Abstract:
An adapter device ( 26 ) for use in automated handling equipment ( 10 ) includes an adapter support ( 30 ) that is adapted for automated movement. One or more support members ( 32 ) are rigidly securable to the adapter support ( 30 ) in a plurality of different positions relative to the adapter support ( 30 ) to provide a variety of adapter device ( 26 ) configurations for objects of different sizes and shapes.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Provisional Application 60/664,413 filed on Mar. 23, 2005, and Provisional Application 60/749,498 filed on Dec. 12, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to automated handling equipment and, more particularly, to an adapter for handling objects during movement. 
         [0003]    Automated handling equipment, such as a robotic arm or a transfer press assembly, is often employed in an industrial setting to move objects between stations. For example, a metal component is stamped in a first stamping press and then transferred to a second stamping press for a second stamping. To achieve high cycle times, the automated handling equipment must move the object quickly and accurately. Typically, the automated handling equipment includes an adapter or an actuated gripper that supports the object during movement. 
         [0004]    A conventional adapter assembly includes a shovel that engages and supports the object during movement. Typically, the shovel is custom-made to correspond to the particular shape and size of the object. For example, the shovel may include various extended portions that are welded in a desired arrangement to a base portion. The relative positions of the extended portions correspond to the shape and size of the object to securely support the object upon engagement. 
         [0005]    Undesirably, conventional welded custom-made shovels are designed to support the specific size and shape of the particular object. If a different object is to be moved, the shovel needs to be removed and replaced with a different shovel that is custom-made for the shape and size of the different object. This adds expense and complexity to the manufacturing process, and a large number of shovels are needed for transferring different objects. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is a need for a modular shovel that is adjustable to accommodate objects of different shapes and sizes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    One example adapter device for use in automated handling equipment includes an adapter support that is adapted for automated movement. A support member is rigidly securable to the adapter support in more than one position relative to the adapter support to provide a variety of adapter device configurations suitable for supporting objects of different sizes and shapes. 
         [0008]    One example includes a mount for connecting an adapter device to a robotic member of an automated handling system. The mount is rigidly securable to either the robotic member or the adapter support in more than one mount position to provide a variety of configurations. This allows reconfiguration of the adapter device and mount to accommodate objects of different sizes and shapes. 
         [0009]    One example method for adapting automated handling equipment for different objects includes adjusting a position of a support member relative to an adapter support. The support member can be adjusted between positions to accommodate objects of different sizes and shapes. 
         [0010]    The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a currently preferred embodiment. Drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an adapter assembly including a modular shovel. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a perspective view showing the modular shovel before engagement with an object. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a perspective view of the modular shovel of  FIG. 2A  in engagement with the object. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example retainer member of a modular shovel having an opening that is non-concentric with a central axis of the retainer member. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4A  illustrates the adjustability of a retainer member relative to a plate. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4B  illustrates the adjustability of a retainer member according to the section line shown in  FIG. 4A . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a perspective view of an example plate having elongated openings. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5B  illustrates the adjustability of retainer members along the elongated openings of the plate shown in  FIG. 5A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6A  illustrates a perspective view of a backside of an example mount. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6B  illustrates a perspective view of a front side of the mount shown in  FIG. 5A . 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  illustrates the adjustability of a plate relative to a mount. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example embodiment having a modular shovel attached to an automated gripper. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates an adapter assembly  10  for securely supporting an object  12  (shown schematically), such as a multi-dimensional metal work piece, during movement of the object  12 . The adapter assembly  10  can be, for example, a robotic adapter or a transfer press assembly for moving the object  12  between various industrial presses or other machines. 
         [0024]    In the illustrated example, the adapter assembly  10  includes an adapter  14  attached to an adapter joint  16 , and the adapter joint  16  is attached to a rail  18 . Although only one adapter  14  and adapter joint  16  are illustrated, it is to be understood that any number of adapters  14  and adapter joints  16  can be employed. 
         [0025]    A series of ball jointed links  20  attach one or more shafts  22 , or robotic members, to the rail  18  by a rail bracket  24 . The ball jointed links  20  are positioned and secured in a desired position for the specific application. Alternatively, the shafts  22  are welded to the rail  18  or secured in a known manner. 
         [0026]    In the illustrated example, a modular shovel  26  is attached to each of the distal ends of the shafts  22 . Each of the modular shovels  26  includes a mount  28  for securing the modular shovel  26  to the shaft  22  and a plate  30  for receiving retainer members  32  that securely engage the object  12 . 
         [0027]    The plates  30  in this example include openings  34  for attaching the retainer members  32  in any of a variety of desired positions. That is, the retainer members  32  are removable to provide the benefit of a variety of modular shovel  26  configurations that can be tailored to different shapes and sizes of different objects  12 . This eliminates the expense and need for custom-made shovels that are particular to a single object size and shape. 
         [0028]    As an example of the operation of the modular shovel,  FIG. 2A  illustrates another view of the modular shovel  26  just before engagement with the object  12 , and  FIG. 2B  shows the modular shovel  26  in engagement with the object  12 . In the illustrated example, the modular shovel  26  is configured such that the object  12  fits securely between the retainer members  32  to support the object  12  when it is moved. 
