Multipurpose end effector with pressure roller and pneumatically controlled gripper for automated signage installation

Abstract

The present application relates to a multi-purpose end effector with a pressure roller and a pneumatically controlled gripper for automated sign installation. An end effector for installing a sign assembly is provided. The end effector includes a support frame, a first diverter, and a second diverter. The first diverter and the second diverter are connected to the support frame. The pneumatically actuated gripper includes: a first gripper, which is connected to the first diverter and is configured to grasp at least a portion of the sign assembly; and a second gripper, which is connected to the second diverter and is configured to peel off one or more layers of the sign assembly. The pressure roller is connected to the support frame and is configured to wet the adhesive layer of the sign assembly.

Description

[0001] introduction

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the content of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this section and in all aspects of this description that may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, is neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted to be prior art against the present disclosure. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to emblem installation. Background Art

[0004] Signs are attached to a variety of products. For example, signs indicating the model of the vehicle are often attached to the body panels of the vehicle. Signs can be attached manually without the use of tools, or they can be attached manually using tools. As an example, a template can be used to attach the sign, which includes locators for positioning the sign on the body panel. A manual pressure roller is then used to wet out the sign tape on the back of the sign. The manual pressure roller includes a pressure roller that rolls across the sign while the operator applies pressure to squeeze the sign tape and adhesive. This is done to evenly distribute the adhesive, remove any bubbles, and ensure that the sign is properly attached to the body panel.

[0005] A pneumatic tool can be used instead of a template and roller to apply the label. The operator places the label on the pneumatic tool, manually aligns the pneumatic tool with the panel to which the label is to be adhered, and then the pneumatic tool applies pressure on the label to wet the corresponding label tape. This technique eliminates the need for the operator to manually roll the roller over the label to wet the label tape. Summary of the invention

[0006] An end effector for mounting a sign assembly is provided. The end effector includes a support frame, a first diverter, and a second diverter. The first diverter and the second diverter are connected to the support frame. A pneumatically actuated gripper includes: a first gripper connected to the first diverter and configured to grip at least a portion of the sign assembly; and a second gripper connected to the second diverter and configured to peel off one or more layers of the sign assembly. A pressure roller is connected to the support frame and configured to wet an adhesive layer of the sign assembly.

[0007] In other features, the first flow diverter includes a center member and a finger retaining member attached to the center member.

[0008] In other features, the pneumatically actuated gripper further includes a third gripper connected to the first flow diverter. The first gripper and the third gripper are configured for at least one of simultaneous actuation or independent actuation.

[0009] In other features, the first diverter is connected to the support frame via an adapter. The adapter is configured to connect the support frame and the first diverter to the robot.

[0010] In other features, the first gripper includes finger support members arranged on the fingers of the first gripper to prevent at least one of: bending deformation of a layer of the sign assembly; or movement of the sign assembly relative to the first gripper caused by contact forces exerted on the sign assembly due to contact with the object during placement of the sign assembly on the object.

[0011] In other features, the finger support members are attached to respective inner sides of the fingers.

[0012] In other features, the second gripper includes a strap that wraps around the fingers of the second gripper and limits movement of the fingers of the second gripper.

[0013] In other features, a pressure roller is connected adjacent to the first gripper and has an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a rolling direction in which the sign assembly is to be rolled.

[0014] In other features, the end effector further includes one or more additional grippers connected to the first diverter and configured to grasp at least a portion of the sign assembly.

[0015] In other features, the fingers of the first gripper are arranged in a circular pattern.

[0016] In other features, a sign mounting system is provided and includes an end effector, a pump, and a controller. The pump is configured to supply air to the end effector or to extract air from the end effector to actuate a first gripper and a second gripper. The controller is configured to control the operation of the pump based on an operating mode.

[0017] In other features, the sign installation system also includes a robot connected to the end effector. The controller is configured to control operation of the robot for moving the end effector to place the sign assembly on the object, for wetting the adhesive layer by moving the end effector via the robot, and for peeling one or more layers of the sign assembly.

[0018] In other features, a method of installing a sign assembly is provided. The method includes: moving an end effector to pick up and grasp at least one of a sign assembly via a first gripper of the end effector, wherein the sign assembly includes a first liner, an adhesive layer, a sign, and a second liner; peeling the first liner from the sign assembly; moving the end effector and placing the sign assembly on an object; releasing the first gripper from the sign assembly; moving the end effector to position a pressure roller of the end effector against the sign assembly; wetting the adhesive layer, including rolling the pressure roller over the sign assembly while applying pressure on the sign assembly; moving the second gripper to grasp a portion of the second liner; and moving the end effector to peel the second liner.

[0019] In other features, the method further includes grasping a portion of the first liner with a second gripper. While maintaining the grip on the first liner, the first liner is peeled off from the label assembly. In other features, the method further includes holding portions of the fingers of the second gripper together via a tie.

[0020] In other features, picking up or gripping at least one of the label assemblies includes pneumatically actuating fingers of the first gripper, which includes providing positive pressure in the fingers of the first gripper to close the first gripper.

[0021] In other features, releasing the first gripper and wetting the adhesive layer includes pneumatically actuating fingers of the first gripper, which includes providing negative pressure in the fingers of the first gripper to open and roll up the fingers.

[0022] In other features, peeling the second liner includes pneumatically actuating fingers of the second gripper, which includes providing positive pressure in the second gripper to close the second gripper.

[0023] In other features, the method further includes providing gripper support elements on the fingers of the first gripper to prevent at least one of: bending deformation of a layer of the sign assembly; or sliding of the sign assembly from the first gripper due to contact forces exerted on the sign assembly by placing the sign assembly on an object.

