DE20100584U1 - Control element for a manipulator - Google Patents

Description

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Applicant: Landert-Motoren AG Unterweg 14 CH-8180 Bülach, Switzerland

Control element for a manipulator

The invention relates to an operating element for a manipulator, such as a rope hoist according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

Such manipulators (operator-controlled handling devices) are known in large numbers from the state of the art and are used in particular for moving heavy and dangerous loads. The movement sequence of the manipulators is controlled and guided by the hand of an operator, whereby the load itself does not have to be lifted or moved by the operator. Such manipulators are also known as teleoperators, which carry out handling processes in dangerous rooms by remote control. These teleoperators are also intended to be fully covered by the present invention, whereby reference is made below only to manipulators which are controlled by an operator in the same room.

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The disadvantage of state-of-the-art manipulators or teleoperators is that they are controlled by means of an operating unit with, for example, joysticks, which is separate from the load-bearing part, and thus a suitable movement sequence of the heavy load to be moved is not possible.

The object of the invention is to provide a manipulator or teleoperator of the described prior art, which retains the advantages but enables a pleasant, natural movement sequence of the load to be moved in a simple manner.

The technical teaching of independent claim 1 serves to solve this problem.

An essential feature here is that the control element for the manipulator includes at least one device for detecting the level of force in the holding rope and optionally at least one device for detecting the level of finger/hand force of the operator, by means of which forces an electronic control unit controls the movement of the manipulator and thus of the load.

The advantage of the control element for manipulators according to the invention is that by simply pressing on the device for detecting the height and direction of the finger/hand force of the control element by the operator, it is now possible for the first time to move a load to be moved in a simple manner using a pleasant, natural movement sequence.

In this case, the direction of the operator's finger/hand force can preferably also be detected, which is determined by means of a separate device and/or by means of the device for detecting the level of the operator's finger/hand force.

The system described serves, for example, as a control element for a manipulator system, such as the VITAX SmarLif rope hoist. The finger/hand force applied is measured via a ring above a handle. The weight of the load is measured directly in the load line. Piezoresistive (not to be confused with piezoelectric) pressure sensors are preferably used as measuring elements.

The signals from the finger/hand force measurement are evaluated and converted into a lifting movement or any other movement in space using a manipulator. A downward force also means a downward movement. Similarly, an upward force also means an upward movement. These force vectors can also overlap, making spatial movement possible. The greater the force, the higher the speed of the movement.

The relationship between finger/hand strength and (lifting) movement should be designed in such a way that a pleasant, natural movement sequence is created. Since "pleasant" and "natural" are subjective criteria, you can choose between several characteristics.

Once the load has been lifted off the ground, the weight of the load is recorded by the weight force measurement. If a hand force is then applied directly to the load, this difference in force (caused by the hand force) means the same conversion into a lifting movement as if the force was detected directly on the ring.

This control via the change in weight is usually referred to as "balancer control" (the hoist balances the weight of the load).

If a signal is present on the ring, this has priority over the weight force measurement for safety reasons.

All logic functions are managed by a programmed micro-controller.

The characteristics of the functions can be adjusted to the user's needs using two buttons. The user is guided through the LCD displays in the selected language.
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The above functions are the most important and striking of this solution. However, due to the arrangement of the elements, the following additional functions can also be implemented:

Output load/no load

If the rope force falls below an adjustable threshold, an output relay is activated, which can be used to enable the gripper to open. The switching status is displayed with an LED. The threshold value can be seen on the LCD using the buttons with the corresponding menu navigation.

Lifting force limitation User-specific

If the rope force exceeds a set comparison value, only lowering is possible. The status is displayed. Input threshold value as "Output load/no load".

Multiple control unit

What this means is that the equipment can be retrofitted with additional control units, although only one can be active at a time.

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Weighing device

The measured load is shown on the display and/or output via an interface.

Operational data acquisition

In principle, it is possible to record the work performed (force x stroke), number of load cycles, etc. Based on this data, the required maintenance work can be indicated, such as replacing the hoist rope.

The invention therefore relates to the use of piezoresistive measuring cells as sensors for intelligent operating and control units for manipulators, balancers and lifting devices.

It functions not only as a proportional up/down control, but also as a balancing control. Extensive safety functions make it an optimal operating and control unit for various lifting devices, balancers and manipulators with a typical load range of up to around 120 kg.

The combination of intelligent processor control, inexpensive yet powerful measuring technology, as well as ergonomically correct arrangement of the elements creates an exceptional price/performance ratio.

Balancing control with automatic load detection

As soon as a load is lifted, it is automatically tared and balanced by the control element. It can now be raised and lowered directly by the operator's hand with little effort. The load "floats", so to speak. Various settings can be made using two push buttons, for example limiting the lifting force or the maximum speed. The display guides you through the menu in the selected language, which makes it easy to use and offers comprehensive functionality.

