FR3053443A1 - ROBOT FOR CONTROLLING A SWITCH - Google Patents

Abstract

This robot (100) makes it possible to define the position of a point of contact between a mobile element (106) of this robot and the movable part (11A, 12A) of a switch (10A) whose displacement opens or closes a circuit electric. It is controlled by means of wireless communication, for example from a mobile phone.

Description

© Publication no .: 3,053,443 (to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number: 16 56110 ® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

COURBEVOIE © Int Cl ⁸ : F21 V23 / 04 (2017.01), H 01 H 23/02, H 05 B 33/02

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 06.29.16. (© Priority: (© Applicant (s): ORANGE Société anonyme - FR. @ Inventor (s): GAILLET THIERRY. ©) Date of availability of the request: 05.01.18 Bulletin 18/01. ©) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this booklet (© References to other related national documents: ©) Holder (s): ORANGE Société anonyme. ©) Extension request (s): © Agent (s): CABINET BEAU DE LOMENIE.

ROBOT FOR CONTROLLING A SWITCH.

©) This robot (100) makes it possible to define the position of a point of contact between a mobile element (106) of this robot and the mobile part (11 A, 12A) of a switch (10A) whose movement opens or closes an electrical circuit.

It is controlled by wireless communication means, for example from a mobile phone.

FR 3 053 443 - A1

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Invention background

The present aims at a robot intended to control a switch.

In this context, we know the "Microbot Push" device from the company Naran, presented on the Internet at https://techcnjnch.com/2015/ll/09/microbot-push/, this device mainly consisting of a unidirectional actuator, this actuator can be controlled remotely by pressing a button above which it is positioned.

Patent application US2015 / 0228426 also discloses various devices, capable, depending on their configuration, of controlling either lever switches or rocker switches.

The invention relates to a robot capable of controlling several types of switches.

Subject and summary of the invention

Thus, and more specifically, the invention relates to a robot intended to control at least one switch comprising at least one movable part whose movement opens or closes an electrical circuit.

This robot includes:

- one or more mobile actuators;

a control unit configured to send actuation instructions to a control unit of the mobile actuator, this control unit being configured to set in motion this mobile actuator so that this mobile actuator presses at a first point of contact a movable part of the switch on receipt of an actuation instruction;

- a communication module capable of receiving a control command from the switch;

- the control unit being configured to obtain a movement instruction and an actuation instruction as a function of said command;

the control unit being configured to move, as a function of the movement instruction, the mobile actuator so that the mobile actuator presses at a second point of contact with a mobile part of the switch, different from the first point of contact, upon receipt of the actuation instruction.

Thus, and generally, the invention provides a robot capable of pressing at different points on the movable part of the switch, for example at different points on the same button to open / close an electrical circuit and / or on different buttons.

In one embodiment, the robot according to the invention comprises means for fixing to the switch, for example in the form of suction cups.

As a variant or in addition, the robot can be fixed to a mobile machine (such as a wheeled vehicle or a drone for example) configured to position the robot in accordance with the type of switch. This embodiment allows in particular a user to be able to press a button when he is not at home since the machine can be controlled remotely.

In a particular embodiment, the robot comprises a movable element along a longitudinal guide for moving the movable actuator. This particular embodiment is suitable when the different contact points of the switch are aligned.

Other embodiments are conceivable for controlling a switch whose buttons would be arranged in a circular fashion for example. In which case, the mobile actuator could be mounted on a carriage guided by a circular rail.

In a particular embodiment, the mobile element is a rotary cam, the mobile actuator being positioned at the end of an arm transverse to said guide and driven in rotation by said cam.

In a particular embodiment, the robot includes a movable actuator at each end of the arm. This embodiment makes it possible to press the two positions of a rocker switch by rotation.

In a particular embodiment, the arm can be controlled to adjust the operating radius of said at least one movable actuator.

The mobile actuator can for example be made of rubber.

In a particular embodiment, the mobile actuator is suitable for tactile use. For example, this actuator can be designed in conductive or dielectric material for actuating capacitive buttons, such as elevator buttons for example.

In a particular embodiment, the robot according to the invention comprises a configurable configuration table for associating said movement and actuation instructions with a command. Preferably, this configuration table can only be configured when the robot is operating in a determined mode, typically during an adjustment phase.

