Abstract: The invention relates to a fiber structure component (1, 1?), a robot component, an industrial robot (2), a composite component in general, a composite assembly for land, air and space vehicles, and a manufacturing method for the fiber structure component (1, 1?). The fiber structure component (1, 1?) has at least one stiffening layer (13) to stiffen the fiber structure component (1, 1?) and at least one fiber layer (14) with fiber mats and a matrix, bonded to the stiffening layer (13). The stiffening layer (13) has at least one support element (4, 9), which is surrounded with a fiber material (12). The support element (4, 9) has holes (5) and/or openings (6) for permeation with the fiber material (12) and is provided with a profiling (7, 8). The support element (4, 9) is electrically conductive.
Abstract: The invention relates to a method for moving a camera that is disposed on a pan/tilt head along a given trajectory especially in a set or studio as well as an associated camera robot. In order to be able to move a camera with repeated accuracy along a given trajectory, an associated trajectory is determined for the spatial positions and orientations of a basic reference system of the pan/tilt head from the given trajectory for the camera, and associated control variables for shafts of a robot that can be moved in Cartesian coordinates are generated from the determined trajectory for the basic reference system of the pan/tilt head and are transmitted to the shafts, thus allowing camera movements to be made that are not possible with previously known systems.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 7, 2006
Publication date:
December 25, 2008
Applicants:
KUKA ROBOTER GMBH, CINE-TV BROADCAST SYSTEMS GMBH
Abstract: A manipulator, such as a multiaxial industrial robot (1), particularly for use in contamination-endangered environments, including a plurality of scavenging areas (1.8a, 1.8b) to which a scavenging medium can be supplied and located in the vicinity of the drive unit of the manipulator. A plurality of groups of drive units has in each case its own scavenging area (1.8a, 1.8b) associated with it. A method is also provided for influencing at least one ambient condition, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, contamination and/or bacterial presence, in the vicinity of the drive units of a manipulator. This reliably ensures a safe operation of the inventive manipulator (1), even in areas with strict hygiene requirements.
Abstract: In order to improve the safety of a machine, particularly a robot, such as a multiaxial or multiaxle industrial robot during the operation thereof, particularly in the presence of human beings, the invention provides a method for operating the machine, which is characterized in that at least one path section is traversed in monitored manner in a reference trip, that movement-characteristic operating values are continuously measured and stored as reference values and that during machine operation said operating values are also determined and compared with the stored reference values. The invention also relates to a device for performing the method.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 23, 2005
Date of Patent:
October 28, 2008
Assignee:
KUKA Roboter GmbH
Inventors:
Rainer Bischoff, Jens Bunsendal, Gerhard Hietmann
Abstract: Disclosed is a robot-controlled optical measurement array (1) comprising an optical sensor (2) that is fastened to a spacer (3). Reference marks (22) are provided on the spacer (3) and/or on a sensor (2) housing (2?). Said optical measurement array (1) is calibrated by means of an auxiliary device (13) that is placed on the optical measurement array (1) and is provided with a sensor target (16) which is disposed on the auxiliary device so as to lie within one measurement space (17) of the optical sensor (2) when the optical measurement array (1) and the auxiliary device (13) are in the assembled state. In order to calibrate the optical measurement array (1), measured values of the sensor target (16) are generated with the aid of the sensors (2), said measured values being used for calculating the three-dimensional position of the sensor coordinate system (10) in relation to the sensor target (16).
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 3, 2005
Publication date:
September 11, 2008
Applicant:
KUKA Roboter GmbH
Inventors:
Thomas Ibach, Bernhard Laubel, Matej Leskovar, Holger Linnenbaum, Martin Paskuda
Abstract: A method for controlling a robot during an interpolation of a trajectory or motion to any prescribed position, comprises the steps of a) ignoring at least one of the three originally prescribed or interpolated tool center point orientation values; b) finding new tool center point orientation values that place the wrist center point of the robot closest to its base while c) maintaining the originally prescribed or interpolated tool center point location values and d) maintaining the original prescribed or interpolated tool center point orientation values not ignored. Said method can preferably be used for carrying a load with a plurality of robots. Its main advantage is an increase of the available working volume.
Abstract: The invention relates to a method for overlaying AR objects on an environmental image representing the environment. According to said invention, a depth image of the environment is recorded from a point of vision; the representation of an AR object to be placed in the environmental image is modified in terms of how it appears from the point of vision at a pre-defined spot in the environmental image; it is determined how the parts of the AR object facing the point of vision are arranged in relation to an associated image point of the depth image, from the point of vision; at least the representation of parts of the AR object is modified in a pre-determined manner in relation to the apparent depth in the image; and the thus processed AR object is overlayed on the environmental image. The invention also relates to a device for overlaying AR objects on an environmental image displaying the environment, said device comprising corresponding elements for carrying out said method.
Abstract: A method for moving a multi-axis or multi-axle handling system, particularly for orienting a hand of an industrial robot, with a gripping tool connected to a hand is characterized in that the movement is performed in such a way that movement-dependent moments on an article held by the gripping tool are largely eliminated and that essentially only normal forces act between the article and the gripping tool. An apparatus according to the invention is used for performing the method. This permits a safe and speed-optimized movement of handling articles, particularly during palletizing and commissioning, which leads to corresponding economic cost advantages.