[0024] Solution 1: An end effector for installing a sign assembly, the end effector comprising:

[0025] Support frame;

[0026] a first shunt;

[0027] a second shunt;

[0028] wherein the first flow diverter and the second flow diverter are connected to the support frame;

[0029] Multiple pneumatically actuated grippers, including:

[0030] a first gripper connected to the first diverter and configured to grip at least a portion of the sign assembly, and

[0031] a second gripper connected to the second diverter and configured to peel off one or more layers of the label assembly; and

[0032] A pressure roller is connected to the support frame and is configured to wet the adhesive layer of the sign assembly.

[0033] Solution 2: The end effector according to Solution 1, characterized in that the first flow diverter comprises:

[0034] Central components, and

[0035] A plurality of finger retaining members are attached to the central member.

[0036] Solution 3: The end effector according to Solution 1 is characterized in that:

[0037] The plurality of pneumatically actuated grippers further includes a third gripper connected to the first flow diverter; and

[0038] The first gripper and the third gripper are configured for at least one of simultaneous actuation or independent actuation.

[0039] Solution 4: The end effector according to Solution 1 is characterized in that:

[0040] The first diverter is connected to the support frame via an adapter; and

[0041] The adapter is configured to connect the support frame and the first diverter to a robot.

[0042] Option 5. The end effector according to Option 1 is characterized in that the first gripper includes a finger support member arranged on the finger of the first gripper to prevent at least one of the following: bending deformation of the layer of the sign assembly; or movement of the sign assembly relative to the first gripper caused by contact force exerted on the sign assembly due to contact with the object during placement of the sign assembly on the object.

[0043] Option 6: The end effector according to Option 5 is characterized in that the finger-like support members are attached to the corresponding inner sides of the fingers.

[0044] Option 7: The end effector according to Option 1 is characterized in that the second gripper includes a belt, which is wrapped around the fingers of the second gripper and limits the movement of the fingers of the second gripper.

[0045] Option 8: The end effector according to Option 1 is characterized in that the pressure roller is connected adjacent to the first gripper and has a rotation axis, which is perpendicular to the rolling direction to be rolled on the sign assembly.

[0046] Option 9: The end effector according to Option 1, further comprising one or more additional grippers connected to the first diverter and configured to grip at least a portion of the sign assembly.

[0047] Option 10: The end effector according to Option 1 is characterized in that the fingers of the first gripper are arranged in a circular pattern.

[0048] Solution 11: A sign installation system, comprising:

[0049] The end effector according to scheme 1;

[0050] a pump configured to supply air to or extract air from the end effector to actuate the first gripper and the second gripper; and

[0051] A controller is configured to control operation of the pump based on the operating mode.

[0052] Solution 12: The sign installation system according to Solution 11, further comprising a robot connected to the end effector,

[0053] Wherein, the controller is configured to control the operation of the robot for moving the end effector to place the sign assembly on an object, for wetting the adhesive layer by moving the end effector via the robot, and for peeling off the one or more layers of the sign assembly.

[0054] Solution 13. A method for installing a sign assembly, the method comprising:

[0055] moving an end effector to pick up or grasp at least one of the sign assemblies via a first gripper of the end effector, wherein the sign assembly includes a first liner, an adhesive layer, a sign, and a second liner;

[0056] peeling the first liner from the sign assembly;

[0057] moving the end effector and placing the label assembly on an object;

[0058] releasing the first gripper from the sign assembly;

[0059] moving the end effector to position a pressure roller of the end effector against the sign assembly;

[0060] Wetting the adhesive layer includes rolling the pressure roller over the sign assembly while applying pressure on the sign assembly;

[0061] moving a second gripper to grasp a portion of the second liner; and

[0062] The end effector is moved to peel off the second liner.

[0063] Option 14: The method according to Option 13, further comprising: grasping a portion of the first liner with the second gripper,

[0064] Wherein, the first liner is peeled off from the sign assembly while maintaining grip on the first liner.

[0065] Option 15. The method of Option 13, further comprising: holding portions of the fingers of the second gripper together via a strap.

[0066] Option 16. A method according to Option 13, characterized in that picking up or grasping at least one of the sign assemblies includes pneumatically actuating the fingers of the first gripper, which includes providing positive pressure in the fingers of the first gripper to close the first gripper.

[0067] Option 17. A method according to Option 13, characterized in that releasing the first gripper and wetting the adhesive layer includes pneumatically actuating the fingers of the first gripper, which includes providing negative pressure in the fingers of the first gripper to open and roll up the fingers.

[0068] Option 18. A method according to Option 13, characterized in that peeling off the second liner includes pneumatically actuating the fingers of the second gripper, which includes providing negative pressure in the second gripper and then providing positive pressure to open and close the second gripper.

[0069] Option 19. The method of option 13, further comprising: providing a gripper support element on the fingers of the first gripper to prevent at least one of the following:

[0070] Bending deformation of a layer of the sign assembly; or

[0071] The sign assembly slips off the first gripper due to a contact force exerted on the sign assembly by placing the sign assembly on the object.

[0072] Option 20. The method according to Option 13, further comprising: peeling the foam carrier from the sign assembly using the second gripper.

[0073] In other features, the method further includes peeling the foam carrier from the sign assembly using a second gripper.

