Robotic end effector tool with one piece fixed frame system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802325-B2
Application number	US-201314380271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2013
Priority date	Mar 2, 2012
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

The present invention is directed to tool arrangement having a one piece frame. The one piece frame that is solid and non-adjustable and includes a back side, front side and one or more extension walls extending away from the front side of the one piece frame. An attachment portion is located on said back side of the one piece frame for connecting the tool arrangement to a robotic arm. The one piece frame has at least three mounting locations formed at predetermine locations on said one piece frame. The at least three mounting locations are predetermined and non-adjustable locations on the one piece frame. The tool arrangement includes a stationary gripper connected to one of the three mounting locations and at least one four point gripper connected to another one of the three mounting locations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool arrangement comprising:
a one piece frame having a back side, front side and one or more extension walls extending away from the front side of the one piece frame, wherein said one piece frame is a solid non-adjustable frame;
an attachment portion on said back side of said one piece frame for connecting said tool arrangement to a robotic arm;
at least three mounting locations formed at predetermine locations on said one piece frame, wherein each of said at least three mounting locations are predetermined and non-adjustable locations on said one piece frame;
a stationary gripper connected to one of said at least three mounting locations; and
at least one four point gripper connected to a second one of said at least three mounting locations.

2. The tool arrangement of claim 1 wherein said one piece frame has a plurality of windows formed through said one piece frame for reducing weight and providing access to said at least three mounting locations.

3. The tool arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a third gripper connected to a third one of said at least three mounting locations, wherein said third gripper is one selected from the group comprising a stationary gripper, a slide gripper and a four point gripper.

4. The tool arrangement of claim 1 wherein said stationary gripper is not adjustable and does not move relative to said one piece frame except for fingers on said stationary gripper that move about a pivot between a clamped and un-clamped position.

5. The tool arrangement of claim 4 wherein the movement of said fingers is controlled an actuator which can be one selected from the group comprising a pneumatic, hydraulic or gear driven actuator.

6. The tool arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a slide gripper connected to a third one of said at least three mounting locations, wherein said slide gripper has fingers that move about a pivot between a clamped position and an unclamped position and said slide gripper is connected to a slide rail allowing said slide gripper to move relative to said frame on said slide rail between a retracted position and an extended position.

7. The tool arrangement of claim 1 wherein said rear side and said front side of said one piece frame further include L-shaped and triangular shaped support brackets to create box structures for adding rigidity to said one piece frame.

8. The tool arrangement of claim 1 wherein said four point gripper has four point fingers that provide four points of contact between said four point gripper and a grip surface on a part, wherein said four points of contact provide a grip surface on said part that is greater than one-half inch.

9. A tool arrangement comprising:
a one piece frame having a front side, a back side, and one or more extension walls extending away from the front side of the one piece frame and L-shaped and triangular shaped support brackets that provide support to the rear side, front side and one or more extension walls in order to create boxed structures of the one piece frame, wherein said one piece frame is a solid non-adjustable frame;
at least three mounting locations formed at predetermined locations on said one piece frame, wherein each of said at least three mounting locations are predetermined and non-adjustable locations on said one piece frame;
a plurality of windows formed through said one piece frame for reducing weight and providing access to said at least three mounting locations; and
one gripper connected to each of said at least three mounting locations on said one piece frame, wherein said one gripper is one selected from the group comprising a stationary gripper, a slide gripper and a four point gripper and combinations thereof.

10. The tool arrangement of claim 9 further comprising a third gripper connected to a third one of said at least three mounting locations, wherein said third gripper is one selected from the group comprising a stationary gripper, a slide gripper and a four point gripper.

11. The tool arrangement of claim 9 wherein said stationary gripper is not adjustable and does not move relative to said one piece frame except for fingers on said stationary gripper that move about a pivot between a clamped and un-clamped position.

12. The tool arrangement of claim 11 wherein the movement of said fingers is controlled an actuator which can be one selected from the group comprising a pneumatic, hydraulic or gear driven actuator.

13. The tool arrangement of claim 9 further comprising a slide gripper connected to a third one of said at least three mounting locations, wherein said slide gripper has fingers that move about a pivot between a clamped position and an unclamped position and said slide gripper is connected to a slide rail allowing said slide gripper to move relative to said frame on said slide rail between a retracted position and an extended position.

14. The tool arrangement of claim 9 wherein said four point gripper has four point fingers that provide four points of contact between said four point gripper and a grip surface on a part, wherein said four points of contact provide a grip surface on said part that is greater than one-half inch.

15. A method of using a tool arrangement mounted to a robotic arm for removing a finished part from a mold cavity comprising the steps of:
providing a one-piece tool arrangement having a back side, front side and one or more extension walls extending away from the front side of the one piece frame, wherein said one piece frame is a solid non-adjustable frame and includes an attachment portion on said one piece frame for connecting said one piece frame to a robotic arm;
providing at least three mounting locations formed at predetermined locations on said one piece frame, wherein each of said at least three mounting locations are predetermined and non-adjustable locations on said one piece frame;
providing at least one stationary gripper connected to one of said at least three mounting locations;
providing at least one four point gripper connected to a second one of said at least three mounting locations, and providing at least one slide gripper mounted on a third one of said at least three mounting locations, wherein said third one of said at least three mounting locations is slidably connected to a rail connected to said one piece frame;
providing a mold cavity movable between an open and closed position and including a finished part;
closing said mold cavity and forming a finished part;
opening said mold cavity to expose said finished part;
moving said robotic arm with said one piece frame connected to an end of said robotic arm toward a mold cavity so said one piece frame moves into said mold cavity positioning said stationary gripper, said slide gripper and said four point gripper are near predetermined grip points on said finished part;
moving said slide gripper and said four point gripper into an extended position;
moving said stationary gripper, said slide gripper and said four point gripper to the claimed position on said grip points of said finished part; and
moving said slide gripper and four point grippers to a retracted position, thereby pulling said finished part inward to release the finished part from the mold cavity.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:
operating said robotic arm to move said one piece tool arrangement out of said mold cavity with said finished part connected to said one piece tool arrangement, wherein the force of the robotic arm pulling the one piece tool arrangement is transferred to the stationary grippers, which move with th

Assignees

• Magna Int Inc

Inventors

• Houser Tarner A
• Thompson Jeffrey S
• Perez Robert R
• Dwornik Ryan M

Classifications

• B29C33/20

  Opening, closing or clamping · CPC title

• B25J15/0052 Primary

  multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors · CPC title

• B25J15/0028

  with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces · CPC title