robot can be secured, wherein the flange is connected to the base by a kinematic system which has at least two joints. The flange can be adjusted from a first position relative to the base, in particular at least substantially on a circular path or straight line, to a second position by the kinematic system, the second position being spaced apart from the first position. An orientation means reorients the flange from a first orientation in the first position into a second orientation in the second position, the second orientation being rotated about a reference axis by at least 75 degrees, in particular relative to the first orientation, as a result of an adjustment from a first position into a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Jakob Berghofer, Sven Brudniok, Sebastian Lohmeier, Martin Riedel
  • Patent number: 10384356
    Abstract: One aspect of the robotic surgery system according to the invention relates to a robot assembly comprising at least one robot and an instrument assembly comprising at least one instrument that is guided by said robot assembly. Said instrument assembly comprises at least one instrument housing having at least one drive unit housing part containing a cavity designed to hold the drive unit, said drive unit housing part having a seal for the sterile sealing of an insertion opening of the cavity in addition to a dynamic sterile barrier which delimits the cavity in a sterile manner and across which the drive train arrangement can be actuated; and/or the drive unit is offset laterally in relation to a longitudinal axis of the instrument shaft towards a connection between the instrument housing and the robot assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Lohmeier, Cuong Nguyen-Xuan, Thomas Neff, Wolfgang Schober
  • Patent number: 10350765
    Abstract: A method for switching a control of a robot into a manual operating mode, wherein the robot is movable by a user manually applying at least one of a force or a torque upon the robot, includes detecting at least one of joint forces or joint torques of the robot, and triggering an error reaction in response to the switching and based on at least one of the detected joint forces and/or joint torques, target joint forces and/or target joint torques, or a pose of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Marc-Walter Ueberle, Matthias Rohmer, Tobias Reichl, Gunter Schreiber, Martin Mueller-Sommer, Uwe Bonin
  • Publication number: 20190210228
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hand-held robot operating device combination (18) comprising: —an autonomous safety-related basic control device (15) that includes a housing (19), a safety-relevant switching means (20) on the housing (19), and a communication device (21) for connecting the mobile safety-related basic control device (15) for control purposes to a controller (12) of a robot (1); —an autonomous mobile terminal (17) that includes a terminal controller (23) and at least one terminal position sensor designed to sense positional data in respect of the mobile terminal (17) in at least one of the degrees of freedom thereof; and —a holder (16) designed to mechanically connect the safety-related basic control device (15) to the mobile terminal (17) in a manually detachable combined arrangement so as to form the hand-held robot operating device combination (18); the safety-related basic control device (15) includes at least one basic-control position sensor which is designed to sense positional data in respec
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Yevgen KOGAN
  • Patent number: 10307121
    Abstract: An X-ray arrangement for a medical work station includes a frame having a first frame section supporting an X-ray transmitter and a second frame section opposite the first frame section and supporting an X-ray receiver. The medical work station further includes an adjustment device configured to change a relative pose of at least one of the X-ray transmitter or the X-ray receiver relative to the frame by adjusting at least one of the pose of the X-ray transmitter at the first frame section or the pose of the X-ray receiver (at the second frame section independently of one other. In one aspect, the frame may be shaped as a C-arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Sven Brudniok
  • Publication number: 20190160686
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile security basic control device (15) of a robot (1), comprising a hand-held housing (16), an emergency stop switching means (17) arranged at the housing (16), a communication device (18) for establishing a link in terms of control between the mobile security basic control device (15) and a robot controller (12) of the robot (1), and further comprising a holder (19) connected to the housing (16), which is designed to mount the mobile security basic control device (15) on a mobile terminal (20). Said mobile terminal has a terminal control system (21) and a multi-touchscreen (22), which is designed to transmit inputs to the terminal control system (21) via the multi-touchscreen (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Riedel
  • Patent number: 10293498
    Abstract: A robotic surgery system includes a robot assembly comprising at least one robot and an instrument assembly comprising at least one instrument that is guided by the robot assembly. The instrument assembly includes at least one instrument housing having at least one drive unit housing part containing a cavity designed to hold the drive unit. The drive unit housing part includes a seal for the sterile sealing of an insertion opening of the cavity in addition to a dynamic sterile barrier which delimits the cavity in a sterile manner and across which the drive train arrangement can be actuated. The drive unit is offset laterally in relation to a longitudinal axis of the instrument shaft towards a connection between the instrument housing and the robot assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Lohmeier, Cuong Nguyen-Xuan, Wolfgang Schober
  • Patent number: 10293497
