Robotically mounted lamp assembly for curing paint

Abstract

A robotic system is provided. The robotic system includes a robotic arm, a light assembly, and a control module. The robotic arm includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The light assembly is disposed at the second end of the robotic arm and includes at least one ultraviolet (UV) light configured to cure paint on a panel of a vehicle. The control module is configured to actuate the robotic arm and position the light assembly relative to the panel of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to spraying, and more specifically to a lamp assembly for robotic installation of a curing coating. Background Technology

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of presenting the general background of this disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the work of the currently named inventors and aspects that may not otherwise be described as prior art at the time of filing are neither explicitly nor implicitly considered as prior art to this disclosure.

[0003] During vehicle manufacturing, paint can be applied to the vehicle's panels. More specifically, paint can be applied to both the outer and inner surfaces of the panels. Examples of such panels include vehicle door frames, fuel doors, and liftgates. Various types of paint can be used. One type is curable paint. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The example robotic system includes a robotic arm, a lamp assembly, and a control module. The robotic arm includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The lamp assembly is disposed at the second end of the robotic arm and includes at least one ultraviolet (UV) light configured to cure paint on a vehicle panel. The control module is configured to actuate the robotic arm and position the lamp assembly relative to the vehicle panel, and to selectively turn the at least one UV light on and off.

[0005] In one example, the at least one UV light includes at least one UV light-emitting diode (LED) light.

[0006] In one example, the at least one UV light includes multiple UV lights.

[0007] In one example, each of the plurality of UV lights has the same light output wavelength.

[0008] In one example, the plurality of UV lights includes at least two of UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C light.

[0009] In one example, an end effector is attached to the light assembly and operable to move the vehicle's panel between a first position and a second position.

[0010] In one example, the terminal actuator can move between an extended position and a retracted position.

[0011] In one example, the terminal actuator is positioned next to the at least one UV light.

[0012] In one example, the at least one UV light comprises a plurality of UV lights, and the terminal actuator is disposed radially inside the plurality of UV lights.

[0013] In one example, the lamp assembly includes a paint applicator.

[0014] In one example, the at least one UV light comprises a plurality of UV lights, and the paint applicator is disposed radially inside the plurality of UV lights.

[0015] The example robotic system includes a robotic arm, a paint applicator, a track, a lamp assembly, and a control module. The robotic arm includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The paint applicator is disposed at the second end of the robotic arm and configured to deliver paint onto a vehicle panel. The track is attached to the paint applicator and extends away from it. The lamp assembly is configured to slide along the track and includes at least one UV light operable to cure paint on the vehicle panel. The control module is configured to actuate the robotic arm and position the paint applicator relative to the vehicle panel, and to position the lamp assembly relative to the vehicle panel.

[0016] In one example, the control module is configured to slide the light assembly along the track.

[0017] In one example, the control module is configured to pivot the lamp assembly relative to the track.

[0018] In one example, the control module is configured to selectively move the lamp assembly toward and away from the track.

[0019] In one example, the light assembly includes a distance sensor configured to measure the distance between the light assembly and a panel of the vehicle.

[0020] In one example, the control module is configured to move a light assembly toward and away from the track based on distances measured by a distance sensor.

[0021] In one example, the lamp assembly includes a lamp cover arranged around the at least one UV light ring.

[0022] In one example, the at least one UV light comprises multiple UV lights having the same wavelength.

[0023] In one example, the at least one UV light includes multiple UV lights having more than one different wavelength.

[0024] Option 1. A robot system, comprising:

[0025] A robotic arm, the robotic arm including a first end and a second end opposite to the first end;

[0026] A lamp assembly disposed at a second end of the robotic arm and comprising at least one ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to cure coatings on a vehicle panel; and

[0027] The control module is configured to:

[0028] Actuate the robotic arm and position the light assembly relative to the vehicle's panel; and

[0029] Selectively turn the at least one UV light on and off.

[0030] Option 2. The robot system according to Option 1, wherein the at least one UV light comprises at least one UV light-emitting diode (LED) light.

[0031] Option 3. The robot system according to Option 1, wherein the at least one UV light comprises a plurality of UV lights.

