System and method of robotic positioning of multiple tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046400-B2
Application number	US-201515527577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2015
Priority date	Nov 18, 2014
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for robotic positioning of multiple tools. The system may include one or more robotic devices, multiple tools, and one or more controllers. The one or more robotic devices are each configured to connect to the tools, move the tools to a desired work position, and release the tools at the work position. The tools are able to operate mechanically independently from the robotic devices to perform an operation at the position to which they are delivered. After releasing the tools, the robotic devices are able to perform other operations including moving additional tools to different work positions. The one or more controllers oversee the operation of the one or more robotic devices and tools and control the overall operation on a work piece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing holes in a work piece, the method comprising:
engaging a first drill with a robotic device with the first drill being positioned at an engagement position of the robotic device;
moving the first drill with the robotic device to a first position on the work piece;
disengaging the first drill from the robotic device at the first position;
while the first drill is disengaged from the robotic device, drilling the work piece at the first position with the first drill; and
while the first drill is disengaged from the robotic device and drilling the work piece at the first position:
moving the robotic device away from the first position while the engagement position is unoccupied;
engaging a second drill with the robotic device with the second drill being positioned at the engagement position;
moving the second drill with the robotic device to a second position on the work piece;
disengaging the second drill from the robotic device at, the second position; and
while the second drill is disengaged from the robotic device, drilling the work piece with the second drill at the second position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising while each of the first and second drills are disengaged from the robotic device and drilling the work piece:
moving the robotic device away from the second position while the engagement position is unoccupied;
engaging a third drill with the robotic device with the third drill being positioned at the engagement position;
moving the third drill with the robotic device to a third position on the work piece;
disengaging the third drill from the robotic device at the third position; and
drilling the work piece with the third drill at the third position.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising moving the robotic device to the first position on the work piece and re-engaging the first drill at the engagement position of the robotic device while the second and third drills are disengaged from the robotic device and drilling the work piece.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving a signal from the first drill indicating that the drilling at the first position is complete prior to moving the robotic device to the first position.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a signal from the first drill indicating that the drilling at the first position is complete and re-engaging the first drill at the engagement position of the robotic device and moving the first drill to a docking station that is spaced away from the work piece.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein engaging the second drill with the robotic device occurs at a docking station that is spaced away from the work piece.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disengaging the second drill from the robotic device at the second position and moving the robotic device back to the first position while the first drill is still drilling the work piece at the first position.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disengaging the first drill from the robotic device at the first position while the first drill is not drilling the work piece.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a next position on the work piece for the first drill to drill while the first drill is disengaged from the robotic device and drilling the work piece at the first position.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising while each of the first and second drills are drilling the work piece, moving the robotic device back to the one of the first and second drills based on determining which will complete the drilling soonest.

11. A system for performing manufacturing operations on a work piece, the system comprising:
a robotic device with a movable arm and an engagement position on the arm;
a plurality of drills each comprising a movable spindle configured to receive a drill bit, each of the plurality of drills being able to operated independently from the robotic, device;
a control circuit that monitors the manufacturing operations on the work piece;
the robotic device configured to receive instructions from the control circuit and responsive to the instructions perform the following:
engage a first one of the drills at the engagement position of the robotic device;
move the first drill to a first position on the work piece;
disengage from the first drill when the first drill is at the first position;
move the first drill away from the first position while the engagement position is unoccupied and while the first drill is drilling the work piece at the first position;
engage a second drill at the engagement position while the first drill is drilling the work piece;
move the second drill to a second position on the work piece while the first drill is drilling the work piece;
disengage the second drill from the robotic device at the second position while the first drill is drilling the work piece ; and
drill the work piece with the second drill at the second position while the first drill is drilling the work piece.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a tool control circuit that controls the plurality of drills, the tool control circuit being spaced away from the control circuit.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the robotic device further comprises opposing arms that are movable between an open position to disengage from the drills and a closed position to engage with the drills.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second drills are the same.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the robotic device includes a base that s located at a fixed position.

Assignees

• Apex Brands Inc

Inventors

• Rola Martin Douglas
• Wang Yen-Chien

Classifications

• B23B2215/04

  Aircraft components · CPC title

• B23B35/00 Primary

  Methods for boring or drilling, or for working essentially requiring the use of boring or drilling machines; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such methods · CPC title

• G05B2219/40284

  Toolrack on vehicle with manipulator, toolchanger · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• Y10T408/03

  Processes · CPC title