Granted Patent B2

US 12,240,124 · App. 15/739,548 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Inventors: Stefan Burkhart (Dillingen, DE); Andreas Hagenauer (Friedberg, DE); Manfred Huettenhofer (Meitingen, DE); Robert Schreittmiller (Statzling, DE)

Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH

B25J9/1666B25J9/1664B25J9/1669G05B19/042G05B2219/36043G05B2219/39219G05B2219/39433G05B2219/40371G05B2219/40519G05B2219/40521Y10S901/02Y10S901/49

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A method for moving along a predetermined path with a robot in an at least a partially automated manner, the method comprising:

determining with a controller a deployment position on a current path section of the predetermined path for which a distance parameter satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the distance parameter is defined on the basis of the distance of a current position of the robot relative to the current path section;

wherein the current path section is a stored path section of the predetermined path; and

the robot moving into the deployment position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

the distance parameter satisfies the condition when the value of the distance parameter is less than or equal to the values of the distance parameters of all positions in a partial area of the current path section; or

moving into the deployment position comprises moving the robot if a deployment condition is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the partial area of the current path section is complementary to the deployment position.

4. The method of to claim 1 , wherein the deployment condition comprises a deviation of the current position of the robot from the current path section.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deployment condition comprises a deviation of a stored return position of the robot from the current path section.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the deployment condition comprises a deviation of a return position that is stored upon an interruption of the movement along the predetermined path.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

modifying the stored path section of the predetermined path before determining the deployment position.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the stored path section is-modified by substitution of the stored path section with a different stored path section.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising;

predetermining the current path section by jumping to a stored path section of the predetermined path.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

moving to the deployment position on a linear path in a work space or a joint coordinate space.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

moving the robot on the current path section from the deployment position to an end position of the current path section.

12. A method for at least partially automated synchronized movement along a predetermined path group with at least two robots, the method comprising:

moving a first robot along a predetermined first path of the path group according to the method of claim 1 ; and

moving a second robot along least one second predetermined path of the path group in synchronization with the movement of the first robot.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

synchronizing a second deployment position of the second robot on the second predetermined path with the deployment position of the first robot; and

moving the second robot into the second deployment position.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein moving the second robot into the second deployment position comprises moving the second robot on the second path or on a linear path in a work space or a joint coordinate space.

15. A system for at least partially automated movement along a predetermined path with a robot, the system comprising:

means for determining a deployment position on a current path section of the predetermined path for which a distance parameter satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the distance parameter is defined on the basis of a distance of a current position of the robot relative to the current path section;

wherein the current path section is a stored path section of the predetermined path; and

means for moving the robot into the deployment position, in particular insofar as a deployment condition is satisfied.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein at least one of:

the distance parameter satisfies the condition when the value of the distance parameter is less than or equal to the values of the distance parameters of all positions in a partial area of the current path section; or

moving into the deployment position comprises moving the robot if a deployment condition is satisfied.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the partial area of the current path section is complementary to the deployment position.

18. A system for at least partially automated synchronized movement along a predetermined path group with at least two robots, the system comprising:

a system according to claim 15 for movement of a first one of the robots along a predetermined first path of the path group; and

means for synchronized movement of a second one of the robots along at least one second predetermined path of the path group.

19. A computer program product for moving along a predetermined path with a robot in an at least a partially automated manner, the computer program product having program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code configured, when run on a robot controller, to cause the robot controller to:

determine a deployment position on a current path section of the predetermined path for which a distance parameter that is defined on the basis of the distance of a current position of the robot relative to the current path section satisfies a predetermined condition;

wherein the current path section is a stored path section of the predetermined path; and

move the robot into the deployment position.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (197)