Patents Assigned to Kuka Roboter GmbH
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Patent number: 9346175Abstract: An industrial robot includes a robot arm having multiple connecting links connected by joints, wherein at least two adjacent connecting links are connected by a swivel joint and can be adjusted by a motor. A mechanical stop device defines a maximum rotatable adjustment angle between the adjacent links and includes a stop projection connected to one of the two adjacent connecting links, an engaging piece connected to the other one of the two adjacent connecting links, and a trailing stop which can be adjusted by the engaging piece. The trailing stop comprises a trailing stop body and an annular body which is connected with the trailing stop body and which is pivoted in an annular groove in an inner wall of a housing component of one of the two adjacent connecting links.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2013Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Rainer Krumbacher, Franz Liebl, Christoph Groll
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Patent number: 9339934Abstract: A method for manually guided adjustment of the pose of a manipulator arm of an industrial robot includes detecting a guidance force applied to the manipulator arm by an operator of the industrial robot, determining one of at least two degrees-of-freedom of a reference coordinate system as a selected freedom direction, wherein the selected freedom direction corresponds to the degree-of-freedom in which the guidance force has its greatest force vector component, and controlling the drives of the industrial robot using force control in such a manner that a pre-specified reference point associated with the manipulator arm is moved only in the selected freedom direction as a result of movement of the manipulator arm by an operator during a manually-guided adjustment of the pose of the manipulator arm.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Yevgen Kogan
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Patent number: 9329092Abstract: The invention concerns an industrial robot and a method to determine a torque having an effect on a limb of the robotic arm. The robotic arm has several sequentially arranged limbs, of which a first limb is stored relative to a second limb of the limbs on an axis of rotation, and using a stationary motor relative to the second limb and a gearbox connected to the motor, is rotatable around the axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Gernot Nitz, Michael Thummel
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Patent number: 9331600Abstract: An electronic power circuit, electrical machine and a method for verifying the functionality of an electronic power circuit. The invention relates to an electronic power circuit, an electrical machine with the electronic power circuit and a method for verifying the functionality of the electronic power circuit. The electronic power circuit comprises a power unit with at least one power semi-conductor switch, which is equipped to generate a pulsed electrical voltage for an electrical consumer from an electrical voltage on the basis of an alternating powering on and off of the at least one power semiconductor switch, and control electronics equipped to control the power semiconductor switch for the alternating powering on and off.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Michael Langhans, Sebastian Zehetbauer
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Patent number: 9321174Abstract: A manipulator configuration according to the invention comprises at least one manipulator and at least one control device and features a mechanical energy storage device, which is configured for storing mechanical energy of at least one manipulator.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Stefan Roth, Michael Ruf
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Patent number: 9317032Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 13, 2012Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Bernd Finkemeyer
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Publication number: 20160075029Abstract: The invention relates to a method for carrying out a robot-assisted measurement of measurable objects. The paths of a sensor are defined and transmitted to a robot co-ordinate system. The actual paths of the sensor guided on the robot are recorded. A plurality of measurable objects is measured, the sensor being guided with the robot along said actual paths. A compensating device makes it possible to compensate internal and/or external influences produced on the robot. The compensation stage is carried out after a determined number of measurements.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2015Publication date: March 17, 2016Applicant: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Alexander Verl
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Patent number: 9254878Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile robot, exhibiting an omnidirectional wheeled support vehicle (1) having numerous omnidirectional wheels (13) and drives for driving the omnidirectional wheels (13), a robot arm (2), exhibiting numerous, successively disposed links (3-7) and drives for moving the links (3-7), and a positioning device (17), designed to position the robot arm (2), which can be automatically moved on the support vehicle (1), in relation to the support vehicle (1), and a drive dedicated to the positioning device (17) for moving the robot arm (2) in relation to the support vehicle (1).Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2013Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Alois Buchstab
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Patent number: 9250624Abstract: The invention relates to an industrial robot and a method for programming an industrial robot, for which the industrial robot is guided manually to a virtual surface (25) in the room, at which point the industrial robot is selected such that it cannot be guided any further manually. Next, that force (F) and/or torque acting on the industrial robot when an attempt is made to guide the industrial robot further manually is ascertained and stored, despite reaching the virtual surface (25).Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2008Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Uwe Zimmermann
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Patent number: 9248876Abstract: An omnidirectional vehicle has a driving module and a mobile industrial robot. The omnidirectional vehicle has omnidirectional wheels and a vehicle body, on which at least one of the omnidirectional wheels is mounted by means of an individual suspension.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2008Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbHInventors: Elmar Nüchter, Edmund Bahr, Heinrich Lohmüller
