Gripping device

Abstract

The invention relates to a gripping device (1) for at least one part (3) comprising one or more attachment points (4) to a plate (5). According to the invention, the gripping device (1) comprises at least one gripper (2) comprising means for gripping the part (3) and means for releasing the part (3), the gripping device also comprising means for moving the gripper (2) in space (X,Y,Z) and a control unit capable of acquiring the coordinates of the one or more attachment points (4) of the part (3) and of controlling the means for gripping the part (3), the means for releasing the part (3) and the means for moving the one or more grippers (2).

Description

Title of the invention: Gripping device

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of gripping devices, for at least one part comprising one or more attachment points to a plate.

[0002] In a known manner, a laser cuts desired parts from a plate. The plate may be metallic or comprise non-ferrous materials such as aluminum or copper as well as plastic materials. The associated cutting means are adapted to the use of the material.

[0003] In the above field, it is known to recover such laser-machined parts manually, that is to say that an operator, by means of, for example, a hammer, strikes the plate at the attachment points to release the part. The part is thus ejected from the plate and these two successive steps can cause damage to the part. In addition, this is a laborious step for the operator.

[0004] The invention aims to overcome these problems by proposing an automated and secure device. Advantageously, the automation of the steps of releasing an attachment point and recovering the part makes it possible to do away with manual operations and thus facilitates work at these stations.

[0005] Thus, the invention relates to a gripping device for at least one part comprising one or more attachment points to a plate.

[0006] According to the invention, the gripping device comprises at least one gripper comprising means for gripping the part and means for releasing the part, the gripping device also comprising means for moving the gripper in space (X, Y, Z) and a control unit capable of acquiring the coordinates of the attachment point(s) of the part and of controlling the means for gripping the part, the means for releasing the part and the means for moving the gripper(s).

[0007] The implementation of an automated gripper by a control unit with a dual function, namely the release of a part in the plate and the removal of said part from the plate, allows a saving of time in the process of gripping the part while guaranteeing the integrity of the part.

[0008] Advantageously, the implementation of such a gripper allows the gripping device according to the invention to also be compatible with the removal of a part without an attachment point to the plate.

[0009] According to a characteristic of the invention, the means for releasing the part comprise a module for releasing an attachment point located on a lower face of the gripper intended to be opposite the plate, the release module comprising an external cutting part capable of translating and having a movement of rotation in the Z direction. The implementation of a module for releasing an attachment point at the gripper level allows the gripping device to be compacted. The implementation of a tip or a cutting part is compatible with most laser cutting processes to release an attachment point; it is in fact an act of drilling at the level of an attachment point.

[0010] According to another characteristic of the invention, the gripping device comprises means for depositing the part, the control unit being capable of controlling the means for depositing said part. Providing for the depositing of the parts makes it possible to release and stack several parts in succession at a chosen location.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the gripping means of the gripper comprise suction cups located on a lower face of the gripper intended to be opposite the plate. The use of a suction cup allows effective and secure gripping of a part released from the plate.

[0012] According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the suction cups are pneumo-magnetic suction cups. The pneumo-magnetic suction cups have a dual pneumatic and magnetic function, thus increasing the grip of the suction cups on the plate and making it possible to select the suction cups that one wishes to activate. In addition, the use of suction cups makes it possible both to pick up a part and to place it. This type of suction cup also allows the use of the gripping device on various materials.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit is capable of controlling the suction cups independently of one another. Activating certain suction cups independently makes it possible to target the suction cups opposite the part in the plate to only recover the part when the gripper is in contact with the plate.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least two suction cups comprise different dimensions. Providing large and small suction cups allows the gripper to be able to pick up all sizes of part, with the larger suction cups allowing heavier parts to be lifted.

[0015] According to a feature of the invention, each suction cup is mounted on a pneumatic cylinder capable of moving in the Z direction and the control unit is capable of activating the cylinders independently of each other. In this way, the suction cups have a limited stroke towards the plate and the suction cups which are not active can, for example, be used to press the plate outside the part in order to prevent the part from getting stuck in the skeleton of the plate and thus facilitate its removal. The independent control of the cylinders also makes it possible to place the part in a chosen bin without conflict with the edges and, for example, to stack several parts side by side.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the gripping device comprises a robotic bench capable of moving the gripper(s).

[0017] According to a particular form of the invention, the robotic bench comprises a horizontal arm mounted on a frame capable of translating along the frame in the X direction and a vertical arm mounted on the horizontal arm capable of translating along the horizontal arm in the Y direction and of translating in the Z direction, a gripper being mounted at one end of the vertical arm so as to have a lower face of the gripper facing the plate.

