High-rate cleanable robot cell
A robot cell including a structure delimiting a cell with a closed section, typically polygonal, in particular rectangular, with metallic corner posts, extending vertically to the edges of the cell, the corner posts being preferably equipped at the lower ends of the posts with underframes intended to bear on the ground, metallic upper crossbars linking, in pairs, the upper ends of the posts over a periphery of the section cell, a central support formed by the assembly of metallic elements, extending over the cell between the upper crossbars resting locally at fastening supports on the upper crossbars, at intermediate areas of the upper crossbars, and a parallel-kinematics robot, housed within the volume of the cell.
1 . A robot cell comprising:
a structure delimiting a cell with a closed section, the structure comprising:
metallic corner posts, extending vertically to edges of the cell,
metallic upper crossbars linking, in pairs, upper ends of the metallic corner posts over a periphery of the cell,
a central support formed by an assembly of at least the metallic corner posts and the metallic upper crossbars, the central support extending over the cell between the metallic upper crossbars and resting locally at fastening supports on the metallic upper crossbars, at intermediate areas of the metallic upper crossbars,
a robot, housed within a volume of the cell, the robot comprising:
a base unit fastened to and hanging from the central support,
a platform movable relative to the base unit according to a plurality of main axes,
at least two movable actuation arms linking the base unit to the platform configured to move the platform relative to the base unit, and
a gripper coupled to the platform, and wherein at least one conveyor for products, crosses the cell, positioned below an action area of the robot, and the robot is configured to perform transfers of products comprising depositions over a surface of the at least one conveyor, or for pick-ups on the surface of the at least one conveyor;
an assembly of metallic beams with an open section (SO), the metallic beams with an open section (SO) of the assembly assembled by welding so as to form a mechanically-welded structure, the open section including a concave portion and a convex portion, the metallic beams with the open section (SO) being configured to ensure wet cleanability of the structure guaranteeing evacuation of water from the concave portions of the assembly of metallic beams, the concave portions remaining accessible for cleaning operations, at least with regards to the metallic corner posts and the metallic upper crossbars are arcuate so that the intermediate areas of the metallic upper crossbars at which the central support is locally fastened, is at a higher height with respect to the distal ends of the metallic upper crossbars in connection with two consecutive corner posts of the cell, and wherein the cell has a rectangular section comprising the metallic corner posts, four in number, and metallic upper crossbars, four in number, the metallic upper crossbars respectively linking the upper ends of the two consecutive corner posts, and all of the four upper crossbars are arcuate, the intermediate areas (ZI) of the four upper crossbars over which or proximate to which the central support rests, located at higher heights with respect to the distal ends of the four upper crossbars in connection with the metallic corner posts of the cell.
2 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , wherein the structure has no tubular beam with a closed section configured to trap moisture.
3 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , having struts with an open section (SO), each strut respectively joining, from a distal end of each respective strut, a metallic corner post, at an intermediate position on the metallic corner post, to one of the metallic upper crossbars, at an intermediate position of the upper crossbar.
4 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , wherein a structure of the central support extends over a horizontal plane, the structure comprising:
a first transverse beam extending along a first direction (D 1 ), with a first section (SO) linking two among the four upper crossbars, the two upper crossbars, the first upper crossbar and the second upper crossbar, parallel to one another and opposite to one another, the distal ends of the beam with the first section of the first transverse beam secured to the two upper crossbars at apexes of arches formed by the first upper crossbar and the second upper crossbar,
a second transverse beam, with a second open section (SO), extending along a second direction (D 2 ), perpendicular to the first direction (D 1 ), linking a third upper crossbar amongst the metallic upper crossbars, from an apex of the arch of the third crossbar up to a middle of the first transverse beam,
a third transverse beam, with a third open section (SO), extending according to a third direction (D 3 ), and a fourth transverse beam, with an open section extending according to a fourth direction (D 4 ), the third transverse beam, and the fourth transverse beam both extending from an apex of the arch of a fourth upper crossbar, respectively up to two fastening positions on the first beam, the two fastening positions being offset on either side of the middle of the first transverse beam,
the first transverse beam, the third transverse beam, and the fourth transverse beam forming three sides of a support triangle,
and the base unit is fastened by three anchor points (O 1 , O 2 , O 3 ) respectively distributed at a respective middle of each of the three sides of the support triangle.
