ROBOTIC TOOL CHANGER WITH TOOL STAND DECOUPLE POWER SUPPLY

摘要

A robotic tool changer ensures inherently safe operation by separating power sources for the “couple” and “decouple” operations of its coupling mechanism. The power for the decouple operation is available only when an attached robotic tool is safely disposed in its tool stand. Once the robotic tool leaves the tool stand, there is no power supplied to the coupling mechanism of the robotic tool changer to decouple the robotic tool from a robot arm. Accordingly, it is impossible for the robotic tool to inadvertently become disengaged from the robot arm—even if software were to erroneously assert a DECOUPLE signal, or otherwise initiate a decouple operation. Furthermore, since the design is inherently safe, neither interlock circuits, the redundancy of such circuits, nor the extensive and complex monitoring circuits necessary to ensure their proper operation, are necessary.

主权项

1. A robotic tool changer, comprising:
a master unit assembly operative to connect to a robot; a tool unit assembly operative to connect to a robotic tool; a coupling mechanism disposed in one of the master and tool unit assemblies operative to selectively couple the master and tool unit assemblies together; wherein the coupling mechanism requires a first source of power to couple and a separate, second source of power decouple, and wherein the robotic tool changer receives the second power from a tool stand only when an attached robotic tool is disposed in the tool stand.