[0018] According to a characteristic of the invention, the vertical arm comprises at one of its ends a crown capable of rotating the gripper around the Z axis and a slide system allowing the displacement of a part of the gripper in the plane (X',Y'). The reference frame (X',Y',Z) is the reference system of a gripper moving in the space (X,Y,Z) previously defined corresponding to the reference system of the robotic bench. According to this embodiment, the gripper(s) always have a lower face parallel to the plate orthogonal to the Z direction.

[0019] The implementation of gripper rotation means makes it possible to position the gripper optimally facing the part to be removed. According to the embodiment of gripping means comprising suction cups, this makes it possible to place the suction cups on the part outside the cutting lines, thus optimizing the gripping of the part.

[0020] The slide system also makes it possible to refine the position of the means for gripping the part, and in particular when suction cups of different sizes are used in order to place the desired suction cups in the appropriate location.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the gripping device further comprises a detection system located near the gripper capable of detecting an attachment point, the control unit being capable of adapting the movement of the gripper according to the information obtained by the detection system.

[0022] The addition of a detection system such as a camera at the gripper level makes it possible to increase the precision and in particular the precise coordinates of the attachment point in order to best adjust the position of the means for releasing the part from the gripper.

[0023] The invention also relates to a method for removing a part comprising at least one point of attachment to a plate comprising the following steps: - Implementation of the plate in a gripping device according to the invention, - Acquisition of the following information: number of attachment points of the part to the plate and coordinates of each of the points, - Movement of the gripper so as to position the means of releasing the part opposite the first attachment point, - Release of the first attachment point, - Repeat the two previous steps until the last attachment point, - Moving the gripper so as to position the release means opposite the last attachment point, - Activation of the part release means, - Release of the last attachment point and, - Removal of the part.

[0024] Advantageously, the step of releasing the last attachment point is accompanied by the removal of the part.

[0025] According to a characteristic of the invention, the method of removing a part further comprises the following step: - Activation of the part gripping means, before the step of activating the part release means. Depending on the embodiment of the part gripping means, for example comprising suction cups mounted on cylinders that can be activated independently of each other, the activation of the suction cups opposite the part ensures that the part is held in place when the last attachment point is released, and the activation of the suction cups and cylinders located outside the part ensures that the skeleton bordering the part is held during extraction.

[0026] The precise steps of the method of removing a part relating to different embodiments of the gripping device according to the invention are described below.

[0027] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0028] Furthermore, various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the appended description given with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting forms of embodiment of the invention and where:

[0029] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of an example of a gripping device according to the invention,

[0030] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of a detail of the gripping device of [Fig. 1]

[0031] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of the detail of [Fig.2] from another angle,

[0032] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of a detail of the gripping device of [Fig. 1]

[0033] [Fig.5] is a flat top view of [Fig.2],

[0034] [Fig.6] is a flat view from below of [Fig.2],

[0035] [Fig.7] is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a means of li beration of the part of a gripping device according to the invention,

[0036] [Fig.8] is a top view of an example of a plate carrying parts compatible with the gripping device according to the invention,

[0037] [Fig.9] is a perspective view of a step in carrying out the method of removing a part according to the invention,

[0038] [Fig. 10] is a perspective view of a step in carrying out the method of removing a part according to the invention,

[0039] [Fig. 11] is a perspective view of a step in carrying out the method of removing a part according to the invention, and

[0040] [Fig. 12] is a perspective view of a step in carrying out the method of removing a part according to the invention.

[0041] It should be noted that in these figures the structural and / or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references.

[0042] The invention aims to propose a system for removing at least one pre-cut part from a plate. For these purposes, a gripping device designated by the reference 1 as illustrated in [Fig.l] comprises at least one gripper 2 provided with double means, on the one hand, means for releasing the part 3 which comprises at least one attachment point 4 to a plate 5, and on the other hand, means for gripping said part 3 in order to remove it entirely from the plate 5. According to certain embodiments and in particular the illustrated embodiment, the gripping means can also serve as means for depositing the part 3 in a chosen location such as a bin near the gripping device 1.

