Human-centric robot with noncontact measurement device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016129594-A1
Application number	US-201514886135-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system measuring an object with a human-centric robot is provided. The robot including a movable end effector having a coupler, the robot including a plurality of transducers arranged to transmit signals to an electronic circuit, the electronic circuit configured in operation to determine the position and orientation of the end effector. At least one tool is provided having a first gripping portion, the gripping portion being sized and shaped to removably couple to the coupler. A three-dimensional (3D) scanner is provided that is configured in operation to determine three-dimensional coordinates of a surface of an object, the 3D scanner having a second gripping portion sized and shaped to removably couple to the coupler. A controller is configured to selectively couple one of the at least one tool or the 3D scanner to the coupler in response to an object signal.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a human-centric robot, the robot including a movable end effector configured to couple with a plurality of tools, the robot including a plurality of transducers arranged to transmit signals to an electronic circuit, the electronic circuit configured in operation to determine a position and orientation of the end effector, the end effector having a coupler, the robot further including at least one sensor configured to transmit a position signal for determining a position of a human operator, the robot configured to operate directly adjacent to and in close proximity to a human operator based at least in part on the position signal; at least one tool having a first gripping portion, the first gripping portion being sized and shaped to removably couple to the coupler; a three-dimensional (3D) scanner configured in operation to determine three-dimensional coordinates of a surface of an object, the 3D scanner having a second gripping portion sized and shaped to removably couple to the coupler; and a controller having a processor, the processor configured to execute computer executable instructions when executed on the processor for selectively coupling one of the at least one tool or the 3D scanner to the coupler in response to an object signal.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the robot further includes a machine readable optical scanner, the optical scanner generating a scanner signal in response to scanning a bar code.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the robot further includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader circuit, the reader circuit generating the object signal in response to an RFID tag being within range of the reader circuit.

4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the robot further includes a near field communications (NFC) reader circuit, the reader circuit generating the object signal in response to an NFC tag being within range of the reader circuit.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one tool includes a plurality of tools, each of the plurality of tools including the first gripping portion.

6 . The system of claim 5 further comprising a tool holder operably coupled to the robot, the tool holder having a plurality of modules for storing the plurality of tools and the 3D scanner, the tool holder is configured to cooperate with the coupler to remove and store the plurality of tools and the 3D scanner during operation.

7 . The system of claim 6 further comprising a calibration member adjacent the robot, the processor configured to calibrate the 3D scanner with the calibration member in response to the 3D scanner being coupled to the coupler.

8 . A method of operating a manufacturing cell, the method comprising:
providing a human-centric robot configured to operate directly adjacent a human operator, the human-centric robot having a movable end effector and a plurality of transducers arranged to transmit a position signal to an electric circuit, the end effector having a coupler, the robot further including at least one sensor configured to transmit a position signal for determining a position of a human operator, the robot configured to operate directly adjacent and in close proximity to a human operator based at least in part on the position signal; providing at least one tool having a first gripping portion; providing a three-dimensional (3D) scanner, the 3D scanner having a second gripping portion; receiving an object signal; coupling the at least one tool or 3D scanner to the coupler in response to receiving the object signal; performing a first operation on an object being assembled with at least one of the end effector or the at least one tool; and determining three-dimensional coordinates of at least one feature of the object with the 3D scanner coupled to the coupler.

9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
providing the human-centric robot with a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader circuit; and
generating a command signal with the reader circuit in response to the reader circuit being within range of an RFID tag.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
providing the human-centric robot with a near field communications (NFC) reader circuit; and generating the object signal with the reader circuit in response to the reader circuit being within range of an NFC tag.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one tool includes at least a first tool and a second tool.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
selectively coupling one of the first tool and the second tool to the coupler in response to a command signal; and performing a second operation on the object with the human-centric robot in response to the first tool or the second tool being coupled to the coupler.

13 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
providing a tool holder operably coupled to the human-centric robot, the tool holder having a plurality of modules for storing the at least one tool and the 3D scanner;
removing the 3D scanner from the tool holder;
moving the 3D scanner adjacent the object prior to determining the three-dimensional coordinates; and
storing the 3D scanner in the tool holder after determining the three-dimensional coordinates.

14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
providing a calibration member positioned adjacent the human-centric robot; and
calibrating the 3D scanner with the calibration member prior to moving the 3D scanner adjacent the object.

15 . A system for inspecting an object, the object having at least one machine readable code associated therewith, the system comprising:
a human-centric robot, the robot including an articulated arm having at least two arm segments and an end effector coupled to the end of the articulated arm, the end effector configured to couple with a plurality of tools, the articulated arm including a plurality of transducers arranged to transmit signals to an electronic circuit, the electronic circuit configured in operation to determine a position and orientation of the end effector, the end effector having a coupler, the robot further having at least one sensor configured to detect the position of an adjacent a human operator; a reader circuit operably coupled to the end effector, the reader circuit configured to acquire the machine readable code; at least one tool having a first gripping portion, the first gripping portion being sized and shaped to removably couple to the coupler; a structured light three-dimensional (3D) scanner configured in operation to determine three-dimensional coordinates of a surface of an object, the 3D scanner having a second gripping portion sized and shaped to removably couple to the coupler; and a controller having a processor, the processor configured to execute computer executable instructions when executed on the processor for selectively coupling one of the at least one tool or the 3D scanner to the coupler in response to acquiring the machine readable code.

16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the reader circuit includes a machine readable optical scanner, the optical scanner generating a scanner signal in response to scanning a bar code.

17 . The system of claim 1 wherein the reader circuit is configured to communicate using a radio frequency identification (RFID) protocol or an near-field communication (NFC) protocol.

18 . The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one tool includes a plurality of tools, each of the plurality of tools including the first gripping portion.

19 . The system of claim 18

Assignees

• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Telling Gary L

Classifications

• B25J15/04 Primary

  with provision for the remote detachment or exchange of the head or parts thereof · CPC title

• B25J19/021

  Optical sensing devices · CPC title

• G06K7/10554

  Moving beam scanning · CPC title

• Y10S901/09

  Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement · CPC title

• G06K7/10405 Primary

  the interrogation device including an arrangement for sensing environmental parameters, such as a temperature or acceleration sensor, e.g. used as an on/off trigger or as a warning means · CPC title