Six-axis manipulator

Claim 2

A machine for processing articles comprising: a support member; a first arm carried by said support member for controlled movement therealong; means including an electric motor and lead screw means operatively connected to said first arm for selectively moving the latter relative to said support member along a longitudinal axis; carriage means carried by said first arm for movement along a first transverse axis relative to said support member; means including an electric motor and lead screw means operatively connected to said carriage means for selectively moving the latter along said transverse axis; guide means supported by said carriage means for rotation about a second transverse axis relative to said support member and said first arm; means for rotating said guide means about said second transverse axis; a second arm carried by said guide means for reciprocation parallel to said second transverse axis; means including an electric motor and lead screw means operatively connected to said carriage for selectively reciprocating said second arm parallel to said second transverse axis; differential gear means connected to said second arm having an output member rotatable and pivotable about a pair of independent axes and adapted to support a workhead unit; drive means connected to said differential gear means for selectively positioning said workhead unit about said independent axes whereby said workhead unit is universally positionable in working relationship with articles to be processed, and means connecting said carriage means to said first arm so as to permit said carriage means to be adjustably rotated about an axis perpendicular to said first transverse axis.

Claim 3

A machine having multiple degrees of freedom for processing articles moving along a conveyor path, comprising: a support platform having guide members parallel to said conveyor path; a cart supported on said guide members; drive means including an electric motor and lead screw means operatively connected to said cart for selectively moving the latter along said guide members on a longitudinal axis; a mast carried by said cart having guide members transverse to said support platform; a carriage, means supporting said carriage on said second-mentioned guide members for movement along a vertical axis relative said conveyor path and for adjustable rotational movement about a horizontal axis, drive means including an electric motor and lead screw means extending parallel to said second-mentioned guide members and operatively connected to said carriage for selectively moving the latter along said vertical axis; a rotatable Drum supported on said carriage having a guide passage therein aligned mutually transverse to said conveyor path, said support platform and said mast, said guide passage defining a transverse axis; drive means for rotating said drum about said transverse axis; a boom received in said guide passage for reciprocation parallel to said transverse axis; drive means including an electric motor and lead screw means extending along said boom and operatively connected to said drum for selectively reciprocating said boom along said transverse axis; a twin input, single output differential unit having input gears defining a bend axis transverse to said boom and an output gear defining a swivel axis transverse to said bend axis, said output gear adapted to support a workhead for movement about said bend and swivel axes; a pair of drive shafts connected to said input gears; drive means for independently rotating said drive shafts to selectively rotate said input gears and said output gear to position said workhead about said swivel axis and said bend axis and, in combination with movement relative to the other axes, universally position said workhead in work processing relationship against articles moving along said conveyor path.

Claim 4

A machine having multiple degrees of freedom for processing articles moving along a conveyor path, comprising: a support platform having guide members parallel to said conveyor path; a cart supported on said guide members; drive means including an electric motor and lead screw means operatively connected to said cart for selectively moving the latter along said guide members on a longitudinal axis; a mast carried by said cart having guide members transverse to said support platform; a carriage, means supporting said carriage on said second-mentioned guide members for movement along a vertical axis relative said conveyor path and for adjustable rotational movement about a horizontal axis, drive means including an electric motor and lead screw means extending parallel to said second-mentioned guide members and operatively connected to said carriage for selectively moving the latter along said vertical axis; a rotatable Drum supported on said carriage having a guide passage therein aligned mutually transverse to said conveyor path, said support platform and said mast, said guide passage defining a transverse axis; drive means for rotating said drum about said transverse axis; a boom received in said guide passage for reciprocation parallel to said transverse axis; drive means including an electric motor and lead screw means extending along said boom and operatively connected to said drum for selectively reciprocating said boom along said transverse axis; a twin input, single output differential unit having input gears defining a bend axis transverse to said boom and an output gear defining a swivel axis transverse to said bend axis, said output gear adapted to support a workhead for movement about said bend and swivel axes; a pair of drive shafts connected to said input gears; drive means for independently rotating said drive shafts to selectively rotate said input gears and said output gear to position said workhead about said swivel axis and said bend axis and, in combination with movement relative to the other axes, universally position said workhead in work processing relationship against articles moving along said conveyor path.

Claim 5

A six-axis manipulator having multiple degrees of freedom for processing articles moving along a conveyor path, comprising: an elongated support platform having guide rails parallel to said conveyor path; a cart supported on said guide rails for controlled movement therealong; an electric motor and lead screw extending along said platform parallel to said rails and operatively connected to said cart for selectively driving said cart along a longitudinal first axis; a mast adjustably circumferentially supported by said cart and having guide rails extending vertically with respect to said support platform; a carriage adjustably circumferentially supported on said second-mentioned guide rails of said mast for movement along a vertical second axis; an electric motor and lead screw extending parallel to said second-mentioned guide rails and operatively connected to said carriage for selectively driving the latter along said vertical second axis; a rotatable drum supported on said carriage having a guide passage therein mutually transverse to said conveyor path, said support platform and said mast and defining a transverse third axis; drive means for rotating said guide sleeve about said transverse third axis; a boom received in said guide passage for reciprocation along a fourth axis parallel to said transverse third axis; an electric motor and lead screw extending along said boom and operatively connected to said drum for selectively reciprocating said boom along said transverse fourth axis; a twin input, a single output differential unit connected to the end of said boom, said differential unit having input gears defining a bend fifth axis transverse to said boom and an output gear adapted to be connected to a workhead, said output gear defining a swivel sixth axis transverse to said bend axis; a pair of drive shafts including gear means connected to said input gears; means for independently rotating said drive shafts to selectively rotate said input gears and said output gear to position said workhead about said swivel and bend axes whereby said workhead is positionable about six independent axes for achieving universal work processing relationship against articles moving along said conveyor path.