[0043] According to the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.l], the gripping device 1 comprises two grippers 2 each mounted on a robotic bench 10. For the purposes of the invention, the robotic bench 10 allows the movement of the gripper 2 in space (X,Y,Z). According to an embodiment not illustrated, the gripping device 1 comprises a single gripper 2 suitable for carrying out the invention. The implementation of two grippers 2 is possible on such a robotic bench 10 and makes it possible to speed up the operations, the two grippers 2 being able to operate in parallel on different areas of the plate 5 without conflicting with each other.

[0044] A robotic bench 10 compatible with the invention and illustrated in [Fig.l] in the form of a Cartesian robot comprises a frame 11 on which are mounted two horizontal arms 12 capable of translating along the frame 11 in the X direction. The robotic bench 10 also comprises two vertical arms 13. Each horizontal arm 12 carries a vertical arm 13, a vertical arm 13 being capable of translating in the Z direction and in the Y direction relative to the respective horizontal arm 12. Other embodiments (not illustrated) comprising a robotic bench 10 comprising a single articulated robotic arm allowing the gripper 2 freedom of movement in space (X,Y,Z) are compatible with the invention.

[0045] The gripping device 1 comprises a control unit (not shown) capable of mapping the plate 5, the mapping being able to be obtained for example by FAO (Computer Aided Manufacturing). The coordinates of the attachment point(s) 4 of each of the pre-cut parts 3 to be removed from the plate 5 are thus known. The control unit is also capable of controlling the robotic bench 10 allowing the movement of the gripper(s) 2.

[0046] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a gripper 2 mounted on a vertical arm 13.

[0047] According to the illustrated embodiment, the gripper 2 has substantially the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with an upper face comprising an interface allowing it to be fixed to the vertical arm 13 and a lower face intended to be substantially parallel to the plate 5 and in particular to the part 3 to be removed.

[0048] According to the embodiment illustrated in figures 2, 3 and 4, the connection interface between the gripper 2 and the vertical arm 13 comprises a crown 20 allowing the rotation of the gripper 2 around the Z axis which is the longitudinal axis of the vertical arm 13. An orientation motor 21 is mounted on the vertical arm 13 in order to actuate the crown 20. The addition of a rotary movement around the Z axis for the gripper 2 defines a reference frame of the gripper (X', Y', Z).

[0049] The control unit also makes it possible to control the orientation motor 21 in order to act on the rotation means of the gripper(s) 2.

[0050] According to the illustrated embodiment, the connection interface between the gripper 2 and the vertical arm 13 also comprises a slide system formed by two sets of two pads 22 capable of translating respectively in two parallel translation rails 23 located on the upper face of the gripper 2 allowing a part of the gripper 2 a translation movement in the direction Y'. A translation motor 24 mounted on the gripper 2 is capable of acting on the belt connected to the translation rails 23 in order to allow a relative translation movement of a part of the gripper 2 with respect to the vertical arm 13.

[0051] According to the embodiment illustrated and notably visible in figures 5 and 6, the gripper 2 comprises an outer casing 25 in translation with a central part 26 fixed to the crown 20. The translation motor 24 then allows the translation of the outer casing 25 relative to the central part 26 of the gripper 2.

[0052] The control unit also makes it possible to control the translation motor 24 in order to act on the relative translation means of the gripper 2.

[0053] According to the embodiment illustrated in particular in figures 4 and 6, the means for gripping and removing the part 3 are provided by a set of suction cups 30 positioned on its lower face of a gripper 2.

[0054] In order to be able to adapt to the different sizes of part 3 to be removed, one half of the outer casing 25 comprises a set of six large suction cups 30 and another half comprises a set of ten small suction cups 30. And, the central part 26 comprises a set of six small suction cups 30. Other arrangements, sizes and technologies of suction cups 30 on the underside of the gripper 2 are compatible with the invention.

[0055] According to the illustrated embodiment, the suction cups 30 are pneumomagnetic suction cups. The pneumomagnetic suction cups 30, when activated, make it possible to exert a magnetic force and / or a pneumatic force on the surface with which they are in contact. Other types of suction cups 30 are compatible depending on the materials used and depending on the nature and shape of the attachment points 4 of the part 3 to the plate 5.

[0056] Each suction cup 30 is mounted on a jack 32 thus allowing a translational movement of the suction cup 30 independently of each other in the Z direction. A jack 32 is controlled to extend or retract a rod 31 on which a suction cup 30 is fixed.

[0057] Control blocks are provided in order, on the one hand, to activate the magnetic and / or pneumatic properties of each of the suction cups 30, and on the other hand to activate or not each cylinder 32 independently of each other.

