Patents Assigned to Kuka
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Publication number: 20130008012Abstract: A hemming device (2) and a hemming method are provided in which the hemming device (2) has a hemming bed (14) for a workpiece (3) and multiple hemming robots (8, 9) with hemming tools (20). The hemming device (2) is designed to hem inner and outer lock seams (5, 6) on both sides of the workpiece (3). The hemming robots (8, 9) lie on different sides of the hemming bed (14), and the hemming bed (14) is further designed and arranged for accessing inner and outer lock seams (5, 6) on both sides of the workpiece (3) from front and rear sides (15, 16). For this purpose, the hemming bed can have a section (19) for a rearward access to an inner lock seam (5) and a bedding for inner and outer lock seams (5, 6).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2011Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: KUKA Systems GmbHInventors: Johann Kraus, Wolfgang Fischer
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Publication number: 20120330463Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2011Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBHInventors: Gunter Schreiber, Michael Gerung
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Publication number: 20120324415Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2010Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: KUKA Laboratories GmbHInventors: Andreas Keibel, Torsten Goroll
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Publication number: 20120317535Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2011Publication date: December 13, 2012Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBHInventors: Volker Schmirgel, Gerhard Hietmann, Sebastian Reitelshofer, Simon Klumpp, Johannes Kurth
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Patent number: 8332067Abstract: In a computerized device for processing a robot control program, at least one local area of a robot path of a robot is displayed at a display screen, the robot path containing a support point that is to be modified. The display screen also shows the support point, as well as a path course therethrough and at least one direction also proceeding through the support point perpendicularly to the path course. An input device allows a user to modify the path course by modifying the position of the support at the display screen.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2007Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbHInventors: Christof Ditscher, Ulrich Huggenberger, Thomas Stumpfegger
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Patent number: 8319467Abstract: A manipulator, in particular a small robot, has at least two motor mutually movable limbs with a motion axis of both limbs being acted on by an axle drive that has an external rotor motor, a position transmitter and a transmission. The transmission has at least one planetary gear set with a center gear and at least one planet meshing with it that also meshes with a ring gear and is mounted on a planet carrier. One of both limbs of the manipulators is torque proof connected with the ring gear and is mounted by this radial and/or axially, and the other is torque proof connected by both limbs of the manipulator with the planet carrier and is mounted by this radial and/or axially.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2010Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbHInventors: Daniel Kos, Andreas Weingaertner, Gernot Nitz
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Publication number: 20120283875Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2010Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBHInventors: Simon Klumpp, Günter Schreiber
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Publication number: 20120262727Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2011Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBHInventor: Uwe Bonin
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Publication number: 20120262156Abstract: The invention relates to a machine (R) comprising a first member (1c), a rotatable second member (1c) rotatable relative to the first member (1c) relative to an axis (A), a control device (S), a drive connected with the control device (S) for moving the two members (1c, 1d) relative to one another, and a first Hall sensor (21) connected with the control device (S) and arranged on the first member (1c). On the second member (1d), a first, second and third magnet (31-33) are arranged next to each other on a common circular trajectory (14) such, that during a rotation of the two members (1c, 1d) relative to one another, the first Hall sensor (21) is located at a specific position (P) in the detection zone of the magnets (31-33). The second magnet (32) which is developed as the center magnet is facing towards the first Hall sensor (21) with another magnetic pole than the first and third magnet (31, 33).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBHInventors: Gernot Nitz, Stefan Roth, Dietmar Tscharnuter
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Publication number: 20120265338Abstract: An invention-based method for controlling a robot arrangement having at least one robot (R) and comprising the following steps: Establishing at least one general fault model (1) for a group of different treatment processes with predetermined processing errors (S1); Configuring the fault model for at least one specific processing error of a process of the group (S2); and Transmitting the configured fault model (1?) to a control system of the robot arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBHInventors: Andreas Keibel, Thomas Kohler
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Publication number: 20120265071Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBHInventor: Ralph Berke
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Publication number: 20120265340Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GmbHInventor: Bernd Finkemeyer
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Patent number: 8290617Abstract: In a robot system, and a method for operating a robot system, for loading general cargo units, a gripper unit of the robot is operated to stack the general cargo units in a stack, by movements controlled by a computerized control unit. In order to avoid unstable loading patterns, the computerized control unit automatically determines the loading pattern of the stack of general cargo units, and also automatically determines at least one characteristic that represents the stability of the loading pattern.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbHInventor: Gerda Ruge
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Publication number: 20120239190Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBHInventor: Bernd Finkemeyer
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Publication number: 20120232694Abstract: The invention relates to a method for creating a robot model (17) of an industrial robot (1) which has a robotic arm (2) having a plurality of successive limbs (3-8) which are adjustable by means of drives (11-16) via transmissions (5) in relation to axes (A1-A2), controlled by a control device (10) of the industrial robot (1). According to the invention, the robotic arm (2) is moved in a plurality of poses. At least one of the limbs (4) is moved in the same first movement direction (18) by means of the drive (11) thereof at least upon approaching the individual poses. In order to obtain the robot model (17), the robotic arm (2) is measured at each of the poses thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2010Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBHInventors: Gernot Nitz, Dietmar Tscharnuter, Wolfgang Michel, Rene Rossig, Michael Muller
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Patent number: 8255083Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 22, 2008Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbHInventors: Martin Weiss, Manfred Hüttenhofer, Andreas Hagenauer, Günther Wiedemann
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Patent number: 8249746Abstract: A method for regulation of a multi-axis automated manipulator, in particular of a robot, includes flexible regulation of at least one guide axis, and rigid regulation of at least one additional axis, and determining a desired value of the at least one additional axis on the basis of a real value of the guide axis.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbHInventor: Andreas Hagenauer
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Patent number: 8244400Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for automatically stacking tires (4) on a support (1). According to the method, geometrical data of the tires (4) and/or a digital model of the tires (4) is provided, based on the geometrical data and/or the tire model and a predefinable size of the support (1), an algorithm calculates a stacking pattern for the tires (4) on the support (1) by taking into account a predefined size of the support, said stacking pattern making it possible to store the largest possible number of tires (4) in a stable manner on the support (1). Positional data of the tires (4) are adopted from the stacking pattern and associated trajectories of a handling device for stacking the tires (4) are generated and stored according to the stacking pattern.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2006Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Norbert Cottone, Daniel Kotzor, Torsten Albrecht, Martin Peghini
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Publication number: 20120197573Abstract: The invention relates to methods for referencing a drive position of an electric drive (20) of at least one gripper half (14, 16) of a production gripper (10, 12) in a closed position of two gripper halves (14, 16) and a system of a production gripper (10, 12), in particular a welding tongs (12), clinch tongs or crimping tool and a respective control device for operating the production gripper (10, 12), which is set up to carry out such a method.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2012Publication date: August 2, 2012Applicant: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventor: Franz Pecher
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Patent number: 8219245Abstract: To increase the safety of an articulated arm robot with robot members connected by means of joints as open kinematics and with functional elements acting on the joints, such as drive motors, gears, brakes and a weight balance system, while reducing the mechanical limitations of the motion space of the robot, the present invention provides that at least some of the said functional elements have a dual design.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2006Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbHInventors: Günther Merk, Joachim Markert, Rainer Krumbacher