[0032] Option 4. The robot system according to Option 3, wherein each of the plurality of UV lights has the same light output wavelength.

[0033] Option 5. The robot system according to Option 3, wherein the plurality of UV lights include at least two of UV-A light, UV-B light and UV-C light.

[0034] Option 6. The robot system according to Option 1 further includes an end effector attached to the light assembly and operable to move the vehicle's panel between a first position and a second position.

[0035] Option 7. The robot system according to Option 6, wherein the end effector is movable between an extended position and a retracted position.

[0036] Option 8. The robot system according to Option 6, wherein the end effector is disposed next to the at least one UV light.

[0037] Option 9. The robot system according to Option 6, wherein:

[0038] The at least one UV light includes a plurality of UV lights; and

[0039] The terminal actuator is located radially inside the plurality of UV lights.

[0040] Option 10. The robot system according to Option 1, wherein the lamp assembly includes a paint applicator.

[0041] Option 11. The robot system according to Option 10, wherein:

[0042] The at least one UV light includes a plurality of UV lights; and

[0043] The paint applicator is positioned radially inside the plurality of UV rays.

[0044] Option 12. A robot system, comprising:

[0045] A robotic arm, the robotic arm including a first end and a second end opposite to the first end;

[0046] A paint applicator is located at the second end of a robotic arm and configured to dispense paint onto a panel of a vehicle.

[0047] Track, said track being attached to and extending away from the paint applicator; and

[0048] A lamp assembly configured to slide along a track and including at least one UV light operable to cure paint on a vehicle panel; and

[0049] A control module configured to: actuate a robotic arm and position a paint applicator relative to the vehicle's panel and position a light assembly relative to the vehicle's panel.

[0050] Option 13. The robot system according to Option 12, wherein the control module is configured to slide the lamp assembly along the track.

[0051] Option 14. The robot system according to Option 12, wherein the control module is configured to pivot the lamp assembly relative to the track.

[0052] Option 15. The robot system according to Option 12, wherein the control module is configured to selectively move the lamp assembly toward and away from the track.

[0053] Option 16. The robot system according to Option 12, wherein the lamp assembly includes a distance sensor configured to measure the distance between the lamp assembly and a panel of the vehicle.

[0054] Option 17. The robot system according to Option 16, wherein the control module is configured to move a light assembly toward and away from the track based on distances measured by a distance sensor.

[0055] Option 18. The robot system according to Option 12, wherein the lamp assembly includes a lamp cover disposed around the at least one UV light ring.

[0056] Option 19. The robot system according to Option 12, wherein the at least one UV light comprises a plurality of UV lights having the same wavelength.

[0057] Option 20. The robot system according to Option 12, wherein the at least one UV light comprises a plurality of UV lights having more than one different wavelength.

[0058] Other areas of application of this disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0059] This disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0060] Figure 1 These are functional block diagrams of the example robot system and the example vehicle;

[0061] Figure 2 This is a side view of the example robot and example light components;

[0062] Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the UV light from the example lamp assembly;

[0063] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the UV light from another example lamp assembly;

[0064] Figure 5 This is a side view of an example lamp assembly and an example terminal actuator in the extended position;

[0065] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The example lamp assembly and the example terminal actuator in the retracted position are shown in the side view;

[0066] Figure 7 This is a side view of an example lamp assembly and an example terminal actuator in the extended position;

[0067] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The example lamp assembly and the example terminal actuator in the retracted position are shown in the side view;

[0068] Figure 9 yes Figure 7-8 The example lamp assembly shown is a bottom view;

[0069] Figure 10 This is a side view of an example lamp assembly and an example terminal actuator in the extended position;

[0070] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 The example lamp assembly and the example terminal actuator in the retracted position are shown in the side view;

[0071] Figure 12 yes Figure 10-11The example lamp assembly shown is a bottom view;

[0072] Figure 13 This is a side view of an example panel of an example robot system and vehicle; and

[0073] Figure 14 This is a side view of the example lamp assembly and the example paint applicator.

