Patent Document

[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/392,259, filed Oct. 12, 2010, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to electric manipulator arms such as those in the robotic and/or remotely operated vehicle fields, and more specifically to an improved and useful manual quick-release latching system to secure and stabilize remotely operated tools used with manipulator arms. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Remotely operated vehicles are used in various situations where unsafe or hostile conditions are present. For example, bomb disposal, fire rescue, chemical spills, and military combat are just a few uses in such situations. Remotely operated vehicles used in such situations typically include a manipulator arm for carrying out various tasks. At the end of the arm there may be an end effector, such as a gripper or other tools. Typically there exits an end effector interface that allows various types of tools to be attached to the manipulator arm. Such tools may include wrenches, screw drivers, drills, saws, grippers, shovels, sensors, etc. In many situations various tools are required to carry out a mission. Because the operator of the remotely operated vehicle is typically within about 50-102 meters of the robot during operation, it is possible for the vehicle to return to the operator to have a different tool placed on the manipulator arm. 
         [0004]    As a result, it is desirable that the manipulator arm have a manual quick-release latching system. Such a system would allow for the quick interchange of needed tools and also provide a secure and stable platform for using the tool. It is also desirable that the system be reliable and of low cost. 
         [0005]    Thus, there is a need in the electric manipulator field to create an improved and useful manual quick-release latching system to solve the problems mentioned above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides for a latching system, including a first component, which includes at least one first component mating surface, a socket recessed into the first component and having an opening on the first component mating surface; and at least one first component retaining structure; and a second component, separate from the first component, the second component including at least one second component mating surface, configured to be juxtaposed to the first component mating surface when the first component is slidingly engaged with the second component, at least one second component retaining structure, configured to slidingly engage the first component retaining structure when the first component is slidingly engaged with the second component in a first direction and interlock the first component with the second component in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a latching mechanism comprising a part configured to partially extend outward from the second component mating surface in a direction perpendicular to the second component mating surface and fit into the socket to latch the first component with the second component by preventing the first component from sliding with respect to the second component in the first direction. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Several figures are provided herein to further the explanation of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a manual quick-release latching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a right-side elevation view of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3A  is a right-side cross sectional view of the manual quick-release latching system of  FIG. 1  in a latched state, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, where the view is taken along plane  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3B  corresponds to  FIG. 3A ; however the manual quick-release latching system is illustrated in a released state, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top cross-sectional view of a second component of the manual quick-release latching system of  FIG. 1  in a latched state, taken along the plane  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a bottom side of the sliding latch housed in the second component as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an aerial view of an alternate embodiment of a T-shaped structure of  FIG. 1 , where a passive interface is tapered along a length of the T-shaped structure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7A  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7B  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 3B . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    The following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to this preferred embodiment, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention. 
         [0018]    The invention described in this application seeks to solve the problems mentioned above by providing a manual quick-release latching system that allows for the manual quick-release of any tool attached to a manipulator arm. The manual quick-release latching system additionally provides a strong and stable connection between the tool and the manipulator arm, is reliable and of low cost 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a manual quick-release latching system  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2  is a right-side elevation view of  FIG. 1   
         [0020]    In the illustrated embodiment, the manual quick-release latching system  100  may be comprised of a second component  102  and a first component  104 . The second component  102  may be coupled to a tool (not shown). The first component  104  may be coupled to an end of a manipulator arm (not shown). In accordance with a method of use of the invention, it may be desirable to leave the second component  102  and the first component  104  coupled to their respective tool and mounting arm more or less indefinitely. By use of the manual quick-release latching system  100  as described herein, installation and removal of the tool (or multiple tools, each provided with a second component  102 ) may be affected quickly by easily sliding the tool(s) on or off the manipulator arm. 
         [0021]    The portion of the first component  104  that engages a corresponding portion of the second component  102  will be referred to herein as the passive interface  106  or first retaining structure  106 . The corresponding portion of the second component  102  will be referred to herein as the active interface  108  or second retaining structure  108 . 
