STEERING DEVICE FOR ROBOTS OR HYDRAULIC CRANES

Abstract: Steering device for hydraulic cranes with several independent functions, and for programming of industrial robots with a similar movement pattern as the hydraulic cranes. The designing of the steering device is a pedagogical reproduction of the crane or robot with the same number of joints/functions. These are arranged in a way so that operator can with one hand manipulate all functions simultaneously, or one by one, or with a free choice combination, but the ability to move is always irrespective of each other. With this steering device, even the telescopic function of the hydraulic crane, can be manipulated since the steering device has in the jib (5) a telescopic function (11) whose friction can be affected in a decisive way due to the way the handle (6) is mounted at one end of the telescopic function (11). The steering device can be operated with a feed-back from the crane or robot to the steering device, a so called positional steering, or it is equipped with spring for returning to, and making noticeable to the operator, a given neutral position, a so called proportional steering. When proportionally steered the front of the jib (5) can be turned in such a way that the joint (10) comes quite near the handle (6) without losing the logical moving effect.

Description: Steering device for robots or hydraulic cranes When it comes to steering of hydrauliccranes and industrialro- bots with a large rotation ability and including necessery gears, there has been a striving since the fifties to decrease the num¬ ber of steering-levels and pedels. By doing so the manipulation of the cranes and robots would be easier. The steering control with two levers, each having three functions, is the usual type now a days. Nobody has, however, succeeded thus far to construct a steering device with less then two levers and keeping expenses low and therefore, due to the price, it couldn't be introduced either in mobile cranes or within the industry. Other so called one-handel-controls have had such solutions that the entire func¬ tion was influenced and therefore have not led to any practical use. Among those we can find the steering device which is a de¬ creased copy of the crane or robot. Both the German layings for public use: 108 2718 and 898 669 are examples of such unworkable patents. Consequently there should not be any obstacle in the way for the beneath described new construction of one lever control intended to steer several, mostly six, different functions in a logical and in a accordance to the movability of the crane or ro¬ bot agreeable way, without being a decreased copy of the crane or robot. Previous one-handel-controls lack the possibility to choose one or several functions to a certain rotation without movable de¬ pendence of other functions. It might seem strange to construct a device where several functions are combined to one lever and the¬ re after having the intention to assist a seperation of each function on this one lever. This is, however, a safty and an ope¬ rator requirement. It is therefore that this new steering device has these abilities of partly having logical arrnged functions in one lever but is simultaniously capable to seperate and use one at the time or to choose different combinations. This ability is achieved by the characteristics of the steering device denounced in the patentclaims. The patentclaims include, among other things, the logical movability of the steering lever in accordance to the crane without being a decreased copy of the crane, but even the location of the electronic angle transmitters in the different axial rotation points on both the crane and the steering device. The angle indicators on the crane are only used when a reconnec- tion from the crane to the steering device is desired, a so called positional steering. In all other cases only the steering device has angle transmitters so that a change of the angles from an in¬ dicated neutral position on the steering device correspond to a change of the positions of the valveslides so that a certain mov- ment on the crane is carried out every time the steering device comes to this position, a so called proportional steering. Springs in every joint of the steering device bring it back to a given neutral position where the jib (5) is in a horizontal posi¬ tion and in the right angle in coordination to the supporting de¬ vice of the body (2). By means of the angle transmitters on the crane or robot which by means of a micro computor must be in a proportional accordance with the corresponding angle transmitters on the steering device, can a reconnection occur by the movement of the crane or robot to the steering device, which in this model is equipped with a breakdevice in every joint so that a continious movement of the steering device can not occur unless the crane or robot follows the movement desired due to, for instance, over¬ capacity. In this model the steering device is lacking springs for resetting to a neutral position since this occurs while the steering is stopped and the crane or robot comes to a correspond¬ ing position in proportion to the steering device. The steering device is closer described below with reference to the drawing where fig 1 and fig 2 show the steering device from side respecti¬ vely from a bove. The steering device is built according to the following. On a base (3), to which a cable is connected for transmitting of signals, a crane tower (4) is mounted, which serves as a point of attachment for one of the ends of the steering device. From the tower (4) which can be rotated around its vertical axle, a revol¬ ving jib (5) starts out in a first horizontal axle (9) through the tower (4). The jib (5) is jointed in a second axle (10) and changeable in its length by a telescopic functioning (11), con¬ sisting of, for example, two squarepipes of one of them is guided into the other and after that they are being equipped with stoppscrews which limit the length of the stroke. On the front port of the jib (5) a handle (6) is mounted, so that it is revol¬ ving around its vertical axle (12), which axle forms a 90 angle in coordination with one of the squarepipes of the telescopic function (11). By a very small rotation of the handle (6) in a no¬ ne existing horizontal axle directly under the handle (6) the friction in the telescopic function (11) can be affected, by which the functions of the steering device in its first and second axles and the telescopic function (11) can be seperated or combined by free choice with all other functions. By means of connection units (14)(15) the telescopic function (11) can be turned so that the joint (10) comes to a very close position to the axle of the hand¬ le (6) at which the jib (5) is always straight. This model is to be prefered when the steering device is used without the system of reconnection, at which all joints/functions are equipped with springs, which always bring back the steering device to a given neutral position. At that time, the steering device resambles partly the usual steering gears, which appear within the hydraulic with three unalogically arranged functions, at the most, in each steering gear, which have a back-and-force movement and a central situated neutral position. On the other hand is this new steering device unique since it controls all functions in a pedagogical and according to the movement simple way. The logical pattern of move¬ ment on the steering device in relation to the crane or robot is thus independent, whether the reconnection is used, the so called positional steering, or, by means of springs, the backbringing and turned front of the jib (5), a so called proportional steering. When the handle (6) is turned around its own longitudinal axle (12) a signal is given for the rotation of a device, mounted on the front of the crane, for example a gripping appliance. Further more is there a main switch (7) in the handle (6) for all functions, whose valveslides take in a neutral position as soon as the switch (7) isn't pushed in. At the upper free end of the handle (6) there OMPI < 5 W] O is a joint/function (13) for a gripping function mounted, to be logically manipulated by the thumb or index finger. In all joints/functions angle transmitters/potentiometers are mounted which transmit by means of seperate wires the aberrations of the angles by means of an electric amplifier, to the correspon¬ ding indications on the valve slides. The steering device can be mounted on a plate (2) which, being equipped with shoulder bands, has a supporting function to the operator. The steering device is then connected to an amplifying unit which carries out the signals to the hydraulic valves as known previously. OΛΪPI

Claims: Patent claims 1 Steering device for robots or hydraulic cranes with an extension armsyste consisting of two arms, on which one of the arms is va¬ riable in its length, on which the arms are connected by joints to each other, on which one of the free ends of the armsystem is journalled in bearings in such a way on a movable point of support, .that partly the armsystem is able to slew around an axle by means of the mounted joint and partly is movable in one level by means of the mounted joint, on which the other end of the robot/crane is particularily applied with a device such as a gripping appliance, and on which the gripping appliance is particularily equipped with parts which are able to move from and to each other, are c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the way the steering device is con¬ structed and mounted in bearings mainly in accordance to the robot or crane, by that the armsystem of the steering device consisting of a jib (5) divided in two arms by a joint (10), by that the front arm on its free end has a handle (6) for the operator of the steering device, which handle (6) is particularily able to revolve about its longitudinal axle and mounted in a 90 angle according to the front arm of the jib (5), by that one of the arm is change- " able in its length by a telescopic function (11), which has its own longitudinal slipping areas, which friction can be influenced by the handle (6) and through which the othger joints of the steering device can be adjusted independly of each other according to movements and signals, at which every joint has a transmitter for transmering the movement of the steering device to a corre - sponding movement on the robot/crane. 2 The steering device according to patent claim no 1 is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that an immediate reconnection of a performed movement on the robot or crane by a microcomputer from transmitters in every joint on the robot or crane to the steerinq device accurs in such a way that it preforms analogical movements. 3 The steering device according to patent claim no 1 is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by its ability to be supplied with back bringing springs in every joint/function and that the movements of steering device is transfered to the robot or crane with propor¬ tional steering of all functions. The steering device, according to one or the other of patent claims 1-3, is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that the arms of the jib (5) each have their own connection joint (14 and 15) fore alternativ placing of the jib joint (10) extremely close to the handle (6) at which the jib (5) remains straight. The steering device, according to one or the other of patent claims 1-4, is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the use of rotaiting or pushing potentiometers as transmitters, which are mounted directly into the corresponding joint on the steering device and the robot or crane. The steering device, according to one or the other of patent claims 1-5, is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that the steering de¬ vice has at least four functions in the same horizontal level as the jib (5). The steering device according to one or the other of patent claims 1-6, is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that the steering de¬ vice, in the handle (6) has a transmitter (7) which gives a stop- signal to all steering functions whenever the handle (6) isn't em¬ braced by the hand of the operator, a so called "dead mans grip".

Inventors: PERSSON SONNY, PERSSON, SONNY
Applicants: PERSSON SONNY, PERSSON, SONNY
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B25J13
IPC codes: B25J9, B25J13, B66C13