[0074] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals may be used repeatedly to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0075] Vehicle panels can be painted and cured during the vehicle's production process. Examples of such panels include interior and exterior vehicle panels. In one example, the panel can be cured using a curing oven after it has been painted. When the panel is placed inside the curing oven, the oven is configured to raise the panel's temperature to a target temperature for a target duration. In one example, the target temperature could be approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and the target duration could be approximately 30 minutes. However, using a curing oven requires energy such as natural gas or electricity, which is expensive and increases the carbon footprint of the vehicle production process.

[0076] In another example, a stationary ultraviolet (UV) lamp can be used to cure the vehicle's panels. The UV lamp applies UV light to the panel for approximately 2 minutes. Compared to using a curing oven, using a UV lamp can cure the panel in a shorter time and consumes less energy.

[0077] However, due to poor visibility between the UV lamp and certain parts of the panel, the UV lamp may fail to cure these parts of the panel. In one example, poor visibility might be caused by the panel's positioning and geometry relative to the UV lamp. Therefore, such parts of the panel may be left uncured.

[0078] In view of the above, this application relates to a robotic system for using light to cure coatings and a lamp assembly for robotic installation. Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram of the example robot system and the example vehicle.

[0079] refer to Figure 1The robot system 100 includes a control module 102, a robot 104, and a lighting assembly 106. The lighting assembly 106 is mounted to the robot 104 and may include UV light. In one example, the UV light may include UV light-emitting diode (LED) light. The control module 102 is configured to operate the robot 104 and the lighting assembly 106. For example, the control module 102 is configured to move the robot 104 to a selected panel 108 of a vehicle 110. The panel 108 of the vehicle 110 may be an interior panel of the vehicle 110, an exterior panel of the vehicle 110, or another suitable panel. The panel 108 may be a swing panel movable between an open position and a closed position, such as a liftgate, door, or hood. This application also applies to non-swinging (e.g., fixed) panels and non-vehicle panels.

[0080] After the panel 108 of vehicle 110 is sprayed with a curable coating (e.g., a UV-curable coating), control module 102 is configured to turn on the UV light of lamp assembly 106. Control module 102 is configured to move robot 104 so that the UV light can reach all target areas of selected panel 108. Robot 104 may have a suitable number of degrees of freedom (DOF), such as 6 DOF or higher. Control module 102 controls the frequency of UV light, the intensity of UV light, and the duration for which UV light will be turned on and output to panel 108.

[0081] Figure 2 This is a side view of the example robot 120 and the example light assembly 122. Figure 3 This is a bottom view of example lamp component 122.

[0082] Robot 120 may include a base 124 and a robotic arm 126. The base 124 may be positioned on the floor surface of a vehicle manufacturing plant, or alternatively on a bracket or another suitable location. The robotic arm 126 extends between a first end 128 and a second end 130 opposite the first end 128. The first end 128 of the robotic arm 126 may be attached to the base 124. The second end 130 of the robotic arm 126 may be attached to a lamp assembly 122.

[0083] The lamp assembly 122 may include a first portion 132, a second portion 134, and a lamp housing 136. The first portion 132 may be directly attached to the second end 130 of the robot arm 126. The second portion 134 may be disposed between the first portion 132 and the lamp housing 136.

[0084] like Figure 3 As shown, the lamp housing 136 may include UV light 138. UV light 138 may be UV light emitted by a light-emitting diode (LED). In the example shown, the lamp housing 136 may be formed in a cylindrical shape. However, the lamp housing may be formed in another suitable shape, such as a square, rectangle, or triangle.

[0085] The UV lights 138 can be arranged in a pattern. In the example shown, the first group of UV lights 138 can be positioned along the outer diameter of the lamp housing 136. The second group of UV lights 138 can be positioned radially inward of the first group of UV lights 138. One or more UV lights 138 can be arranged radially inward of the second group of UV lights 138, for example, at the center 140 of the lamp housing 136. However, the UV lights 138 can be arranged in another suitable pattern.

