IP Library Granted Patent US 11,420,333
Granted Patent B2
US 11,420,333 · App. 16/607,284 · Granted Aug 23, 2022

Robot and method for controlling a robot

Inventors: Sven Parusel (Munich, DE); Simon Haddadin (Munich, DE); Niklas Böhme (Munich, DE); Tim Rokahr (Munich, DE)
Assignee: Franka Emika GmbH
B25J9/1694B25J9/1633B25J9/1674B25J9/1679B25J13/006B25J13/06B25J13/084B25J13/085G06F3/0486B25J15/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,420,333
App. No.
16/607,284
Granted
Aug 23, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A robot having a robot manipulator with an effector, wherein the robot manipulator is designed and constructed for picking up, handling, and releasing an object and is controlled by a control unit, the robot including a first sensor means designed and constructed to determine a persisting adherence of the object to an effector after a release of the object by the effector, and where such an adherence persists, to generate a signal S, wherein when a signal S is present, the control unit is designed and constructed to control the robot manipulator in such a manner that it executes a predefined movement B in which the effector with the persistently adhering object is passed by a wiping object in such a manner that the adhering object is wiped off the effector on a surface or an edge of the wiping object.

Claims (29)

1. A robot comprising:

a robot manipulator including an effector, the robot manipulator configured to pick up, handle, and release an object using the effector;

a first sensor means for determining whether there is a persisting adherence of the object to the effector after the object is released by the effector, and for generating a signal S in an event that the persisting adherence is determined; and

a control unit configured to control the robot manipulator, wherein the control unit executes a control program configured to perform operations that comprise causing the robot manipulator to execute a predefined movement B based on the signal S, wherein the predefined movement B passes the effector by a wiping object in such a manner that the object still adhering to the effector after the release is wiped off the effector on a surface or an edge of the wiping object.

2. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second sensor means for determining whether there is a collision of the robot manipulator with a collision object upon movement of the robot manipulator after the object is released by the effector, and for generating a signal S 1 in an event that the collision is determined; and

wherein the control program executed by the control unit is configured to perform operations that further comprise causing the robot manipulator to execute a predefined movement B 1 based on the signal S 1 , wherein the predefined movement B 1 passes the effector by the wiping object in such a manner that the object still adhering to the effector after the release is wiped off the effector on the surface or the edge of the wiping object.

3. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the robot manipulator is force-controlled and/or impedance-controlled and/or admittance-controlled, and wherein the control program executed by the control unit is configured to perform operations that further comprise controlling the robot manipulator such that the robot manipulator assumes a predefined state when forces or moments acting on the robot manipulator externally during wipe-off on the surface or the edge of the wiping object exceed predefined limits.

4. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the robot has a data interface to a data network, and the robot is designed and constructed to load the control program for the control unit from the data network.

5. The robot according to claim 4 , wherein the robot is designed and constructed to load one or more control and regulation parameters corresponding to the control program from the data network.

6. The robot according to claim 5 , wherein the robot is designed and constructed such that loading of the control program and/or corresponding one or more control and regulation parameters from the data network is controlled by a remote station connected to the data network.

7. The robot according to claim 6 , wherein the remote station and/or a manual input interface has a human-machine interface, the human-machine interface designed and constructed for input of the control program and/or corresponding one or more control and regulation parameters, and/or for selection of the control program and/or one or more corresponding control and regulation parameters from a plurality of available control programs and/or a plurality of corresponding control and regulation parameters.

8. A method of operating a robot manipulator including an effector, the robot manipulator configured to pick up, handle, and release an object using the effector, the method comprising:

determining, using a first sensor means, whether there is a persisting adherence of the object to the effector after the object is released by the effector;

generating, using the first sensor means, a signal S in an event that the persisting adherence is determined; and

controlling the robot manipulator, using a control unit, such as to cause the robot manipulator to execute a predefined movement B based on the signal S, wherein the predefined movement B passes the effector by a wiping object in such a manner that the object still adhering to the effector after the release is wiped off the effector on a surface of an edge of the wiping object.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

determining, using a second sensor means, whether there is collision of the robot manipulator with a collision object upon movement of the robot manipulator after the object is released by the effector;

generating, using the second sensor means, a signal S 1 in an event that the collision is determined; and

controlling the robot manipulator, using the control unit, in such a manner that causes the robot manipulator to execute a predefined movement B 1 based on the signal S 1 , wherein the predefined movement B 1 passes the effector by the wiping object in such a manner that the object still adhering to the effector after the release is wiped off the effector on the surface or the edge of the wiping object.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

controlling the robot manipulator, using the control unit, in force-controlled and/or impedance-controlled and/or admittance-controlled manner; and

controlling the robot manipulator, using the control unit, such that the robot manipulator assumes a predefined state when forces or moments acting on the robot manipulator externally during wipe-off on the surface or the edge of the wiping object exceed predefined limits.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the robot includes a data interface to a data network, the method further comprising loading the control program for the control unit from the data network.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising loading one or more control and regulation parameters corresponding to the control program from the data network.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising controlling, using a remote station connected to the data network, the loading of the control program and/or the control and regulation parameters corresponding to the control program from the data network.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

providing the remote station and/or a manual input interface with a human-machine interface; and

inputting, using the human-machine interface, the control program and/or the control and regulation parameters corresponding to the control program, and/or selecting, using the human-machine interface, the control program and/or the control and regulation parameters corresponding to the control program from a plurality of available control programs and/or a plurality of corresponding control and regulation parameters.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 20, 2026
From: FRANKA ROBOTICS GMBH
To: FR ADMINISTRATION GMBH
Reel/Frame 073519/0124 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2026
From: FRANKA EMIKA GMBH
To: AGILE ROBOTS HANOVER GMBH, NOW TRADING AS FRANKA ROBOTICS GMBH
Reel/Frame 073493/0884 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Dec 2, 2021
From: FRANKA EMIKA GMBH
To: FRANKA EMIKA GMBH
Reel/Frame 058295/0960 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2020
From: PARUSEL, SVEN; HADDADIN, SIMON; BÖHME, NIKLAS; ROKAHR, TIM
To: FRANKA EMIKA GMBH
Reel/Frame 052294/0797 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2017 003 899.6 · Apr 23, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200384651A1 · Dec 10, 2020