[0074] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and drawings.The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0075] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0076] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of a sign assembly;

[0077] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an automated sign installation system according to the present disclosure, the automated sign installation system including an end effector having multiple sets of grippers and pressure rollers;

[0078] Figure 3 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A perspective view of an end effector of , showing a pick mode, wherein the label grasping (or pick and place) gripper is in a label holding state, the pressure roller is in a shutdown state, and the peel gripper is in a shutdown state;

[0079] Figure 4 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A perspective view of an end effector of , showing a wet mode, wherein the label grabbing gripper is in a deactivated state, the pressure roller is in an activated state, and the peeling gripper is in a deactivated state;

[0080] Figure 5 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A perspective view of an end effector of , showing the start of peeling mode;

[0081] Figure 6 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A perspective view of an end effector of the embodiment of the present invention showing a layer being peeled off from a sign assembly;

[0082] Figure 7 According to the present disclosure Figure 2a bottom view of a portion of an end effector of showing use of one of the sign grabbing grippers on a sign assembly;

[0083] Figure 8 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 a bottom view of a portion of an end effector of showing another alternative use of one of the sign grabbing grippers;

[0084] Fig. 9 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 a bottom view of a portion of an end effector of showing selective use of some or all of the sign grabbing grippers;

[0085] Fig.10 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 a side end view of a portion of an end effector of showing a gripper including a finger support member grasping a rectangular sign;

[0086] Fig.11 is a side end view of a portion of another end effector according to the present disclosure showing a gripper including a finger support member grasping a circular sign having a chamfered edge;

[0087] Fig.12 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A side end view of a portion of an end effector of showing a free neutral state of the gripper;

[0088] Fig.13 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A side end view of a portion of an end effector of showing a free closed state of the gripper;

[0089] Fig.14 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A side end view of a portion of an end effector of showing a free open state of the gripper;

[0090] Fig.15 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 a side end view of a portion of an end effector of showing a tied closed state of the gripper;

[0091] Fig.16 According to the present disclosure Figure 2 A side end view of a portion of an end effector of , showing a bound open state of the gripper;

[0092] Fig.17 is a perspective view of another example of an end effector having one or more grippers according to the present disclosure, with fingers of the grippers in a circular configuration and in a closed state.

[0093] Fig.18According to the present disclosure Fig.17 A perspective view of an end effector of , wherein the fingers are in an open state; and

[0094] Fig.19 A sign installation process according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0095] In the drawings, reference numerals may be repeated to indicate similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0096] Figure 1 An example sign assembly 10 is shown, which includes an adhesive liner (or tape liner) 102, an adhesive layer (or tape layer) 104, a foam carrier 106, a nameplate 108, and a face liner 110. During the application of the nameplate to the board, an operator picks up the sign assembly 100 from a box or a box including a plurality of sign assemblies, and manually peels the adhesive liner 102 from the back of the adhesive layer 104. The adhesive layer 104 may be implemented as a double-sided tape including multiple layers, or may simply include an adhesive applied to the back of the nameplate 108. The adhesive layer 104 is used to attach the nameplate 108 to the board. After peeling off the adhesive liner 102, the nameplate 108 is attached to the board.

[0097] A foam carrier 106 is included to maintain a positional relationship between discrete characters of the nameplate 108. The foam carrier 106 may include a tacky inner edge to provide a temporary attachment of the foam carrier 106 to the nameplate 108 and / or the face liner 110. The face liner 110 covers the nameplate 108 to help retain all characters of the nameplate 108 in the foam carrier 106 and protect the nameplate 108, including preventing the nameplate 108 from being scratched, for example, before and / or during attachment to the panel. The foam carrier 106 remains around the characters of the nameplate 108 and the face liner 110 remains on the nameplate 108 until the nameplate 108 is attached to the panel. After manually wetting the adhesive layer 104 of the nameplate 108 using a pressure roller or pneumatically wetting the adhesive layer 104 of the nameplate 108 using a tool that applies pressure on the nameplate 108, the foam carrier 106 and the face liner 110 are manually peeled off from the panel and the nameplate 108.

[0098] Due to the manual application of the signs, quality defects may occur. This may be caused by the sign being misaligned, the sign being lost, the sign being loose, or the wrong sign being attached. In addition, damage may occur to the sign or the surface of the panel to which it is attached (e.g., a finished painted body panel). The manual attachment of signs has limited manufacturing efficiency and has associated labor costs, tooling costs, and defect correction costs.

[0099] Examples described herein include an automated sign installation system that includes an end effector with a flexible actuated gripper (sometimes referred to as a finger) and a wetting roller. The end effector is configured to perform steps of the sign installation process, from initial picking up of the sign assembly to peeling off the foam carrier and face liner. This includes peeling off the adhesive liner, attaching the sign to a panel (or other object), and wetting the adhesive layer. The end effector has a unique three-in-one design that allows the robot to complete five or more operations of sign installation via one tool (i.e., the end effector). These examples improve productivity, reduce quality defects, reduce tooling and labor costs, and prevent installation damage to the surfaces of signs and panels, thereby maintaining the surface integrity of the signs and panels.

[0100] Example end effectors disclosed herein include flexible soft grippers for handling signs of various sizes and shapes. In some embodiments, the grippers include gripper supports to assist in gripping, holding, and installing difficult to hold signs, such as signs with beveled edges. Some grippers include corresponding tie-wraps that are included to limit the range of gripper movement and to move the gripper in a specific manner to allow peeling of the foam carrier and / or face liner of the sign assembly.

[0101] Although the following examples are primarily directed to applying a label to a body panel of a vehicle, the examples are also applicable to applying a label to a variety of other objects, such as body panels, components, housings, and / or products.

[0102] Figure 2 An automated sign installation system 200 is shown, which includes a robot 202, an end effector 204, a control module 206, and a pump 208. The control module 206 controls the movement of the robot 202 and the end effector 204, including the actuation of the sign grabbing gripper 210 and the peeling gripper 212 of the end effector 204. The end effector 204 is a three-in-one end effector, meaning that the end effector 204 has multiple uses, including peeling, gripping, and rolling (or wetting the adhesive layer). The end effector 204 includes a pressure roller 214 for wetting the adhesive layer of the sign.

