Patents Assigned to Kuka Laboratories GmbH
  • Publication number: 20130079167
    Abstract: The invention relates to a carnival ride the comprises a passenger seat for receiving at least one person, a display device for displaying a film sequence and a robot with a control device and with a robotic arm to which the passenger seat can be fastened or is fastened. The film sequence comprises several successive images. The robotic arm comprises drives connected to the control device and comprises several members that can be moved relative to each other by the drives relative to axes. The control device is arranged for controlling the drives for a movement of the robotic arm so that the members have positions of the axes which positions are associated during the movement with the movement. Information about an association of at least several of the images of the film sequence with corresponding positions of the axes of the robotic arm is stored in the control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
  • Publication number: 20130060415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an autonomous industrial truck (1), having the following method steps: determining, by means of a measuring apparatus (6) of the autonomous industrial truck (1), whether the industrial truck potentially hits at least one obstacle (7) on the basis of the present movement of said industrial truck (1), determining that point (14) of the industrial truck (1), and determining a maximum velocity for the present movement of the industrial truck (1) on the basis of the determined distance (d), with the result that the industrial truck reliably comes to a standstill in front of the obstacle (7) on the basis of possible braking of the industrial truck (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Patrick Pfaff, Christoph Sprunk
  • Patent number: 8392022
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical device, a medical work station, and a method for registering an object (P). The medical device comprises a navigation system (17, 18) and a robot (R) having several axes of rotation (1-6). The navigation system (17, 18) comprises a detection device (18) for detecting prominent points on an object (P) or markers (M) placed on the object (P) as well as a processing device (17) for determining the position of the object (P) on the basis of the prominent points or markers (M) detected by means of the detection device (18). The detection device (18) of the navigation system is mounted on the robot (R).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Ortmaier, Dirk Jacob, Thomas Neff
  • Publication number: 20120330463
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for mounting a component (6), which comprises an insertion part (9) and a holding part (7), in an opening (10) in a workpiece (11) by means of an industrial robot (1), which has an end effector (3), which guides the component (6) on the holding part (7) thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Gunter Schreiber, Michael Gerung
  • Publication number: 20120324415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system having one or more development environments (2) for creating machine programs (6), in particular robot programs, and one or more machine controls (12), in particular for controlling robots. One or more machine controls (12) are represented in a development environment (2). The system is configured for the regular transmission of data from one development environment (2) to a machine control (12) and/or the reverse. A development environment (2) and a machine control (12) each preferably comprise a database (1a and 1b). The representation of a machine control (12) in a development environment (2) is carried out in that the affected databases (1a and 1b) are synchronized. Furthermore, a development environment (2) can react to changes in a machine control (12) represented therein. The invention further relates to a method for operating in such a system and a related computer program product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Keibel, Torsten Goroll
  • Publication number: 20120317535
    Abstract: A process module library according to the invention for programming a manipulator process, in particular an assembly process, comprises a plurality of parametrisable process modules (“search( )”, “peg_in_hole( )”, “gear( )”, “screw( )”) for carrying out a sub-process which in particular is common to different manipulator processes. Each of the process modules comprises a plurality of basic commands of a common set of basic commands for carrying out a basic operation, in particular an atomic or molecular operation, and a process module can be linked, in particular mathematically, to a further process module and/or a basic command. During programming, a manipulator can be controlled by means of a functional module of a graphic programming environment (100).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Volker Schmirgel, Gerhard Hietmann, Sebastian Reitelshofer, Simon Klumpp, Johannes Kurth
  • Publication number: 20120283875
    Abstract: A method according to the invention for controlling a manipulator, in particular of a robot, comprises the step of detecting a contact force between the manipulator and a workpiece (2; 20) on the basis of actual drive forces (t) and drive forces (tModell) of a dynamic model (M d2q/dt2+h(q, dq/dt)=tModell) of the manipulator. The method also comprises at least one of the steps of a) multistage measuring of a position of the workpiece (2) on the basis of detected contact forces (S40, S70), in particular comprising the steps of: determining positions of misaligned contours, in particular edges (2.1, 2.2), of the workpiece (2) by detecting poses of the manipulator and at the same time contact forces acting thereon (S40); moving to reference points of the workpiece (2), in particular defined by recesses (3.1, 3.2, 3.3), on the basis of contours (2.1, 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Simon Klumpp, Günter Schreiber