,.- 5 The various setting options allow optimal adaptation to a wide variety of applications.

Up/down control in proportional technology

Using your thumb and index finger, gently push the sensor ring above the handle up or down without applying any force. The harder you push the sensor ring up or down, the faster the lifting or lowering speed will be.

Automatic switching of operating mode

Switching between up/down control and balancing control is automatic. If the sensor ring is touched in balancing mode, the control element automatically switches to up/down control. The automatic switching to balancing mode can be suppressed by the user if required.

Technical data

Load capacity: max. 120 kg Weight: 3 kg Operating voltage: 20 - 50 V DC, 300 mA Output signal: PWM pulse width modulation (others on request) Switching capacity of potential-free contact: 24 V AC, 1 A or 24 V DC, 0.5 A (suitable contact protection must be provided for inductive loads).

Load detection

The control element detects whether a load is present. A potential-free contact is available to control the gripping device. This can prevent the gripping device from being opened when the load is raised. The threshold value can be set by the user.

Lifting capacity and speed limitation

The lifting capacity and maximum speed can be reduced by the user.

Responsiveness

The response can be adjusted from "soft" to "aggressive". 10

Show

Operating mode, setting values and errors (e.g. overload) are indicated by three LEDs or on a display in the selected language.

Security

The diverse functions, coupled with various internal safety circuits, meet the highest safety requirements. For example, overload, cable breakage and slack in the support cable are detected and the lifting device is stopped.

The innovation is explained in more detail below using drawings showing several implementation options. The drawings and their descriptions reveal further features and advantages of the innovation.

Show it:

Figure 1: A perspective view of the manipulator with the operating element according to the invention and representation of the grip position of the operator;

Figure 2: A perspective view of the control element according to the invention without the manipulator itself;

Figure 3: A sectional view of the operating element according to the invention in the longitudinal direction along the line III-III in Figure 4;

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Figure 4: A sectional view of the control element according to the invention in the longitudinal direction along the line IV-IV in Figure 5;

Figure 5: The top view of the control element according to the invention according to Figures 2 to 4.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the manipulator 1 with the operating element 2 according to the invention, which manipulator 1 includes a gripper 19 for clamping the load 23 and a motor-driven cable hoist 24. The load 23 located on the floor 26 is thus grasped by the gripper 19 of the manipulator 1 and, depending on the operator 20, pulled upwards towards the ceiling 25 by means of the cable 18, which is rolled into the cable hoist 24.

The operating element 2 is connected via a tab 4 at the top to the cable 18 of the cable hoist 24 and at the bottom to the mounting flange 5 with the load-carrying device in the form of the gripper 19.

The grip position of the operator 20 on the control element 2 can be seen particularly well here. The hand 21 of the operator 20 grasps the handle 3 of the control element 2 in such a way that at least the thumb 22, but preferably also the index finger of the operator 20 comes to rest on the ring 11.

If the ring 11 is pushed upwards using the thumb 22, the load 23 is raised towards the ceiling 25, but if the ring 11 is pushed downwards using the thumb 22, the load 23 is lowered towards the floor 26. This of course only applies to the moving operating mode. For the balancing operating mode, no ring 11 is required, since only the

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A measuring cell is required to determine the rope force, via which the external force (manual force) is then determined with the aid of the electronic control unit 13, which in turn is used as a control signal for the lifting or lowering movement, analogous to the operation via the ring 11.

Further details of the control element 2 can be found in Figures 2-5 and their description.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the operating element 2 according to the invention without the manipulator 1 itself. The mounting flange 5 is arranged at the lower free end of the handle 3 for coupling to the gripper 19.

Above the handle 3 is the ring 11, which is not visible here, above which the two housings 6 for the measuring device and 7 for the control or display are arranged.

Above the housing 6 for the measuring device, the tab 4 can be seen, into which the cable 18 of the cable winch 24 is hooked.

The input and output 15 of the supply lines 17 for data exchange and energy supply are provided in the rear area of the housing 7 for the control or display.

On the front of the housing 7, display devices 14 are arranged in
Form of LEDs 14b and an LCD display 14a, which for example the

Weight of the load and/or sensitivities and/or thresholds and/or the operating mode (moving or balancing) and/or the setting values and/or
Display control element errors.

Below these display devices 14 there are two buttons 12,
which the setting values, for example in the form of sensitivities and/or
Thresholds and/or operating mode (moving or balancing)
can be entered.

The reference number 16 designates an emergency stop switch.
Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the operating element 2 according to the invention in the longitudinal direction along the line III-III in Figure 4 and Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the operating element 2 according to the invention in the longitudinal direction along the line IV-IV in Figure 5.

Here it can be seen that the tab 4, which is located symmetrically on the longitudinal axis of the control element 2 in the upper area and is used to introduce the rope force caused by the weight of the load 23, acts directly on the measuring cell 8 for detecting the rope force, which measuring cell 8 is located inside the housing 6 of the control element 2.