[0103] The robot 202 may include a plurality of electric motors 220, 222, 224, 226, 228, 230 that provide six degrees of freedom, including movement in the X, Y, Z directions and rotational movement of the end effector 204. The robot 202 may be attached to a support 232 as shown, or may be mounted on a mobile object such as a second robot for moving the robot 202 from one location to another. Arms 234, 236 extend between the motors 222, 224, and 226.

[0104] The control module 206 can control the robot 202 and the end effector 204 to attach a sign (a partial sign assembly 240 is shown including the nameplate) to a panel 242 disposed on a workbench 244. The partial sign assembly 240 does not include the tape liner that has been removed, so the term "partial" is used. Although the sign is shown to be applied to the panel in a vertical direction, the robot 202 and the end effector 204 can be used to apply the sign in any direction. The end effector 204 is arranged in a vertical direction. Figure 2 2 is shown in the label placement state, wherein the peeling gripper 212 and the pressure roller 214 are in the shutdown state.

[0105] The grippers 210 and 212 are pneumatically controlled via air lines 245 and / or channels in the robot extending from the end effector 204 to the pump 208. The number of air lines AL between the pump 208 and the end effector 204 depends on the grippers 210, 212 and the corresponding fingers 297, 299 ( Figure 3 and 4 ) and the arrangement of the grippers and fingers. For each gripper or for one or more grippers, an air line (similar to air line 245) and / or a channel may be included. An air line (similar to air line 245) may be provided for each finger of each gripper, or may be shared by multiple fingers of each gripper. In the illustrated example, three label gripping (also known as pick and place) grippers 210 and stripping grippers 212 are included, wherein each gripper has two flexible opposing fingers 297 and 299, respectively. The air line (similar to air line 245) for each gripper provides independent actuation control for each gripper. The air line (similar to air line 245) for each finger provides independent actuation control for each finger. In one embodiment, an air line (similar to air line 245) and / or an air channel are provided for each pair of grippers. Air lines (similar to the air lines 245 ) and / or air passages may extend along or through the robot 202 from the pump 208 and to a flow divider (or air distributor) 260 of the end effector 204 .

[0106] Although end effector 204 is shown as having three label holding grippers 210 and one peeling gripper 212, any number of label holding grippers and peeling grippers may be incorporated into end effector 204. As an example, end effector 204 may have 1, 2, 3, or 4 label holding grippers (similar to gripper 210). An even or odd number of grippers may be included. An even or odd number of gripper fingers may be included. For example, when configured to grip a round label, an odd number of fingers may be included, as in Figure 17-18As shown in . An odd number of fingers may also be included when the opposing fingers are offset from one another so that one or more fingers at least partially cross over with two or more other fingers. In the example shown, two rows of opposing fingers of three grippers 210 are shown, wherein each gripper 210 includes two fingers 297, and each row of fingers 297 contacts a single side edge of a portion of the label assembly 240.

[0107] Arrow 250 is shown to indicate movement of end effector 204 in a vertical direction by robot 202. Arrow 252 is shown to indicate movement of end effector 204 in a lateral direction when pressure roller 214 is used on a portion of sign assembly 240. When used, pressure roller 214 moves downward and sign grabbing gripper 210 transforms into a vertical direction as in FIG. Figure 4 The operation of the end effector 204 and the grippers 210, 212 and the movement of the pressure roller 214 are further described below.

[0108] Figure 3-6 The end effector 204 is shown in different states and modes. Figure 3 The label grabbing gripper 210 is shown in a label holding state, the pressure roller 214 is in a shutdown state, and the peeling gripper 212 is in a shutdown state. Figure 4 End effector 204 is shown in a wet mode. Figure 5 End effector 204 is shown at the beginning of a peel mode of operation. Figure 6 The end effector 204 is shown peeling away layers of a portion of the label assembly 240 .

[0109] The fingers 297, 299 of the grippers 210, 212 can be formed of rubber, silicone elastomers, polyurethane and / or other suitable materials. These materials are soft enough not to scratch the object on which the sign is mounted, but strong enough to grasp and hold the corresponding sign assembly 240 and / or portions thereof. In an embodiment, the fingers 297, 299 are hollow and include ribs for flexibility as shown. In the example shown, each finger has four ribs, however the fingers 297, 299 can have any number of ribs. The fingers 297, 299 are pneumatically actuated and controlled to pick up, place and peel layers and materials of the sign assembly. This is accomplished without damaging the fine surface finish of the corresponding sign and the object on which the sign is mounted (e.g., a vehicle body panel).

[0110] Figure 2 The control module 206 provides positive pressure of compressed air to the grippers 210, 212 via the pump 208 to cause the fingers 297, 299 to collapse (or curl inward) to grasp the sign material, as in Figure 3 , Figure 5and Figure 6 This may be referred to as a closed state. The control module 206 provides negative pressure (or vacuum) inside the fingers 297, 299 to open and / or spread the fingers 297, 299, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 This may be referred to as the open state. The fingers 297, 299 may be in a rolled-up state when in the open state, as shown. Figure 4 As shown for finger 297.

[0111] exist Figures 3 to 6 , an end effector 204 is shown, which includes grippers 210, 212, a pressure roller 214 and a diverter 260. The end effector 204 also includes a robot adapter 300 and a support frame 302. The robot adapter 300 is used to connect the end effector 204 to the Figure 2 The support frame 302 includes a plurality of members (e.g., a main member 304 and a fork 306) extending from the robot adapter 300 to the gripper 212 and the pressure roller 214. The pressure roller 214 rotates freely on an axle 308 connected to the frame 302. The pressure roller 214 can be formed of rubber or other suitable material. One or more air lines (similar to the air line 245) and / or channels can extend from the adapter 300 to a second diverter 320, which is connected to the gripper 212.