Claim 6

A six-axis manipulator having multiple degrees of freedom for processing articles moving along a conveyor path, comprising: an elongated support platform having guide rails parallel to said conveyor path; a cart supported on said guide rails for controlled movement therealong; an electric motor and lead screw extending along said platform parallel to said rails and operatively connected to said cart for selectively driving said cart along a longitudinal first axis; a mast adjustably circumferentially supported by said cart and having guide rails extending vertically with respect to said support platform; a carriage adjustably circumferentially supported on said second-mentioned guide rails of said mast for movement along a vertical second axis; an electric motor and lead screw extending parallel to said second-mentioned guide rails and operatively connected to said carriage for selectively driving the latter along said vertical second axis; a rotatable drum supported on said carriage having a guide passage therein mutually transverse to said conveyor path, said support platform and said mast and defining a transverse third axis; drive means for rotating said guide sleeve about said transverse third axis; a boom received in said guide passage for reciprocation along a fourth axis parallel to said transverse third axis; an electric motor and lead screw extending along said boom and operatively connected to said drum for selectively reciprocating said boom along said transverse fourth axis; a twin input, a single output differential unit connected to the end of said boom, said differential unit having input gears defining a bend fifth axis transverse to said boom and an output gear adapted to be connected to a workhead, said output gear defining a swivel sixth axis transverse to said bend axis; a pair of drive shafts including gear means connected to said input gears; means for independently rotating said drive shafts to selectively rotate said input gears and said output gear to position said workhead about said swivel and bend axes whereby said workhead is positionable about six independent axes for achieving universal work processing relationship against articles moving along said conveyor path.

Claim 7

A six-axis manipulator having multiple degrees of freedom for processing articles moving along a conveyor path, comprising: an elongated support platform having guide rails parallel to said conveyor path; a cart supported on said guide rails for controlled movement along a longitudinal first axis; an electric motor and a ball screw drive operatively connected between said support platform and said cart for selectively driving the latter along said longitudinal first axis; a mast supported by said cart having guide rails extending vertically with respeCt to said support platform; means for adjustably circumferentially positioning said mast relative to said cart about an axis perpendicular to said support platform; a carriage supported on said second-mentioned guide rails for movement along a vertical second axis; means for adjustably circumferentially positioning said carriage about an axis parallel to said support platform; an electric motor and a ball screw drive operatively connected between said carriage and said mast for driving said carriage selectively along said vertical second axis; a rotatable drum supported on said carriage having a guide passage therein aligned mutually transverse to said conveyor path, said support platform and said mast, said guide passage defining a transverse third axis; an electric motor and chain drive for rotating said drum about said transverse third axis; an elongated hollow boom received in said guide passage for reciprocation along a fourth axis parallel to said transverse axis; an electric motor and ball screw drive extending along said boom and operatively connected between said drum and said boom for selectively reciprocating said boom along said transverse fourth axis; a twin input, single output differential unit carried on one end of the boom, said unit having input gears mounted on a shaft defining a bend fifth axis transverse to said boom and an output gear meshing with said input gears and mounted on an output shaft defining a swivel sixth axis transverse to said bend axis; a pair of drive shafts extending through said boom and having output ends operatively connected to said input gears; a pair of electric motors carried on the other end of the boom and operatively connected to the input ends of said drive shafts for selectively rotating said output shaft about said swivel and bend axes; counterweight means operatively connected between the mast and the carriage balancing the weight and inertia of said carriage, said boom, and said differential unit; and a workhead attached to said output shaft whereby selective energization of said motors will universally position said workhead in work processing relationship in six axes of freedom with respect to articles moving along said conveyor path.

Claim 8

A six-axis manipulator having multiple degrees of freedom for processing articles moving along a conveyor path, comprising: an elongated support platform having guide rails parallel to said conveyor path; a cart supported on said guide rails for controlled movement along a longitudinal first axis; an electric motor and a ball screw drive operatively connected between said support platform and said cart for selectively driving the latter along said longitudinal first axis; a mast supported by said cart having guide rails extending vertically with respeCt to said support platform; means for adjustably circumferentially positioning said mast relative to said cart about an axis perpendicular to said support platform; a carriage supported on said second-mentioned guide rails for movement along a vertical second axis; means for adjustably circumferentially positioning said carriage about an axis parallel to said support platform; an electric motor and a ball screw drive operatively connected between said carriage and said mast for driving said carriage selectively along said vertical second axis; a rotatable drum supported on said carriage having a guide passage therein aligned mutually transverse to said conveyor path, said support platform and said mast, said guide passage defining a transverse third axis; an electric motor and chain drive for rotating said drum about said transverse third axis; an elongated hollow boom received in said guide passage for reciprocation along a fourth axis parallel to said transverse axis; an electric motor and ball screw drive extending along said boom and operatively connected between said drum and said boom for selectively reciprocating said boom along said transverse fourth axis; a twin input, single output differential unit carried on one end of the boom, said unit having input gears mounted on a shaft defining a bend fifth axis transverse to said boom and an output gear meshing with said input gears and mounted on an output shaft defining a swivel sixth axis transverse to said bend axis; a pair of drive shafts extending through said boom and having output ends operatively connected to said input gears; a pair of electric motors carried on the other end of the boom and operatively connected to the input ends of said drive shafts for selectively rotating said output shaft about said swivel and bend axes; counterweight means operatively connected between the mast and the carriage balancing the weight and inertia of said carriage, said boom, and said differential unit; and a workhead attached to said output shaft whereby selective energization of said motors will universally position said workhead in work processing relationship in six axes of freedom with respect to articles moving along said conveyor path.