In this embodiment, the control unit obtains the instructions directly from the table.

As a variant, the movement and actuation instructions can be stored in a terminal and received by the wireless communication means with the control command. These instructions can in themselves constitute this control command.

Brief description of the drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the appended drawings which illustrate an embodiment thereof devoid of any limiting character. In the figures:

Figures IA to IC illustrate examples of switches according to the state of the art and which can be controlled by a robot according to the invention;

Figures 2A, 2B and 3 illustrate a robot according to a first embodiment of the invention and its operation on the switch of Figure IA;

Figures 4A to 4C illustrate the robot of this first embodiment of the invention and its operation on the switch of Figure IB;

Figures 5A and 5B illustrate a robot according to a second embodiment of the invention and its operation on the switch of Figure IC;

Figures 6A and 6B illustrate a robot according to a third embodiment of the invention and its operation on the switch of Figure IA;

Figure 7 illustrates a robot according to a fourth embodiment of the invention and its operation on the switch of Figure IC;

FIG. 8 illustrates the attachment of a robot according to the invention to a drone; and FIG. 9 represents the electronics of a drone in accordance with a particular embodiment of the invention

Detailed description of different embodiments of the invention

Figures IA, IB and IC show examples of switches that can be controlled by the invention, such switches being known from the current state of the art.

The switch 10A in Figure IA has a button (movable part) 11A. It makes it possible to open or close an electrical circuit depending on whether the zone Pl or the zone P2 of this movable part 11A is pressed.

The switch 10B in Figure IB has two buttons (moving parts) 11B, 12B. Each of these buttons allows you to open or close an electrical circuit depending on whether you press zone Pl or zone P2 of this button.

The switch 10C in Figure IC has three buttons (moving parts) 11C, 12C, 13C. Each of these buttons alternately opens or closes an electrical circuit each time this button is pressed.

FIGS. 2A and 2B represent a robot 100 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, the robot 100 comprises two suction cups 101 mounted on feet 102 making it possible to fix this robot on either side of a switch as shown in FIG. 2.

A battery 119 supplying the robot can be arranged in one of the feet 102.

In this embodiment, the robot 100 comprises a rotary and movable cam 103 along a longitudinal guide 104 fixed to the feet 102.

The cam can for example be set in motion by a servomotor mechanism.

In one embodiment, the motor is arranged in a stand 102, and the cam 103 is moved in translation along the guide 104 by a not shown toothed belt. In particular, a mechanism similar to those used to move a read head in a scanner can be used.

Alternatively, the motor can be housed in the cam movable in translation. The power supply can be carried out by metallic and conductive parts of a notched guide supported by the feet 102, in a similar manner to the circuits for miniature cars.

In the embodiment described here an arm 105 extends transversely from the rotary cam 103, this arm comprising a pad 106 at each of its ends. This buffer constitutes a movable actuator within the meaning of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rotation of the cam 103 allows one or the other of the buffers 106 to come into contact with the zone Pl or with the zone P2 of the movable part 11A of the switch 10A for open or close the electrical circuit controlled by this switch.

FIGS. 4A to 4C illustrate how the robot 100 can control the switch 10B of FIG. IB, namely:

- by moving the movable cam 103 to place it opposite the button 11B or 12B; then

- by controlling the mobile cam 103 in rotation so that a buffer

106 presses the zone Pl or P2 of this button.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a robot 200 according to another embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, only one end of the arm 105 of this robot has a buffer 106. This embodiment is sufficient to control the switches of the type of the switch 10C in FIG.

Optionally, the arm 105 can also be controlled along a dimension Y to vary the actuating radius (distance between a pad 106 and the shaft 104).

Figures 6A and 6B illustrate a robot 300 according to another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the rotary cam 103 drives the arm 105 in rotation so that a movable actuator

306 (here in the shape of a green pic) press a switch 10A.

In this embodiment, the axis of rotation of the cam is parallel to the axis of rotation of the switch.