[0112] The flow divider 260 includes a central member 310 (at Figure 3 ) and the finger retaining member 312 (appearing in Figure 4 ). A gripper 212 is provided that includes a similar central member 322 (in Figure 5-6 ) and the finger retaining member 324 (appearing in Figure 3 , 5 -6) similar to the flow divider 320. The gripper 210 is connected to receive air from the finger-like retaining member 312 and / or have air drawn away by the finger-like retaining member 312. The finger-like retaining member 312 can be fixed relative to the central member 310.

[0113] exist Figure 3 In FIG. 2 , an arrow 330 is provided to indicate that the end effector 204 can move in a vertical direction. Figure 4 In FIG. 2 , an arrow 332 is provided to indicate that the end effector 204 can move in a lateral direction. Figure 3 , a complete sign assembly with a tape liner 333 is shown before the tape liner 333 is removed from a partial sign assembly 240. As an example, a complete sign assembly may include a tape liner 333, one or more adhesive or tape layers, a foam carrier, a nameplate and / or sign layer, and a face liner. Figure 4, arrow 334 is provided to indicate that the fork 306 can be moved in a vertical direction to apply pressure on the partial label assembly 240 while the pressure roller 214 moves across the partial label assembly 240 during the wetting operation.

[0114] The fingers 297, 299 include wedge-shaped tips 340, 342 having a flat inner side and a tapered outer side. The wedge-shaped tips 340, 342 allow for precise gripping of the sign material. The fingers 299 are also held together using a tie 370 that limits movement of the fingers 299. The tie 370 is further described below.

[0115] exist Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the gripper 212 is shown peeling the face liner 500 from the layer 502, which may include a foam carrier and a nameplate. In one embodiment, the foam carrier is peeled away with the face liner 500. The foam carrier may be adhered to the face liner 500 and removed when the face liner 500 is removed. In another embodiment, the foam carrier is removed in an operation separate from the removal of the face liner 500. Arrows 504, 506 are shown to indicate the peeling movement of the end effector 204. As shown in FIG. Fig.13 Instead of curling inwardly as shown and having a convex shape, the strap 370 allows the end portions of the fingers 299 to be in a position such as when positive pressure is applied. Fig.15 The parallel arrangement shown in FIG. Fig.14 Instead, the strap 370 allows the fingers 299 to be held together when negative pressure is applied and transitions to having a concave shape as in Fig.16 The inclusion of the strap 370 allows the wedge-shaped tip 342 to better grip and hold the ends of one or more uppermost layers (eg, the face liner 500 ) of a portion of the label assembly 240 . Figure 2 The robot 202 can then move the end effector 204 to peel off the one or more uppermost layers.

[0116] Air line connectors 520, 522 are shown. Each of the air line connectors 520, 522 may be connected to one or more air lines. Although a single air line connector is shown for each flow splitter 260, 320, additional air line connectors may be included.

[0117] Figure 7 Shows Figures 2 to 62 is a bottom view of a portion 700 of the end effector 204 of FIG. 2 showing the use of the grippers 210 on a long sign assembly 701. The grippers 210 are shown in an open state prior to gripping the sign assembly 701. The arrows show all of the grippers 210 in a closed state gripping on the edge of the foam carrier of the sign assembly 701 using pneumatic actuation from the air line 245. A bottom view of the sign assembly 701 is shown.

[0118] Figure 8 Shows Figures 2 to 6 800, which shows the center gripper 210 of the gripper 210 selected for use on a short sign assembly 802. A bottom view of the sign assembly 802 is shown. The gripper fingers 297 are attached to the finger retaining members 312. The finger retaining members 312 are attached to the center member 310. The grippers 210 can be closed simultaneously using the same pneumatic actuation. Although in the example shown, only the center gripper 210 of the grippers 210 is used to grasp the sign assembly 802. The fingers of the other two grippers 210 are close to their opposite fingers. This is indicated by arrows 804. In another embodiment, if the grippers 210 are independently actuated by multiple air lines 245, the center gripper of the gripper 210 can be actuated to grasp the sign assembly 802, while the other grippers of the gripper 210 can remain in an open state.

[0119] Fig. 9 Shows Figures 2 to 6 A bottom view 900 of a portion of the end effector 204 is shown illustrating the option of using some or all of the grippers 210. A bottom view of the sign assembly 902 is shown and has varying widths. In the example shown, the fingers of the center gripper 210A are not able to spread far enough apart to grip the center portion of the sign assembly 902. As a result, when the grippers 210A, 210B, 210C are actuated, the outer grippers 210B and 210C grip the sign assembly 902 and the center gripper closes over the sign assembly 902 and does not grip the sign assembly 902. This is indicated by arrows 904. The fingers of the center gripper 210A can be closed so that the tips of the fingers are close to each other (e.g., Fig.13 In another embodiment, the grippers 210 can be independently controlled / actuated to grip sign assemblies of different shapes and sizes, such as different widths. The grippers 210 can have different closed positions to be able to grip different portions of a sign assembly having different widths.

[0120] Fig.10 Shows Figures 2 to 6 A portion 1000 of the end effector 204 includes one or more grippers (in Fig.10 A gripper 210 is shown in FIG. 1 ), which has a finger support member 1001 and grips a rectangular sign assembly 1002. Fig.11 A device with one or more grippers (in Fig.11 FIG. 1 shows a portion 1100 of another end effector of a gripper 210′ ​​having a finger support member 1001′ and gripping a label assembly 1101 with a chamfered edge 1102. The end effector is similar to Figures 2 to 6 The end effector 204 is different in that the central member 310' is larger than Figures 2 to 6 The central member 310 is wider so the finger retaining members 312' are further apart. The central member 310' includes a spacer 1103 that is wider than Fig.10 The spacers 1003 of the center member 310 are wider. The wider spacers 1103 allow the fingers 297' of the gripper 210' to be further apart to allow for the gripping of wider sign assemblies. The center members 310, 310' can be connected to the center members 310, 310' via the couplers 1010, 1010'. Figures 2 to 6 adapter 300 (or similar).