Abstract: A device for positioning components to be joined together, such as car body components, is characterized by at least one movable central module and a plurality of arms, movable in space and connected thereto and which in each case have at least one holding element for holding the components. By means of the inventive method for the positioning of the components to be joined together and for the performance of which the said device is particularly suitable, the components are held from a position within a desired arrangement of the components to be joined. In this way the assembled components during a subsequent tacking together and optionally further downstream production processes such as welding or the like, are accessible in optimum manner from the outside. Further advantages of the method according to the invention are a limited space requirement and possible balancing of the production process.
Abstract: A process and a device for controlling the pressing force of the electrodes [of an] electrode holder driven by means of an electric motor, especially of an industrial robot, during the welding operation characterized in that the motor position is controlled or that a means for controlling the position of the electric motor is provided.
Abstract: To improve the operation of robots in installations reprogramming and emptying an operating sequence to be performed by them, the invention provides a method and a device for visualizing computer-assisted information in an image of the real environment on a viewing device, in which there is a determination of the position and orientation or pose of the image receiving device and that robot-specific informations corresponding to this determination are faded over the image of the real environment on the viewing device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 10, 2004
Date of Patent:
November 20, 2007
Assignee:
KUKA Roboter GmbH
Inventors:
Arif Kazi, Bahadir Kuepeli, Rainer Bischoff
Abstract: In a method for controlling the movement of a manipulator associated with an interpretation of a given point sequence of poses (positions and orientations) by splines, the motion components are separately parameterized. Thus, marked, subsequent changes to the orientation of robot axes have no undesired effects on the Cartesian movement path of the robot. Suitable algorithms are provided for orientation control by using quaternions or Euler angles.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 5, 2003
Date of Patent:
November 13, 2007
Assignee:
KUKA Roboter GmbH
Inventors:
Manfred Hüttenhofer, Günther Wiedemann, Stefan Burkhart
Abstract: A method for machining workpieces by means of a multiaxial manipulator, such as an industrial robot, with a tool moved proportionally by a control unit of the manipulator and which can perform characteristic movements with several degrees of freedom is characterized in that the degrees of freedom of the tool are evaluated together with the degrees of freedom of axes of the manipulator in real time for moving a tool tip (TCP) in accordance with a predetermined, continuous machining path or a portionwise continuous machining geometry (step function) and for determining a movement of the manipulator. The invention also proposes a device suitable for performing the aforementioned method, in which the tool and a tool tip, during workpiece machining, are movement-controllable by the manipulator control unit. In this way it is possible to drastically reduce the overall machining time.
Abstract: A method for controlling a plant, such as an industrial production plant with a plurality of working units, such as industrial robots or the like, using at least one programmable logic control (PLC), is characterized in that historical process data are fed into an input area of the PLC and processed by a PLC program logic. An apparatus suitable for performing the method according to the invention has a real time information server for acquiring, archiving or transferring in each case specific historical process data with respect to the plant and a data stream controller for the flexible transfer of archived process data to at least one programmable logic control PLC for controlling the plant, wherein the output data of the PLC can be fed back into the latter.
Abstract: To improve the exchange of data between controls of machines, particularly robots, a method is provided for the exchange of such data, wherein a first control produces an instruction to be transmitted with data to be sent to a second control and with an identification representing the second control. The instruction to be transmitted is provided with an identification of the first control, wherein the first control sends the instruction to be transmitted to the second control, wherein the second control evaluates the data of the instruction and wherein the second control provides the first control with an acknowledgment.
Abstract: In order to improve the monitoring of a machine with movable parts, such as in particular an industrial robot, and for increasing safety, the invention provides a method for monitoring movable parts of a machine, such as an industrial robot, in which at least two different measured quantities are detected and at least one of these measured quantities is processed to a first measure result in such a way that it is comparable with another measured quantity or a second measure result obtained on the basis thereof, that the first measure result is compared with another measured quantity or a measure result obtained on the basis thereof and that a signal characterizing the comparison result is provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 28, 2004
Date of Patent:
August 8, 2006
Assignee:
KUKA Roboter GmbH
Inventors:
Peter Heiligensetzer, Alwin Berninger, Norbert Settele
Abstract: A method for the synchronous control of a plurality of handling devices, such as industrial robots, having a control command to be implemented by controls of the handling devices participating in a synchronization is initiated on a random control and is subsequently further processed therein as a function of the nature of the command.
Abstract: The invention relates to a safety device for apparatuses having parts freely movable in space, particularly handling equipment such as industrial robots or driverless transportation means, as well as a method for securing such apparatuses by means of such a safety device. The apparatuses have switching means which in the case of a collision of the moving parts with persons or objects emit a control signal through which the moving parts can be stopped or an emergency program can be started up, which brings about a movement sequence opposing the approach movement. The invention is characterized in that the safety device is constructed in the form of a tactile sensor system formed from optical waveguides and located on moving parts of the apparatus.
Abstract: A method for the synchronous control of several manipulators, such as several industrial robots, is characterized in that control units of specific manipulators exchange control information according to the data structures contained in a corresponding control program, through which control units to be synchronized and synchronization points in the control programs taking place there can be clearly identified, and in that on reaching and synchronization points the program sequence in the control units to be synchronized is continued according to the contents of the data structures in conjunction with the already exchanged control information or stopped until corresponding information arrives from other control units to be synchronized.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 14, 2003
Date of Patent:
April 4, 2006
Assignee:
KUKA Roboter GmbH
Inventors:
Stefan Graf, Andreas Hagenauer, Michael Chaffee, Kenneth Stoddard