[0086] In the example shown, UV light 138 comprises 19 UV lights. However, UV light 138 may include another suitable number of UV lights 138. Each UV light 138 may have the same output light wavelength or frequency. For example, each UV light 138 may be UV-A light. UV-A light may have a wavelength ranging from about 315 nanometers (nm) to about 400 nm. In another example, each UV light 138 may be UV-B light. UV-B light may have a wavelength ranging from about 280 nm to about 315 nm. In yet another example, each UV light 138 may be UV-C light. UV-C light may have a wavelength ranging from about 100 nm to about 280 nm. In various embodiments, UV light 138 may include a combination of two or more of UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C light. Different UV light wavelengths can be used to cure different types of coatings. For example, a primer may be cured using UV-C light, while another coating may be cured using UV-A and / or UV-B light.

[0087] In some configurations of the lamp housing, the lamp housing may include UV light with different wavelengths. Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the example lamp housing 150.

[0088] The UV light may include UV-A light 152, UV-B light 154, and UV-C light 156, or combinations thereof. The control module 102 is configured to selectively activate one or more of the UV lights 152, 154, and 156 based on the applied coating. In the example shown, the lamp housing 150 includes six UV-A lights 152, seven UV-B lights 154, and six UV-C lights 156. However, the lamp housing 150 may include another suitable number of UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C lights 152, 154, and 156, and the UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C lights 152, 154, and 156 may be arranged in another suitable pattern. In one example, the lamp housing 150 may also include infrared (IR) light. The control module 102 is configured to selectively activate one or more of the IR lights to cure the coating, for example, when heat is required.

[0089] In some configurations of the lamp assembly, the lamp assembly 160 may include an end effector 162. The end effector 162 is movable to an extended position, a retracted position, and a position between the extended and retracted positions. Figure 5 This is a side view of the example lamp assembly 160, with the example terminal actuator 162 in the extended position. Figure 6 This is a side view of the example lamp assembly 160, with the example terminal actuator 162 in the retracted position.

[0090] Similar to lamp assembly 122, lamp assembly 160 may include a first portion 164, a second portion 166, and a lamp housing 168. An end effector 162 may be attached to the first portion 164 of lamp assembly 160 and may be positioned adjacent to the second portion 166. Control module 102 is configured to... Figure 5 The extended position shown and Figure 6 The terminal actuator 162 is actuated between the retracted positions shown.

[0091] In some examples, panel 108 can be moved from a closed (first) position to an open (second) position to approach another panel 108 or an internal portion of the same panel 108. When the end effector 162 is in the extended position, control module 102 is configured to use a robot (e.g., end effector 162) to move panel 108 from the closed position to the open position. In one example, such as for a fuel door (panel), end effector 162 can be pressed against panel 108 to move panel 108 to the open position. In another example, such as for a liftgate (panel), end effector 162 can operate a control portion of panel 108 (e.g., a button or switch) to move panel 108 to the open position. Control module 102 is configured to operate end effector 162 to move panel 108 from the open position to the closed position.

[0092] The end effector 162 may include a lever 170 and a contact device 172 attached to the lever 170. The lever 170 may extend between a third end 174 and a fourth end 176 opposite to the third end 174. The contact device 172 may be attached to the fourth end 176 of the lever 170. In the example shown, the contact device 172 is shown as a suction cup. However, the contact device 172 may be another suitable type of contact device for actuating and / or physically contacting the panel 108 of the vehicle 110, such as a hook. When the end effector 162 is in the extended position, the lever 170 may extend from the first portion 164 such that both the third end 174 and the fourth end 176 of the lever 170 are located outside the first portion 164. When the end effector 162 is in the retracted position, the lever 170 may be substantially retracted into the first portion 164 such that the third end 174 of the lever 170 is located within the first portion 164 and the contact device 172 is located outside the first portion 164.

[0093] In some configurations of a lamp assembly with an end effector, the end effector may be attached to the lamp housing of the lamp assembly (e.g., attached inside the lamp housing). Figure 7 This is a side view of the example lamp assembly 180, with the example terminal actuator 182 in the extended position. Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The example lamp assembly 180 shown is a side view, with the example terminal actuator 182 in the retracted position. Figure 9 yes Figure 7-8 The example lamp assembly 180 shown is a bottom view.

