IP Library Granted Patent US 12667980
Granted Patent B2
US 12667980 · App. 18/025,377 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Layer module for handling robot system

Inventors: Martin Zimmer (Rheinau, DE); Günther Zimmer (Rheinau, DE)
B25J15/0408B25J19/0033
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12667980
App. No.
18/025,377
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A layer module for integration into a handling robot system has an interface bank on the robot side, an interface bank on the handling side, and a third interface bank. The interface bank on the robot side has a geometric connection contour for position-centered fastening to an industrial robot of the robotic handling system or to a robot adapter part, along with a cable feed for receiving a fixed wiring of an electrical functional assembly arranged in the layer module to the industrial robot. The interface bank on the handling side has a geometric connection contour for position-centered releasable joining by a snap connection to a handling tool or to a layer module element connected upstream of the handling tool, along with a group of electrical contacts. The layer module enables the use of an industrial robot in combination with different handling tools and for changing handling tasks.

Claims (36)

1 . A layer module ( 10 ) for integration into a handling robot system ( 1 ), comprising:

an interface bank ( 11 ) on a robot side;

an interface bank ( 31 ) on a handling side;

a third interface bank ( 91 ); and

an electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) arranged in the layer module ( 10 ),

wherein the interface bank ( 11 ) on the robot side has

a geometric connection contour ( 13 ) for position-centered fastening to an industrial robot ( 2 ) of the handling robot system ( 1 ) or to a robot adapter part, and

a cable feed ( 19 ; 21 ) for receiving a fixed wiring of the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) to the industrial robot ( 2 ),

wherein the interface bank ( 31 ) on the handling side has

a geometric connection contour ( 83 ) for position-centered releasable joining by a snap connection to a handling tool ( 4 ) or to a layer module element ( 200 ) connected upstream of the handling tool ( 4 ), and

a group ( 42 ) of electrical power contacts ( 44 ), signal contacts ( 45 ) and data contacts ( 46 ),

wherein the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) is electrically connected on the handling side to the electrical power contacts ( 44 ), signal contacts ( 45 ) and data contacts ( 46 ),

wherein the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) comprises at least one energy storage device ( 102 ) and the third interface bank ( 91 ), and

wherein the third interface bank ( 91 ) is part of an operator interface for temporary control of signals and/or data transmittable via the interface bank ( 31 ) on the handling side, and

wherein the third interface bank ( 91 ) comprises at least one manually operable switching group ( 92 , 104 ) or a bank ( 115 ) of a manually joinable and disconnectable plug connection.

2 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 1 ,

wherein at least one media line ( 55 ; 56 ) penetrates both the interface bank ( 11 ) on the robot side and the interface bank ( 31 ) on the handling side.

3 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cable feed ( 19 ) penetrates an end face ( 12 ) on the robot side of the layer module ( 10 ).

4 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) comprises a logic level converter ( 106 ) switchable by the manually operable switching group ( 92 , 104 ).

5 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) comprises an application computer ( 107 ) and a data storage unit ( 108 ).

6 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 5 ,

wherein the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) comprises a data interface ( 116 ) on the robot side between the application computer ( 107 ) and the interface bank ( 11 ) on the robot side in form of a field bus ( 116 ) or an asynchronous serial data interface.

7 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 5 ,

wherein the application computer ( 107 ) comprises an operating system and/or a programmable logic controller.

8 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 5 ,

wherein the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) comprises a learning module ( 117 ), which condenses application-specific actual data and actual signals fed to the layer module ( 10 ) via the data contacts ( 46 ) and signal contacts ( 45 ) and feeds them to the application computer ( 107 ) for determining new target data.

9 . The layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 6 ,

wherein the electrical functional assembly ( 100 ) has a safety module ( 118 ), which evaluates data and signals transmitted to the layer module ( 10 ) via the interface bank ( 11 ) on the robot side and, depending on the data and signals, reduces power transmitted via the electrical power contacts ( 44 ) or outputs a change signal for a handling tool ( 4 ) via the signal contacts ( 45 ) to reduce a force.

10 . A handling robot system ( 1 ), comprising:

the layer module ( 10 ) according to claim 1 ; and

an industrial robot ( 2 ) having an arm ( 3 ),

wherein the layer module ( 10 ) is fastened to the arm ( 3 ) of the industrial robot ( 2 ) or to a robot adapter part fastened to the arm ( 3 ) of the industrial robot ( 2 ) and is electrically hardwired to the industrial robot ( 2 ), and

wherein a layer module element ( 200 ) with a handling tool ( 4 ) fastened thereto is fixed to the layer module ( 10 ) by a releasable snap connection, or wherein a handling tool ( 4 ) is fixed to the layer module ( 10 ) by a releasable snap connection.