5 . The robot cell according to claim 4 , wherein at least one is true of:
the second transverse beam is obtained by folding a sheet metal forming a structure element integrally in one-piece, the structure element forming not only the second transverse beam extending along the second direction (D 2 ), but also a first intermediate post (MI), extending vertically downwards, the first intermediate post (MI) supporting the apex(S) of the arch of the third upper crossbar, and,
the third transverse beam and the fourth transverse beam are obtained by folding a sheet metal forming a structure element integrally in one-piece forming not only the third transverse beam and the fourth transverse beam, but also a second intermediate post (MI), extending vertically as a downward continuation of the third beam and of the fourth beam, the second intermediate post (MI) supporting the apex(S) of the arch of the fourth upper crossbar.
6 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
partition walls (CL) delimiting an inner volume of the robot cell, wherein the partition walls extend respectively between the metallic corner posts of the structure, the partition walls configured to partition the inner volume of the cell and prevent access thereto from the outside,
the robot cell has on at least one side an access opening closed by a door (PT),
the structure comprises at least one of: one or more lower crossbar(s) (TInf) and several of the intermediate crossbars (Tit), and
the structure includes open sections, extending horizontally between the two consecutive corner posts of the structure, linking by its ends the two corners posts, or linking a corner post in the metallic corner posts to an intermediate post (MI).
7 . The robot cell according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of all or part of the lower crossbars (Tinf) and all or part of the intermediate crossbars are obtained by folding a sheet metal, comprising one or more longitudinal fold line(s),
and at least one upper flange of the lower or intermediate crossbar is inclined forming at least one deflector (Df) with a slope descending outwardly of the robot cell, the at least one deflector (Df) positioned in line with the partition walls (CL), so that cleaning water flowing by gravity upon descending an inner face of a partition wall (CL) is diverted by the at least one deflector (Df) to the outside of the robot cell.
8 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic beams with the open section (SO) of the metallic corner posts are formed by folded sheet metals with a L-shaped section, wherein each L-shaped section has a longitudinal fold line (L 20 ).
9 . The robot cell according to claim 8 ,
wherein the metallic corner posts are equipped, at a lower end of each metallic corner post, with an underframe configured to bear on the ground,
the sheet metal with a L-shaped section, has, proximate to its lower end, two local extensions extending respectively beyond the longitudinal borders of the L-shaped section via a second fold (L 21 ) and a third fold (L 22 ) of the sheet metal, the two local extensions converging towards one another so that the lower edge of the beam comprises the L-shaped section of the frame profile, as well as two additional supports of the two local extensions bearing on the underframe.
10 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic beams of all or part of the metallic upper crossbars further comprise two longitudinal fold lines (L 1 , L 2 ), in continuation, with a first longitudinal fold line (L 1 ) over a first lengthwise section (S 1 ) of the metallic beams, and a second longitudinal fold line (L 2 ) over a second lengthwise section (S 2 ), the first lengthwise section (S 1 ) extending along the first longitudinal fold line (L 1 ), and the second lengthwise section (S 2 ) extending along the second longitudinal fold line (L 2 ), the first longitudinal fold line (L 1 ) and the second longitudinal fold line (L 2 ) being inclined with respect to one another to form an arch whose apex(S) is at a junction area between the first lengthwise section (S 1 ) and the second lengthwise section (S 2 ) of the metallic upper crossbar.
