Compliance and protection system for robotic arm
A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer is presented with a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part; a chassis coupled to the first part; an end of arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part; a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis.
1 . A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer, comprising:
a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part;
a chassis coupled to the first part;
an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part;
a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis, the compliance mechanism including a mechanical linkage and a biasing mechanism, the biasing mechanism being configured to apply a restoring force in a direction that opposes the relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis.
2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a robotic arm coupled to the chassis, the robotic arm being configured to be coupled to a vehicle.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the restoring force is approximately a linear function of the relative displacement.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism is a spring.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism is coupled to the chassis.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the relative displacement permitted by the compliance mechanism is in a first translational degree of freedom.
7 . The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one mechanical stop configured to limit the relative displacement of at least one part of the compliance mechanism.
8 . The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one fiducial coupled to the EOT.
9 . The system of claim 1 wherein the EOT includes a tool situated at an end of the EOT, the tool being configured to connect a trailer connection to a tractor connection.
10 . A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer, comprising:
a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part;
a chassis coupled to the first part;
an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part; and
a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis, the relative displacement permitted by the compliance mechanism being in a first translational degree of freedom, and the compliance mechanism constrains the relative displacement in at least one translational degree of freedom other than the first translational degree of freedom, or constrains the relative displacement in at least one rotational degree of freedom.
11 . A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer, comprising:
a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part;
a chassis coupled to the first part;
an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part; and
a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis, at least one destructible coupling mechanism coupled between at least a portion of the EOT and at least a portion of the chassis, wherein the destructible coupling mechanism is configured to break when a force exceeding a threshold force is applied to the destructible coupling mechanism, wherein the threshold force is less than a first force level that would damage the EOT or is less than a second force level that would damage a robotic arm coupled to the chassis.
12 . The system of claim 11 further comprising a backup connection mechanism coupled to the EOT and to the chassis and configured to maintain a connection between the EOT and the chassis when the destructible coupling mechanism is broken.
13 . A system for autonomously coupling a tractor and a trailer, comprising:
a tool changer having a first part and a second part, the second part configured to detachably couple to the first part;
a chassis coupled to the first part;
an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) coupled to the second part;
a compliance mechanism coupled between the chassis and the first part, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis; and
at least one sensor configured to move in tandem with the chassis such that there is no relative motion between the at least one sensor and the chassis, the at least one sensor configured to sense at least one fiducial.
14 . The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one sensor is a camera.
15 . The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one controller, the at least one controller configured to receive input from the at least one sensor, the input reflecting a relative position of the at least one fiducial with respect to the chassis.
16 . A robotic arm assembly comprising:
an end-of-arm tooling (EOT) having an EOT chassis with a first end and a second end, and including a first fiducial coupled to the first end and a second fiducial coupled between the first end and the second end;
an automated tool coupler having a first connector and a second connector configured to be selectively coupled together, the first connector coupled to the EOT and the second connector coupled to a compliance mechanism; and
a chassis coupled to the compliance mechanism, the compliance mechanism being configured to allow relative displacement of the EOT with respect to the chassis.
17 . The robotic arm assembly of claim 16 wherein the EOT further includes:
a tool coupled to the first end; and
a destructible coupling mechanism coupled between the second end and the first connector.
18 . The robotic arm assembly of claim 17 further comprising:
a second chassis coupled to the second connector and to the compliance mechanism between the second connector and the compliance mechanism; and
at least one sensor coupled to the chassis and configured such that a plane of a lens of the at least one sensor is parallel to a plane of the first fiducial.
19 . A system for preventing a catastrophic failure of a robotic arm, the robotic arm including a first section and a second section, comprising:
a breakaway mechanism configured to be coupled between the first section and the second section, the breakaway mechanism including a bracket coupled between the first section and the second section, the bracket being configured to break when a threshold force is applied to the second section;
an automated tool coupler coupled between the bracket and the second section, the automated tool coupler including a first connection coupled to the bracket and a second connection coupled to the second section; and
a compliance mechanism including a mechanical linkage and a biasing mechanism, the biasing mechanism configured to apply a restoring force in a direction that opposes displacement of the automated tool coupler.