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:
May. 30, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 05, 1998
Robert D Little, Apex, NC (US);
Prasad Balakrishnan, Raleigh, NC (US);
ATI Industrial Automation, Inc., Garner, NC (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is an overload protection device to be placed between a robot and a tool to be used by the robot to prevent damage when the tool encounters an obstacle. The overload protection device comprises a housing, a cam, and a piston. The housing includes an internal cavity and an external opening to the cavity. The cam includes a head portion retained within the cavity and a neck portion extending through the opening. The neck portion and the opening include matching conical surfaces adapted to mate with one another. The piston is disposed within the cavity and tends to urge the cam toward a home position. When the tool is displaced in the x, y, z, or rotational directions during an overload condition, the cam is displaced from the home position. The piston then urges the cam to return to the home position regardless of the direction of displacement. A single sensor is provided to detect an overload condition.