Multiple degree of freedom compliant actuator force control systems and methods used in robotic paint repair

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12208481-B2
Application number	US-201917286659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2018
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A robotic device that can include an end effector configured to manipulate one or more tools that drives one or more consumable abrasive products to abrade a substrate along several different surface dimensions, wherein the end effector comprises: three linear actuators each configured to move orthogonal relative to one another and at least one tool mount coupled to one of the three linear actuators and coupled to the tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robotic device, comprising:
an end effector configured to manipulate one or more tools that drives one or more consumable abrasive products to abrade a substrate along several different surface dimensions, wherein the end effector comprises:
three linear actuators each configured to move orthogonal relative to one another; and
at least one tool mount coupled to one of the three linear actuators and coupled to the tool,
wherein the at least one tool mount comprises three tool mounts each coupled to a respective one of the three linear actuators, wherein the one or more tools comprise three tools each coupled to a respective one of the tool mounts, wherein the one or more consumable abrasive products comprise three abrasive products each coupled to a respective one of the tools, and wherein the robotic device is configured to abrade the substrate in multiple dimensions simultaneously.

2. The robotic device of claim 1 , further comprising force control sensors coupled to each of the three linear actuators.

3. The robotic device of claim 1 , wherein the linear actuators comprise one or a combination of pneumatic and electro-mechanical actuators.

4. A robotic paint repair system, comprising:
three consumable abrasive products each configured to abrade a substrate;
three tools each configured to drive a respective one of the three consumable abrasive products;
a robotically controlled end effector configured to manipulate the three tools and three consumable abrasive products to abrade the substrate in multiple directions simultaneously, wherein the end effector comprises:
three linear actuators each configured to move orthogonal relative to one another; and
three tool mounts each coupled to a respective one of the three linear actuators and coupled to a respective one of the three tools.

5. The robotic paint repair system of claim 4 , further comprising force control sensors coupled to each of the three linear actuators.

6. The robotic paint repair system of claim 4 , wherein the three linear actuators comprise one or a combination of pneumatic and electro-mechanical actuators.

7. A method of removing paint on a substrate, comprising:
providing a robotically controllable end effector having three linear actuators and at least one of the three linear actuators coupled with at least one tool mount;
coupling at least one tool stack including a consumable abrasive product and tool to the at least one tool mount;
actuating each of the three linear actuators independently to move orthogonally relative to one another thereby positioning the tool stack within a three-dimensional space as desired, wherein the positioning of the tool stack orients the consumable abrasive product as desired within the three-dimensional space; and
abrading multiple separate portions of a surface of the substrate simultaneously using three separate tool stacks with the consumable abrasive product oriented as desired, wherein the three separate tool stacks comprise the at least one tool stack.

8. The method of repairing paint of claim 7 , wherein actuating orients the consumable abrasive product to correspond in orientation to an orientation of the surface of the substrate in the three dimensions, and wherein abrading the surface of the substrate is along three dimensions thereof.

9. A method of repairing paint on a substrate, comprising:
providing a robotically controllable end effector having three linear actuators each coupled with a respective tool mount;
coupling three respective tool stacks each including a consumable abrasive product and tool to each respective tool mount;
actuating each of the three linear actuators independently to move orthogonally relative to one another thereby positioning each of the three tool stacks separately of one another within a three-dimensional space as desired, wherein the positioning each of the three tool stacks orients each consumable abrasive product as desired within the three-dimensional space; and

abrading multiple separate portions of a surface of the substrate simultaneously using each of the three tool stacks with each consumable abrasive product oriented as desired.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Mielke Erich A
• Hemes Brett R

Classifications

• B25J11/0065

  Polishing or grinding · CPC title

• B25J9/1633

  compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control · CPC title

• B24B27/04 Primary

  Grinding machines or devices in which the grinding tool is supported on a swinging arm · CPC title

• B24B27/0076

  grinding machines comprising two or more grinding tools · CPC title

• B24B21/006

  for special purposes, e.g. for television tubes, car bumpers · CPC title