  • Publication number: 20120265071
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical work station which has a medical instrument which is intended to be inserted at least partially into the interior of a lying being for treating the latter, an imaging device which is set up to create image data records of the interior of the living being during the treatment, and a robot. The robot includes a robot arm having a plurality of members situated one after another, on which the imaging device or the medical instrument may be situated, and a control device intended for moving the robot arm, which is set up to move the robot arm in such a way that the imaging device attached to the robot arm follows a motion of the medical insrument, or the medical instrument attached to the robot arm follows a motion of the imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: Ralph Berke
  • Publication number: 20120265340
    Abstract: The invention relates to a robot, a robot control device, and a method for operating a robot. The robot includes an arm having a plurality of members following one after the other, an attaching device for attaching an end effector and drives for moving the members, and a control device connected to the drives. In another aspect, a computer program running on the control device, issues a command for the robot arm to carry out an application step. At least one abort condition of the command from a plurality of abort conditions is detected, the execution of the application step is aborted on the basis of the detected abort condition, and simultaneously with the detection of the abort condition information is passed to the computer program about the abort condition on the basis of which the execution of the application step was aborted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Finkemeyer
  • Publication number: 20120262727
    Abstract: A device according to the invention (1) for monitoring the safety of at least one robot (2), having a non-contact detection apparatus (3A, 3B) for monitoring a working space (A) of at least one robot (2) in a monitoring mode (FIG. 1), is characterized by a switching means (1) for switching the detection apparatus into a measuring mode (FIG. 2) to measure at least one robot (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: Uwe Bonin
  • Publication number: 20120239190
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a robot (R), and a correspondingly set-up robot. The robot (R) has a robot arm (M) having a plurality of members (1) following sequentially, an attaching device (3) for attaching an end effector (4, 46), and drives for moving the members (1), and a control device (S) connected to the drives. Stored in the control device (S) is a hierarchical regulating and control strategy having a plurality of differently prioritized regulating and control functionalities, and the method has the following process step: during the movement of the robot arm (M), switching over to a higher-prioritized regulating and control functionality, as soon as stable movement of the robot arm (M) by means of the higher-prioritized regulating and control functionality is possible, and an execution condition independent of the higher-prioritized regulating and control functionality is fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: Bernd Finkemeyer
  • Patent number: 8255083
    Abstract: The invention relates to an industrial robot (1) having a control apparatus (8), and to a method for controlling the movement of the industrial robot (1). For the purposes of the method, an instruction which is intended for controlling the industrial robot (1) is checked, an interpreted instruction is produced by interpretation of the checked instruction by means of an interpreter (13), and the interpreted instruction is stored in a temporary store (10). This process is repeated until a first keyword is detected. A data record (15) is then produced from the interpreted instructions stored in the temporary store (10), wherein the data record (15) has information relating to at least one path element of a path on which the industrial robot (1) is intended to be moved. The data record (15) is loaded into a buffer store (11), is checked by the buffer store (11) and is interpolated by means of an interpolator (14), in order to move the industrial robot (1) on the path element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Weiss, Manfred Hüttenhofer, Andreas Hagenauer, Günther Wiedemann
  • Publication number: 20120116416
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical work station (1) for treating a living being (13) by means of a medical instrument (1). The work station (1) includes at least one robot arm (3), which has a plurality of members connected by means of joints, drives to move the members, and an attaching device (10), at least one control device (4) coupled with the drives, which is set up to generate signals for actuating the drives, so that the attaching devices (10) carry out movements assigned to the signals, and a display device (6) coupled with the control device (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Neff, Dirk Jacob, Martin Kuschel, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Tobias Ortmaier
  • Publication number: 20120029694
