Mechanical end-effector changer and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9964156-B2
Application number	US-201514803474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2015
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A mechanical end-effector changer includes a first connection unit and a second connection unit. The first connection unit has mounted therein multiple movable members and mating elastic members. Subject to the linking relationship between each movable member and the respective elastic member, the first connection unit and the second connection unit can be automatically connected together or detached from each other, facilitating end-effector change.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanical end-effector changer, comprising:
a base frame;
a damper mounted in said base frame;
a first connection unit comprising a first holder base and a post, said first holder base being positioned on said damper, said post comprising an engagement hole; and
a second connection unit comprising a second holder base, a first movable member, a first elastic member, a second movable member, a second elastic member, a third movable member, a third elastic member, a fourth movable member and a fourth elastic member, said second holder base comprising a first chamber, a second chamber, a first through hole and a second through hole, said second holder base being detachably coupled to said post by means of said first chamber, said first through hole being disposed in communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, said second through hole being disposed in communication between said second chamber and an outer perimeter of said second holder base, said first movable member being mounted in said second chamber and detachably abutted against said first holder base, said first elastic member being mounted in said second chamber and stopped against said first movable member, said second movable member being mounted in said first through hole and detachably engaged in said engagement hole of said post, said second elastic member being mounted in said first through hole and stopped against said second movable member, said third movable member being mounted in said first through hole and detachably connected to said first movable member, said third elastic member being mounted in said first through hole and stopped between said second movable member and said third movable member, said fourth movable member being mounted in said second through hole and squeezable by said base frame to push said first movable member, said fourth elastic member being mounted in said second through hole and adapted for moving said fourth movable member toward said outer perimeter of said second holder base.

2. The mechanical end-effector changer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said base frame comprises an inner flange; said damper comprises an upper bearing plate, a lower bearing plate and a plurality of viscoelastic damping elements, said upper bearing plate being adapted to support said first holder base of said first connection unit, said lower bearing plate being abutted against said inner flange of said base frame, said damping elements being connected between said upper bearing plate and said lower bearing plate.

3. The mechanical end-effector changer as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said first elastic member, said second elastic member, said third elastic member, said fourth elastic member and said viscoelastic damping elements satisfy the relationship of: K 5 >K 1 >K 3 >K 2 and K 1 >K 4 , wherein K 1 is the spring constant of said first elastic member; K 2 is the spring constant of said second elastic member; K 3 is the spring constant of said third elastic member; K 4 is the spring constant of said fourth elastic member; K 5 is the spring constant of said viscoelastic damping elements.

4. The mechanical end-effector changer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first movable member comprises a first abutment portion and a first bearing portion; said second holder base is movable an engaged position where said first chamber of said second holder base is attached to said post of said first connection unit, said first bearing portion of said first movable member is abutted against a top surface of said first holder base of said first connection unit, and said first abutment portion of said first movable member pushes said third movable member into the inside of said first through hole, enabling said second movable member to be engaged into said engagement hole of said post of said first connection unit subject to the displacement of said third movable member and the elastic restoring force of said third elastic member.

5. The mechanical end-effector changer as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said base frame comprises a peripheral wall; said inner flange is located at an inner perimeter of said peripheral wall; said first movable member further comprises a lower positioning groove disposed between said first abutment portion and said first bearing portion; said fourth movable member comprises a second abutment portion and a second bearing portion; said second holder base is movable to a release position where said second bearing portion of said fourth movable member is squeezed by said peripheral wall of said base frame and said second abutment portion of said fourth movable member pushes said first bearing portion of said first movable member away from the top surface of said first holder base of said first connection unit, enabling said third movable member to be engaged into said lower positioning groove of said first movable member subject to the displacement of said first movable member and the elastic restoring force of said third elastic member and also enabling said second movable member to be disengaged from said engagement hole of said post of said first connection unit subject to the displacement of said third movable member and the elastic restoring force of said second elastic member.

6. The mechanical end-effector changer as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said first movable member comprises an upper positioning groove adjacent to said first abutment portion; said second holder base is movable to a separated position where said first chamber of said second holder base is separated from said post of said first connection unit and said first bearing portion of said first movable member is disposed outside said second chamber of said second holder base, enabling said second movable member to be retracted into said first through hole of said second holder base subject to the elastic restoring force of said second elastic member and also enabling said third movable member to be engaged into said upper positioning groove of said first movable member subject to the displacement of said second movable member and the elastic restoring force of said second elastic member.

7. The mechanical end-effector changer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first holder base of said first connection unit comprises a locating rod located at a top surface thereof; said second holder base comprises a locating groove located at a bottom surface thereof and attachable to said locating rod of said first connection unit.

8. The mechanical end-effector changer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said damper is selected from the group of viscoelastic dampers, hydraulic dampers and vibration dampers.

9. A mechanical end-effector changer, comprising:
a first connection unit comprising a post, said post comprising an engagement hole; and
a second connection unit comprising a second holder base, a first movable member, a first elastic member, a second movable member, a second elastic member, a third movable member and a third elastic member, said second holder base comprising a first chamber, a second chamber and a first through hole, said second holder base being detachably coupled to said post by means of said first chamber, said first through hole being disposed in communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, said first movable member being mounted in said second chamber and movable in and out of said second chamber, said second movable member being mounted in said first through hole and partially movable out of said first through hole to engage into said engagement hole, said second elastic member being mounted in said first through hole and adapted for moving said second movable member toward said first movable member, said third movable memb

Assignees

• Hiwin Tech Corp

Inventors

• Wong Chen-Ming
• Liu Ming-Shiou
• Huang Yan-Shun

Classifications

• F16D1/112

  the interengaging parts comprising torque-transmitting surfaces, e.g. bayonet joints · CPC title

• F16D1/10 Primary

  Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially · CPC title

• B25J15/0416

  having balls · CPC title

• B25J15/0408

  Connections means · CPC title

• B23B2260/136

  Springs · CPC title