11 . The robot cell according to claim 10 , wherein the beam forming the metallic upper crossbar has:
on a lower side of said beam with respect to the two longitudinal fold lines (L 1 , L 2 ) in continuation, a main wall (Pp) integrally in one-piece, and
on an upper side of said beam with respect to the two longitudinal fold lines (L 1 , L 2 ) in continuation, two auxiliary walls (Pa 1 , Pa 2 ) inclined with respect to the main wall (Pp), with a first auxiliary wall (Pa 1 ) adjacent by the first longitudinal fold line (L 1 ) to the main wall (Pp), forming a L-shaped section over the first lengthwise section (S 1 ), and a second auxiliary wall (Pa 2 ) adjacent by the second longitudinal fold line (L 2 ) to the main wall (Pp), forming a L-shaped section over the second lengthwise section (S 2 ), the two auxiliary walls (Pa 1 , Pa 2 ) being inclined with respect to one another, separated by a cutout (DC) at the apex of the arch.
12 . The robot cell according to claim 11 , wherein a lower border (Bi) of the main wall (Pp) comprises, at the junction area between the first lengthwise section (S 1 ) and the second lengthwise section (S 2 ) of the metallic upper crossbar, a horizontal flat portion (PL) against which bears an upper end of a beam with an open section of an intermediate post (MI) configured to support the apex(S) of the arch.
13 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , wherein, in the rectangular section, a first two among the four upper crossbars are transversal upper crossbars, oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the cell and a second two among the four upper crossbars are longitudinal upper crossbars, oriented longitudinally to a longitudinal axis of the robot cell,
and the central support which bears on the intermediate areas (ZI) of the four upper crossbars supports two robots arranged, side-by-side, along a longitudinal direction of the rectangular section including a first robot and a second robot.
14 . The robot cell according to claim 13 , wherein a structure of the central support supporting the two robots extends over a horizontal plane, the structure comprising a first structure portion and a second structure portion, contiguous to each other,
the first structure portion for the support of the first robot comprises:
a first transverse beam extending along a first direction (D 1 ′), with a first open open-section (SO) linking the two longitudinal crossbars, the longitudinal first upper crossbar, and the longitudinal second upper crossbar, parallel to one another and opposite to one another, the distal ends of the beam with the first open section of the first transverse beam secured to the two upper crossbars at apexes of arches formed by the longitudinal first upper crossbar and the longitudinal second upper crossbar,
a second transverse beam, with a second open section (SO), extending according to a second direction (D 2 ′), and
a third transverse beam, with a third open section extending according to a third direction (D 3 ′), the second transverse beam, and the third transverse beam both extending from an apex of the arch of a transverse third upper crossbar, respectively up to two fastening positions on the first transverse beam, the two fastening positions being offset on either side of the middle of the first transverse beam,
the first transverse beam, the second transverse beam, and the third transverse beam forming three sides of a first support triangle,
and a base unit of the first robot is fastened by three anchor points (O 1 , O 2 , O 3 ) respectively distributed at a respective middle of each of the three sides of the first support triangle, and the second structure portion for the support of the second robot comprises:
a fourth transverse beam extending along a direction (D 1 ″) parallel to the first direction (D 1 ′), with a fourth section (SO) linking the two longitudinal crossbars forming the first crossbar and the second crossbar, the distal ends of the beam with the fourth open section of the fourth transverse beam secured to the two upper crossbars at the apexes of the arches formed by the first upper crossbar and the second upper crossbar,
a fifth transverse beam, with a fifth open section (SO), extending according to a fourth direction (D 2 ″), and a sixth transverse beam, with the fifth open section extending according to a fifth direction (D 3 ″), the fifth transverse beam, and the sixth transverse beam both extending from an apex of the arch of a transverse fourth upper crossbar, respectively up to two fastening positions on the fourth transverse beam, the two fastening positions being offset on either side of the middle of the fourth transverse beam,
the fourth transverse beam, the fifth transverse beam and the sixth transverse beam forming three sides of a second support triangle,
and a base unit of said second robot is fastened by three anchor points (O 1 , O 2 , O 3 ) respectively distributed at a respective middle of each of the three sides of the second support triangle.
