METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC OPENING AND CLOSING OF A VEHICLE FUEL DOOR DURING ROBOTIC VEHICLE REFUELING

摘要

A method and apparatus for automatic opening and closing a hinged vehicle fuel door during robotic vehicle refueling is disclosed. The robotic refueling system comprises a manipulator assembly with an end effector having two adjacent arms, one for opening/closing the fuel door (door arm) and another for refueling the vehicle fuel tank (refueling arm). The door arm holds the fuel door during the refueling operation via a vacuum cup located at the tip of the arm by suction with vacuum cup movement controlled by a linear vacuum cup actuator. After securing the fuel door via the vacuum cup, so as to avoid side loads on the door, the door arm swings the fuel door open from its initial door open angle to a pre-defined maximum door open angle in a series of incremental steps using precisely coordinated movements of the four actuators (yaw axis, door arm rotate, door arm swing and vacuum cup actuator). After filling the vehicle tank, the refueling nozzle is fully retracted and the door arm closes the fuel door in a series of incremental steps being the reverse of the door opening steps with software commands to the same four active joints.