Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Universitè Laval

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Muhammad E Abdallah

James W Wells

Robert E Platt

Charles W Wampler, Ii

Matthew J Reiland

Brian Hargrave

Myron A Diftler

Chris A Ihrke

Douglas Martin Linn

Clement M Gosselin

Thierry Laliberte

Lyndon Bridgwater

Adam M Sanders

Miguel Arturo Saez

Frank Noble Permenter

Gary L Villeneuve

Sreten Zakula

Pascal Labrecque

John Patrick Spicer

Ambarish Goswami

Simon Foucault

Joshua S Mehling

Scott R Askew

Philip A Strawser

Robert J Platt, Jr

David M Reich

Jerome Landure

Jeffrey A Abell

Charles Weldon Wampler, Ii

Donald R Davis

Dooil Hwang

Nicolaus A Radford

Adam H Parsons

Robert O Ambrose

Jeff E Nasca

Clément Gosselin

Michael C Valvo

John D Yamokoski

Bryan T Campbell

Patrick Kroner

Richard Nietz

Nagarajan Sivashanmugam

Peter Kresmery

Christa Lynn Lauder

Tom Malburg

Srinivas Chilpuri

Michael S Cochran

Phillip A Strawser

An end effector support for a system includes a first compliance mechanism, including two base rails. A first base rail is offset from a second base rail in a first direction of movement of the end effector. Each base rail has an identical curvilinear profile. The support includes two compliance rails, each operably connected to a respective base rail of the two base rails. A plurality of rolling elements are positioned between each base rail and each compliance rail to operably connect the base rail to the compliance rail. A position sensor is located at the first compliance mechanism to detect a position of the compliance rails relative to the respective base rails. Each compliance rail is configured to be pivotably connected to the end effector symmetrically to allow for movement of the end effector in the first direction of movement.

Compliance mechanism with gravity self-centering

A compliant end effector includes a robot mounting bracket and a component support member. The component support member includes a side surface and a top surface. A component clamping system includes a first clamp member operable to move toward the side surface of the component support member and a second clamp member operable to move toward the top surface of the component support member. A controller is operatively connected to the clamping system. The controller is configured to engage the first and second clamp members as the component gripping and manipulating system is in a set position and release the first clamp member and the second clamp member allowing a portion of a component held by the component clamping system to move with one or more degrees of freedom when the component gripping and manipulating system is moving to the set position.

Controlled compliant gripping and manipulating system for a robot

A robotic system for use with a payload includes a robot, a passive compliance mechanism, position sensors, and an electronic control unit (ECU). Actuated joints of the robot provide the robotic system with actuated degrees of freedom (DOF). The compliance mechanism is connected to the robot and payload, and has unactuated joints providing the robotic system with unactuated DOF. The sensors measure joint positions of the joints. The ECU has a trajectory generator block which generates a payload trajectory signal in response to dynamic control inputs, and an impedance control unit (ICU) applying damping and stiffness parameters to the payload trajectory signal to generate an initial velocity command. A stiction compensation block allows the robotic system to generate a velocity offset, and applies the velocity offset to the initial velocity command to produce a final velocity command for the robot.

Robotic system for moving a payload with minimal payload sway and increased positioning accuracy

An electromechanical system operates in part through physical interaction with an operator, and includes a multi-axis robot, a controller, and a counterbalance mechanism connected to the robot. The counterbalance mechanism includes a base structure connected to a set of linkages, a pneumatic cylinder, a spring-loaded cam assembly, and an optional constant force spring. The linkages form a four-bar parallelogram assembly connectable to a load. The cylinder and cam assembly, and optional constant force spring, each impart respective vertical forces to the parallelogram assembly. The forces combine to provide gravity compensation and self-centering functions or behaviors to the load, enabling the load to move with a vertical degree of freedom when manually acted upon by the operator, and to return the load to a nominal center position.

Counterbalance mechanism for robotic assist device

A robotic system for presenting a payload within a workspace includes a pair of serial robots configured to connect to the payload, a parallel robot coupled to a distal end of one of the serial robots such that the parallel robot is disposed between the distal end and the payload, a sensor situated within a kinematic chain extending between the distal end and the payload, and a robot control system (RCS). The sensor outputs a sensor signal indicative of a measured property of the payload. The RCS includes a coordinated motion controller configured to control the serial robots, and a corrective motion controller configured to control the parallel robot. Parallel robot control occurs in response to the sensor signal concurrently with control of the serial robots in order to thereby modify the property of the payload in real-time.

Compliant payload presentation using robotic system with coordinated serial and parallel robots

A wiper system for use with a windshield includes a track guide, a wiper assembly, a drive mechanism and a wipe mechanism. The wiper assembly has a wiper arm attached at a first end thereof to a rotor rotatably disposed on a wiper carrier, wherein the wiper carrier is engaged with the track guide and is configured for translation therealong. The drive mechanism is connected with the wiper carrier and is configured for positioning the wiper carrier along the track guide. The wipe mechanism is connected with at least one of the rotor and the wiper carrier and is configured to cause the rotor to rotate, thereby causing the wiper arm to produce a wiping motion.