[0121] If finger support members 1001, 1001' are not provided, at least one or more layers of the corresponding sign assembly, such as the foam carrier layer and face liner layer of sign assembly 1002, may bend and deform as shown by arcuate dashed structure 1004. Arrow F1 represents the force applied to the side edge of sign assembly 1002.

[0122] Fig.11 It is shown that a sign assembly with a beveled edge (e.g., sign assembly 1101) can move upward along the gripper 210' due to the contact force with the object on the back side 1107 of the sign assembly. This may occur if the finger support member 1001' is not included and when the sign assembly is placed on the object. This is represented by the dashed sign structure 1105 and the force arrow F2.

[0123] exist Fig.10 In the embodiment, near the tip of each finger 297 is one of the finger support members 1001. Fig.11, near the tip of each finger 297' is one of the finger support members 1001'. As shown, the finger support members 1001, 1001' can be attached to the corresponding gripper at a set position along the inner side of the finger 297, 297' and at a predetermined distance D from the tip end 1006, 1006' of the finger 297, 297'. The support members 1001, 1001' can be formed of the same or different material as the finger 297, 297'. The finger support members 1001, 1001' can be attached and / or adhered to the finger 297, 297', or can be integrally formed as an integral member of the finger 297, 297'. Finger support members 1001, 1001' include raised flat surfaces 1020, 1020' that are a distance D from distal ends 1006, 1006'. Raised flat surfaces 1020, 1020' prevent the sign from slipping off grippers 210, 210' due to bending deformation when the foam carrier of sign assembly 1002 is too soft, or slipping off grippers 210, 210' due to displacement when sign assembly 1101 has thin beveled edges. Raised flat surfaces 1020, 1020' may extend perpendicular to the inside of fingers 297, 297'.

[0124] Fig.12 Show Figures 2 to 6 1200 of the end effector 204 of FIG. 1, which shows a free neutral state of one of the grippers 210. This may be the case when no positive pressure is provided in the fingers 297 or when negative pressure is provided. Fig.13 Shows Figures 2 to 6 A portion 1300 of the end effector 204 is shown showing a free closed state of one of the grippers 210 when a positive amount of air pressure is supplied to the fingers 297 . Fig.14 Shows Figures 2 to 6 A portion 1400 of the end effector 204 is shown showing a free open state of one of the grippers 210 when a negative amount of air pressure is provided to the fingers 297 .

[0125] Fig.15 Shows Figures 2 to 6 15. A portion 1500 of the end effector 204 is shown showing the gripper 212 and its fingers 299 in a bound closed state. Fig.16 Shows Figures 2 to 6 1600 of the end effector 204, which shows the gripper 212 and its fingers 299 in a bound open state. The peeling operation begins with the gripper 212 and its fingers 299 in a bound closed state to separate the Figures 2 to 6The front edge of the foam carrier and / or face lining of the partial label assembly 240 is pushed up, and then switched to the binding open state of the gripper 212 and its fingers 299 and then immediately switched to the binding closed state, so that Figure 2 As the robot 202 moves the end effector 204 away from the panel, the slightly pushed up foam carrier and / or face liner of the portion of the label assembly 240 can be grasped and peeled off by the gripper 212 and its fingers 299 .

[0126] The strap 370 is used to control the shape of the fingers 299 to be parallel and closed for gripping thin materials such as foam carriers and face liners with maximum contact surface area. Without the strap 370, the shape of the fingers 299 will be as in Fig.13 The convex shape shown in the figure only grasps the foam carrier and / or face liner of the partial sign assembly 240 with the finger tips 1006 or 1102, which is not enough to keep the foam carrier and / or face liner of the partial sign assembly 240 from sliding off the gripper 212. In addition, the convex shape of the gripper fingers 299 makes it difficult to begin to push up the thin foam carrier and / or face liner of the partial sign assembly 240 that is still lying flat on the surface of the panel. In one embodiment, the strap 370 is wrapped around the central area of ​​the gripper 212, for example, as shown, between the second rib 1502 and the third rib 1504 of the gripper 212.

[0127] Fig.17 An example of another end effector 1700 is shown having one or more sign assembly grasping grippers having fingers 1702 in a circular configuration and in a closed state and a pinch roller 1704 in a shutdown state. Fig.18 The end effector 1700 is shown with the fingers 1702 in an open state and the pressure rollers 1704 in an activated mode. The end effector 1700 may be replaced Figure 2 The end effector 204 is constructed similar to Figure 2 The end effector 204 is similar to Figure 2 The end effector 1700 also includes a peeling gripper 1706 having fingers 1707 and a strap 1708. The fingers 1702, 1707 have corresponding ribs and tips, similar to Figures 2 to 6 The end effector 1700 may also include an adapter 1720, a support frame 1722, and diverters 1724, 1726, which may be used with Figures 2 to 6 The adapter 300, support frame 302, and diverters 260, 320 are similar and may function similarly.

[0128] The fingers 1702 and corresponding finger holders 1730 of the diverter 1724 are arranged in a circular pattern. The finger holders 1730 extend radially from a central portion 1732 of the diverter 1724. Five finger holders and five fingers are shown, but a different number of finger holders or fingers may be included. The five fingers may operate as one or more grippers, wherein each gripper includes two or more fingers. An air line coupler 1734 and a circular placard assembly 1736 are shown. The air line coupler 1734 may receive air for the fingers 1702. A separate air line coupler for the fingers 1707 may be included.

