초록 ▼

A robotic end effector adapted to be mounted at the end of an arm of a program-controlled robot is capable of providing compliance within a vertical plane. A method and system utilizing the end effector pick-up flat or curved glass panels from glass racks and place the glass panels into irregularly-

A robotic end effector adapted to be mounted at the end of an arm of a program-controlled robot is capable of providing compliance within a vertical plane. A method and system utilizing the end effector pick-up flat or curved glass panels from glass racks and place the glass panels into irregularly-shaped wooden crates. Due to the compliance provided by the end effector, the system allows essentially perfect piece-to-piece vertical edge-of-glass alignment during the packaging process so as to eliminate glass etching/scratching. The end effector includes a base frame on which compliance devices in the form of linear bearing systems support a number of material handling devices in the form of suction devices. Selected ones of the compliance devices can be locked out under the control of a controller for the robot. Each suction device includes a spring-biased suction cup to also provide compliance in a direction substantially normal to the compliance provided in the vertical plane.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for loading a desired number of rigid sheets of material into a shipping container from a storage container at a work station, the system comprising: a program-controlled robot having an arm provided with an end effector movable with respect to controlled axes, wherein the end effector incl

A system for loading a desired number of rigid sheets of material into a shipping container from a storage container at a work station, the system comprising: a program-controlled robot having an arm provided with an end effector movable with respect to controlled axes, wherein the end effector includes a base frame coupled to the arm of the robot and at least one material handling device supported on the base frame to receive and retain at least one sheet of material; and a controller for (1) causing the robot to move the end effector with respect to the control axes to pick up the at least one sheet of material from the storage container and place the at least one sheet of material in the shipping container; (2) causing the at least one material handling device to receive, retain and then release the at least one sheet of material so that the at least one sheet of material is supported on a floor of the shipping container at a bottom edge of the at least one sheet of material; and (3) generating first and second control signals and wherein the end effector further includes a compliance device for supporting the at least one material handling device on the base frame to allow the at least one material handling device to move freely relative to the base frame in an upward direction substantially opposite a downward direction of the base frame upon engagement of the bottom edge of the at least one sheet of material with the floor of the shipping container and prior to release of the at least one sheet of material by the at least one material handling device; and locking means responsive to the first and second control signals for selectively locking the compliance device in response to the first control signal to prevent relative movement between the at least one material handling device and the base frame wherein passive compliance provided by the compliance device is locked out in response to the first control signal and passive compliance provided by the compliance device is released in response to the second control signal, the locking means allowing the compliance device to operate so that the at least one material handling device can move freely relative to the base frame in the upward direction.