         [0029]    Referring to the example shown in  FIG. 3 , the retainer member  32  includes a central axis A along a length of the retainer member  32 . In this example, the retainer member  32  includes a base portion  40  that tapers into a nose portion  42 . The base portion  40  includes an opening  44  having an axis A′ that is non-concentric with the central axis A of the retainer member  32 . The opening  44 , such as a threaded opening, receives a fastener  47  through one of the openings  34  in the plate  30  to secure the retainer member  32  to the plate  30 . Alternatively, the retainer member  32  has a different shape, such as rectangular ( FIG. 1 ) or other desired shape. Given this description, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize additional retainer member  32  shapes to meet their particular needs. 
         [0030]    In this example, the base portion  40  also includes a surface  46  that engages the plate  30 . The surface  46  includes teeth  48  that bite into the plate  30  to resist rotation of the retainer member  32  relative to the plate  30 . This provides the benefit of a tight fit between the retainer member  32  and the plate  30 . 
         [0031]    In the illustrated example, the axis A′ of the opening  44  is non-concentric with the central axis A of the retainer member  32 . This provides the benefit of being able to adjust the position of the retainer member  32  by rotating the retainer member  32  about the axis A′, as shown in  FIG. 4A  (frontal view) and  FIG. 4B  (cross-sectional view), wherein the retainer member  32  is rotated to a position shown in phantom by the retainer member  32 ′. This provides the benefit of being able to fine tune the position of the retainer member  32  relative to the plate  30 . Furthermore, the combination of this feature with the selection of openings  34  on the plate  30  provides a wide variety of possible modular shovel  26  configurations. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a modified example in which the plate  30  includes elongated openings  34 ′ instead of the circular openings  34  shown in the previous example. As illustrated in  FIG. 5B , the retainer members  32 ′ are secured to the plate  30  using fasteners  47 , similar to as described above. In this example, the fasteners  47  may be loosened to slide the retainer member  32 ′ along the elongated opening  34 ′. The fasteners  47  are then tightened to secure the retainer members  32 ′ in desirable locations along the elongated openings  34 ′. 
         [0033]    The retainer members  32 ′ in this example are also shaped differently than the retainer members  32  of the previous example. The retainer members  32 ′ include generally flat surfaces S for supporting an object  12 ′ (shown schematically) during movement. It is to be understood that the features of the disclosed examples may selectively be used in combination depending upon the needs of the particular application. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6A  (rear view) and  FIG. 6B  (front view) show an example mount  28 . In this example, the mount  28  includes a back side  50  and a front side  52 . The back side  50  connects to the shaft  22 , such as by welding. A threaded opening  54  extends through the mount  28  for securing the plate  30  to the mount  28 . 
         [0035]    In the illustrated example, the front side  52  includes an anti-rotation pin  56  spaced from the opening  54 . In one example, the distance between the opening  44  and the anti-rotation pin  56  corresponds to a spacing distance between at least some of the openings  34  in the plate  30 . 
         [0036]    When the plate  30  is attached to the mount  28 , the anti-rotation pin  56  is received into a selected one of the openings  34 , and the threaded opening  54  of the mount  28  aligns with an adjacent opening  34  to receive a fastener  57  for securing the mount  28  and the plate  30  together. The combination of the fastener  57  and the anti-rotation pin  56  prevent the plate  30  from rotating relative to the mount  28  and shaft  22 . Given this description, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize alternative mount  28  configurations and anti-rotation features. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the mount  28  provides a variety of modular shovel  26  configurations. In this example, the fastener  57  is removed and the plate  30  is removed from the anti-rotation pin  56 . The plate  30  is then rotated and re-installed onto the mount  28  in a different orientation shown in phantom by plate  30 ′. This provides the benefit of being able to quickly and easily tailor the orientation of the plate  30  for different sizes and shapes of different objects  12 . Furthermore, this feature in combination with the non-concentric opening  44  of selected retainer members  32  and the selection of openings  34  in the plate  30  allows a large number of modular shovel  26  configurations. 
         [0038]      FIG. 8  shows another example, wherein two modular shovels  26 ′ and  26 ″ are secured to an automated gripper  70 . The automated gripper  70  is attached to the shaft  22  ( FIG. 1 ) or used in a known arrangement to receive and move the object  12 . In this example, the automated gripper  70  includes an actuator  72 , such as a fluid driven piston actuator or other known actuator, that pivots one or more jaws  74  along a pivot direction P for example. 
         [0039]    In operation, the object  12  is received between the retainer members  32 . The retainer members guide the object  12  into a desired, stable position. The actuator  72  then closes the jaws on the object  12  to retain the object  12  between the retainer members  32  during movement of the object  12 . Utilizing the combination of the retainer members  32  to support the object and the automated gripper  70  to clamp and hold the object enables reliable transfer of the object between work stations or the like. 
         [0040]    The foregoing description is exemplary of the principles of the invention. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention.