Parametric and modal work-holding apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12416483-B2
Application number	US-202217987495-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2022
Priority date	Nov 24, 2021
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A system for inspecting each workpiece of a plurality of non-identical workpieces, each workpiece having a distinct workholding specification. The system includes a workholder configured to autonomously execute a plurality of workholding operations pursuant to parameters of a specified pre-defined workholding mode specified from a plurality of distinct, pre-defined workholding modes. Each pre-defined workholding mode specifies a plurality of holding parameters corresponding to the holding specification of a corresponding workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a workholder during sequential inspection of a plurality of workpieces, the workholder having a workpiece interface, each workpiece having a holding specification distinct from the respective holding specifications of other workpieces of the plurality of workpieces, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of distinct, selectable pre-defined modes, each such mode specifying a set of holding parameters corresponding to the holding specification of a corresponding workpiece of the plurality of workpieces, each holding parameter of the set of holding parameters corresponding to a corresponding workholding operation, the set of holding parameters comprising at least one of:
a parameter quantitatively specifying a maximum closing speed for closing the workpiece interface;
a parameter quantitatively specifying a closing delay time between (a) positioning of the workpiece by a robot in a specified position relative to the workpiece interface, and (b) closing of the workpiece interface to grasp the workpiece;
a parameter quantitatively specifying an opening delay time between (a) completion of an inspection operation by a workpiece inspection machine and (b) opening the workpiece interface to release the workpiece;
a parameter defining a time duration to jiggle the workpiece interface subsequent to receipt of the workpiece at the workholder; and/or
a parameter defining a vibration intensity at which to jiggle the workpiece interface subsequent to receipt of the workpiece at the workholder;

providing the workholder to hold each workpiece during inspection by an inspection instrument of an inspection system, the workholder configured to autonomously execute workholding operations pursuant to at least one of the holding parameters of the set of holding parameters of each of the pre-defined modes;
receiving, at the workholder, specification of a pre-defined mode from the plurality of pre-defined modes, said pre-defined mode being a specified pre-defined mode; and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the workholder includes a manually-operable mode switch having a plurality of distinct configurations, each configuration causing the manually-operable switch to establish the workholder into a corresponding distinct one of the pre-defined modes; and wherein
receiving, at the workholder, specification of a pre-defined mode from the plurality of pre-defined modes comprises receiving a set of mode control signals pursuant to manually setting the manually-operable mode switch to one of a plurality of configurations.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the workholder includes a communications interface in communication with a control computer and in control communication with workholder hardware; and wherein
receiving, at the workholder, specification of a pre-defined mode from the plurality of pre-defined modes comprises receiving a set of mode control signals from the control computer to the communications interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the set of holding parameters comprises
the parameter specifying a maximum closing speed for closing the workpiece interface, and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode comprises causing the workholder to close the workpiece interface at a speed not greater than the specified maximum closing speed.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the specified pre-defined mode comprises a parameter defining a clamping width of a workpiece interface of the workholder; and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode comprises causing the workholder to close the workpiece interface to the clamping width.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the set of holding parameters comprises
the parameter quantitatively specifying the closing delay time between (a) positioning of the workpiece by a robot in a specified position relative to the workpiece interface, and (b) closing of the workpiece interface to grasp the workpiece, and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode comprises causing the workholder to delay closing the workpiece interface until such closing delay time has elapsed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the set of holding parameters comprises
parameter quantitatively specifying the opening delay time between (a) completion of an inspection operation by a workpiece inspection machine and (b) opening the workpiece interface to release the workpiece, and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode comprises causing the workholder to delay opening the workpiece interface until such opening delay time has elapsed.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the specified pre-defined mode comprises a parameter defining a voltage applied to a workholder actuator of the workholder; and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode comprises causing the workholder to apply said voltage to the workholder actuator of the workholder.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the specified pre-defined mode comprises the parameter defining a time duration to jiggle the workpiece interface upon receipt of the workpiece at workholder; and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode comprises causing the workholder to jiggle the workpiece for the specified time duration.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the specified pre-defined mode comprises the parameter defining a vibration intensity at which to jiggle the workpiece interface upon receipt of the workpiece at workholder; and
causing the workholder to autonomously execute each workholding operation of the set of workholding operations pursuant to the holding parameters of the specified pre-defined mode comprises causing the workholder to jiggle the workpiece at the specified vibration intensity.

11. A workholder apparatus configured for sequentially holding each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces, each workpiece having a distinct holding specification from the respective holding specifications of other workpieces of the plurality of workpieces, the workholder comprising:
a workpiece interface controllable to open to receive the workpiece in an open configuration, and to close to grasp the workpiece in a closed configuration;
an actuator integral to the workholder and mechanically coupled to the workpiece interface; and
a control circuit integral to the workholder, the control circuit configured to (1) receive specification of a pre-defined mode from a plurality of selectable pre-defined modes, each such mode specifying a set of holding parameters corresponding to the holding specification of a workpiece of the plurality of workpieces, said pre-defined mode being a specified pre-defined mode, and to (2) autonomously execute workholding operations pursuant to the parameters o

Assignees

• Hexagon Metrology Inc

Inventors

• O'Hare Jonathan J
• Dove Jonathan

Classifications

• G01B5/008

  using coordinate measuring machines · CPC title

• G01B11/005

  coordinate measuring machines · CPC title

• G05B2219/50362

  Load unload with robot · CPC title

• G05B2219/50122

  Workpiece holder, chuck jaws, fixture setup · CPC title

• G05B2219/40383

  Correction, modification program by detection type workpiece · CPC title