FIG. 7 represents a robot 400 according to a simplified embodiment in that it does not have a rotating part. In this embodiment, the buffer 106 is mounted on a rod 410 which can be actuated in translation to press a button on the switch. This rod 410 is connected to a carriage 420 which moves along the guide 104. This robot 400 has fewer degrees of freedom and does not adapt to all types of switches unlike the robot 100 of FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 8, it can be noted that the robot according to the invention does not necessarily include means for fixing to the switch. It can for example be mounted on a drone 50 capable of positioning the robot relative to the switch.

FIG. 9 schematically represents the electronics of the robots 100, 200, 300, 400 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, the robot comprises a control unit UC configured to set in motion the mobile actuator (buffer 106, object 306) so that this mobile actuator presses at a determined point of contact of the mobile part of a light switch.

In this embodiment, the control unit receives two types of instruction from a UP control unit, namely:

- ID movement instructions for moving the mobile actuator so as to position it opposite a particular contact point of the mobile part of the switch; and

- IA actuation instructions to set the mobile actuator in motion so that it actually comes into contact with the switch at this point to open or close the electrical circuit.

For example, with reference to Figures 4B and 4C:

- The displacement instruction ID positions the movable cam 103 in a position X of the guide 104 so that the buffers 106 find above the button 11B or above the button 12B (FIG. 4B);

the actuation instruction IA causes the cam 103 to rotate (FIG. 4C) so that a buffer 106 presses this button 11B or

12B.

In the embodiment described here, the robot comprises a wireless communication module 5 COM capable of receiving a control command CC from the switch for example from a smart phone 1000, the control unit UP being configured to generate the displacement instruction ID and the actuation instruction IA from this control command CC.

In the embodiment described here, the UP control unit includes for this purpose a TP control table, which with each CC control command (CCI, CC2) associates a movement instruction (ID1, ID2) and an instruction d 'actuation (IA1, IA2).

In the particular embodiment described here, this piloting table TP is configurable during an adjustment phase. It consists in defining for each control command the movement instruction (for example the position in X in FIG. 4B) and the actuation instruction (angle of rotation in FIG. 4C, possibly the actuation radius of the arm 105 as shown in FIG. 5A).

The wireless communication means can in particular comply with the Buetooth, zWave, Zigbee standards.

Claims (11)

1. Robot (100, 200, 300, 400) intended to control at least one switch (10A, 10B, 10C), said switch comprising at least one movable part (11B, 12B) whose displacement opens or closes an electrical circuit, said robot comprising: - a mobile actuator (106, 306); - a control unit (UP) configured to send actuation instructions (IA) to a control unit (UC) of said mobile actuator (106, 306); - said control unit (UC) being configured to set in motion said mobile actuator (106) so that said mobile actuator presses at a first contact point (Pl) of a said mobile part (11B) on receipt of a said actuation instruction (IA), said robot being characterized in that: - It includes a communication module (COM) able to receive a command (CC) to control the switch; - said control unit being configured to obtain a movement instruction (ID) and a said actuation instruction (IA) as a function of said command (CC); - said control unit being configured to move, according to said movement instruction (ID), said mobile actuator (106, 306) so that said mobile actuator presses at a second contact point (P2) of a said mobile part (12B), different from the first contact point on receipt of said actuation instruction (IA). 2. Robot according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises fixing means (101) to said switch. 3. Robot according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that it comprises means for fixing to a drone (50). 4. Robot (100, 400) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises an element (103, 420) movable along a longitudinal guide (104) for moving said movable actuator ( 106). 5. Robot (100, 200) according to claim 4, characterized in that said movable element (103) is a rotary cam, said at least one movable actuator (105) being positioned at the end of an arm (105) transverse to said guide (105) driven by said cam. 6. Robot (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a said movable actuator (106) at each end of the arm. 7. Robot according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said arm (105) can be controlled to adjust the operating radius of said at least one movable actuator (106). 8. Robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said at least one mobile actuator (106) is suitable for tactile use. 9. Robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that it comprises a configurable configuration table for associating said movement and actuation instructions (ID, IA) with a said command (CC). 10. Robot according to claim 9 characterized in that said configuration table can only be configured when the robot operates in a determined mode. 11. Robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that said movement and actuation instructions (ID, IA) are received by said wireless communication means (COM), 10A