Material or article handling – Vertically swinging load support – Grab
Patent
1982-03-01
1985-05-21
Spar, Robert J.
Material or article handling
Vertically swinging load support
Grab
74640, 364193, 901 15, 901 24, 901 28, B66C 2300
Patent
active
045183082
ABSTRACT:
A manipulator apparatus comprises an elongated member having a number of arm sections interconnected by rotary actuators and supported by a vertical member rotatably mounted on a console. The other end of the elongated member terminates in a terminal motion actuator adapted to support an article handling member. Each rotary actuator comprises a stepping motor coupled to a harmonic drive device, wherein control pulses fed into the stepping motor will initiate motion which is reduced by the harmonic drive device and then imparted to the respective arm section. The vertical member is similarly controlled. The terminal motion actuator comprises a stepping motor rotatably supported by a rotary actuator comprising a combination of a stepping motor and a harmonic drive device. The terminal motion actuator has mounting means for supporting article handling members. The vertical member is rotatably supported in such manner that free play is totally eliminated. A control arrangement comprises a computer having hardware and software and interconnected with a CRT screen and a control panel. The computer is connected by a cable to bus means which intercouple a plurality of axes controlling devices, modulator connector devices, and data input devices. The computer has an address system to control the operation of the devices which have respective addresses. Each axis controlling device includes a microstep indexer interconnecting the axis controlling device with a motor driver which is connected to a respective stepping motor. The modular connector devices are connected to a plurality of modules which are associated with a particular type of external equipment which cooperates with the operation of the manipulator apparatus.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3960285 (1976-06-01), Gano
patent: 4096766 (1978-06-01), Pardo et al.
patent: 4178632 (1979-12-01), Anthony
patent: 4204903 (1980-05-01), Alexander
patent: 4239431 (1980-12-01), Davini
patent: 4258622 (1981-03-01), Estrabaud et al.
patent: 4277731 (1981-07-01), Pongracz
patent: 4353677 (1982-10-01), Susnjara et al.
patent: 4356554 (1982-10-01), Susnjara et al.
patent: 4360878 (1982-11-01), Waller
patent: 4401931 (1983-08-01), Kulterman et al.
"AC Stepping Motors for Incremental Control", Electronic Equipment News, vol. 12, No. 10, (Jan. 1971).
Grzybowski Bohdan
Horbal Mark T.
Acrobe Technology Inc.
Spar Robert J.
Underwood Donald W.
LandOfFree
Manipulator apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Manipulator apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Manipulator apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1535745