Mobile robot platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12053880-B2
Application number	US-201917414664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments provide a mobile robot platform for processing an aircraft structural component with a robot, with a platform which can be moved on a floor in a horizontal movement direction, and with a height adjustment unit, arranged on the platform, the robot being arranged in a vertically adjustable fashion on the height adjustment unit and in at least one processing mode of the mobile robot platform the height adjustment unit is arranged in a non-pivoting fashion with respect to the platform, the robot having robot kinematics for positioning an end effector, and the robot kinematics having a first robot joint with a first robot limb, which is mounted ahead of the first robot joint, and with a second robot limb, which is mounted after the first robot joint, and a second robot joint ahead of which the second robot limb is mounted and after which a third robot limb is mounted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile robot platform for processing an aircraft structural component with a robot, with a platform which can be moved on a floor in a horizontal movement direction, and with a height adjustment unit, arranged on the platform, for vertically adjusting the robot,
the robot being arranged in a vertically adjustable fashion on the height adjustment unit and in at least one processing mode of the mobile robot platform the height adjustment unit is arranged in a non-pivoting fashion with respect to the platform,
the robot having robot kinematics for positioning an end effector, and
the robot kinematics having a first robot joint with a first robot limb, which is mounted ahead of the first robot joint, and with a second robot limb, which is mounted after the first robot joint, and a second robot joint ahead of which the second robot limb is mounted, and after which a third robot limb is mounted,
wherein:
a third robot joint is mounted after the third robot limb, and wherein the first robot joint, the second robot joint and the third robot joint have essentially parallel rotational axes; and
the rotational axes of the first, second and third robot joints are oriented transversely with respect to the horizontal and/or parallel to the vertical adjustment direction.

2. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the height adjustment unit is linearly adjustable with respect to the horizontal.

3. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the robot is configured to be moved completely into an area within the boundaries of a vertical projection of the platform.

4. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in at least one processing position the second robot limb extends laterally beyond the platform.

5. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the end effector has at least one tool configured for drilling and/or milling the aircraft structural component and/or a riveting unit for riveting the aircraft structural component.

6. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the riveting unit and/or the drill/riveting unit has a riveting tool and a riveting opposing tool for riveting.

7. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the end effector has a U-shaped tool receptacle, the riveting tool being arranged on one limb of the U-shaped tool receptacle, and the riveting opposing tool being arranged on the other limb of the U-shaped tool receptacle.

8. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the limbs of the U-shaped tool receptacle point downward to the floor or upward from the floor.

9. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the end effector points downward to the floor or upward from the floor.

10. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the end effector has a first pivoting unit for pivoting the at least one tool about a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis of the first pivoting unit is arranged transversely with respect to the rotational axis of the third robot joint and/or runs through the tool center point of the end effector.

11. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the end effector has a second pivoting unit for pivoting the at least one tool about a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis of the second pivoting unit is arranged transversely with respect to the rotational axis of the first pivoting unit and/or runs through the tool center point of the end effector.

12. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mobile robot platform is embodied so as to be self-propelled in the horizontal movement direction and/or can be moved by an external device.

13. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mobile robot platform is supplied with power and/or compressed air from the outside.

14. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a rivet-provision unit, which provides rivet elements to the end effector via a transportation link, is arranged on the platform.

15. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mobile robot platform comprises a sensor for referencing the position and/or attitude of the aircraft structural component relative to the mobile robot platform and/or to the robot and/or to the end effector.

16. The mobile robot platform as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in at least one processing position the second robot limb extends laterally beyond the platform, wherein in at least one processing position the third robot limb is arranged laterally completely outside the platform.

17. A robot arrangement for processing an aircraft structural component with a robot, with a height adjustment unit for vertically adjusting the robot,
the robot being arranged in a vertically adjustable fashion on the height adjustment unit,
the robot having robot kinematics for positioning an end effector with at least one tool, and
the robot kinematics having a first robot joint with a first robot limb, which is mounted ahead of the first robot joint, and with a second robot limb, which is mounted after the first robot joint, and a second robot joint ahead of which the second robot limb is mounted and after which a third robot limb is mounted,
wherein
a third robot joint is mounted after the third robot limb, and wherein the first robot joint, the second robot joint and the third robot joint have essentially parallel rotational axes, and
wherein the end effector has a first pivoting unit for pivoting the at least one tool about a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis of the first pivoting unit is arranged inclined with respect to the rotational axis of the third robot joint and/or runs through the tool center point of the end effector.

18. A method for processing an aircraft structural component with a mobile robot platform with a robot, with a platform which can be moved on a floor in a horizontal movement direction, and with a height adjustment unit, arranged on the platform, for vertically adjusting the robot,
the robot being arranged in a vertically adjustable fashion on the height adjustment unit, the robot having robot kinematics for positioning an end effector, and
the robot kinematics having a first robot joint with a first robot limb, which is mounted ahead of the first robot joint, and with a second robot limb, which is mounted after the first robot joint, and
a second robot joint ahead of which the second robot limb is mounted and after which a third robot limb is mounted,
wherein
a third robot joint is mounted after the third robot limb, and wherein the first robot joint, the second robot joint and the third robot joint have essentially parallel rotational axes, and the end effector processes the aircraft structural component.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the mobile robot platform has a working range in which it can process a section of an aircraft structural component without being moved, wherein the aircraft structural component is arranged with one section in this working range and is processed in this section, wherein after the processing of this section the mobile robot platform is moved along the aircraft structural component, and the aircraft structural component is subsequently processed in a section which lies outside the working range of the previous processing.

Assignees

• Broetje Automation Gmbh

Inventors

• Neemann Volker
• Tabeling Norbert

Classifications

• B25J9/042

  comprising an articulated arm · CPC title

• B21J15/142

  Aerospace structures · CPC title

• B64F5/50

  Handling or transporting aircraft components · CPC title

• B64F5/00

  Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing or inspecting aircraft components, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B25J5/007 Primary

  mounted on wheels · CPC title