Patent Application
20060182557
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of German Patent Application No. 10 2004 056 285.7 filed Nov. 22, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The field relates to a device with at least one manipulator system for the shape-independent and/or size-independent connecting of individual components to form sections for transportation vehicles, such as aircraft.
At present, the process of connecting individual components to form sections in the construction of aircraft is still carried out manually. Connecting, for example, is carried out by riveting or welding tools that are manually positioned at the respective connection points.
There are many positioning devices known for positioning a riveting tool at a respective connection point or points, using a suitably designed guide or jig. In such devices, it is necessary for each section of different size to provide a special guide for controlling the path of a tool, such as a drilling tool, riveting tool, welding tool, bonding tool or the like. For example, if the guide is of annular shape, processing of annular seams on the outer surfaces of the sections, a specially adapted guide for sections of different diameters, lengths and/or cross-sectional geometries is required.
Consequently, known devices are not suitable for connecting sections of different dimensions for aircraft, such as sections with varying cross-sectional geometries and/or lengths.
A device allows for automatically connecting individual components to form sections, the device being adaptable to dimensions and/or the shapes of the independent components or sections that are substantially different.
According to an embodiment, a device with at least one manipulator system for shape-independent and/or size-independent connecting of individual components to form sections for transportation vehicles, such as aircraft, wherein at least one manipulator system may be spatially positioned for the shape-independent and/or size-independent connection of at least one section by using at least one positioning device.
In that at least one manipulator system may be spatially positioned for shape-independent and/or size-independent connecting of at least one section by at least one positioning device, one advantage is that a device according to one embodiment of the invention allows for at least partly automatic forming of sections of different lengths and/or cross-sectional geometries (e.g. curvatures) for aircraft using just one universal device.
Another advantage is that a device may include one or more manipulator systems comprising one or more articulated robots, which provides a large degree of flexibility in the use of the device with respect to different sizes and geometries of the sections to be processed.
Another advantage is that an articulated robot may comprise a processing device, which allows for processing of the sections with a variety of different tools.
Another advantage is that a positioning device may comprise one or more vertical positioners that are moveable on at least one guiding element using a traversing unit, allowing for movement of the manipulator system over extended spatial regions such that processing of sections with a variety of geometric shapes and sizes may be carried out with just one universal device. Another advantage of this positioning device is that both the top and the bottom of the sections may be processed at the same time.
According to another embodiment of the invention at least one positioning device is arranged in each case so as to be substantially parallel to, and spaced apart from, a longitudinal side of the section, wherein each positioning device comprises at least two stationary vertical positioners.
This arrangement may allow for better positioning accuracy of the manipulator systems located on the vertical positioners because the vertical positioners may be arranged so as to be stationary. Moreover, this embodiment may allow for processing of the entire surface of each section.
According to a further embodiment of the invention at least one positioning device comprises at least one guiding element, wherein at least one traversing unit with at least one receptacle is arranged on the single guiding element or on the several guiding elements. One advantage is that precise processing of the sections in the lower region may be achieved.
According to another embodiment at least one processing device comprises at least one processing element for connecting the individual components, such as a riveting device, a welding device, a pressing device, a clamping device, a bonding device or the like.
According to yet another embodiment at least one processing device comprises at least one processing element for machining the individual components, in particular a drilling device and/or a milling device.
According to still another embodiment at least one processing device comprises at least one processing element for treating the surfaces of the individual components, such as a grinding device, painting device and/or a polishing device.
According to yet still another embodiment least one processing device comprises at least one processing element for applying sealing means.
According to a further embodiment, the device further comprises at least one control and regulating device.
According to yet a further embodiment, each of at least one positioning device comprises at least one vertical positioner, wherein the vertical positioner or the vertical positioners may be moved on at least one guiding element with the use of a traversing unit.
According to still a further embodiment, the guiding element or the several guiding elements are arranged in the region of a base such that they extend substantially parallel to, and are spaced apart from, at least one longitudinal side of the section.
According to yet still a further embodiment, in the region of at least one transverse side of the section at least one guiding element is arranged in the region of a base.
According to another embodiment, the vertical positioners may be moved parallel to the longitudinal sides of the section and/or parallel to at least one transverse side of the section.
According to still another embodiment in each case, at least one vertically movable longitudinal tie-bar is arranged between at least two vertical positioners.