    Abstract: One aspect of the robotic surgery system according to the invention relates to a robot assembly comprising at least one robot and an instrument assembly comprising at least one instrument that is guided by said robot assembly. Said instrument assembly comprises at least one instrument housing having at least one drive unit housing part containing a cavity designed to hold the drive unit, said drive unit housing part having a seal for the sterile sealing of an insertion opening of the cavity in addition to a dynamic sterile barrier which delimits the cavity in a sterile manner and across which the drive train arrangement can be actuated; and/or the drive unit is offset laterally in relation to a longitudinal axis of the instrument shaft towards a connection between the instrument housing and the robot assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Lohmeier, Cuong Nguyen-Xuan
  • Patent number: 10286230
    Abstract: A measuring device for measuring a radiation dose, and a method for checking a radiotherapy device is disclosed. The measuring device includes a water phantom, a mechanical device designed to move the water phantom, and a control device. The water phantom includes a detector device which is adapted to detect ionizing radiation, and the control device is designed to control the mechanical device in such a manner that it moves the water phantom according to a movement of a patient, which the patient makes during an irradiation with a radiotherapy device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Ralph Berke
  • Patent number: 10286552
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a brake of a machine that has a machine control unit and at least one moveable link that can be actuated by the machine control unit and that can be adjusted by a drive motor actuated by the machine control unit, which motor drives a shaft and which motor, in an engaged (closed) position of a brake that can be automatically actuated by the machine control unit, can be locked by said brake. The invention also relates to a machine with a machine control unit, in particular a robot with a robot control unit, which is configured and/or equipped for carrying out such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Karsten Monreal, Carsten Angeli
  • Patent number: 10265869
    Abstract: An instrument assembly for a surgical robot system having at least one robot assembly includes at least one instrument having an instrument shaft configured for partial insertion into a patient and an instrument interface configured to attach the instrument to the robot assembly. The instrument assembly further includes a drive unit that actuates at least one degree of freedom of the instrument shaft. The drive unit includes a drive part with at least one drive and an electronic part. A manual operating unit is selectively replaceable with the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Lohmeier, Cuong Nguyen-Xuan, Thomas Neff, Wolfgang Schober
  • Patent number: 10258421
    Abstract: A surgical instrument arrangement has a modular motor drive unit which has a drive arrangement having at least one output element, an instrument shaft that can be detachably connected to the drive unit, and a drive arrangement having at least one input drive element. The output drive arrangement and the input drive arrangement can be coupled to each other by a mechanical interface that has at least one single-sided linkage, a pin, and a cut-out, wherein the pin can be radially expanded in the cut-out. Alternatively, a gap may be formed between the pin and the cut-out, which gap is wavy in the radial direction, and in which a radially displaceable, axially fixed intermediate element arrangement is arranged. The surgical instrument arrangement may also include a sterile barrier, which is provided to envelop the drive unit and to be arranged between the drive unit and the instrument shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Lohmeier, Wolfgang Schober, Sven Brudniok
  • Patent number: 10256803
    Abstract: An electrical device includes an electrical load, an electronic switch with an electronic switching element and a driver controlling the electronic switching element, and at least one pulsed power supply having a power unit coupled with the electronic switching element and configured to generate an electrical supply current for the electrical load from a voltage based on alternately turning on and off the electronic switching element. During operation of the power supply, an electrical current associated with the electronic switching element flows through a current path. A pulse transformer has a primary side coupled with the power unit such that the electrical current flows through a primary-side winding. A comparator compares a secondary-side electrical voltage or a filtered secondary-side electrical voltage of the transformer, and an evaluation device coupled with the comparator detects potential defects of the electronic switch based on the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Sebastian Zehetbauer
  • Publication number: 20190099884
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a plurality of mobile driverless manipulator systems (10, 20), in particular driverless transport vehicles in a logistics environment for manipulating objects (30). In the method, ambient information is provided by a central control device (40), and in one step, an object to be moved (30) in the surroundings is detected. The position and the pose of the detected object are used for updating the ambient information and are taken into account in the path planning of the mobile driverless manipulator systems (10, 20) in that, prior to a movement of the detected object (30), a first mobile driverless manipulator system (10) is used to check whether the detected object (30) is needed for the orientation of a second mobile driverless manipulator system (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Kümmerle, Patrick Pfaff
  • Patent number: 10245722
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for changing devices (W1, D1; W2, D2) which are connected to a robot (R) and which communicate with a robot application (APP), having the following steps: S2: detecting a disconnection of a communication with a first device (W1, D1); S3: removing an address entry (“MAC1/IP1”) for the first device from a communication index (ARP); S4: establishing communication with a second device (W2, D2); and S5: generating an address entry (“MAC2/IP1”) for the second device in the communication index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Ovidiu Zurbau