         [0022]    The passive interface  106  may be any shape, provided that the shape includes retaining features and mating surfaces that correspond to respective shapes of retaining features and mating surfaces of the active interface  108 . The shapes of the active and passive interfaces  108 ,  106  correspond when the active and passive interfaces  108 ,  106  readily slide on and off each other and, when engaged with each other, an amount of mechanical play between the active and passive interfaces  108 ,  106  is not so great as to prevent a strong and stable connection between the second and first components  102 ,  104 . The dimensional clearances placed on the retaining features and mating surfaces of the active and passive interfaces  108 ,  106  determine the amount of mechanical “play” between the second and first components  102 ,  104  during insertion of the active interface  108  onto the passive interface  106 . In one embodiment of the invention, the clearances are 0.010″ vertically and 0.006″ horizontally as oriented and embodied in  FIG. 1.8 . 
         [0023]    As embodied in  FIG. 1 , the active interface  108  includes an undercut straight channel having a predetermined width W at the surface of the channel and a predetermined width W′ at the undercut portion of the channel, where W′ is greater than W. The depth of the narrower portion of the channel may be referred to as D, while D′ may be used to refer to the depth of the undercut portion of the channel. 
         [0024]    The passive interface  106  may include a T-shaped structure configured to slide into the above-described channel, commonly referred as a T-Slot, of active interface  108 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the “T-in-slot” or modified dado joint of  FIG. 1 , the sides of the passive interface  106  that are received in the channel of the active interface  108  may be flat, as opposed to, for example, circular. In such a configuration, second component  102  would not rotate upon the first component  104 . Other configurations that would prevent rotation (if rotation was undesirable) are within the scope of the invention. An example of such an alternative configuration might be a dovetail joint configuration. 
         [0025]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the passive interface  106  may be a constant width, W′, along the length (Z-axis) of the T-shaped structure.  FIG. 6  is an aerial view of an alternate embodiment of the T-shaped structure of  FIG. 1 , where the passive interface is tapered along the length of the T-shaped structure. In this alternate embodiment, the T-Slot channel on the active interface (similar to  108 ) would include a corresponding taper. These tapered interfaces would allow increased misalignment between the second and first components of the alternate embodiment during insertion of the active interface onto the passive interface  106 A. 
         [0026]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the locations of the active and passive interfaces  108 ,  106  may be interchanged without departing from the scope of the invention. In other words, an acceptable alternative to the disclosed embodiment includes one where the first component  104  includes the channel and the second component  102  includes the corresponding T-shaped structure received within the channel. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3A  is a right-side cross sectional view of the manual quick-release latching system  100  of  FIG. 1  in a latched state, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, where the view is taken along plane  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3B  corresponds to  FIG. 3A ; however the manual quick-release latching system  100  is illustrated in a released state, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0028]    As illustrated in the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B , a mating surface  300  of the passive interface  106  may include a semi-spherical, cone, or other shaped socket  302  (best illustrated in  FIG. 3B ) having its opening in the plane of the mating surface  300 . The socket  302  may receive a portion of the ball  306  (preferably less than half of the radius of the ball) when the sliding latch  304  is in the latched state as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . In one embodiment, the socket  302  may be configured to receive the ball  306  to a depth that is less than a depth that would prevent the ball  306  from smoothly rolling out of the socket  303  as the second component  102  is slidingly disengaged from the first component  104 , when the sliding latch  304  is in the released state of  FIG. 3B . 
         [0029]    The second component  102  includes a latching mechanism  312 . The latching mechanism  312  may include a sliding latch  304 , a ball  306 , redundant compression springs  402 ,  404  ( FIG. 4 ), a push-button actuator  308 , and a ball retaining plate  310 . The latching mechanism may be manually moved from a latched position to a released position by depressing the push-button actuator  308 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a top cross-sectional view of a second component of the manual quick-release latching system of  FIG. 1  in a latched state, taken along the plane  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . Several components of the latching mechanism  312  are visible in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , the sliding latch  304  may be acted upon by the compression springs  402 ,  404 . In the embodiment described herein, the compression springs  402 ,  404  are redundant. Each spring alone, may be sufficient to cause the sliding latch  304  latch to remain in the latched state of  FIG. 3A  when the push-button actuator  308  is not depressed. Accordingly, the manual quick-release latching system  100  may maintain an adequate pre-load upon the ball  306  even if one of the redundant compression springs  402 ,  404  is broken. The T-shape outline of the sliding latch  304  is one example of a sliding latch. Other shapes are within the scope of the invention. The two-part configuration of the sliding latch  304  and the push-button actuator  308  is one example of such a combination. Other combinations, or a combined sliding latch/push-button actuator, are within the scope of the invention. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a bottom side of the sliding latch  304  housed in the second component  102  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The sliding latch  304  may include a shallow ramp  500  that is maintained in contact with a surface of the ball  306  when the manual quick-release latching system  100  is in the latched state, as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . The sliding latch  304  may also include a semispherical depression  502  that is configured to receive at least a portion of the ball  306 . The depth of the semispherical depression  502  may be sufficient to prevent any portion of the surface of the ball  306  from interfering with the mating surface  300  of the passive interface  106  when the second and first components  102 ,  104  are slidingly engaged or disengaged with each other while the sliding latch  304  is in the released state of  FIG. 3B . In one embodiment, the length and angle of the shallow ramp  500  are 0.150″ and 7°, respectively; the ball diameter is 0.375″; and the depth and diameter of the semispherical depression  502  are 0.110″ and 0.376″, respectively. 