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Patent number: 9244463Abstract: The invention relates to an automated guided vehicle and a method for operating an automated guided vehicle. Upon arriving at a destination, then the automated guided vehicle is moved, based on a comparison of signals or data assigned to the environment detected by at least one sensor with signals or data which are assigned to a target position or to a target position and orientation of the automated guided vehicle at the destination, such that the actual position or the actual position and orientation is the same as the target position or target position and orientation at least within a pre-specified tolerance.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Patrick Pfaff, Bjorn Klein, Christoph Bick
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Patent number: 9230448Abstract: The invention concerns a flight simulator device (1, 51) for simulating the flight behavior of an aircraft. The flight simulator device (1, 51) comprises a passenger compartment (6) with an input means to accommodate at least one person (P), an omnidirectionally movable carrier vehicle (2) with several wheels (4) and with drive units for driving the wheels (4), and a control device (5) connected to the input means and the drive units of the carrier vehicle (2), which is designed to actuate the drive units of the carrier device (2) on the basis of signals coming from the input means.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2013Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Alois Buchstab
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Patent number: 9227321Abstract: A method for controlling a manipulator includes determining by a control device one or more contact force values between the manipulator and a first workpiece. Each of the contact force values is based on an actual driving force of the manipulator and a drive force according to a dynamic model of the manipulator. The method also includes at least one of a) measuring in multiple stages an orientation and location of the first workpiece based on at least one of the one or more determined contact force values or b) joining a second workpiece and the first workpiece under a compliant regulation, where a joining state of the first and second workpieces is monitored based on at least one of an end pose of the manipulator obtained under the compliant regulation, a speed of a temporal change of the manipulator, or at least one of the one or more determined contact force values.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2010Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Simon Klumpp, Günter Schreiber
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Patent number: 9199378Abstract: A measuring apparatus (1; 1?) for measuring a manipulator (10), with a measuring body (2; 2?) having at least one measurement point (3; 3?) that is fixed in relation to the measuring body for determining a position (TTCP,3; TTCP,3?) relative to a reference point (TCP) that is fixed in relation to the manipulator, and an attaching device connected to the measuring body (2) for fixing on the surroundings, includes at least one calibration point (7; 7?) connected to the measuring apparatus for determining a position (TR, M; TR,M?) relative to the surroundings and/or at least one measurement point (6) positioned on the attaching device.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2010Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Michael Groll, Thomas Purrucker, Dietmar Tscharnuter
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Patent number: 9193071Abstract: In addition to an automatic operating mode (“AUTOMATIC”), in which protective monitoring (1) is carried out, and a set-up operating mode (“SET-UP”), in which manual control input (3, 6) is provided, a method according to the invention for controlling a robot comprises a remote access operating mode (“REMOTE ACCESS”) in which the protective monitoring (1) is carried out and manual control input (3, 5, 7) is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Stefan Hollmann
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Patent number: 9151645Abstract: The invention relates to a method for testing the plausibility of output signals (u1, u2) of a resolver (21), by means of which an angular position of two elements (3-7) of a machine (R) can be determined in relation to each other.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2012Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Andreas Hagenauer
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Patent number: 9144902Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining possible positions of a robot arm of a robot. The robot arm comprises a frame, numerous links, disposed successively, which can move in relation to one another, with respect to axes. First, a target position and target orientation in space for a robot arm or a tool center point assigned to an end effector attached to the robot arm, are defined, to which a reference coordinate system having polar coordinates is assigned. Subsequently, potential possible positions of the frame of the robot arm in space and in the polar coordinates of the reference coordinate system are determined on the basis of the geometry of the robot arm, such that the tool center point can assume the defined target position and target orientation.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2013Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Christian Scheurer, Uwe E. Zimmermann, Shashank Sharma
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Patent number: 9145286Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 14, 2011Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Patrick Pfaff, Christoph Sprunk
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Patent number: 9120174Abstract: The invention relates to a welding robot for resistance welding, which exhibits a welding tongs (21), a welding current generator (1) connected to the welding electrodes (24, 25) of the welding tongs (21), for supplying the welding electrodes (24, 25) with electric energy during the resistance welding, and an industrial robot. The industrial robot comprises a robot arm (2) and a robot control device (9) for moving the robot arm (2). The welding tongs (21) is connected to the robot arm (2) and the robot control device (9) is connected to the welding current generator (1) and a tongs drive (26, 27) of the welding tongs (21).Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2012Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Tanja Birner-Such, Simon Dietrich
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Patent number: 9120229Abstract: The invention is concerning a robotic arm that features several consecutive mobile links and motors associated with axes relative to one another for the moving of the links. At least one of the links is selectively mountable in at least two configurations relative to its adjacent links.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2013Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Stefan Roth