JP-7857229-B2 - System and method for automated component assembly

JP7857229B2JP 7857229 B2JP7857229 B2JP 7857229B2JP-7857229-B2

Inventors

ティモシー・ジェームズ・マルクス
トーマス・ウィリアム・フレンチ
アーロン・ケー・キンセラ
トーマス・ジョン・ニーマン
スコット・マッカイザック
クレイグ・リチャード・ニルソン
ケネス・マイケル・ブーラン
ジェイソン・エドムン・メスナー

Assignees

クーカ・システムズ・ノース・アメリカ・エルエルシー

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20210406
Priority Date: 20210209

Claims (20)

A system for automatically handling components that are assembled into products on an assembly line, A frame that can be positioned adjacent to the assembly line, A carriage supported on the frame, for moving between a first retraction position located at a distance from the assembly line and a second working position shifted in the direction toward the assembly line from the first retraction position, A multi-axis articulated manipulator supported by the carriage comprises a manipulator base connected to the carriage, and a tool mounting plate that is movable with respect to the manipulator base so as to be controllable with at least three degrees of freedom, The manipulator base is a multi-axis articulated manipulator, which is positioned in a first orientation when the carriage is in the first retracted position and pivots in a second orientation when the carriage is in the second working position. A component mounting tool connected to the tool mounting plate of the manipulator, the component mounting tool configured to receive and support at least one component for assembly into the product, In a system equipped with, A system in which, when the carriage is in the first retracted position, a component on the component mounting tool is supported in a position for mounting and/or machining, and when the carriage is in the second working position, the component is supported in a position for assembly into the product.
The system according to claim 1, wherein the component mounting tool can be configured in a variable way to support various components having different geometric shapes.
The aforementioned component mounting tool, A tool frame that can be connected to the tool mounting plate of the manipulator, A tool frame supported by at least one shaft assembly, each shaft assembly comprising at least one trunnion, A shaft supported by at least one trunnion, and at least one gripping member attached to the shaft and capable of engaging with the component in such a manner as to support the component. A shaft assembly comprising, The system according to claim 2, comprising:
The system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one shaft assembly comprises a first shaft assembly and a second shaft assembly supported by the tool frame.
Each shaft assembly comprises a plurality of gripping members positioned at various circumferential locations surrounding the shaft. The gripping members, positioned at various locations on the circumference surrounding the shaft, are configured to engage with components having various geometric shapes. Each shaft is rotatable relative to the tool frame about its longitudinal axis, thereby positioning the selected gripping member to engage with the component by the rotation of each shaft. The system according to claim 3.
The system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one gripping member comprises a plurality of gripping members configured as air handlers adapted to engage airtightly with the component when subjected to vacuum pressure.
Each shaft assembly is equipped with multiple air handlers positioned at various locations on the circumference surrounding the shaft. Air handlers at various positions on the circumference surrounding the shaft are configured to engage with components having various geometric shapes. Each shaft is rotatable relative to the tool frame about its longitudinal axis, thereby positioning the selected air handler to engage with the component by the rotation of each shaft. The system according to claim 6.
The system according to claim 7, further comprising a locking assembly on the tool frame capable of locking the rotation of the shaft relative to the tool frame.
The system further comprises at least one path passing through the shaft and configured to selectively provide communication between a vacuum pressure source and at least one air handler, thereby supplying vacuum pressure to the air handler when the air handler is in a position to engage with the component. The system according to claim 7.
The aforementioned manipulator, At least three links connected between the manipulator base and the tool mounting plate, Each link has a first end pivotably connected to the tool mounting plate, The system according to claim 1, comprising links, each having a second end connected to the manipulator base for controllable movement along at least one translation axis in a plane parallel to the manipulator base, opposite to the first end.
The system according to claim 10, wherein at least three links have a fixed length in the longitudinal direction.
The system according to claim 10, further comprising at least one actuator disposed between the second end of each link and the manipulator base.
The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a first actuator and a second actuator disposed between the second end of each link and the manipulator base.
The system according to claim 13, wherein the first actuator associated with each link is a linear actuator positioned to control the movement of each of the second ends in a first direction, and the second actuator is a linear actuator positioned to control the movement of each of the second ends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
A method for handling components that are assembled into a product on an assembly line, A step of providing a frame that can be positioned adjacent to the assembly line, A step of providing a carriage supported on the frame, for moving between a first retraction position spaced apart from the assembly line and a second working position shifted toward the assembly line from the first retraction position, A step of receiving the component onto a component mounting tool in the first retracted position, wherein in the first retracted position, the component mounting tool is in a first orientation adapted to facilitate receiving or processing the component; A step of moving the component to the second working position on the component mounting tool connected to the carriage , wherein at the second working position, the component mounting tool is in a second orientation adapted to facilitate the assembly of the component into the product. A method that includes this.
The component mounting tool is supported by a multi-axis manipulator having a manipulator base. The step of moving the component to the second working position on the component mounting tool includes the step of moving the manipulator base from a first orientation in the first retracted position to a second orientation having a different orientation in the second working position. The method according to claim 15.
The component mounting tool comprises at least one air handler configured to hermetically engage the component using vacuum pressure, The method further includes the step of selectively supplying vacuum pressure to the at least one air handler. The method according to claim 15.
The system comprises multiple air handlers, each configured to hermetically engage with components having various geometric shapes, The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of selectively indexing at least one of the plurality of air handlers for position and orientation for hermetically secure engagement with the component.
The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of selectively supplying vacuum pressure to at least one air handler in conjunction with the indexing.
A method for handling components that are assembled into a product on an assembly line, A step of receiving the component onto a component mounting tool at a first retraction position spaced apart from the assembly line, wherein at the first retraction position, the component mounting tool is in a first position adapted to facilitate receiving or processing the component; A step of moving the component on the component mounting tool to a second working position in the direction toward the assembly line, wherein at the second working position, the component mounting tool is in a second orientation adapted to facilitate the assembly of the component into the product. The steps include adding a subcomponent to the component or performing a manufacturing process on the component while the component is supported by the component mounting tool in the first retracted position, A method that includes this.

