The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 11, 1998
Filed:
May. 15, 1997
Timothy F Spencer, Rochester, NY (US);
Gerald N Walter, Rochester, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A robotic turret tool for use with an industrial robot is mountable onto the spindle of the robot and capable of having multiple tools mounted thereto. The turret tool includes a mounting bracket adapted to be affixed to the spindle of the industrial robot, the mounting bracket including a locking element support. A turret shaft affixed to said mounting bracket. A turret head is rotatably supported on the turret shaft with multiple tools attached to the turret head allowing the robot to select which tool to use through rotation of the turret head. A locking element is slidably mounted in the locking element support. The locking element including an upper electrical supply connector and an upper pneumatic supply conduit path. The locking element is movable from a locked position engaging said turret head to an unlocked position away from said turret head. There are at least two lower electrical supply connectors mounted to said turret head with each of the lower electrical supply connectors being dedicated to one of tools. There are also at least two lower pneumatic supply conduit paths with each of the lower pneumatic supply conduit paths being dedicated to one of tools. The upper pneumatic supply conduit path aligns with a selected one of the at least two lower pneumatic supply conduit paths when the locking element is moved to the locked position and the upper electrical supply connector aligns with a selected one of the at least two lower electrical supply connectors when said locking element is moved to said locked position. In such manner, electrical and pneumatic services are supplied only to the selected tool.