End effectors having reconfigurable vacuum heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020009744-A1
Application number	US-201816028196-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 5, 2018
Priority date	Jul 5, 2018
Publication date	Jan 9, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

End effectors having reconfigurable vacuum heads for picking up thermoplastic parts of thermoplastic composite laminated articles are described. An example end effector is to be coupled to a robot. The end effector includes a first vacuum head having a first vacuum surface. The first vacuum head is to pick up a thermoplastic part in response to a first vacuum force applied at the first vacuum surface. The end effector further includes a second vacuum head having a second vacuum surface. The second vacuum head is to assist the first vacuum head in picking up the thermoplastic part in response to a second vacuum force applied at the second vacuum surface. The end effector further includes an arm to adjustably position the second vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head. The second vacuum head is coupled to the arm, and the arm is movable relative to the first vacuum head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An end effector to be coupled to a robot, the end effector comprising:
a first vacuum head including a first vacuum surface, the first vacuum head to pick up a thermoplastic part in response to a first vacuum force applied at the first vacuum surface; a second vacuum head including a second vacuum surface, the second vacuum head to assist the first vacuum head in picking up the thermoplastic part in response to a second vacuum force applied at the second vacuum surface; and an arm to adjustably position the second vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head, the second vacuum head being coupled to the arm, the arm being movable relative to the first vacuum head.

2 . The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the arm is to adjustably position the second vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head based on a property of the thermoplastic part, the property being at least one of a size, a shape, or a porosity of the thermoplastic part.

3 . The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the first vacuum head includes a pocket shaped to receive the second vacuum head, wherein the second vacuum head is to be positioned within the pocket when the first vacuum head and the second vacuum head are to pick up a first thermoplastic part having a first property, and wherein the second vacuum head is to be positioned away from the pocket when the first vacuum head and the second vacuum head are to pick up a second thermoplastic part having a second property that differs from the first property.

4 . The end effector of claim 3 , wherein the first property is a first size, and the second property is a second size greater than the first size.

5 . The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the second vacuum head is an air amplifier.

6 . The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the arm is movable relative to the first vacuum head via a first joint of the arm.

7 . The end effector of claim 6 , further comprising an actuator located at the first joint, the actuator to actuate the first joint to move the arm relative to the first vacuum head.

8 . The end effector of claim 6 , wherein the arm further includes a first segment, a second segment, and a second joint, the second segment being coupled to the first segment and movable relative to the first segment via the second joint.

9 . The end effector of claim 8 , further comprising an actuator located at the second joint, the actuator to actuate the second joint to move the second segment relative to the first segment.

10 . The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the second vacuum head is coupled to the second segment and movable relative to the second segment via a third joint of the arm.

11 . The end effector of claim 10 , further comprising an actuator located at the third joint, the actuator to actuate the third joint to move the second vacuum head relative to the second segment.

12 . The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the arm is a first arm, the end effector further comprising:
a third vacuum head including a third vacuum surface, the third vacuum head to assist the first vacuum head in picking up the thermoplastic part in response to a third vacuum force applied at the third vacuum surface; a second arm to adjustably position the third vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head, the third vacuum head being coupled to the second arm, the second arm being movable relative to the first vacuum head; a fourth vacuum head including a fourth vacuum surface, the fourth vacuum head to assist the first vacuum head in picking up the thermoplastic part in response to a fourth vacuum force applied at the fourth vacuum surface; a third arm to adjustably position the fourth vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head, the fourth vacuum head being coupled to the third arm, the third arm being movable relative to the first vacuum head; a fifth vacuum head including a fifth vacuum surface, the fifth vacuum head to assist the first vacuum head in picking up the thermoplastic part in response to a fifth vacuum force applied at the fifth vacuum surface; and a fourth arm to adjustably position the fifth vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head, the fifth vacuum head being coupled to the fourth arm, the fourth arm being movable relative to the first vacuum head.

13 . A method for picking up a thermoplastic part with an end effector coupled to a robot, the end effector including a first vacuum head and a second vacuum head, the second vacuum head being adjustably positionable relative to the first vacuum head via an arm, the method comprising:
positioning the second vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head based on a property of the thermoplastic part, the property being at least one of a size, a shape, or a porosity of the thermoplastic part; positioning a first vacuum surface of the first vacuum head and a second vacuum surface of the second vacuum head against the thermoplastic part; and applying a first vacuum force at the first vacuum surface and a second vacuum force at the second vacuum surface, the first and second vacuum forces to respectively cause the first and second vacuum heads to pick up the thermoplastic part.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein positioning the second vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head includes moving the arm relative to the first vacuum head via a first joint of the arm.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein moving the arm relative to the first vacuum head includes actuating the arm relative to the first vacuum head via an actuator located at the first joint.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the arm further includes a first segment, a second segment, and a second joint, and wherein positioning the second vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head further includes moving the second segment relative to the first segment via the second joint, the second vacuum head being coupled to the second segment.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein moving the second segment relative to the first segment includes actuating the second segment relative to the first segment via an actuator located at the second joint.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein positioning the second vacuum head relative to the first vacuum head further includes moving the second vacuum head relative to the second segment via a third joint of the arm.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein moving the second vacuum head relative to the second segment includes actuating the second vacuum head relative to the second segment via an actuator located at the third joint.

20 . A method for forming a thermoplastic composite layup with an end effector coupled to a robot, the end effector including a first vacuum head and a second vacuum head, the second vacuum head being adjustably positionable relative to the first vacuum head via an arm, the method comprising:
positioning the second vacuum head at a first position relative to the first vacuum head based on a first property of a first thermoplastic part of the thermoplastic composite layup, the first property being at least one of a size, a shape, or a porosity of the first thermoplastic part; positioning a first vacuum surface of the first vacuum head and a second vacuum surface of the second vacuum head against the first thermoplastic part; picking up the first thermoplastic part with the first and second vacuum heads in response to vacuum forces applied at the first and second vacuum heads; placing the first thermoplastic part; positioning the second vacuum head at a second position

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bloch Daniel David
• Green Zachary
• Moyes Eric E

Classifications

• B25J15/0616

  with vacuum · CPC title

• B25J15/0061 Primary

  mounted on a modular gripping structure · CPC title

• B25J15/0691 Primary

  Suction pad made out of porous material, e.g. sponge or foam · CPC title

• B25J15/0052

  multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors · CPC title

• B29C70/38

  Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns {(application heads for tyres B29D30/28)} · CPC title