DOUGLAS ROY DREW
Engineers in Lynchburg, VA
License number
Virginia 0402026202
Issued Date
Jun 13, 1995
Expiration Date
Jun 30, 1997
Category
Professional Engineer License
Type
Professional Engineer
Address
Address
Lynchburg, VA
Professional information
Six-Degree-Of-Freedom Compliancy/Breakaway Device
US Patent:
5484219, Jan 16, 1996
Filed:
Feb 22, 1994
Appl. No.:
8/200047
Inventors:
Douglas R. Drew - Lynchburg VA
Michael A. Paul - Lynchburg VA
V. Edward Stubbs - Lynchburg VA
Michael A. Paul - Lynchburg VA
V. Edward Stubbs - Lynchburg VA
Assignee:
The Babcock & Wilcox Company - New Orleans LA
International Classification:
F16D 302
US Classification:
403 57
Abstract:
A compliancy joint for a robot has six degrees of compliancy freedom and comprises a housing having an inner ring. A float block is movably disposed in the interior of the housing and a plurality of circumferentially arranged pneumatic cylinders on the housing apply force circumferentially to the float block. Sensors are used to detect when the float block is near its compliancy limit and a controller is operatively connected to the sensors and the cylinders for preventing the float block from reaching its compliancy limit. This joint is able to break away from the robot should the robot exceed the device's compliancy limit, preventing damage to the robot and robot end of arm tooling.