Granted Patent B2

US 12,427,657 · App. 18/289,448 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Inventors: Martin Zimmer (Rheinau, DE); Günther Zimmer (Rheinau, DE)

B25J9/1612B25J9/1656B25J9/1661

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A method for creating gripping-task-specific gripper sequence programs of an item gripper ( 50 ),

the item gripper ( 50 ) having a gripper main body ( 51 ) and at least one gripping tool ( 71 ), and

the item gripper ( 50 ) being controlled by a gripper control module ( 110 ),

the method comprising:

transmitting a gripper-main-body-specific identification signal from the item gripper ( 50 ) to the gripper control module ( 110 ) via a signal and data interface ( 111 );

assigning, by the gripper control module ( 110 ), a gripper dataset from a database to the gripper-main-body-specific identification signal, the gripper dataset having an allowable value range for each settable parameter of the item gripper ( 50 );

ascertaining, by actuating the at least one gripping tool ( 1 ), at least one reference value for a position of the at least one gripping tool ( 71 ) relative to the gripper main body ( 51 );

creating, by a peripheral device ( 130 ) while a bidirectional data interface ( 117 ) with the gripper control module ( 110 ) is active, a gripping-task-specific configuration dataset for the item gripper ( 50 );

checking, by the gripper control module ( 110 ), whether each reference value ascertained and each input value of the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset entered by the peripheral device ( 130 ) is within the allowable value range of an associated settable parameter of the gripper dataset;

checking, by the gripper control module ( 110 ), whether a combination of a plurality of values of the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset is within an allowable range of the gripper dataset determined by a plurality of parameters;

determining, by the gripper control module ( 110 ), gripping-task-specific target values and test criteria from the values of the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset and the at least one reference value; and

establishing, by a processing unit ( 63 ) of the item gripper ( 50 ), a time profile of an actuation of a gripper drive from the gripping-task-specific target values and determining gripper-specific test values from the test criteria.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gripper control module ( 110 ) has a text-based input program for creating the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset, and

wherein the text-based input program communicates with a user program of the peripheral device ( 130 ) when the bidirectional data interface ( 117 ) is activated.

3. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein individual data of the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset are transmitted wirelessly step by step from the peripheral device ( 130 ) to the gripper control module ( 110 ).

4. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one gripping tool ( 71 ) comprises two gripping tools ( 71 ); and

wherein the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset comprises

a selection of a gripping direction ( 155 ) of the two gripping tools ( 71 ),

a tolerance value ( 144 ) of an item ( 1 ) to be gripped,

a numerical distance value ( 148 ) for the two gripping tools ( 71 ) relative to one another,

a relative value for a contact force ( 149 ) in a gripping position, and

a relative value for an opening speed ( 153 ) of the two gripping tools ( 71 ).

5. The method according to claim 4 ,

wherein the gripper control module ( 110 ) establishes a direction of rotation of a drive motor ( 72 ) of the item gripper ( 50 ) when the item gripper ( 50 ) is closed and a direction of rotation when the item gripper ( 50 ) is opened from an indication of the gripping direction ( 155 ) for the gripper drive.

6. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gripper control module ( 110 ) ascertains a limit value for a gripper-stroke-dependent sensor system ( 74 ) and a limit value for a gripping-force-dependent sensor system ( 73 ) of the item gripper ( 50 ) from the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset for the sequence program during closing.

7. The method according to claim 6 ,

wherein the limit value of the gripping-force-dependent sensor system ( 73 ) limits a motor current of a drive motor ( 72 ) of the item gripper ( 50 ).

8. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gripper control module ( 110 ) uses the gripping-task-specific configuration dataset to ascertain a limit value for a gripper-stroke-dependent sensor system ( 74 ) for the sequence program when the item gripper ( 50 ) is opened.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

arranging the item gripper ( 50 ) on an industrial robot ( 20 ) controlled by means of an industrial robot controller ( 40 ),

wherein the industrial robot controller ( 40 ) and the gripper control module ( 110 ) have a signal interface ( 41 ),

wherein, after transmission of a command from the industrial robot controller ( 40 ) via the signal interface ( 41 ) to the gripper control module ( 110 ), either a sequence program for closing the item gripper ( 50 ) or a sequence program for opening the item gripper ( 50 ) is started.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one reference value is ascertained by a gripper-stroke-dependent sensor system ( 74 ) of the item gripper ( 50 ) when the at least one gripping tool ( 71 ) comes into contact with an item ( 1 ) to be picked up.

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (16)