[0129] Fig.19 A sign installation process for attaching a sign to an object (eg, a body panel of a vehicle) is shown. The following operations may be performed by the control module by controlling the robot, the end effector, and the gripper, such as via Figures 2 to 18 The control module 206, the robot 202, the end effector 204, 1700 and the corresponding gripper are executed. Figures 2 to 6 The following operations are described for the end effector 204, but these operations are also applicable to Figure 17 to Figure 18 End effector 1700.

[0130] The method may start at 1900. At 1902, the end effector 204 is moved to pick up a sign assembly. The control module 206 moves the end effector 204 to pick up (or grasp) the sign assembly from a box or a case. The sign grasping gripper 210 may be in an open state and closed to grasp the sign assembly. Such an example is shown in FIG. Figure 3 Shown in.

[0131] At 1904, the sign assembly can be moved to a position where it is transferred from the gripper 210 to a gripper and / or bracket that is separate from the end effector 204. As an example, the gripper can be mounted on Figure 2 244. This is done to allow the gripper 212 to grasp and remove an adhesive liner (e.g., a tape liner) while the sign assembly is held by the gripper and / or support. The corresponding operations are represented by operations 1904, 1906, 1908, 1910. In another embodiment, the sign assembly is moved to a position where another gripper separate from the end effector 204 is able to grasp the adhesive liner. The robot 202 moves the end effector 204 to remove the adhesive liner. This is represented by operations 1905, 1907, and 1909. The one or more grippers on the support can be constructed and operated similarly to any gripper mentioned herein.

[0132] At 1904 and in one embodiment, as described above, the end effector 204 is moved to place the sign assembly in the bracket and / or held by the gripper of the bracket. At 1906, the end effector 204 can be moved and actuated to place the peel gripper 212 in an activated state and the sign grabbing gripper 210 in a deactivated and / or open state.

[0133] At 1908, the control module 206 can move the end effector 204 and close the peel gripper 212 to grasp the end of the adhesive liner (e.g., tape liner) of the sign assembly. The robot 202 then moves the end effector 204 to peel the adhesive liner from the installed sign (e.g., nameplate). The robot 202 moves the end effector 204 in a lateral or vertical direction to peel the adhesive liner.

[0134] At 1910, the end effector 204 may be moved back to the partial label assembly and the gripper 210 may be actuated to pick up the partial label assembly from the gripper holder while the peel gripper 212 is placed in a shutdown state.

[0135] At 1905 and in another embodiment, the end effector 204 can be moved to approach the bracket. The bracket can include a gripper. At 1907, the control module 206 can control the gripper on the bracket to grip the adhesive liner while the gripper 210 holds a portion of the sign assembly. At 1909, the control module 206 can move the end effector 204 to peel the adhesive liner from the installed sign (e.g., a nameplate). The robot 202 moves the end effector 204 in a lateral or vertical direction to peel the adhesive liner.

[0136] At 1911, the control module 206 moves the end effector 204 to place and adhere the label to the object. Operations 1906-1911 may be referred to as pick and place operations.

[0137] At 1912 , the control module 206 releases a portion of the sign assembly by placing the sign grabbing gripper 210 in an open state and moves the pressure roller 214 to be in an activated state.

[0138] At 1914, the control module 206 moves the pressure roller 214 across the front surface of the label assembly while applying pressure on the label assembly to wet out the adhesive layer. The control module 206 can move the pressure roller 214 laterally or vertically across the surface of the face liner while applying pressure. A set amount of pressure can be applied via the pressure roller 214 for a set period of time. The robot 202 can drag and press the pressure roller over portions of the label assembly to wet out the label adhesive layer on the object.

[0139] At 1916, the control module 206 rotates the end effector 204 to place the pressure roller 214 in a deactivated state and the peeling gripper 212 in an activated state. At 1917, the control module 206 controls the actuation of the peeling gripper 212 to grip the facial liner by rapid opening and closing of the gripper fingers 299. At 1918, the control module 206 moves the end effector to peel the facial liner, which may include peeling the foam carrier, or the foam carrier may be peeled off in a subsequent operation. The method may end at 1920.

[0140] The above examples include end effectors for robotically automated sign installation on vehicles and various other objects. Each end effector includes multiple grippers and pressure rollers for performing all operations for sign installation. Each end effector is a three-in-one end effector capable of completing five or more operations in the sign installation process using a single tool (i.e., the end effector). The three-in-one end effector may include: (i) a pick and place soft gripper (also referred to as a sign grasping gripper hereinabove) for picking up, placing and holding a sign assembly and / or a portion thereof, (ii) a rubber pressure roller for rolling and pressing on the sign assembly to wet the adhesive bonding layer; and (iii) a peeling soft gripper for peeling off layers of the sign assembly including a foam carrier layer and a face liner.

[0141] The disclosed peel gripper includes a strap that effectively provides a shortened high strength gripper for peeling the foam carrier and face liner of the sign assembly. The axes of the disclosed pressure rollers are positioned adjacent to the sign grabbing gripper and each has a longitudinal center axis (or axis of rotation) perpendicular to the rolling direction. This allows the pressure rollers to move after the sign assembly is placed on an object and facilitate wet-out using a pressing force on the sign assembly. The fingers of the sign grabbing gripper bend to clear obstacles for wet-out of the sign assembly.

[0142] The multi-tasking end effector with flexible fingers reduces the costs associated with having multiple separate tools for different sign installation operations and for different sign assembly types, sizes and styles. The need to switch to different tools and use manually performed operations is eliminated. The end effector enables robotic automation of sign installation and reduces product defect rates and warranty costs.

