Device and method for finishing a solid-propellant charge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12246433-B2
Application number	US-202017598630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A process for removing webs formed on a wall of a central channel of a propellant charge, the process including removing webs by levelling the wall of the central channel of the propellant charge with a levelling tool installed on an articulated robotic arm during which the movements of the robot arm are controlled by a user interface which includes a controller configured to be used by a user; a force sensor measures the force applied by the levelling tool; a control unit connected to the force sensor regulates the movements of the robot arm by maintaining the force applied by the levelling tool below a first predetermined force threshold, the control unit also regulating the movements of the robot arm by maintaining a movement speed of the levelling tool which is below a predetermined speed threshold value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for removing webs formed on a wall of a central channel of a propellant charge, the process comprising:
removing webs by levelling the wall of the central channel of the propellant charge with a levelling tool installed on an articulated robot arm
wherein the process further comprises placing the levelling tool against a web; and
pressing the levelling tool against the web by progressively increasing the force applied by the levelling tool against the web and by progressively increasing the first force threshold until the web is detached during which:
movements of the robot arm are controlled by a user interface which comprises a controller configured to be used by a user;
a force sensor measures a force applied by the levelling tool;
a control unit connected to the force sensor regulates the movements of the robot arm by maintaining the force applied by the levelling tool below a first predetermined force threshold, the control unit also regulating the movements of the robot arm by maintaining a movement speed of the levelling tool which is below a predetermined speed threshold value.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control unit regulates the movements of the robot arm by keeping the kinetic energy of the robot arm below a predetermined kinetic energy threshold value.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first force threshold varies between a minimum value and a maximum value which are predetermined.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the speed threshold value varies between a minimum value and a maximum value which are predetermined.

5. A process for removing webs formed on a wall of a central channel of a propellant charge, the process comprising removing webs by levelling the wall of the central channel of the propellant charge with a levelling tool installed on an articulated robot arm during which:
movements of the robot arm are controlled by a user interface which comprises a controller configured to be used by a user;
a force sensor measures a force applied by the levelling tool;
a control unit connected to the force sensor regulates the movements of the robot arm by maintaining the force applied by the levelling tool below a first predetermined force threshold, the control unit also regulating the movements of the robot arm by maintaining a movement speed of the levelling tool which is below a predetermined speed threshold value, wherein the process comprises a probing step performed before the removing of the webs and during which:
the levelling tool is moved along the wall of the central channel of the propellant charge by the robot arm;
the movements of the robot arm are controlled by the user interface;
the force sensor measures the force applied by the levelling tool;
the control unit regulates the movements of the robot arm by maintaining the force applied by the levelling tool below a second predetermined force threshold which is lower than the first force threshold.

6. A device for removing webs formed on a wall of a central channel of a propellant charge comprising:
an articulated robot arm comprising an end configured to penetrate into the central channel of the propellant charge;
a levelling tool which is configured to be attached to the end of the robot arm
a force sensor which is configured to be attached to the end of the robot arm and which is configured to measure the force applied by the robot arm
a user interface comprising a controller which are configured to allow control of the movements of the robot arm by a user;
a control unit which is connected to the robot arm and to the force sensor, said control unit being configured to regulate the movements of the robot arm by maintaining the force applied by the robot arm below a first predetermined force threshold, said control unit being further configured to regulate the movements of the robot arm by maintaining a movement speed of the end of the robot arm which is below a predetermined speed threshold value and to place the levelling tool against a web, and press the levelling tool against the web by progressively increasing the force applied by the levelling tool against the web and by progressively increasing the first predetermined force threshold until the web is detached.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the force threshold is selected not to damage the wall of the central channel.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the levelling tool is made of an electrically conductive material and is connected to electrical ground.

9. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the device comprises at least one image sensor which is configured to be attached to the end of the robot arm, and the user interface comprises a display which is configured to display images acquired by said least one image sensor.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the device comprises a lighting system which is configured to be attached to the end of the robot arm.

11. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the device comprises a suction nozzle which is configured to be attached to the end of the robot arm.

12. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the control unit is further configured to place the levelling tool against a web, press the levelling tool against the web by progressively increasing the force applied by the levelling tool against the web and by progressively increasing the first force threshold until the web is detached.

Assignees

• Arianegroup Sas

Inventors

• Bitonneau David
• Moulieres-Seban Théo
• Kamatchy Simon

Classifications

• F02K9/24

  Charging rocket engines with solid propellants; Methods or apparatus specially adapted for working solid propellant charges · CPC title

• F02K9/10

  Shape or structure of solid propellant charges · CPC title

• B25J19/04

  Viewing devices · CPC title

• B25J15/0019

  End effectors other than grippers · CPC title

• B25J13/085

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