Abstract:
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a robot automated mining method. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot positioning a charging component for entry into a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot moving a charging component within a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot filling a drill hole with explosive material. In one embodiment, a method includes operating a robot within a mining environment.
Abstract:
A robot has a gripper for gripping parts and releasing the gripped part at a destination position. The gripped part is vibrated at the destination position to cause the gripper to release the gripped part. The gripped part can be directly vibrated or vibrated by vibrating the mechanical structure of the gripper or by vibrating air in the gripper mechanical structure. The vibrator can connect the gripper to the robot. The vibrator can be inside or attached to the one or more of the articulated fingers of the gripper. The vibrations can be stopped when a sensor detects that the gripped part has been released or after the passage of a preset vibration time.
Abstract:
An inspection device for use in a fluid container includes a hull adapted to be received in the fluid container and a control mechanism carried by the hull. The control mechanism movably positions a weight about the hull so as to adjust an angular orientation of the hull within the fluid container.
Abstract:
A modular crawler for inspecting a confined space that can be the air gap of a rotating electrical machinery has a main function module to which drive modules and other function modules that depend on the confined space configuration can be connected. When the confined space the air gap between the rotor and stator of a rotating machine the crawler can be used for operations such as visual inspection, wedge tapping and maintenance. The main module has cameras and on board electronics and can also have a tether to communicate with equipment located outside of the confined space, send video to that equipment and receive commands from an operator of the crawler. The drive modules have tracks that ride on the stator slots. The removable spacers between the modules are adaptive to fit the configuration that the track rides on. The other function modules provide certain other functions.
Abstract:
A manufacturing system has one or more work cells that each performs one or more manufacturing processes. The system also has one or more mobile transport units ("MTUs") that deliver transportable containers containing workpieces to and from said work cells. The MTUs deliver the containers to the work cells in a manner such that the workpieces are localized in the work cells. The manufacturing system also has a computer system that has status information for each of the one or more MTUs and uses the status information to control each of the one or more MTUs to deliver the transportable containers to and from the one or more work cells.
Abstract:
A method of mating a first part (18) to a second part (16) is disclosed using an automated robot (10) having a gripper (14). The method includes positioning the first part (18) on a partially constraining fixture (20). A second part (16) is grasped with the robot gripper (14). The second part (16) is moved into contact with the first part (18) using the robot (10), causing the first part to slide on the partially constraining fixture (20) to bring the first part (18) into alignment with the second part (16). The first part (18) is then mated to the second part (16).
Abstract:
A robot (12) is used to pick parts from a bin (40 in Fig. 1). The robot has a compliant apparatus (42) and one or more tools are connected to the apparatus to perform the picking. The compliant apparatus has mechanisms for monitoring and/or controlling its compliance. The compliant apparatus can have various embodiments. Force sensing can be used during removal of grasped parts from the bin to determine the force exerted on the picking tool (s). The signal indicative of the exerted force can be used by the robot controller to determine the weight of the parts that may be held by the picking tool(s). The robot has one or more devices (fig. 16, 17) which can be the picking tool to stir the parts in the bin.
Abstract:
An inspection device (30) for use in a fluid container includes at least one thrust device (38, 42), at least one ballast device (46) and a cage (34) which carries the at least one thrust device (38, 42) and the at least one ballast device (46). The cage (34) includes at least two bars (60, 62). Each bar (60, 62) provides an opening (82), the openings forming a cage cavity (92) to carry the at least one thrust device (38, 42) and the at least one ballast device (46).
Abstract:
A method of mating a first part to a second part is disclosed using an automated robot having a gripper. The method includes positioning the first part on a partially constraining fixture. A second part is grasped with the robot gripper. The second part is moved into contact with the first part using the robot, causing the first part to slide on the partially constraining fixture to bring the first part into alignment with the second part. The first part is then mated to the second part.
Abstract:
A robot for picking one or more parts (41) randomly distributed in a bin (40), this robot comprising a moveable arm (16a, 16b), a computing device (14) connected to said robot for controlling motion of said moveable arm and a tool (24) connected to said moveable arm for picking one or more of said parts from said bin,- said robot using said picking tool by itself or another tool (96, 98) mounted on the robot or grasped by the picking tool to stir one or more of said one or more randomly distributed parts in said bin when said computing device determines that a predetermined event requiring stirring of said parts has occurred.