Abstract:
The present invention is a manipulator arm including a pickup head secured to one end of the arm. The pickup head on the manipulator arm includes a number of vacuum cups directed to engage and secure an object to the pickup head for movement with the manipulator arm. The total height of the pickup head does not exceed fourteen (14) inches, such that the pickup head can be utilized to reach into existing warehouse racks with sufficient clearance to lower and raise the pickup head and an object secured to the pickup head.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/771,814, filed Feb. 9, 2006, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to manipulators, more specifically to a manipulator including a manipulator arm having a reduced clearance height.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     To enable individuals to effectively move heavy objects from one location to another in various environments, a number of different manipulators have been developed that allow the individual to easily pick up and move objects of this type. These manipulators are of varied configurations, depending upon a particular environment in which the objects are located.  
         [0004]     In particular, with regard to objects stored in warehouses on racks elevated above the floor of the warehouse, most prior art manipulators do not enable the manipulator to reach into the racks and grasp items positioned on the racks, especially when the racks are full of items. The reason for this is that the manipulator arm and/or grasping attachment head disposed on the arm do not provide sufficient clearance for the manipulator and head to reach into the racks above the items positioned on the racks and grasp one or more of the items for removal. As a result, it is often necessary or an individual to manually reach into a storage rack and grasp one or more items to be moved, which can put the individual at a much higher risk for injury, especially in those situations where the storage rack in which the items are disposed is positioned above floor level.  
         [0005]     Therefore, it is desirable to develop a gripping head and manipulator arm that can optionally be utilized on conventional lift trucks in any warehouse environment that is able to reach into storage racks in which a number of objects or items are positioned and grasp and maneuver the objects positioned on the racks as necessary.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     According to a primary aspect of the present invention, a manipulator including a manipulator arm is provided where the manipulator arm includes a head having a vacuum gripping mechanism disposed on the head. The gripping mechanism and the head are designed to have a relatively low overall height, enabling the head to be moved directly into the racks above the objects stored on the racks with enough clearance to subsequently lower the head into contact with the objects. The gripping mechanism on the head can then be activated in order to enable the gripping mechanism to grasp and hold the object to be removed from the rack. Once the object is securely held by the gripping mechanism, the manipulator can be moved to withdraw the head and the object from within the rack.  
         [0007]     According to another aspect of the present invention, the manipulator arm and head can be retrofit on a number of different lift truck models in order to enable existing lift trucks to be modified for use with the manipulator arm.  
         [0008]     Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated as practicing the present invention.  
         [0010]     In the drawings:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a first embodiment of the manipulator of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side plan view of a second embodiment of the manipulator of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side plan view of a third embodiment of the manipulator of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partially broken away side plan view of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a partially broken away top plan view of the gripping head of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of the manipulator of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6A  is a partially broken away, top plan view of the gripping head of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 6  in an extended, use position;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 6  in a partially extended position;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 6  in a first loading position;  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 6  in a second loading position;  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of a fifth embodiment of the manipulator of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of one of the manipulators arms of  FIG. 11  in an extended, use position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  is a side plan view of a sixth embodiment of the manipulator of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  is a partially broken away side plan view of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 13  in a first use position; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 15  is a partially broken away side plan view of the manipulator arm of  FIG. 13  in a second use position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     With regard to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a fork truck used in moving objects is illustrated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The fork truck  10  can be any suitable fork or lift truck or similar apparatus, and includes a wheeled central platform  12  on which is disposed a main controller and counterweight unit  14 . Adjacent the controller/counterweight  14 , the platform  12  also supports a lift mast  16  to which is secured a carriage  18  on which are disposed a pair of forks  20 . The controller/counterweight  14  is also operably connected to a manipulator control  22  and a steering control  24  that enable an operator  26  to operate the fork truck  10  as well as a manipulator arm  28  operably connected to the lift mast  16 .  
         [0028]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-5 , a manipulator arm  28  is illustrated that includes a first section  30  that is operably connected to the lift mast  16  and on which a motor/compressor  32  and control box  34  are mounted. However, the motor/compressor  32  and control box  34  can also be mounted in other locations on the arm  28  or lift truck  10 , as desired. The control box  34  controls the operation of the motor/compressor  32  and can be itself controlled utilizing control  22  connected directly to the control box  34  or to the controller  14 , which, in turn, can be operably connected to the control box  34 .  
         [0029]     Two parallel links  36  and  38  are pivotally connected to the first section  30  at one end and to a second section  40  at the opposite end. The pivotal connection of the links  36  and  38  between the sections  30  and  40  allows the links  36  and  38  to vertically move the second section  40  with respect to the first section  30 . However, other suitable connections as are known in the art can also be used to connect the first section  30  and the second section  40  such that the second section  40  is movable relative to the first section  30 .  
         [0030]     The second section  40  also includes a telescoping shaft  42  extending outwardly from the second section  40  opposite the links  36  and  38 , and to which is secured a lift arm  44 . The shaft  42  is preferably formed as a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, such that the shaft  42  can be moved with respect to the second section  40  by the operation of the motor/compressor  32 . The control box  34  also allows an operator to control the movement of the shaft  42  by controlling the operation of the motor/compressor  32  to extend or retract the shaft  42  from the second section  40 . This can be accomplished by simply manually moving the shaft  42  and second section  40  by in the embodiment of the manipulator arm  28  where the various components of the arm  28  are counterbalanced and not electrically or mechanically controlled, or by utilizing a suitable controller in the embodiment where the arm  28  is mechanically or electrically controlled.  
         [0031]     The shaft  42  is connected opposite the second section  40  to a lift arm  44 . The lift arm  44  extends outwardly from the shaft  42  generally perpendicular to the shaft  42 , and is rotatably connected to the shaft  42 . Alternatively, the lift arm  44  can be fixed to the shaft  42  and the shaft  42  can be rotatably secured to the second section  40 . In either configuration, after or simultaneously with the positioning of the second section  40  and shaft  42  with respect to the lift truck  10 , the lift arm  44  can be rotated with respect to the shaft  42  through an angle of up to 360°, and preferably at least 220°.  
         [0032]     Opposite the shaft  42 , the lift arm  44  is operably connected to a gripping head  46  on which are disposed a pair of vacuum cups  48  pivotally mounted to a central support  50  extending across a frame  52 . The cups  48  each include a central rigid member or plate  49   a , and a flexible gasket  49   b  that surrounds the plate  49   a . The gasket  49   b  is preferably a porous membrane that allows sufficient air flow or suction through the membrane from the motor/compressor  22  to enable the cups  48  to engage and pick up items having porous substrates, such as cardboard boxes or paper bags.  
         [0033]     The head  46  also includes a housing or manifold  51  that extends upwardly from the central support  50  and that is pivotally connected to the lift arm  44  to enable the entire head  46  to rotate with respect to the lift arm  44 . Preferably the head  46  can rotate through an angle of up to 360°, and preferably at least 180°, to enable the head  46  to be aligned with an item (not shown) positioned on the rack in any configuration. In order to allow the entire head  46  to be positioned within a storage rack (not shown) above items positioned therein without striking the upper end of the rack, particularly when the rack is loaded to capacity, the overall height of the head  46  is formed to be less than fourteen (14) inches, and preferably less than thirteen and one half (13.5) inches. Most preferably, the head  34  has an overall height of between seven (7) and twelve (12) inches, with a height of approximately eight (8) inches being especially preferred to give the most clearance in filled conventional storage racks. Thus, the entire head  46 , including the housing  51  and the vacuum cups  48  has sufficient clearance to be moved into a storage rack and positioned over one or more items in the storage rack. In addition, this height for the head  46  also enables each storage rack to accommodate one to two additional layers of items therein, increasing the usable space within each rack as opposed to conventional manipulator heads.  
         [0034]     To further enable the head  46  to both have the reduced clearance described previously and be capable of picking up items disposed within a storage rack using the vacuum cups  48 , a vacuum channel  100  formed at least partially of a flexible tube  102  that is connected at one end to the motor/compressor  32  that supplies the vacuum force though the channel  100 . The tube  102  extends from the motor/compressor  32  to the second section  40 . Within the second section  40 , the tube  102  can terminate and be connected to an internal conduit  104  formed in the second section  40 , or can be threaded through or otherwise attached to the second section  40 . If the second section  40  includes the conduit  104 , the conduit can be formed to extend downwardly through the shaft  42  and into the lift arm  44 . The conduit  104  then connects to the housing  51  where the vacuum supplied by the motor/compressor  32  can be transmitted to the vacuum cups  48  to pick up he items. Alternatively, where the tube  102  is used, the tube  102  can be connected to the exterior of the section  40 , the shaft  42  and the arm  44  prior to connection to the vacuum cups  48 .  