[0094] Similar to lamp assemblies 122 and 160, lamp assembly 180 may include a first portion 184, a second portion 186, and a lamp housing 188 having a UV light 189. An end effector 182 may be attached to the lamp housing 188. Control module 102 is configured to cause the end effector 182 to... Figure 7 The extended position shown and Figure 8 The panel 108 is moved between the retracted positions shown and configured to move between the open and closed positions using the terminal actuator 182.

[0095] Similar to the end effector 162, the end effector 182 may include a lever 190 and a contact device 192 attached to the lever 190. The lever 190 may extend between a third end 194 and a fourth end 196 opposite to the third end 194. When the end effector 182 is in the extended position, the lever 190 extends from the lamp housing 188 such that both the third end 194 and the fourth end 196 of the lever 190 are located outside the lamp housing 188. When the end effector 182 is in the retracted position, the lever 190 retracts into the lamp assembly 180 such that the third end 194 of the lever 190 is located within the second portion 186, and the contact device 192 is located within the lamp housing 188.

[0096] exist Figure 9 In the example shown, the end effector 182 may be positioned at the center 200 of the lamp housing 188, and the UV light 189 may be arranged circumferentially around the end effector 182 and radially outside the end effector 182. However, the end effector 182 may be positioned in or at another suitable location within the lamp housing 188 or on the lamp housing 188.

[0097] In some configurations of the lamp assembly, the lamp assembly may include a paint applicator. Figure 10 This is a side view of the example lamp assembly 210, with the example terminal actuator 212 and the example paint applicator 214 in the extended position. Figure 11 yes Figure 10 The example lamp assembly 210 shown is a side view with an example terminal actuator 212 and an example paint applicator 214 in the retracted position. Figure 12 yes Figure 10-11 The example lamp assembly 210 shown is a bottom view.

[0098] Similar to lamp assemblies 122, 160, and 180, lamp assembly 210 may include a first portion 216, a second portion 218, and a lamp housing 220 having UV light 222. An end effector 212 may be attached to the first portion 216 of lamp assembly 210 and may be positioned adjacent to the second portion 218. Control module 102 is configured to cause the end effector 212 to... Figure 10 The extended position shown is the same as Figure 11 The panel 108 is moved between the retracted positions shown and configured to move between the open and closed positions using the terminal actuator 212.

[0099] Similar to end effectors 162 and 182, end effector 212 may include a lever 224 and a contact device 226 attached to the lever 224. The lever 224 extends between a third end 228 and a fourth end 230 opposite to the third end 228. When the end effector 212 is in the extended position, the lever 224 extends from the first portion 216 such that both the third end 228 and the fourth end 230 of the lever 224 are located outside the first portion 216. When the end effector 212 is in the retracted position, the lever 224 is substantially retracted into the first portion 216 such that the third end 228 of the lever 224 is located within the first portion 216, and the contact device 226 is located outside the first portion 216.

[0100] The paint applicator 214 can be a high-efficiency paint applicator or another suitable type of paint applicator. The paint applicator 214 can be disposed within the lamp assembly 210. More specifically, the paint applicator 214 can extend through the first portion 216, the second portion 218, and the lamp housing 220. Figure 12 In the example shown, the paint applicator 214 can be positioned at the center 232 of the lamp housing 220, and the UV light 222 can be arranged circumferentially around the end effector 212 and radially outside the paint applicator 214. However, the paint applicator 214 can be positioned in or at another suitable location within the lamp housing 220 or on the lamp housing 220.

[0101] The control module 102 is configured to actuate the paint applicator 214 to output paint onto the panel 108. After spraying, the control module 102 is configured to turn on the UV light 222 to cure the applied paint.

[0102] In some configurations of the robotic system, a paint applicator can be attached to the robot and a lamp assembly can be slidably attached to the paint applicator. Figure 13 This is a side view of the example robot system 240 and panel 108. Figure 14 yes Figure 13 Side view of example paint applicator 242, track assembly 244 and example lamp assembly 246 of the robot system shown.