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical work station (1, 40) which has a medical technology apparatus (1, 40) and a patient support device (2). The medical technology apparatus (1, 40) includes a medical technology device (RE, RQ, 41), and at least one first robot (21, 22, 44), which has a first robot arm (23, 26, 42) having a plurality of members and a first control device (24, 27, 43) that controls a motion of the first robot arm (23, 26, 42). The medical technology device (RE, RQ, 41) is attached to a first attaching device (25, 28, 45) of the first robot arm (23, 26, 42). The patient support device (2) includes a patient table (8) and a second robot (31), which has a second robot arm (32) having a plurality of members, and a second control device (33) that controls a motion of the second robot arm (32). The patient table (8) is attached to a second attaching device (34) of the second robot arm (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: Michael Müller
  • Publication number: 20120022552
    Abstract: A method for operating a medical robot, a medical robot, and a medical work station. The invention relates to a method for operating a medical robot (2). The robot (2) includes a robot arm (5) having a plurality of members (7), drives (15) provided for moving the members (7), and an attaching device (9). The robot (2) also has a control device (6) for activating the drives (15), and a sound generating device (3) attached to the attaching device (9), which is provided to apply sound to a living organism (10), in particular a high-intensity focused ultrasound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Neff
  • Patent number: 8090474
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling at least one machine, such as an industrial robot, having drives, safety peripheral components and a controller for a machine, and also having a safety controller. In this arrangement, the safety controller has superordinate access over the respective machine controller both to the machine drives and to the safety peripherals. This achieves the most easily configurable integration of the safety control loop into the operating control loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Fiebiger
  • Patent number: 8069714
    Abstract: In a method to test a brake of a robot that has a number of axes, an actuator associated with one of the axes, a brake associated with this axis that is set up to at least reduce a movement of this axis, and a torque sensor associated with this axis, which determines the torque acting on this axis. The brake is activated, the torque acting on the axis is determined by the torque sensor given an activated brake, and the functional capability of the brake is assessed in a processor based on an evaluation of the torque determined by the torque sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kuka Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Ortmaier, Marc-Walter Ueberle
  • Publication number: 20110282493
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical workstation and an operating device (1) for the manual movement of a robot arm (M1-M3). The operating device (1) comprises a controller (5) and at least one manual mechanical input device (E1-E3) coupled to the controller (5). The controller (5) is designed to generate signals for controlling a movement of at least one robot arm (M1-M3) provided for treating a living being (P) based on a manual movement of the input device (E1-E3) such that the robot arm (M1-M3) carries out a movement corresponding to the manual movement. The input device (E1, E2) comprises at least one mechanical damping unit (27, 40), which generates a force and/or torque during a manual movement of the input device (E1, E2) for at least partially suppressing a partial movement resulting from a tremor of the person operating the input device (E1, E2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: Tobias Ortmaier
  • Publication number: 20110190937
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical work station and to an operating device (1) for manually moving a robot arm (M1-M3) of a medical work station. The operating device (1) comprises a control device (5), a manual first input device (E2) coupled with the control device (5), and a screen (6). The control device (5) comprises an interface (8), which is provided in order to be connected to a hospital data network (9). The control device (5) is arranged to produce a first signal for controlling a motion of a first robot arm (M2) provided for treating a living being (P), provided as a result of a manual motion of the first input device (E2), so that the first robot arm (M2) performs a motion corresponding to the manual motion, to fetch data associated with the living being (P) through the interface (8) and the hospital data network (9), and to depict informational content (11) associated with the data on the screen (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventor: Tobias Ortmaier
  • Publication number: 20110184558
    Abstract: The invention relates to a robot (R, 70) and to a method for controlling a robot (R, 70). The distance (d) between an object (P) and the robot (R, 70) and/or the derivative thereof or a first motion of the object (P) is detected by means of a non-contact distance sensor (20, 20?) arranged in or on a robot arm (M) of the robot (R, 70) and/or on or in an end effector (19?) fastened on the robot arm (M). The robot arm (M) is moved based on the first motion detected by means of the distance sensor (20, 20?), a target force or a target torque to be applied by the robot (R) is determined based on the distance (d) detected between the object (P) and the robot (R), and/or a function of the robot (R) or a parameterization of a function of the robot (R) is triggered based on the first motion detected and/or a target distance between the object (P) and the robot (R) and/or the derivative thereof detected by means of the distance sensor (20, 20?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Jacob, Tobias Ortmaier