Jack-driven robot arm for applying paint - memorises initial manually imparted movements, using detection handle load to operate jack

摘要

The robot is for automatic painting. It memorises an operational cycle having once been manually guided through it. It has sensitised motor controls to provide motor assistance during the manual preliminaries. The automaton has an arm with several degrees of freedom, and a handle by which manual movements are effected. It has a memory for the manual movements, and has memory-actuated jacks which impart the prescribed movement programme to the arm. Manual efforst applied to the handle are detected and quantitive signals are transformed into jack command signals, these being adapted so that the jacks cut in to assist the operator. The handle slides axially to deform a membrane with built in strain gauges detecting the applied effort.