According to yet another embodiment, the longitudinal tie-bar or the longitudinal tie-bars comprise at least one receptacle with at least one articulated robot.
According to yet still another embodiment, the receptacle or the receptacles may be moved on the longitudinal tie-bar or on the longitudinal tie-bars.
According to a further embodiment, at least one articulated robot is rotatably and/or movably accommodated in the region of the receptacle or the receptacles.
According to still a further embodiment, at least one positioning device is arranged in each case so as to be substantially parallel to, and spaced apart from, a longitudinal side of the section, wherein each positioning device comprises at least two stationary vertical positioners.
According to yet a further embodiment in each case, at least one vertically movable longitudinal tie-bar is arranged between at least two vertical positioners.
According to yet still a further embodiment, at least one receptacle is arranged on the longitudinal tie-bar or on the longitudinal tie-bars.
According to another embodiment the receptacle or the receptacles may be moved on the longitudinal tie-bar or the longitudinal tie-bars.
According to still another embodiment, at least one articulated robot is rotatably and/or movably accommodated in the region of at least one receptacle.
According to yet another embodiment, at least one positioning device comprises at least one guiding element, wherein at least one traversing unit is arranged on the one guiding element or on the several guiding elements.
According to yet still another embodiment, at least one guiding element is arranged in the region of the base such that it extends substantially parallel to, and is spaced apart from, at least one longitudinal side of the section.
According to a further embodiment, at least one receptacle is arranged on the traversing unit or the traversing units.
According to still a further embodiment, at least one articulated robot is rotatably and/or movably accommodated in the region of the receptacle or the receptacles.
Further advantages of the devices according to embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the disclosure, the drawings and the claims.
Identical or similar elements in the figures are marked with identical or similar reference signs in order to make comparisons easier.
Furthermore, the device according to one embodiment of the invention comprises two positioning devices 3, 4. Each positioning device 3, 4 comprises two vertical positioners 5, 6, 7, 8. The vertical positioners 5, 6 rest on a traversing unit 9, while the vertical positioners 7, 8 are arranged on a traversing unit 10. The traversing units 9, 10, in turn, are arranged on guiding elements 11, 12 such that they may be moved in the x-direction. In this arrangement, the guiding elements 11, 12 are arranged on the base 2 such that they extend substantially parallel to, and are spaced apart from, the longitudinal sides 13, 14 of the section. The guiding elements 11, 12, for example, may be rail guides or the like, on which the traversing units 9, 10 are accommodated such that they may be moved in the x-direction. By the use of the traversing units 9, 10 in conjunction with the guide elements 11, 12, spatially extensive positioning of the positioning devices 3, 4 in the x-direction may be allowed.
Moreover, each positioning device 3, 4 may comprise a manipulator system 15, 16. In the embodiment shown in
A substantially horizontally arranged longitudinal tie-bar 17, 18 is arranged between each of a first pair of vertical positioners 5, 6 and a second pair of vertical positioners 7,8. The longitudinal tie-bars 17, 18 are accommodated on the vertical positioners 5 to 8 such that they are able to slide in the z-direction by the respective traversing units 19, 20, 21, 22. Receptacles 23, 24 are mounted on the longitudinal tie-bars 17, 18 and are arranged to support the manipulator systems 15, 16, which. The receptacles 23, 24 provide for displacement of the manipulator systems 15, 16 in both the x-direction and the y-direction. In addition, the manipulator systems 15, 16 may also be rotated by the receptacles 23, 24. The manipulator systems 15, 16 each comprise articulated arms (not designated in detail) with points of articulation that allow the positioning of the articulated arm in at least 6 axes and with several degrees of freedom, as is well known in the art.
By aid of the longitudinal tie-bars 17, 18, the manipulator systems 15, 16 may be positioned independently of the movement of the traversing unit 9, 10 and/or of the positioning of the manipulator systems 15, 16. This supplementary positioning option is used for aligning the manipulator systems 15, 16. In the end regions of the respective articulated arms, each manipulator system 15, 16 comprises a processing device, in particular processing elements 25, 26. The processing elements 25, 26, for example, may comprise drilling tools, riveting tools, welding tools, sealing tools or bonding tools in order to definitively connect the section 1, which is formed from tacked individual components, to form a finished section 1. The individual components,for example, are bottom shells, lateral shells, top shells and floor frames for forming a complete section 1. By aid of the positioning devices 3, 4, the processing elements 25, 26 may be positioned almost in any desired spatial position and/or in the x-, y- and z-directions.
