Ford Motor Company Limited

Edward H Abbott

William F Horn

Robert J Hyatt

Francis J Shannon

Robert L Johnstone

Robert E Bush

Robert H Erickson

A robotic apparatus for positioning a tool or work hand that incorporates a compliant wrist effective to adjust to delicate but misaligned portions of the workpiece, comprising (a) structure for magnetically supporting a positioning member carrying a gripper tool; (b) pneumatic structure for selectively separating and floating the positioning member from said supporting structure to permit lateral adjustment of the positioning member in response to small forces received from the gripper tool as it carries out gripping; and (c) structure for locking the positioning member to the supporting structure upon completion of the desired lateral adjustment. A method of using such compliant wrist concept, comprising (a) magnetically suspending a positioning plate from a magnet, the plate carrying the gripper tool; (b) injecting a film of air between the interface of the magnet and plate to provide floating separation therebetween enabling ease of lateral movement; (c) closing a gripper tool about the part to be gripped causing any offcenter gripping forces to be translated back to the plate resulting in lateral movement in response thereto for seeking a centering position; and (d) upon achieving the desired centering position, deactivating the air injection to permit the magnet to lock the plate in position relative to the magnet for further robotic movement.

Method and apparatus for robotic transfer of workpieces

A method of forming a 360.degree. ceramic permanent magnet by utilizing a hot isostatic pressing technique on a ceramic preform paterial cylindrically formed and placed inside a deformable metal housing having an inner diameter that is approximately the same but only slightly larger than the outer diameter of the preform. A solid steel mandrel is provided in the center diameter of the hollow cylindrical preform. Crystal alignment and densification of the ceramic material is achieved by using the hot isostatic pressing technique applied to the outside of the housing, preform and mandrel assembly.

Method of forming permanent magnets within a motor yoke

Method and apparatus for testing DC motors, particularly permanent magnet DC motors, involving application of a constant voltage across the motor terminals and at an earlier or later time causing a constant current to flow through the motor. The constant voltage is applied across the motor terminals for a first predetermined time interval during a portion of which the current flow through the motor is compared with a reference level. If the motor current falls below the reference level during the portion of the first predetermined time interval the motor is defective. The constant current is caused to flow through the DC motor for a second predetermined time interval. If at the end of this second predetermined time interval, the DC motor terminal voltage is below a first level or above a second level, that is, the terminal voltage is outside an established voltage range, then the motor is found to be defective.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Edward H Abbott