Mechanical end effector for planar motion mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10532884-B2
Application number	US-201715603867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2017
Priority date	May 24, 2017
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

The invention is a planar motion mechanism with a mechanical end effector. The mechanism has a vertical slide table that moves along one or more vertical tracks. The vertical slide table includes one or more horizontal tracks, an arcuate guide rail parallel to the horizontal tracks, and a horizontal slide table that moves along the horizontal tracks. The horizontal slide table comprises an end effector, which is a suspended perpendicular arm with a lip on the bottom edge that supports a load. The end effector, when unloaded, follows the path of the arcuate guide rail as the horizontal slide table moves along the one or more horizontal tracks. In this way, the end effector engages the load in positions near the edge of the arcuate guide rail, but in central positions along the arcuate guide rail, the end effector is distanced from the load so that it can freely maneuver.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A planar motion mechanism comprising:
first and second vertical tracks; and
a vertical slide table that moves up and down along the first and second vertical tracks, the vertical slide table comprising:
a first slider that engages the first vertical track;
a second slider that engages the second vertical track;
a horizontal track that extends from the first slider to the second slider;
an arcuate guide rail parallel to the horizontal track that extends from the first slider to the second slider; and
a horizontal slide table that moves side to side along the horizontal track, the horizontal slide table comprising a suspended arm comprising a basal lip that supports a positionable load,

wherein the suspended arm, when unloaded, maintains contact with the arcuate guide rail as the horizontal slide table moves side to side along the horizontal track.

2. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising two or more motors that drive the vertical slide table and the horizontal slide table.

3. The planar motion mechanism of claim 2 , further comprising a belt and a pulley system that connects the two or more motors to the vertical slide table and the horizontal slide table.

4. The planar motion mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the two or more motors are controlled by one or more microcontrollers.

5. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the planar motion mechanism is an H-bot.

6. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the planar motion mechanism is one component in an automated storage and retrieval system.

7. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the positionable load comprises a storage bin.

8. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the positionable load comprises an electrical appliance.

9. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the positionable load comprises at least one basal extension that engages the basal lip.

10. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the basal lip comprises a vertical flange.

11. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the suspended arm comprises a long metal slat.

12. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the suspended arm comprises an upside-down T-shape.

13. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the suspended arm comprises a hinge.

14. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the suspended arm comprises a spring.

15. The planar motion mechanism of claim 14 , wherein a force provided by the spring causes the suspended arm, when unloaded, to maintain contact with the arcuate guide rail as the horizontal slide table moves side to side along the horizontal track.

16. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the suspended arm flexes outward and away from the arcuate guide rail when the suspended arm is loaded.

17. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the arcuate guide rail is positioned below the horizontal track.

18. The planar motion mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the arcuate guide rail is positioned below the horizontal track between the hinge and the basal lip of the suspended arm.

19. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the arcuate guide rail is concave in relation to the suspended arm.

20. The planar motion mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the arcuate guide rail is partially concave in relation to the suspended arm.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Priddis Andrew
• Burnett Braquel
• Day Nathan
• Fox Joe
• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Priddis Andrew
• Burnett Braquel
• Day Nathan
• Fox Joe

Classifications

• B65G1/04 Primary

  mechanical · CPC title