Device for opening/closing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938534-B2
Application number	US-202017295190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

An opening-closing apparatus capable of, when using a robot arm to selectively open and close a component of a sliding nozzle device, reliably opening and closing the component to respective given positions. The apparatus comprises: a hand-like distal module engageable with an openable-closable component of a sliding nozzle device; a force sensor to detect a force received by the module; and a robot arm to which the module and the sensor are mounted. The robot arm is controllably operated to: move the module toward the component of the sliding nozzle device and engage the module with the component of the sliding nozzle device; then move the module to move the component, if the absolute value of the force detected by the sensor is equal to or less than a given threshold; and stop the movement of the module, when the absolute value of the force detected by the sensor reaches the threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An opening-closing apparatus for selectively opening and closing an openable-closable component of a sliding nozzle device, the opening-closing apparatus comprising:
a positional sensor for determining determined three-dimensional positional coordinates of the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device;
a distal module configured to be engaged with the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device based on the determined three-dimensional positional coordinates of the openable-closable component;
a force sensor configured to detect a force received by the distal module; and
a robot arm to which the distal module and the force sensor are coupled,
wherein the distal module includes an engagement portion configured to be engaged with the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device, in a state in which the engagement portion of the distal module is freely fitted around a portion of the openable-closable component with a gap therebetween in a horizontal direction, and
wherein the gap is sized to provide for engagement of the engagement portion with the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device even when there is an error in the determined three-dimensional positional coordinates of the openable-closable component.

2. The opening-closing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the distal module is detachably held by a plate holding device capable of holding a plate for the sliding nozzle device, wherein the plate holding device is mounted to the robot arm.

3. The opening-closing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the plate holding device comprises: a plurality of holding portions for holding the distal module; a widening and narrowing means to selectively widening and narrowing a distance between opposed ones of the plurality of holding portions; and a pressing portion for pressing the distal module when the distal module is held by the plurality of holding portions.

4. The opening-closing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , which further comprises a control unit configured to control operation of the robot arm, wherein the control unit is operable to controllably operate the robot arm so as to: move the distal module toward the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device and engage the distal module with the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device; then move the distal module to move the openable-closable component, if an absolute value of the force detected by the force sensor is equal to or less than a given threshold; and stop the movement of the distal module, when the absolute value of the force detected by the force sensor reaches the given threshold.

5. An opening-closing apparatus for selectively opening and closing an openable-closable component of a sliding nozzle device, the opening-closing apparatus comprising:
a distal module configured to be engaged with the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device based on determined three-dimensional positional coordinates of the openable-closable component;
a force sensor configured to detect a force received by the distal module; and
a robot arm to which the distal module and the force sensor are coupled,
wherein the distal module includes an engagement portion configured to be engaged with the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device, in a state in which the engagement portion of the distal module is freely fitted around a portion of the openable-closable component with a gap therebetween in a horizontal direction,
wherein the gap is sized to provide for engagement of the engagement portion with the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device even when there is an error in the determined three-dimensional positional coordinates of the openable-closable component, and
wherein a positional sensor is attached to the robot arm, the positional sensor determining the determined three-dimensional positional coordinates of the openable-closable component of the sliding nozzle device.

6. The opening-closing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the error is less than 20 nm.

Assignees

• Krosakiharima Corp

Inventors

• Yoshimura Mamoru
• Funato Junichi
• Yamaguchi Yusuke
• Imahase Toshihiro

Classifications

• B22D11/10 Primary

  Supplying or treating molten metal (B22D41/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B22D41/34

  Supporting, fixing or centering means therefor · CPC title

• B25J13/08

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

• B25J15/00 Primary

  Gripping heads {and other end effectors (grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H10P72/7602)} · CPC title

• B25J13/085

  Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence) · CPC title