15 . The cell according to claim 14 , for the two robots wherein at least one is true of:
the second transverse beam and the third transverse beam are obtained by folding a sheet metal forming a structure element integrally in one-piece forming not only the second transverse beam and the third transverse beam, but also a first intermediate post (MI), extending vertically as a downward continuation of the second transverse beam and of the third transverse beam, the first intermediate post (MI) supporting the apex(S) of the arch of the third upper crossbar, and
the fifth transverse beam and the sixth transverse beam are obtained by folding a sheet metal forming a structure element integrally in one-piece forming not only the fifth transverse beam and the sixth transverse beam, but also a second intermediate post (MI), extending vertically as a downward continuation of the fifth transverse beam and of the sixth transverse beam, the second intermediate post (MI) supporting an apex of the arch of the fifth upper crossbar.
16 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical box (C 1 ) comprising an electric power supply unit, wherein the electrical box (C 1 ) is a structural metallic box integral with the structure of the robot cell, the electrical box (C 1 ) being welded to the metallic beams with open sections (SO) of the frame.
17 . The robot cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cleaning box (C 2 ) accommodating a fluid cleaning unit, wherein the fluid cleaning unit comprises:
an inlet for a cleaning fluid external source,
one or more outlet(s) connected to hoses, the cleaning box accommodating control valves, and
a unit configured to control the control valves configured to implement an automated cleaning cycle, the cleaning box (C 2 ) is a structural metallic box integral with the structure of the robot cell, and the cleaning box (C 2 ) being welded to the metallic beams with open sections (SO) of the structure.
18 . The robot cell according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a hose which connects a fluid outlet of the cleaning box (C 2 ), and runs along one of the movable arms of the robot, wherein a distal end of the hose is configured to project a cleaning jet up to the gripper of the robot, during the implementation of a cleaning cycle to clean at least the gripper.
19 . A method for transferring products, the method comprising:
providing a robot cell, wherein the robot cell comprises:
a structure delimiting a cell with a closed section, the structure comprising:
metallic corner posts, extending vertically to edges of the cell,
metallic upper crossbars linking, in pairs, upper ends of the metallic corner posts over a periphery of the cell,
a central support formed by an assembly of at least the metallic corner posts and the metallic upper crossbars, the central support extending over the cell between the metallic upper crossbars and resting locally at fastening supports on the metallic upper crossbars, at intermediate areas of the metallic upper crossbars,
a robot, housed within a volume of the cell, the robot comprising:
a base unit fastened to and hanging from the central support,
a platform movable relative to the base unit according to a plurality of main axes,
at least two movable actuation arms linking the base unit to the platform configured to move the platform relative to the base unit, and
a gripper coupled to the platform,
at least one conveyor for products, crosses the cell, positioned below an action area of the robot,
the robot is configured to perform transfers of products comprising depositions over a surface of the at least one conveyor, or for pick-ups on the surface of the at least one conveyor,
the structure comprises an assembly of metallic beams with an open section (SO), the metallic beams with the open section (SO) of the assembly assembled by welding so as to form a mechanically-welded structure, the open section including a concave portion and a convex portion, the metallic beams with the open section (SO) being configured to ensure wet cleanability of the structure guaranteeing evacuation of water from the concave portions of the assembly of metallic beams, the concave portions remaining accessible for cleaning operations, at least with regards to the metallic corner posts and the metallic upper crossbars are arcuate so that the intermediate area (ZI) of the metallic upper crossbars at which the central support is locally fastened, is at a higher height with respect to the distal ends of the metallic upper crossbars in connection with two successive corner posts of the cell,
the cell has a rectangular section comprising corner posts, four in number, and metallic upper crossbars, four in number, the metallic upper crossbars respectively linking the upper ends of two consecutive metallic corner posts,
all of the four upper crossbars are arcuate, the intermediate areas (ZI) of the four upper crossbars over which or proximate to which the central support rests, located at higher heights with respect to the distal ends of the four upper crossbars in connection with the metallic corner posts of the cell,
controlling the parallel-kinematics robot to proceed with transfers, comprising one of:
depositing products over the surface of the at least one conveyor from a pick-up area, or picking up products on the surface of the at least one conveyor and deposit them over a deposition area and according to a rate higher than 70 transfers per minute, and for an amplitude of the transfer, higher than or equal to 400 millimeters transversally, and higher than or equal to 50 mm vertically, while limiting the vertical oscillations of the gripper due to the deformation of the structure, lower than or equal to a threshold value.