As illustrated in the example of
The device according to one embodiment of the invention allows for almost any desired spatial positioning of the processing elements 25, 26 arranged on the ends of the articulated arms of the manipulator systems 15, 16 by using the positioning devices 3, 4 to complement the movement options of the manipulator systems 15, 16 themselves. In this arrangement, from several individual components, such as bottom shells, lateral shells, top shells and floor frames, sections 1 having different diameters and/or lengths may be connected to form finished sections 1 with the use of just one universal device.
Furthermore, in one example, the device comprises a turning apparatus 31 with a guiding element 32 arranged thereon. The turning apparatus 31 itself may again be moved on guiding elements 33 along a traverse side 34 of the section. This embodiment allows for complete processing of the section 1 by using just one positioning device 3, 4. For example, if the positioning device 4 is initially situated in the region of the longitudinal side 14 of the section, the seams situated in this region may be produced between the individual components of the section 1; in other words they may be finally connected by using riveting, welding, bonding or the like. If, subsequently, the connection process is to be continued in the opposite region of the longitudinal side 13 of the section, then the entire positioning device 4 is at first moved onto the turning apparatus 31 with the guide elements 32 arranged thereon. In this arrangement the guiding element 32 is designed in such a way that it connects substantially directly and seamlessly with the guiding element 12 in the position of the turning apparatus 31 shown. Subsequently, the turning apparatus 31 together with the positioning device 4 may be turned on its vertical axis. The turning apparatus 31 with the positioning device 4 situated thereon may then be moved, on the guiding elements 33, substantially parallel to the transverse axis 34 of the section and/or in the y- direction. In this arrangement, the guiding elements 33 do not have to be designed such that they correspond to the guiding elements 11, 12 and 32.
In an alternative embodiment the guiding elements 11, 12 and 32, for example, may be implemented as an air cushion table or the like.
The option of turning the turning apparatus 31 allows for processing of the transverse side 34 of the section 1, if so required. If the positioning device 4 situated in the region of the transverse side 34 of the section is to be transferred to the longitudinal side 13 of the section, the turning apparatus 31 must initially be turned on its vertical axis until the positioning device 4 may be transferred from the guiding element 32 to the guiding element 11, i.e. the guiding elements 11 and 32 need to be in alignment. Subsequently, the section 1 may be processed using the manipulator system 16 arranged on the positioning device 4, due to the transferring of the positioning device 4 along the longitudinal side 13 of the section.
The above-described embodiment of the device according to one embodiment of the invention comprises an additional turning apparatus allows for processing of a section 1 using just a single positioning device 3, 4, which may result in significant cost savings. The turning apparatus 31 also may allow for processing of the section 1 in the region of its transverse side 34 by using one of the positioning devices 3, 4.
In order to provide the aforementioned spatial movement options of the device according to one embodiment of the invention in the x-, y- and z-directions the positioning devices 3, 4 comprise a series of actuators (not shown in detail) that are controlled by a control and regulating device (also not shown in detail). In this arrangement the control and regulating device is used to fully monitor and control the movement sequences of the positioning devices 3, 4, such as the vertical positioners 5 to 8, the traversing units 9, 10, the traversing units 19 to 22, the turning apparatus 31 and the manipulator systems 15, 16 with the processing elements 25, 26 arranged thereon. Such actuators are devices that are well known in the art, and the integration of actuators need not be shown in the drawings.
Each of the two positioning devices 35, 36 comprises two vertical positioners 37, 38, 39, 40. Traversing units 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, 46, 47, 48 are slidably accommodated on the vertical positioners 37, 38 and 39, 40 such that said traversing units 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, 46, 47, 48 may be moved in the z-direction, i.e. in vertical direction. The traversing units 41 to 48, for example, may be designed as moveable bushes or moveable carriages that may be moved on the vertical positioners 37 to 40. The traversing units 41, 42 are interconnected by a longitudinal tie-bar 49. The traversing units 43, 44 are interconnected by the longitudinal tie-bar 50. The traversing units 45, 46 are interconnected by the longitudinal tie-bar 51, while the traversing units 47, 48 are analogously interconnected by the longitudinal tie-bar 52.