         [0033]    Returning to  FIG. 3A , in the latched state, the sliding latch  304 , by action of the shallow ramp  500  ( FIG. 5 ) and redundant compression springs  402 ,  404 , urges the ball  306  to pass into the socket  302  of the first component  104  beyond a plane of the mating surface  300  of the passive interface  106 . The combination of the shallow ramp  500  and the compression springs  402 ,  404  prevents the ball  306  from back-driving the sliding latch  304 . Therefore, in the latched state of  FIG. 3A , the sliding latch  304  is prevented from being back-driven into the released state and the ball  306  is prevented from retracting into the second component  102 , all due to the ball&#39;s position on a shallow ramp  500  ( FIG. 5 ) and the redundant compression springs  402 ,  404  acting to maintain the ball  306  at its position on the shallow ramp  500 . 
         [0034]    In the latched state of  FIG. 3A , the ball  306  thus interferes with the sliding engagement or disengagement of the active interface  108  relative to the passive interface  106 . If slidingly engaged with one another and in the latched state of  FIG. 3A , this useful and beneficial feature of the manual quick-release latching system  100  prevents the first and second components  102 ,  104  from slidingly disengaging from each other. If not slidingly engaged with one another and in the latched state of  FIG. 3A , this useful and beneficial feature of the manual quick-release latching system  100  prevents the second and first components  102 ,  104  from engaging with each other. 
         [0035]    Conversely, when the sliding latch  304  is in the released state of  FIG. 3B , the ball  306  does not interfere with the sliding engagement or disengagement of the second component  102  with respect to the first component  104 . This useful and beneficial feature of the manual quick-release latching system  100  allows the second and first components  102 ,  104  to slidingly be engaged to (if not already engaged) or disengaged from (if already engaged) each other. 
         [0036]    As indicated above, latching mechanism of the second component  102  may include a ball retaining plate  310  that retains the ball  306  when the active interface  102  is separated from the passive interface  104 . In alternate embodiments, the ball retaining plate  310  may be configured to act as a spring to urge the ball  306  (or an alternative object) out of the socket  302  when the sliding latch  304  is moved from a latched state to a released state. In still another alternate embodiment, the socket  302  may include a spring (not shown) to urge the ball  306  (or an alternative object) out of the socket  302  when the sliding latch  304  is moved from a latched state to a released state. 
         [0037]    As described above, the manual quick-release latching system  100  allows for the latching and releasing of a tool (not shown) from a manipulator (not shown). When tools are coupled to second components  102  and a manipulator arm (not shown) is coupled to a first component  104 , tools may be made to slide easily onto and off of the manipulator arm. 
         [0038]    In certain embodiments, the first component  104  may be fixed to or a part of the manipulator arm, and second components  102  may be fixed to or part one or more tools. The reverse is also possible, where the second component  102  is fixed to, or a part of the manipulator arm and first components  104  are fixed to or part of one or more tools. The latter configuration may result in the multiple tools having the simpler first components  104  rather then the relatively more complex second components  102 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are enlarged views of a portion of  FIGS. 3A and 3B , respectively. The ball  306 , the shallow ramp  500 , and the semispherical depression  502  are specifically identified in the illustrations. 
         [0040]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of any claims and their equivalents. 
         [0041]    As a person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures and claims, modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention defined in the following claims. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of any claims and their equivalents.

Technology Category: b