Patents by Inventor Srinivas Chilpuri

Srinivas Chilpuri has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Force-control enabled automation of tube-nut assembly applications
    Patent number: 9457438
    Abstract: A system and method for automating an assembly process of threading a tube-nut onto a threaded connector. The system includes a robot having a force sensor and a tube-nut runner tool coupled to the robot and having a tool head with a rotatable socket therein. The method includes engaging the socket to the tube-nut under force control using the force signal from the force sensor. The tool controller causes the socket to rotate the tube-nut where the tool controller controls the torque and/or angle displacement of the tool head to tighten the tube-nut on the threaded connector. The method also includes disengaging the tool head from the tube-nut after the tube-nut is properly tightened onto the threaded connector under force control to ensure that the end member is properly disengaged from the tube-nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Muhammad E. Abdallah, Gary L. Villeneuve, Sreten Zakula, Srinivas Chilpuri, Michael S. Cochran
  • FORCE-CONTROL ENABLED AUTOMATION OF TUBE-NUT ASSEMBLY APPLICATIONS
    Publication number: 20150059175
    Abstract: A system and method for automating an assembly process of threading a tube-nut onto a threaded connector. The system includes a robot having a force sensor and a tube-nut runner tool coupled to the robot and having a tool head with a rotatable socket therein. The method includes engaging the socket to the tube-nut under force control using the force signal from the force sensor. The tool controller causes the socket to rotate the tube-nut where the tool controller controls the torque and/or angle displacement of the tool head to tighten the tube-nut on the threaded connector. The method also includes disengaging the tool head from the tube-nut after the tube-nut is properly tightened onto the threaded connector under force control to ensure that the end member is properly disengaged from the tube-nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Muhammad E. Abdallah, Gary L. Villeneuve, Sreten Zakula, Srinivas Chilpuri, Michael S. Cochran