[0103] Robot system 240 may include robot 120, paint applicator 242, track assembly 244, and lamp assembly 246. Paint applicator 242 may include housing 248 and nozzle 250 attached to housing 248. Housing 248 is directly attached to a second end 130 of robot arm 126. Nozzle 250 may be configured to output (e.g., spray) curable paint. In the example shown, nozzle 250 may be formed in a conical shape. However, nozzle 250 may be formed in another suitable shape. Paint applicator 242 may be a high-efficiency paint applicator or another suitable type of paint applicator.

[0104] The track assembly 244 is attached to the paint applicator 242 using a sleeve 252 or another suitable type of attachment / connection device. The track assembly 244 extends away from the housing 248 of the paint applicator 242. The track assembly 244 may include a track 254 and a slider 256. The track 254 extends between a fifth end 258 and a sixth end 260 opposite to the fifth end 258. The fifth end 258 of the track 254 may be attached to the paint applicator 242. The sixth end 260 of the track 254 may be positioned longitudinally away from the paint applicator 242. Therefore, the track 254 may extend in a substantially longitudinal direction. The slider 256 may be coupled to the track 254 and may slide along the track 254 between the fifth end 258 and the sixth end 260.

[0105] The lamp assembly 246 can be attached to the slider 256 of the track assembly 244, such that the lamp assembly 246 is positioned adjacent to the paint applicator 242. The control module 102 is configured to move the lamp assembly 246 along the track 254.

[0106] The lamp assembly 246 may include a connector 262, a lamp housing 264, and a lamp shade 266. The connector 262 attaches a slider 256 of the track assembly 244 to the lamp housing 264. The lamp housing 264 may be the same as or substantially similar to lamp housings 136, 150. Specifically, the lamp housing 264 includes UV light. The lamp housing 264 may also include a distance sensor 268. The distance sensor 268 is configured to measure the distance between the UV light from the lamp housing 264 and the panel 108 of the vehicle 110.

[0107] The lampshade 266 may include a lamp plate 270 and a lamp cover 272. The lamp plate 270 may be disposed on top of the lamp housing 264 and may extend outward from the lamp housing 264. In the example shown, the lamp plate 270 is formed in a circular shape. However, the lamp plate 270 may be formed in another suitable shape. The lamp cover 272 may extend from the periphery of the lamp plate 270 such that the lamp cover 272 is arranged annularly around the lamp housing 264. The lamp cover 272 may be made of a yellow-dyed cellulose triacetate film or any other suitable material.

[0108] The control module 102 can simultaneously activate the paint applicator 242 to output (e.g., spray) paint and turn on the UV light from the lamp housing 264 to cure the paint. For example, the paint applicator 242 can apply curable paint to a first portion 274 of the panel 108 while the UV light cures a second portion 276 of the already painted panel 108. The lamp housing 272 is positioned to limit the exposure of UV light from the lamp assembly 246 to the first portion 274 of the panel 108 being painted to avoid premature curing.

[0109] Control module 102 is configured to move lamp assembly 246 along slider 256. In some examples, alternatively or additionally, lamp assembly 246 may be moved manually by an operator along slider 256. Control module 102 determines the offset distance for moving lamp assembly 246 along slider 256 based on the duration of settling of the curable coating before the curing process begins.

[0110] Control module 102 is configured to move lamp assembly 246 relative to slider 256. In the example shown, connector 262 is configured to move in a substantially vertical direction, thereby moving lamp housing 264 vertically upward and downward in the corresponding direction. Additionally, lamp housing 264 may be configured to rock (e.g., pivot) relative to connector 262. Lamp housing 264 may also rock in another suitable direction. Control module 102 determines the movement of lamp assembly 246 based on distance from distance sensor 268. More specifically, control module 102 adjusts the output intensity of UV light and the distance from distance sensor 268 to achieve a target intensity at panel 108.