[0058] According to the illustrated embodiment, such control blocks comprise pneumatic distribution islands 33 located on either side of the outer casing 25 of the gripper 2. Other configurations are possible within the framework of the invention.

[0059] The control unit makes it possible to act on the control blocks to independently control the suction cups 30 and the cylinders 32.

[0060] The gripper 2 according to the invention is also provided with means for releasing the part 3 in the plate 5. According to the illustrated embodiment, the means for releasing the part 3 comprise a release module 40 comprising an external cutting part capable of translating in the Z direction visible in particular in Figures 6 and 7. [Fig.7] illustrates a release module 40 comprising a drill 41 compatible for example with attachment points 4 on a metal plate 5 in the form of an attachment tab. For its purposes, the gripping device 1 comprises two motors of the release module 42 allowing the drill 41 to rotate on itself and to translate in the Z direction in order to bring it into contact with the plate 5 and in particular the attachment point 4 to be released.

[0061] Other release means depending on the nature of the materials and the shape of the attachment points 4 are implemented within the framework of the invention. According to other embodiments, the plate 5 comprises non-ferrous materials such as aluminum, stainless steel or even wood. And, the release module 40 may for example comprise a laser to melt an attachment point 4.

[0062] The control unit also makes it possible to control the means for releasing the part 3, and in particular, according to the illustrated embodiment, the motor(s) of the release module 42 acting on release module 40.

[0063] In order to implement the gripping device 1 according to the invention, a first step consists of placing a plate 5 comprising a part 3 to be removed in the gripping device 1. Such a plate 5 illustrated in [Fig.8] comprises several parts 3 of different sizes and shapes. According to the illustrated embodiment, the parts 3 all comprise at least one attachment point 4 to the plate 5. A plate 5 comprising parts 3 completely cut from the plate 5 can also be implemented in the gripping device 1. The step of releasing the part 3 is then simply passed.

[0064] The control unit holds the mapping information of the plate 5 and in particular the coordinates of the attachment point(s) 4 of each part 3 in the plate 5. This information can be entered manually into the control system or retrieved directly from an upstream workstation.

[0065] The next step consists of activating the movement means of one of the grippers 2 so as to position the release module 40 opposite the first attachment point 4. To do this, the horizontal arm 12 translates in the X direction along the frame 11 and the vertical arm 13 translates in the Y direction along the horizontal arm 12. The vertical arm 13 translates in the Z direction in order to bring the gripper 2 closer to the plate 5.

[0066] The control unit then drives the two motors of the release module 42 in order to activate the drill 41 to break the attachment point 4.

[0067] The control unit simultaneously controls the orientation motor 21 and the translation motor 24 in order to place the selected suction cups 30 outside the part 3. The control unit can in fact activate certain jacks 32 in order to place the selected suction cups 30 in contact with the part 3 to allow the suction cups 30 to press against the plate 5, thus limiting deformations of the part 3 and preventing the part 3 from getting stuck in the skeleton of the plate 5.

[0068] The operation continues in this way until the last attachment point 4 of the part 3 in the plate 5.

[0069] At the last attachment point 5, the control unit simultaneously controls the means of rotation and relative translation of the gripper 2 in order to position the suction cups 30 chosen opposite the part 3 to be removed. The suction cups 30 chosen are those adapted to the size of the part 3 to be removed.

[0070] The control unit then controls the pneumatic distribution islands 33 in order to activate the cylinders 32 to lower the suction cups 30 chosen opposite the part 3 and to activate the pneumatic and / or magnetic force of the suction cups 30 so that the chosen suction cups 30 engage with the part 3.

[0071] This step is therefore twofold. On the one hand, the last attachment point 4 will be broken from so as to completely release part 3 and part 3 will be recovered by gripper 2 as shown in figures 11 and 12.

[0072] The control unit also controls the pneumatic distribution islands 33 in order to activate the cylinders 32 of the suction cups 30 located outside the part 3, thus bringing them into contact with the plate 5. The cylinders 32 are put in rod outlet and exhaust, that is to say that the cylinders 32 do not exert any force either when the rod 31 is retracted or when the rod 31 is extended. These suction cups 30 located outside the part 3 then make it possible to press on the plate 5 during removal in order to prevent the part 3 from getting stuck in the skeleton of the plate 5.

[0073] Then, the removal method according to the invention comprises a step of depositing the part 3 in a chosen location.

[0074] The jacks 32 of the suction cups 30 outside the part 3 are then activated so as to retract the rods 31 and therefore to raise said suction cups 30.