         [0035]     In operation, when the operator  26  desires to remove an object using the manipulator arm  28 , the operator  26  steps onto the platform  12  of the truck  10  and uses the steering control  24  to move the truck  10  into the desired location. The operator  26  then secures fork truck  10  and moves the manipulator arm  28  into position to grasp the object. In doing so, the operator  26  moves the manipulator arm  28  into a position where the head  46  is disposed on the object to be moved, such as by utilizing the manipulator control  22 , for example, and operates the manipulator control  22  to activate the vacuum cups  48  and grasp the object. Once the object has been grasped by the cups  48  on the head  46 , the operator  26  utilizes the control  22  to raise the head  46  and object secured to the head  46 , and subsequently pivot the manipulator arm  28  into a position where the object secured to the head  46  is disposed above the forks  20 . The operator uses the control  22  to disengage the head  46  and allow the object to be positioned on the forks  20 .  
         [0036]     Additionally, when not in use, a cradle  54  disposed on the first section  30  receives the lift arm  44  and the head  46  in order to secure the manipulator arm  28  to the truck  10 . Further, the movement of the arm  28  can be done using the controller  22 , instead of the operator  26  physically moving the arm  28  using the links  36  and  38  and counterweight  14 . Also, the arm  28  can be mounted to a stationary and/or lift truck-movable platform  56 , as best shown in  FIG. 3 , and instead of being part of the original construction of the lift truck  10 , can be retrofit onto an existing truck.  
         [0037]     In another embodiment of the present invention, best shown in  FIGS. 6-11 , the manipulator arm  128  is disposed on a lift truck  110 . The arm  128  includes a first section  130  rotatably mounted to the lift truck  110 , and a second section  132  rotatably mounted to the first section  130 . The first section  130  is illustrated as being disposed above the second section  132 , but this configuration can also be reversed, or the sections  130  and  132  can be connected to one another such that they are coplanar, if desired. The section  130  and  132  of the arm  128  can be moved through the operation of a suitable mechanism (not shown) disposed in the lift truck  110  can operably connected to the sections  130  and  132 , or the sections  130  and  132  can be counterbalanced to be positioned by the movement of the sections  130  and  132  by an individual grasping and moving the sections  130  and  132 . In either construction, the second section  132  can be rotated through an angle of up to 360° with regard to the first section  130 .  
         [0038]     Looking now at  FIGS. 6 and 6 A, the second section  132  includes a gripping head  134  rotatably mounted to the second section  132  opposite the first section  130  and can rotate through an angle of up to 360° with respect to the second section  132 . The gripping head  134  is formed similarly to the head  46  in the previous embodiment, with a pair of vacuum cups  136  connected to a manifold  138  having the same clearance or height measurements as the previous embodiment. Also, the cups  136  receive the vacuum required to operate the cups  136  through the arm sections  130  and  132  from the lift truck  110 , in a known manner. In addition, the head  134  includes a handle bar  140  that extends around the entire periphery of the vacuum cups  136  to enable the head  134  to be easily grasped and maneuvered by an operator. The head  134  may also include a secondary handle bar  141  secured to the second portion  132  to assist in initially positioning the head  134  over an item to be engaged and picked up with the head  134 .  
         [0039]     In  FIG. 6 , the manipulator arm  128  is illustrated in the parked, or non-use position.  FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate how the arm  128  is extended from the lift truck  110  into a storage rack  150  including front and rear cross beam pallet supports  151  in order to position the head  134  above and in contact with the item to be moved. Once grasped by the head  134 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the head  134  can then be repositioned by the operator  26  to load the item where desired, such as onto a pallet (not shown) carried by the lift truck  110  on which the manipulator arm  128  is secured.  
         [0040]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate still another embodiment of the present invention where a pair of manipulator arms  128  are mounted to opposite sides of a lift truck  110 , for use either separately or together in a manner similar to that described for the previous embodiment.  
         [0041]     Referring now to  FIGS. 13-15 , another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated where the manipulator arm  128  is mounted to a lift truck  200  including a vertically movable carriage  218  connected t a lift mast  216 . The arm  128  is secured to the carriage  218  such that the arm  128  can be vertically positioned with respect to the lift truck  200  by moving the carriage  218  through the operation of a suitable motive mechanism (not shown) disposed on the lift mast  216  of the lift truck  200  and connected to the carriage  218  to move the arm  128  between raised and lowered positions, as shown in  FIG. 13 . By moving the carriage  218 , the head  134  of the arm  128  can be properly positioned with regard to objects  300  disposed within a storage rack  400  having cross beam support members  402 , such that the head  134  can grasp and move the objects  300  without interference from the rack structure  400 , as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 .  
         [0042]     To enable the head  134  of the arm  128  to be operated as desired, the lift truck  200  also includes a motor/compressor  222  operably connected to the arm  128  and head  134  to supply vacuum to the cups  136  on the head  134 , and to move the arm  128  with respect to the carriage  218 .  
         [0043]     Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.