[0111] The foregoing description is illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or use. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, specification, and appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, while each of the embodiments described above is described as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with reference to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented in and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if such combinations are not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more embodiments for each other remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0112] Various terms are used to describe spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.), including “connected,” “joined,” “linked,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top,” “above,” “below,” and “set.” Unless explicitly described as “direct,” when describing the relationship between first and second elements in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which no other intermediate elements exist between the first and second elements, or an indirect relationship in which one or more intermediate elements exist between the first and second elements (spatially or functionally). As used herein, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” should be interpreted as meaning logic using the non-exclusive logic “OR” (A or B or C) and should not be interpreted as meaning “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0113] In a diagram, the direction of the arrows typically indicates the flow of information (e.g., data or instructions) of interest. For example, when components A and B exchange various types of information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the diagram, the arrow may point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. Furthermore, for information sent from component A to component B, component B may send a request for the information or an acknowledgment of receipt of the information to component A.

[0114] In this application, including the following definitions, the term "module" or "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include the following: application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field-programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; memory circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor circuitry; other suitable hardware components that provide the aforementioned functionality; or some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0115] A module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module disclosed herein may be distributed across multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow for load balancing. In another example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0116] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions implemented in a computer program. The aforementioned function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements serve as software specifications that can be routinely converted into computer programs by skilled technicians or programmers.

[0117] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may encompass a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of a 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.

[0118] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Symbolization); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code executed by an interpreter; (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler; and so on. As an example only, programs from languages ​​including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, and Lisp can be used. Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language, 5th Revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and Use the syntax of the language to write source code.

Claims

1. A robotic system for curing paint on vehicle panels, comprising: A robotic arm, the robotic arm including a first end and a second end opposite to the first end; A lamp assembly disposed at the second end of a robotic arm and comprising at least one ultraviolet (UV) light configured to cure a coating on a vehicle panel; and The control module is configured to: The robotic arm is actuated and the light assembly is positioned relative to the vehicle's panel. as well as Selectively turn the at least one UV light on and off; The robot system also includes an end effector attached to the light assembly and operable to move the vehicle's panel between a first position and a second position.

2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one UV light includes at least one UV light emitting diode (LED) light.

3. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one UV light includes multiple UV lights.

4. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein, Each of the plurality of UV lights has the same light output wavelength.

5. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein, The plurality of UV lights include at least two of UV-A, UV-B and UV-C light.

6. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The end effector can move between an extended position and a retracted position.

7. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The terminal actuator is positioned next to the at least one UV light.

8. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one UV light includes a plurality of UV lights; and The terminal actuator is located radially inside the plurality of UV lights.

9. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The lamp assembly includes a paint applicator.

10. The robot system according to claim 9, wherein: The at least one UV light includes a plurality of UV lights; and The paint applicator is positioned radially inside the plurality of UV rays.

11. A robotic system for curing paint on a vehicle panel, comprising: A robotic arm, the robotic arm including a first end and a second end opposite to the first end; A paint applicator is located at the second end of a robotic arm and configured to dispense paint onto a panel of a vehicle. A track, which is attached to the paint applicator and extends away from the paint applicator; as well as A lamp assembly configured to slide along a track and including at least one UV light operable to cure coating on a vehicle panel; A control module configured to: actuate a robotic arm and position a paint applicator relative to the vehicle's panel and position a lamp assembly relative to the vehicle's panel; and An end effector, which is attached to the light assembly and operable to move the vehicle's panel between a first position and a second position.

12. The robot system according to claim 11, wherein, The control module is configured to slide the light assembly along the track.

13. The robot system according to claim 11, wherein, The control module is configured to pivot the lamp assembly relative to the track.

14. The robot system according to claim 11, wherein, The control module is configured to selectively move the lamp assembly toward and away from the track.

15. The robot system according to claim 11, wherein, The light assembly includes a distance sensor configured to measure the distance between the light assembly and the vehicle's dashboard.

16. The robot system according to claim 15, wherein, The control module is configured to move a light assembly toward and away from the track based on the distance measured by a distance sensor.

17. The robot system according to claim 11, wherein, The lamp assembly includes a lamp cover disposed around the at least one UV light ring.

18. The robot system according to claim 11, wherein, The at least one UV light includes multiple UV lights having the same wavelength.

19. The robot system according to claim 11, wherein, The at least one UV light includes multiple UV lights having more than one different wavelength.

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