In the lower area within the housing 6 of the control element 2, the measuring cell 9 for detecting the force of the finger 22 of the hand 21 of the operator 20 is also located symmetrically on the longitudinal axis.

Both measuring cells 8 and 9 have at least one piezoresistive pressure sensor, which is subjected to a compressive stress in the measuring cell 8 to detect the rope force and is subjected to a compressive stress or tensile stress in the measuring cell 9 to detect the force of the finger 22.

The pressure sensor of the measuring cell 9 is actuated to detect the force of the finger 22 by means of the sleeve-shaped ring 11, which is spring-loaded (spring 10) and arranged below the pressure sensor and partially outside the housing 6.

Figure 5 shows a top view of the control element according to the invention according to Figures 2 to 4, wherein it can be seen that the housing 6 for the measuring device and the housing 7 for the control or display are arranged approximately horizontally one behind the other.

The invention therefore provides an operating element for a manipulator, such as a rope hoist, wherein the operating element includes at least one device for detecting the level of force in the holding rope and optionally at least one device for detecting the level and direction of the finger/hand force of the operator, by means of which forces an electronic control unit controls the movement of the manipulator and thus of the load.

The advantage here is that by simply applying compressive or tensile stress to the device for detecting the level and direction of the finger/hand force by the operator, it is possible to enable a load to be moved to move in a pleasant, natural manner in a simple manner.

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5 Drawing legend

1 manipulators

2 Control element

3 Handle

4 Tab for introducing the rope force

* 5 Mounting flange for the load handling device

6 Measuring housing

7 Control/display housing

8 Measuring cell for measuring the rope force

15 9 Measuring cell for measuring the finger force on the ring

10 Spring for preloading the measuring cell

11 Ring to absorb finger force

12 buttons

13 Control card with micro-controller 20 14 LCD display

15 Input and output data/power lines

16 Emergency stop switch

17 data/power lines

18 Rope 19 Gripper

20 operators

21 Operator hand

22 operator fingers

23 Load

24 Rope hoist

25 Ceiling

26 Floor

Claims (16)

1. Control element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ), such as a rope hoist, characterized in that the control element ( 2 ) contains at least one device ( 8 ) for detecting the force in the holding cable, by means of which force an electronic control unit ( 13 ) controls the movement of the control element ( 2 ) and thus of the manipulator ( 1 ) and thus of the load ( 23 ). 2. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one further device ( 9 ) is provided for detecting the finger/hand force of the operator ( 20 ), by means of which force the electronic control unit ( 13 ) also controls the movement of the operating element ( 2 ) and thus of the manipulator ( 1 ) and thus of the load ( 23 ). 3. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the device ( 9 ) for detecting the finger/hand force of the operator ( 20 ) also detects the direction of the finger/hand force of the operator ( 20 ). 4. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that a further device ( 9 ) is provided for detecting the direction of the finger/hand force of the operator ( 20 ). 5. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the device ( 8 ) and/or the device ( 9 ) is designed as a measuring cell with piezoresistive pressure sensors. 6. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the device ( 9 ) determines the level and/or the direction of the finger/hand force via an axially displaceable approximately cylindrical ring ( 11 ) which acts on the piezoresistive pressure sensors. 7. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to claim 6, characterized in that the device ( 8 ) and/or the device ( 9 ) are arranged substantially within a housing ( 6 ) and the ring ( 11 ) is arranged at least partially outside the housing ( 6 ). 8. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the device ( 8 ) and/or the device ( 9 ) are arranged substantially in the region of the force flow of the load ( 23 ) in the operating element ( 2 ). 9. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the electronic control unit ( 13 ) is arranged within a housing ( 7 ) of the operating element ( 2 ). 10. Control element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the electronic control unit ( 13 ) is provided directly above or below the ring ( 11 ). 11. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the electronic control unit ( 13 ) is arranged outside the operating element ( 2 ). 12. Control element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one display ( 14a ) is provided, which displays, for example, the weight of the load ( 23 ) and/or sensitivities and/or threshold values and/or the operating mode (moving or balancing) and/or the setting values and/or errors of the control element ( 2 ). 13. Control element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to claim 12, characterized in that the display ( 14a ) is an LCD display. 14. Control element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that LED lights ( 14b ) are present which indicate the operating mode (moving or balancing) and/or the setting values and/or errors of the control element ( 2 ). 15. Control element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that at least one button ( 12 ) is provided for selecting the operating mode (moving or balancing) and/or the sensitivity and the threshold values of the device ( 8 ) and/or the device ( 9 ). 16. Operating element ( 2 ) for a manipulator ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a potential-free contact is present on the operating element ( 2 ) for the manipulator ( 1 ), which contact prevents the gripper ( 19 ) from being released in the raised state.