Positioning apparatus and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12558749-B2
Application number	US-201917756884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A positioning apparatus including a base structure; a first workpiece support; a second workpiece support; a support member supporting the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support; and a drive arrangement arranged to drive the support member relative to the base structure from a first position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on a processing side of the base structure and the second workpiece support is positioned on an opposite loading side of the base structure, to a second position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on the loading side and the second workpiece support is positioned on the processing side; wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the first workpiece support along a first path and the second workpiece support along a second path when driving the support member from the first position to the second position, the first and second paths being non-circular.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A positioning apparatus for positioning workpieces in relation to an industrial robot, the positioning apparatus comprising:
a base structure; a first workpiece support for supporting a first workpiece; a second workpiece support for supporting a second workpiece; a support member supporting the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support; and a drive arrangement arranged to drive the support member relative to the base structure from a first position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on a processing side of the base structure and the second workpiece support is positioned on an opposite loading side of the base structure, to a second position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on the loading side and the second workpiece support is positioned on the processing side; wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the first workpiece support along a first path and the second workpiece support along a second path when driving the support member from the first position to the second position, the first and second paths being non-circular.

2 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in each of the first position and the second position, the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support are positioned at substantially the same geodetic height.

3 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein one of the first and second paths is above the other one and has a first vertical height, and the other one is below and has a second vertical height,
wherein the first vertical height is larger than the second vertical height.

4 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises a motor, and wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the support member from the first position to the second position with the motor as the sole power source.

5 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises an intermediate member between the base structure and the support member, and a substantially horizontal primary rotation axis between the base structure and the intermediate member.

6 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second paths is above the other one and has a first vertical height, and the other one is below and has a second vertical height,
wherein the first vertical height is larger than the second vertical height.

7 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first vertical height is at least two times larger than the second vertical height.

8 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first vertical height is at least three times larger than the second vertical height.

9 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises a motor, and wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the support member from the first position to the second position with the motor as the sole power source.

10 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises an intermediate member between the base structure and the support member, and a substantially horizontal primary rotation axis between the base structure and the intermediate member.

11 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to rotate the intermediate member approximately 360° about the primary rotation axis when driving the support member from the first position to the second position.

12 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the support member from the first position to the second position such that a distance between the first workpiece support and the primary rotation axis and/or a distance between the second workpiece support and the primary rotation axis varies.

13 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises a motor arranged to drive the intermediate member about the primary rotation axis.

14 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises a substantially horizontal secondary rotation axis between the intermediate member and the support member, the secondary rotation axis being parallel with the primary rotation axis, and wherein the support member is arranged to rotate relative to the base structure about the secondary rotation axis.

15 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to rotate the support member approximately 180° about the secondary rotation axis when driving the support member from the first position to the second position.

16 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises a transmission having an input wheel fixed with respect to the base structure and an output wheel fixed with respect to the support member, and wherein a gear ratio between the input wheel and the output wheel is 2:1.

17 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises a stationary first gear wheel concentric with the primary rotation axis, a second gear wheel meshing with the first gear wheel and rotatably connected to the intermediate member, and a third gear wheel meshing with the second gear wheel, fixed with respect to the support member and concentric with the secondary rotation axis.

18 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a passive arrangement, wherein the passive arrangement is, together with the drive arrangement, arranged to kinematically define the position of the support member in relation to the base structure.

19 . The positioning apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the passive arrangement comprises a passive kinematic configuration corresponding to a kinematic configuration of the drive arrangement.

20 . A system comprising an industrial robot and a positioning apparatus comprising:
a base structure; a first workpiece support for supporting a first workpiece; a second workpiece support for supporting a second workpiece; a support member supporting the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support; and a drive arrangement arranged to drive the support member relative to the base structure from a first position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on a processing side of the base structure and the second workpiece support is positioned on an opposite loading side of the base structure, to a second position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on the loading side and the second workpiece support is positioned on the processing side; wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the first workpiece support along a first path and the second workpiece support along a second path when driving the support member from the first position to the second position, the first and second paths being non-circular.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Svoboda Petr

Classifications

• Y10S901/42

  Welding · CPC title

• B23K2101/04

  Tubular or hollow articles · CPC title

• B23K37/053

  aligning cylindrical work; Clamping devices therefor · CPC title

• B23K37/04

  for holding or positioning work · CPC title

• B23K9/0026

  specially adapted for particular articles or work · CPC title