[0143] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or use in any way. The broad teachings of the present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, although the present disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be so limited, because other modifications will become apparent when studying the drawings, the specification and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within the method can be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without changing the principles of the present disclosure. Further, although each of the embodiments is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented and / or combined with the features of any of the other embodiments, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the arrangement of one or more embodiments with each other is still within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0144] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "immediately adjacent," "on top of," "above," "below," and "placed." Unless explicitly described as "directly," when describing a relationship between a first element and a second element in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship between the first element and the second element with no other intervening elements, but can also be an indirect relationship between the first element and the second element with one or more intervening elements (either spatially or functionally) present. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be interpreted as meaning a logical A OR B OR C using a non-exclusive logical "OR," and should not be interpreted as meaning "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0145] In the drawings, the direction of the arrows, as indicated by the arrows, generally represents the flow of information (such as data or instructions) that the illustration is concerned with. For example, when element A and element B exchange various information but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. Further, for information sent from element A to element B, element B may send a request for the information or a receipt confirmation to element A.

[0146] In this application (including the definitions below), the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced with the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0147] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuit may include a wired or wireless interface connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In other examples, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform a certain function on behalf of a client module.

[0148] The term code as used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class, a data structure and / or an object. The term shared processor circuit covers a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group processor circuit covers a processor circuit that is combined with an additional processor circuit to execute some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits cover multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term shared memory circuit covers a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group memory circuit covers a memory circuit that is combined with an additional memory to store some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0149] The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium as used herein does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term computer-readable medium may be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory, tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tapes or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0150] The apparatus and method described in the present application may be implemented in part or in whole by a special purpose computer, which is created by configuring a general purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components and other elements described above are used as software specifications, which can be converted into computer programs through routine work of skilled technicians or programmers.

[0151] The computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium. The computer program may also include or rely on stored data. The computer program may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0152] A computer program may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated by a compiler from source code, (iv) source code executed by an interpreter, (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, source code may be written using syntax from languages ​​including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.

Claims

1. An end effector for installing a sign assembly, the end effector comprising: Support frame; a first shunt; a second shunt; wherein the first flow diverter and the second flow diverter are connected to the support frame; Multiple pneumatically actuated grippers, including: a first gripper connected to the first diverter and configured to grasp at least a portion of the sign assembly, and a second gripper connected to the second diverter and configured to peel off one or more layers of the sign assembly; and a pressure roller connected to the support frame and configured to wet the adhesive layer of the sign assembly, Wherein, the first gripper includes a finger support member arranged on the fingers of the first gripper to prevent at least one of the following: bending deformation of the layer of the sign assembly; or movement of the sign assembly relative to the first gripper caused by a contact force exerted on the sign assembly due to contact with the object during placement of the sign assembly on the object.

2. The end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first shunt comprises: Central components, and A plurality of finger retaining members are attached to the central member.

3. The end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of pneumatically actuated grippers further includes a third gripper connected to the first flow diverter; and The first gripper and the third gripper are configured for at least one of simultaneous actuation or independent actuation.

4. The end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first diverter is connected to the support frame via an adapter; and The adapter is configured to connect the support frame and the first diverter to a robot.

5. The end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The finger support members are attached to respective inner sides of the fingers.

6. The end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second gripper includes a strap that wraps around the fingers of the second gripper and limits movement of the fingers of the second gripper.

7. The end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure roller is connected adjacent to the first gripper and has an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a rolling direction in which the sign assembly is to be rolled.

8. The end effector of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional grippers connected to the first diverter and configured to grasp at least a portion of the sign assembly.

9. The end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fingers of the first gripper are arranged in a circular pattern.

10. A sign installation system, comprising: The end effector according to claim 1; a pump configured to supply air to or extract air from the end effector to actuate the first gripper and the second gripper; as well as A controller is configured to control operation of the pump based on the operating mode.

11. The sign mounting system of claim 10, further comprising a robot connected to the end effector, in, The controller is configured to control operation of the robot for moving the end effector to place the sign assembly on an object, for wetting the adhesive layer by moving the end effector via the robot, and for peeling the one or more layers of the sign assembly.

12. A method of installing a sign assembly, the method comprising: moving an end effector to grasp at least one of the sign assemblies via a first gripper of the end effector, wherein the sign assembly includes a first liner, an adhesive layer, a sign, and a second liner; peeling the first liner from the sign assembly; moving the end effector and placing the label assembly on an object; releasing the first gripper from the sign assembly; moving the end effector to position a pressure roller of the end effector against the sign assembly; Wetting the adhesive layer includes rolling the pressure roller over the sign assembly while applying pressure on the sign assembly; moving a second gripper to grasp a portion of the second liner; and moving the end effector to peel off the second liner, The method further comprises providing finger support members on the fingers of the first gripper to prevent at least one of: Bending deformation of a layer of the sign assembly; or The sign assembly slips off the first gripper due to a contact force exerted on the sign assembly by placing the sign assembly on the object.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: grasping a portion of the first liner with the second gripper, Wherein, the first liner is peeled off from the sign assembly while maintaining grip on the first liner.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: The portions of the fingers of the second gripper are held together via a tie.

15. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that Gripping at least one of the sign assemblies includes pneumatically actuating fingers of the first gripper, which includes providing positive pressure in the fingers of the first gripper to close the first gripper.

16. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that Releasing the first gripper and wetting the adhesive layer includes pneumatically actuating fingers of the first gripper, which includes providing negative pressure in the fingers of the first gripper to open and roll up the fingers.

17. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that Peeling the second liner includes pneumatically actuating fingers of the second gripper, which includes providing negative pressure in the second gripper and then providing positive pressure to open and close the second gripper.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising: Using the second gripper, peel the foam carrier from the sign assembly.

19. A computer program product comprising computer instructions, characterized in that: When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, the steps of the method according to any one of claims 12 to 18 are implemented.

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