Description

Cross-reference of related applications This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 17/171,688 (pending), filed February 9, 2021, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/006,491 (pending), filed April 7, 2020, whose entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. This invention generally relates to automated manufacturing systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for the automated assembly of components. The role of automation in product manufacturing and assembly is constantly increasing. In line with the advancement of manufacturing system automation, the use of robotic manipulators to manufacture, process, and assemble components and subassemblies into final products is also growing. An example of such automated manufacturing systems can be seen in the automotive industry, where finished vehicles are assembled from component parts on automated production lines. Many automated manufacturing systems utilize assembly lines with multiple multi-axis robotic manipulators that work together to process components and assemble them into the desired final product. Typically, these multi-axis robotic manipulators have multiple links arranged in series and driven by motors to perform processing and assembly functions. As automation in these manufacturing systems progresses, tolerances between assembled components are becoming increasingly smaller. While conventional six-degree-of-freedom manipulators offer the flexibility required in such highly automated manufacturing systems, the configuration of robotic manipulators with series-arranged links results in either looser tolerances in assembled components or requires frequent calibration of the robotic manipulator to achieve and maintain tight tolerances. Therefore, there is a need for improved automated systems that can easily assemble components into final products quickly, efficiently, and repeatedly, overcoming the aforementioned and other shortcomings of current automated manufacturing systems. This is a schematic plan view of a typical manufacturing plant equipped with a component handling system based on the principles of this disclosure.This is a perspective view of a typical system for handling components based on the principles of this disclosure.This is a partial elevation view of the system in Figure 2, showing the carriage supported at the first retraction position.This is a partial elevation view similar to Figure 3A, showing the carriage at the second position.Figure 2 shows a detailed perspective view of a typical multi-axis articulated manipulator in the system based on the principles of this disclosure.Figure 2 shows a detailed perspective view of a typical component mounting tool in the system based on the principles of this disclosure.Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the component mounting tool along line 6-6. Figure 1 shows a typical manufacturing plant 10 that includes a typical system 12 for automatically handling components to be assembled onto a workpiece 14 moving along a manufacturing assembly line 16 according to the principles of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the manufacturing plant 10 is located adjacent to the manufacturing assembly line 16 and comprises a plurality of individual manufacturing cells 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d located on either side of the assembly line 16. The assembly line 16 may include a transport structure (not shown) for the automatic movement of the workpiece 14 along the assembly line 16 (as in the direction of arrow 20), thereby allowing the workpiece 14 to be positioned adjacent to the plurality of manufacturing cells 18a-18d, and an automated system such as a robotic manipulator can perform the assembly of components onto the workpiece 14 or the machining of the workpiece 14 as part of the manufacturing process. In the illustrated embodiment, the workpiece 14 is depicted as an automated vehicle, and the cells 18a-18d of the manufacturing plant 10 are configured to assemble components onto the vehicle body or perform various machining steps as required. While this specification describes a typical embodiment as a manufacturing plant 10 having cells 18a-18d adapted for vehicle assembly and processing, it will be understood that, in other ways, the manufacturing plant 10 and cells 18a-18d can be configured to produce a variety of other products. Continuing with reference to Figure 1, a typical manufacturing cell 18a may include a typical component handling system 12 based on the principles of this disclosure. The component handling system 12 may be arranged within a cell 18a adjacent to a plurality of robotic manipulators. For example, a first robotic manipulator 22a may be configured to take one or more components from a supply source (not shown) and place those components on or within the component handling system 12. The first robotic manipulator 22a may be located within the manufacturing cell 18a, or al