Dispensing system and method of operating a dispensing system
A method for operating a dispensing system ( 1 ) with at least one container ( 2 ) having a container opening ( 6 ), and a dispense head ( 4 ) mounted on a robot arm ( 11 ) of a robot ( 10 ). The dispense head ( 4 ) is automatically connected to the container opening ( 6 ) of the container by means of the robot ( 10 ), such that liquid ( 3 ) can be removed from the container ( 2 ) or liquid ( 3 ) can be supplied to the container ( 2 ). When the dispense head ( 4 ) is inserted into the container opening ( 6 ), forces acting on the dispense head ( 4 ) are detected by means of an arrangement of force sensors ( 14 ). The robot arm ( 11 ) carries out compensation movements dependent upon the detected forces, whereby the dispense head ( 4 ) is aligned to the container opening ( 6 ).
1 . A method for operating a dispensing system ( 1 ) with at least one container ( 2 ) having a container opening ( 6 ) and a dispense head ( 4 ) mounted on a robot arm ( 11 ) of a robot ( 10 ), wherein the dispense head ( 4 ) is automatically connected to the container opening ( 6 ) of the container ( 2 ) by means of the robot ( 10 ), such that liquid ( 3 ) can be removed from the container ( 2 ) or liquid ( 3 ) can be supplied to the container ( 2 ), characterized in that forces acting on the dispense head ( 4 ) when the dispense head ( 4 ) is inserted into the container opening ( 6 ) are detected by means of an arrangement of force sensors ( 14 ), and in that the robot arm ( 11 ) carries out compensation movements dependent upon the detected forces, whereby the dispense head ( 4 ) is aligned to the container opening ( 6 ), wherein axes of the robot arm ( 11 ) are released for carrying out compensation movements, and wherein a measurement head is connected to a connection flange ( 13 ) of the robot arm ( 11 ), said measurement head reading out a code from an RFID chip ( 9 ), thereby uniquely identifying the container ( 2 ).
2 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that acting forces are minimized by the compensation movements.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that acting forces are compared to target values.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that forces are detected in a position-resolved manner with the arrangement of force sensors ( 14 ).
5 . The method according to claim 4 , characterized in that forces are detected in an angle-resolved manner in the circumferential direction of the dispense head ( 4 ).
6 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the axes of the robot arm ( 11 ) are released only during an insertion move in which the dispense head ( 4 ) is guided towards the container opening ( 6 ).
7 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that different compensation movements are carried out in dependence upon the relative position between dispense head ( 4 ) and container opening ( 6 ).
8 . The method according to claim 7 , characterized in that when the dispense head ( 4 ) is guided towards an edge ( 2 b ) delimiting the container opening ( 6 ), a compensation movement is carried out transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dispense head ( 4 ) dependent upon the forces then detected.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that a dip tube ( 5 ) arranged in the container ( 2 ) opens out in the container opening ( 6 ), wherein forces acting on the dispense head ( 4 ) are detected with the force sensors ( 14 ) when the dispense head ( 4 ) is guided towards the dip tube ( 5 ).
10 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that when the dispense head ( 4 ) is inserted into the dip tube ( 5 ) a tilting movement of the dispense head ( 4 ) is carried out in dependence upon on the forces detected.
11 . A dispensing system ( 1 ) with at least one container ( 2 ) having a container opening ( 6 ) and a dispense head ( 4 ) mounted on a robot arm ( 11 ) of a robot ( 10 ), wherein the dispense head ( 4 ) is automatically connected to the container opening ( 6 ) of the container ( 2 ) by means of the robot ( 10 ), so that liquid ( 3 ) can be removed from the container ( 2 ) or liquid ( 3 ) can be supplied to the container ( 2 ), characterized in that forces acting on the dispense head ( 4 ) when the dispense head ( 4 ) is inserted into the container opening ( 6 ) are detected by means of an arrangement of force sensors ( 14 ) and in that the robot arm ( 11 ) carries out compensation movements dependent upon the detected forces, whereby the dispense head ( 4 ) is aligned to the container opening ( 6 ), and wherein a measurement head is connected to a connection flange ( 13 ) of the robot arm ( 11 ), said measurement head reading out a code from an RFID chip ( 9 ), thereby uniquely identifying the container ( 2 ).
12 . The dispensing system ( 1 ) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the arrangement of force sensors ( 14 ) is arranged in the robot arm ( 11 ).
13 . The dispensing system according to claim 11 , characterized in that the robot ( 10 ) has a control unit ( 12 ), to which sensor signals of the force sensor(s) ( 14 ) are fed.
14 . The dispensing system ( 1 ) according to claim 13 , characterized in that the compensation movements of the robot arms ( 11 ) are controlled by the control unit ( 12 ).
15 . The dispensing system ( 1 ) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the dispense head ( 4 ) has a cylindrical connection segment ( 4 b ) that can be inserted into a dip tube ( 5 ) of the container ( 2 ).