Boots – shoes – and leggings
Patent
1995-09-25
1999-06-08
Grant, William
Boots, shoes, and leggings
36446821, 29712, 21912164, G06F 1900
Patent
active
059108940
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The above referenced applications have dealt in the main with the mechanisms for vision controlled positioning and checking of the parts to be assembled, with automotive sheet metal components being the particular area most disclosed. This application goes into more detail on the intelligence functions that can be brought to bear on serial production of components, as well as singular components. It also describes in more detail the standard modules of the system, and the standard assembly systems that result, including an extension to aircraft assembly operations, and particularly the riveting operations for attachment of the airplane's "skin".
As pointed out in my previous applications, the overall goal of the invention is to provide a far higher degree of flexibility for factories--even as here disclosed allowing them to become "dual use" factories (that is for example capable of making aircraft in time of war, but using substantially the same tool and its sensing control systems for making sheet metal car bodies during peace).
This invention further elaborates on the concept first described in the reference co-pending application (ref. 7), which discloses the advantages of rapidly and electro-optically obtaining substantial amounts of accurate data concerning the parts produced, and providing the data base so created to other process steps within the overall process of manufacture.
There is a need in the industry to assure that the pieces to be welded together to make a sheet metal car body assembly and other similar assemblies and other industries, such as white goods, tractors, trucks, etc. contain the correct features and overall shapes, that they are in sufficient position to be welded, that they have been clamped together correctly for welding or other joining purposes, and that they are in the correct configuration and shape for welding. In addition, the robots or other welding automation used to make the welds also need to be confirmed in their location if possible before executing their tasks or sensor-wise caused to go to the correct location. In today's lines with fixed hard tools locating the parts in fixed clamps coming down, with either manual load of the panels, or automatic load, and robotic and fixed guns located programmably moving to different locations or the use of fixed guns within the tool to tack down the parts, there is very little sensory processing within the tool. The only thing in common use, to my knowledge, is limit switches, which essentially assure that the clamps have gone down, and in some cases that the parts are more or less in place. These switches are typically inductive types proximity switches or mechanical contact switches.
For the assurance that the assembly has been correct after welding, parts have been put on manual checking fixtures after welding, checked by CMM, or in some elaborate installation, checked by in-line optical gaging systems such as those built by Diffracto and Perceptron in the U.S.
This application is aimed at increasing the sensory capabilities of the tooling and related assembly systems, and follows form several previous applications by the inventor referenced above. Electro-optical sensors are preferably used for the measurement of tool and part position, as well as force sensors in certain embodiments for the determination of forces rendered by the clamping or welding devices. In this application, two other forms of sensors are depicted; namely the use of a 3D range imaging sensor device, and a use of miniature TV and/or stereo, or light section triangulation sensors located on the tool base. These are in place of, or addition to, the photogrammetric sensors.
The cost of design and construction and the time involved therefore for the fixture tools needed to assemble the structure and other parts of cars, aircraft, or other three dimensional objects constitute huge cost burdens to the launching of any new product in these areas. "Tooling" (also including form tools such as dies and molds) for a new car can cos
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Grant William
Rao Sheela S.
Sensor Adaptive Machines Inc.
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