Liquid supply device and liquid supply method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713231-B2
Application number	US-202217752460-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2022
Priority date	May 26, 2021
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a liquid supply device including: a plug having a plug side liquid channel; a socket having a socket side liquid channel; a hand configured to grip the socket and arrange the socket in a predetermined attitude at a three-dimensional position within the motion range; and an image capturing unit configured to recognize the orientation of the plug axis of the plug. The hand grips the socket so that the socket and the plug are in an attitude where the orientation of a socket axis matches the orientation of the plug axis recognized by the image capturing unit, and the socket gripped by the hand is inserted in the plug to couple the socket side liquid channel to the plug side liquid channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid supply device comprising:
a first plug fixed to a first opening in an upper face of a liquid storage container and having a plug side liquid channel extending along a first plug axis;
a first socket detachably attached to the first plug and having a socket side liquid channel extending along a first socket axis;
a gripping mechanism configured to grip the first socket and arrange the first socket in a predetermined attitude at a three-dimensional position within a motion range; and
a recognition unit configured to recognize the orientation of the first plug axis of the first plug,
wherein the gripping mechanism grips the first socket so that the first socket and the first plug are in an attitude where the orientation of the first socket axis matches the orientation of the first plug axis recognized by the recognition unit, and
wherein when the first socket gripped by the gripping mechanism is inserted in the first plug, the socket side liquid channel is coupled to the plug side liquid channel.

2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a first groove extending annularly about the first plug axis and having a plug side fixing part is formed in a tip of the first plug,
wherein a first protrusion extending annularly about the first socket axis and having a socket side fixing part is formed in a tip of the first socket,
wherein the gripping mechanism inserts the first protrusion in the first groove so that the socket side fixing part is arranged at a position distant by a first predetermined distance from the plug side fixing part on the first plug axis recognized by the recognition unit, and
wherein the first socket has an adjustment unit configured to adjust the position on the first socket axis of the socket side fixing part with respect to a grip position gripped by the gripping mechanism to form a fixed state where the socket side fixing part is fixed to the plug side fixing part.

3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the position on the first socket axis of the socket side fixing part with respect to the grip position and releases the fixed state.

4. The liquid supply device according to claim 3 , wherein the gripping mechanism grips the first socket detached from the first plug and moves the first socket to a washing container in which a washing liquid used for washing the first socket is stored.

5. The liquid supply device according to claim 2 further comprising:
a first cap part configured to seal the plug side liquid channel and having a first insertion part to be inserted in the first groove; and
a rotary mechanism having a holding part for holding the first cap part and configured to rotate the holding part about a first cap axis,
wherein a first thread is formed in the first insertion part of the first cap part,
wherein a second thread adapted to engage with the first thread is formed in the first groove of the first plug,
wherein the gripping mechanism grips the rotary mechanism so that the first cap and the first plug are in an attitude where the orientation of the first cap axis matches the orientation of the first plug axis recognized by the recognition unit, and
wherein the rotary mechanism detaches the first cap part from the first plug by rotating the holding part in a predetermined direction with the first cap part being held by the holding part.

6. The liquid supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the rotary mechanism attaches the first cap part to the first plug by rotating the holding part in the opposite direction to the predetermined direction with the first cap part being held by the holding part.

7. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a second plug fixed to a second opening in the upper face of the liquid storage container and having a plug side gas channel extending along a second plug axis; and
a second socket detachably attached to the second plug and having a socket side gas channel extending along a second socket axis,
wherein the recognition unit recognizes the orientation of the second plug axis of the second plug,
wherein the gripping mechanism grips the second socket so that the second socket and the second plug are in an attitude where the orientation of the second socket axis matches the orientation of the second plug axis recognized by the recognition unit, and
wherein when the second socket gripped by the gripping mechanism is inserted in the second plug, the socket side gas channel is coupled to the plug side gas channel.

8. A liquid supply method for supplying a liquid by a liquid supply device, wherein the liquid supply device comprises
a first plug fixed to a first opening in an upper face of a liquid storage container and having a plug side liquid channel extending along a first plug axis,
a first socket detachably attached to the first plug and having a socket side liquid channel extending along a first socket axis, and
a gripping mechanism configured to grip the first socket and arrange the first socket in a predetermined attitude at a three-dimensional position within a motion range,
the liquid supply method comprising:
a recognition step of recognizing the orientation of the first plug axis of the first plug;
a gripping step of gripping the first socket by the gripping mechanism so that the first socket and the first plug are in an attitude where the orientation of the first socket axis matches the orientation of the first plug axis recognized by the recognition step; and
a coupling step of coupling the socket side liquid channel to the plug side liquid channel by inserting the first socket gripped by the gripping step in the first plug.

Assignees

• Surpass Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Imai Hiroshi

Classifications

• B67C3/34 Primary

  Devices for engaging filling-heads with filling-apertures · CPC title

• B25J9/1612

  characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control · CPC title

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title

• B25J13/08

  by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices · CPC title

• B67D7/0288 Primary

  Container connection means (for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0829) · CPC title