Track-guided wiper system and method

An underactuated joining system for a moving assembly line includes a robot with actuated joints, an articulated compliance mechanism, and a controller. An end-effector of the mechanism is connected to linkages and to a joining tool, unactuated joints interconnect the linkages, and position sensors measure joint positions of the unactuated joints. In response to the joint positions, a controller regulates a position of the actuated joints to cause the compliance mechanism to compliantly follow the assembly line. This occurs while the tool remains engaged with a workpiece being transported along the assembly line. A method includes engaging the tool with the workpiece as the workpiece is transported by the assembly line, measuring joint positions of the unactuated joints using position sensors, and controlling a position of the active joints to cause the compliance mechanism to compliantly follow the workpiece along the assembly line.

Underactuated joining system for moving assembly line

An overhead system assists an operator in moving an object when the operator imparts a manual force to the object in a shared workspace characterized by overlapping ranges of motion of the robot and operator. The system includes an articulated serial robot, a cable, sensors, and a control system. One end of the cable connects to a distal end link of the robot. Another end of the cable connects to the object to suspend the object. The sensors measure a cable force and/or angle. The control system regulates operation of the robot by translating vertically and horizontally in response to the cable force and/or angle. The control system limits the position and/or velocity of the end link according to corresponding work space rules, including respective position and velocity limits, such that the system is immune to a single-point failure.

Overhead system for operator-robot task collaboration

A component assembly system comprises a first robot arm having a first end-of-arm tool mounted thereon and adapted to grasp a first subcomponent; a second robot arm having a second end of arm tool mounted thereon and adapted to grasp a second subcomponent. A system controller is adapted to control the first and second robot arms and first and second end-of-arm tools to position the first and second subcomponents relative to one another. A first interlocking mechanism is mounted onto the first end-of-arm tool and a second interlocking mechanism is mounted onto the second end-of-arm tool, wherein the first and second interlocking mechanisms engage one another and lock the first end-of-arm tool to the second end-of arm tool, thereby locking the first and second subcomponents into an initial position relative to one another.

Component assembly system

An insertion system includes an insertion device including a body defining a longitudinal axis, the body including a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a cylindrical opening through the body, the body having a first body portion and a second body portion formed by separating the body along the longitudinal axis, an effector configured to interface with the insertion device, the effector having an effector body, a first mechanism coupled to the effector body and coupled to the first body portion of the insertion device, and a second mechanism coupled to the effector body and coupled to the second body portion of the insertion device, and an insertion mechanism coupled with the effector body. The insertion mechanism enables a force application at a position offset from the insertion device.

Systems and devices for assisted component insertion

A jointed mechanism includes a passive pendulum system attached to and suspended from the multi-axis robot. The system includes one or more position sensors configured to measure a joint angle on the pendulum system, at least one arm, and an end-effector attached to a distal end of the pendulum system. A controller implements a method to selectively control motion of the robot in a plurality of control modes. The control modes include a Cooperative Mode and an Autonomous Mode. The controller is configured to detect contact with the end-effector when operating in the Autonomous Mode, and to automatically initiate a control action in response to the contact. The pendulum system may be a parallelogram arrangement.

Redundant underactuated robot with multi-mode control framework

A method for position correction of a machine relative to a work piece. The machine may be provided with an end effector. The work piece may be engaged with the end effector. A force or a moment resulting from engaging the work piece with the end effector may be measured. A pose error may be determined from the force and/or the moment, wherein the pose error may define a misalignment of the end effector. The end effector may be repositioned an amount equal to the pose error to correct the misalignment. One application may involve torqueing nuts with a nut runner, which may be accomplished through the use of an automated machine such as a robot.

Self-corrective nut running for robotic applications

An electromechanical system operates through physical interaction with an operator, and includes a plurality of joints providing multiple degrees of freedom (DOF), including actuated joints and unactuated joints. The unactuated joints are distal with respect to the actuated joints and are in redundant DOF to the actuated joints. The system includes a plurality of actuators each configured to actuate one or more of the actuated joints, and a plurality of sensors each positioned with respect to a respective one of the actuated and unactuated joints. Each sensor is configured to measure corresponding joint data indicative of a position or angle of the respective actuated or unactuated joints. A controller in communication with the sensors receives the measured joint data as feedback signals, generates control signals using the feedback signals, and transmits the control signals to the actuators to thereby control an actuation state of the actuators.

Electromechanical system for interaction with an operator

An articulated compliance mechanism for use with a support structure includes a carriage and a pair of parallel four-bar linkage arrangements. The arrangements collectively have a first set of links configured to rigidly connect to the support structure, a second set of links rotatably coupled to the carriage a distance from the first set of links, and a third set of links rotatably coupled to and spanning the distance. The compliance mechanism supports and provides the carriage, e.g., a rectangular shaped frame, with a stable equilibrium point using a gravitational restoring force, and provides the carriage with a passive translational degree of freedom along a horizontal axis in response to an input force from an operator. An additional compliance mechanism may be serially connected to provide a passive translational degree of freedom along a vertical axis. A system includes the compliance mechanism and support structure.

Articulated mechanism for linear compliance

A robotic system includes a jointed mechanism, position sensors, and a controller. The mechanism has an end-effector, and further includes actively-controlled joints and passive joints that are redundant with the actively-controlled joints. The position sensors are operable for measuring joint positions of the passive joints. The controller is in communication with the position sensors, and is programmed to execute a method to selectively control the actively-controlled joints in response to the measured joint positions using force control and/or a modeled impedance of the robotic mechanism. Possible control modes in impedance control include an Autonomous Mode in which an operator does not physically interact with the end-effector and a Cooperative Control Mode in which the operator physically interacts with the end-effector.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Muhammad E Abdallah