WO2021149077A1

WO2021149077A1 - Camera mount design for vision guided robot

Info

Publication number: WO2021149077A1
Application number: PCT/IN2021/050057
Authority: WO
Inventors: Viswesh SRINIVASAN
Original assignee: Srinivasan Viswesh
Priority date: 2020-01-21
Filing date: 2021-01-21
Publication date: 2021-07-29

Abstract

Typically Vision Guided Robots has a camera and an end-effector, mounted at an XY offset from each other. When the stroke of the robot is limited, this XY offset makes certain areas which are accessible to the camera in-accessible to the end-effector and vice versa. This invention proposes an intelligent design, which minimizes this XY offset, thus making the entire area equally accessible for both camera and end-effector.

Description

CAMERA MOUNT DESIGN FOR VISION GUIDED ROBOT

FIELD OF INVENTION

[001] This invention relates to the field of vision guided robotics. This invention proposes an innovative camera mounting method, which maximizes the working area of the robot. The present application is based on, and claims priority from an Indian Application Number 201941047477 filed on 21^st January 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[002] Currently in Vision Guided robots like carrom playing robot, Camera is mounted at an XY offset from the end effector. This makes some areas of the table below the robot in-accessible to the robot end effector. Hence there is a need for innovative camera mount design to maximise the robot working area.

OBJECT OF INVENTION

[003] The principal object of this invention is to develop an intelligent camera mounting method, which maximizes the working area of the robot.

[004] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[005] This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:

[006] FIG. 1 shows proposed camera mount front view.

[007] FIG. 2 shows proposed camera mount top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[008] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. For example, it should be noted that while some embodiments are explained with respect to carrom playing robot, any other application may also incorporate the subject matter of the invention with little or no modifications. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

[009] The embodiments herein describe an intelligent method of camera mount in a vision guided robot capable of playing carrom, milling etc. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 2, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.

[0010] FIG 1 shows an automatic system 100a with end effector 100 of a carrom playing robot, with the end effector plates 104, 105 mounted on a hollow shaft 101. The shaft 101 is free to rotate on bearings 102, which are locked to a rigid frame 103, which in turn is mounted on a XY or XYZ or higher or lower degree of freedom robot, controlled by a computer.

[0011] 115 is a motor/actuator body which can rotate the shaft 101 to any angle.

[0012] In one embodiment, 115 is a gear or timer pulley coupling shaft 101 to another actuator 117, which is capable of rotating the shaft 101 to any desired angle.

[0013] 106, 107 are clubs (counter-weighted) which will hit the carrom coin/striker 111, which is positioned directly below the center of the hollow shaft 101. The club assembly is pivoted on bearing 112 and is rotated by a motor 113.

[0014] It is proposed to have a hollow flanged tube 108, which is mounted rigidly to frame 103 by fasteners 109, such that tube 108 is almost concentric to shaft 101.

[0015] A cylindrical camera 110 is attached to the hollow shaft 108, looking down on the coin 111.

[0016] An optional fixture (hollow ring) with OD same as ID of 101 and ID same as OD of 108, can ensure concentricity of 101 and 108 and 110. [0017] Such a design minimizes the XY offset between camera and end-effector to almost zero and also eliminates the need to calibrate this XY offset. [0018] Since the clubs 106,107 are positioned at an offset 114 from center (as in US patent 10,398,965 B2 on Carrom playing robot), any obstruction to the camera view is avoided.

[0019] In another embodiment, the automatic system 100a can be holding a spindle motor which in turn is holding a hollow end mill or drilling cutter. The camera is positioned to see the work piece being cut thru the hollow end mill with see thru hole in the center, thus avoiding major XY offset distance between the end mill and the camera, giving both access to the full working area of the automatic system.

[0020] In another embodiment, the automatic system 100a can be holding a hollow electro magnet, with see through hole in the center. The camera is positioned to see the work piece being picked by the electro-magnet thru the hollow electro-magnet, thus avoiding major XY offset distance between the electro-magnet and the camera, giving both access to the full working area of the automatic system.

[0021] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Claims

1) A Vision Guided Robotic system (100 A) holding a robotic end-effector (100), capable of playing carrom, billiards game, the system (100A) comprising: a driven hollow rotating shaft (101), on which striking clubs (106, 107) are mounted, enabling a striker/coin (111) to be hit at any angle, force; a non-rotating shaft (108), holding a cylindrical camera (110), mounted rigidly concentric to shaft (101), looking down at the carrom game board thru the hollow shaft; wherein, the striking clubs (106, 107) are at an offset distance (114) from a center such that the camera is not blocked from viewing the coin (111) which is directly below the center of the hollow shaft (101).

2) The Vision Guided Robotic system (100 A) as claimed in claim 1 comprising a spindle motor holding a hollow end mill with a cylindrical through hole at center, with camera (110) mounted concentric to the hollow end mill, such that camera (110) is able to see a workpiece being cut by the hollow end mill through the hollow shaft opening.

3) The Vision Guided Robotic system (100 A) as claimed in claim 1 comprising a hollow electro-magnet with a cylindrical through hole at center, with camera (110) mounted concentric to the electro magnet, viewing down on the object lying below the magnet, to be picked by the magnet.