[0075] The control unit then controls the vertical arm 13 and the horizontal arm 12 to bring the gripper 2 and therefore the released part 3, for example, towards a specific bin.

[0076] The control unit then deactivates the suction cups 30 engaged with the part 3 in order to place it in the chosen location.

[0077] The parts 3 thus removed can be recovered, for example in a bin, or even sorted into different bins according to various criteria such as size or shape.

[0078] Advantageously, the removal step also makes it possible to stack the parts 3.

[0079] And, to place the part 3 next to a stack of parts 3 already formed, the jacks 32 are controlled so as to be able to lower the part 3 by a height corresponding to the length of the corresponding rod 31.

[0080] According to the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.l], the gripping device 1 comprises two grippers 2 which can act independently, thus making it possible to reduce the time taken to remove the parts 3 from a plate 5. The control unit can thus control the movement means of each of the grippers 2 independently and in parallel so that the grippers 2 do not touch each other.

[0081] Of course, various other modifications may be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims

1. Gripping device (1) for at least one part (3) comprising one or more attachment points (4) to a plate (5), characterized in that the gripping device (1) comprises at least one gripper (2) comprising means for gripping the part (3) and means for releasing the part (3), the gripping device also comprising means for moving the gripper (2) in space (X, Y, Z) and a control unit capable of acquiring the coordinates of the attachment point(s) (4) of the part (3) and of controlling the means for gripping the part (3), the means for releasing the part (3) and the means for moving the gripper(s) (2).

2. Gripping device (1) according to the preceding claim in which the means for releasing the part (3) comprise a release module (40) from an attachment point (4) located on a lower face of the gripper (2) intended to be opposite the plate (5), the release module (40) comprising an external cutting part capable of translating and having a rotational movement in the direction (Z).

3. Gripping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims comprising means for depositing the part (3), the control unit being capable of controlling the means for depositing said part (3).

4. Gripping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims in which the gripping means of the gripper (2) comprise suction cups (30) located on a lower face of the gripper (2) intended to be opposite the plate (5).

5. Gripping device (1) according to the preceding claim in which the suction cups (30) are pneumo-magnetic suction cups (30).

6. Gripping device according to one of claims 3 or 4 in which the control unit is capable of controlling suction cups (30) independently of one another.

7. Gripping device (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5 in which at least two suction cups (30) comprise different dimensions.

8. Gripping device (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6 in which each suction cup (30) is mounted on a pneumatic cylinder (32) capable of moving in the direction (Z) and the control unit is capable of activating the cylinders (32) independently of each other.

9. Gripping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims comprising a robotic bench capable of moving the gripper(s) (2).

10. Gripping device (1) according to the preceding claim in which the robotic bench (10) comprises a horizontal arm (12) mounted on a frame (11) capable of translating along the frame (11) in the direction (X) and a vertical arm (13) mounted on the horizontal arm (12) capable of translating along the horizontal arm (12) in the direction Y and of translating in the direction (Z), a gripper (2) being mounted at one end of the vertical arm (13) so as to have a lower face of the gripper (2) facing the plate (5).

11. Gripping device (1) according to the preceding claim in which the vertical arm (13) comprises at one of its ends a crown (20) capable of rotating the gripper (2) around the axis (Z) and a slide system allowing the movement of a part of the gripper (2) in the plane (X',Y').

12. Gripping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims further comprising a detection system located near the gripper (2) capable of detecting an attachment point (4), the control unit being capable of adapting the movement of the gripper (2) according to the information obtained by the detection system.

13. Method for removing a part (3) comprising at least one attachment point (4) to a plate (5) comprising the following steps: - Implementation of the plate (5) in a gripping device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, - Acquisition of the following information: number of attachment points (4) of the part (3) to the plate (5) and coordinates of each of the points, - Movement of the gripper (2) so as to arrange the means for releasing the part (3) opposite the first attachment point (4), - Release of the first attachment point (4), - Repetition of the two previous steps up to the last attachment point (4), - Movement of the gripper (2) so as to arrange the means for releasing opposite the last attachment point (4), - Activation of the means for releasing the part (3), - Release of the last attachment point (4) and, - Removal of the part (3).

14. Method for removing a part (3) according to the preceding claim further comprising the following step: - Activation of the means for gripping the part (3), before the step activation of the part release means (3).

15. Method for removing a part (3) according to one of claims 13 or 14 further comprising a step of depositing the part (3) in a chosen container.

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