The longitudinal tie-bars 49 to 52 may move independently of each other in the z-direction, i.e. in vertical direction, along the vertical positioners 37 to 40. In this arrangement the longitudinal tie-bars 49 to 52 move substantially parallel to the base 2 in order to prevent distortion.
A receptacle 53, 54, 55, 56 is mounted and arranged on each of the longitudinal tie bars 49 to 52. Two receptacles 54, 56 are shown to be displaceable in both the x-direction and the y-direction, for example. Another two receptacles 53, 55 are not shown to have mechanism for sliding in the y-direction. Any of the receptacles 53 to 56 may be selected to be displaceable, such as by sliding, in the y-direction, the x-direction and the z-direction; however, each-additional direction of displacement increases the cost of procuring and maintaining the receptacles. In one example, several receptacles are provided on a longitudinal tie-bar. Only one receptacle 53-56 is shown on each longitudinal bar 49-52 in
The receptacles 53 to 56 accommodate the manipulator systems 57, 58, 59, 60 such that they are rotatable on their respective vertical axis. The manipulator systems 57 to 60, in one example, are conventional standard industrial robots or articulated robots with articulated arms (not designated in detail in
In each of the end regions of the articulated arms, processing devices, such as processing elements 61, 62, 63, 64, are arranged. The processing elements 61 to 64, for example, may be drilling tools, riveting tools, welding tools or bonding tools. By using the processing elements 61 to 64 connection of the individual components that form the section 1 may be allowed. The design according to one embodiment of the invention of the positioning devices 35, 36 allows for almost any desired spatial positioning of the processing elements 61 to 64 in the x-, y- and z-directions such that sections of different sizes, such as different diameters and/or lengths, may be processed with the above-described universal device.
Furthermore, the positioning devices 35, 36 also comprise actuators (not designated in detail) that are controlled by a control and regulating device (also not designated in detail). The control and regulating device controls and monitors such as the movement sequences of the following: the vertical positioners 37 to 40, the traversing units 41 to 48, the longitudinal tie-bars 49 to 52, the receptacles 53 to 56, the manipulator systems 57 to 60 and the processing elements 61 to 64.
Compared to the embodiment of
In
On each longitudinal side 13, 14 of the section, a positioning device 65, 66 is arranged. However, several positioning devices 65, 66 may be provided on each longitudinal side 13, 14 of the section. Guiding elements 67 and 68 are arranged in the region of the base 2 such that they extend substantially parallel to, and are spaced apart from, the longitudinal sides 13, 14 of the section.
On each guiding element 67, 68 a traversing unit 69, 70 is arranged. The traversing units 69, 70 are designed such that they may be moved in the x-direction on the guiding elements 67, 68. The guiding elements 67, 68, for example, may be guide rails, on which the traversing units 69, 70 are accommodated so as to be movable. As an alternative, the traversing units, for example, may be formed as air cushion tables that may be freely positioned in the x- and y-directions on the base 2.
Receptacles 71, 72 are arranged on the traversing units 69, 70. The receptacles 71, 72 are arranged on the traversing units 69, 70 such that they are slidable at least in the x-direction and in the y-direction. Two manipulator systems 73, 74 are again accommodated on the receptacles 71, 72, wherein the manipulator systems 73, 74 are rotatable on their respective vertical axis. Each of the manipulator systems 73, 74 is formed as a known standard industrial robot and/or articulated robot with an articulated arm having at least 6 axes, wherein each of the manipulator systems 73, 74 having several degrees of freedom. To this purpose, the articulated arms, among other things, comprise points of articulation (not shown in detail in
Furthermore, the device also comprises a control and regulating device (not shown in detail) for controlling the movement sequences of the positioning devices 65, 66, such as the guiding elements 67, 68, the traversing units 69, 70, the receptacles 71, 72 and the manipulator systems 73 and 74.
Moreover, actuators and measuring systems (not shown in detail in
The shown embodiment of the device also allows for desired spatial positioning of the processing elements 75, 76 in the x-, y- and z-directions. The guiding elements 67, 68, in one example, provide a broad positioning range for the manipulator systems 73, 74 in the x-direction, while the receptacles 71, 72 in conjunction with the manipulator systems 73, 74 provide alignment, with alignment as precise as allowable and at the same time extends to almost any spatial position, of the processing elements 75, 76, such as along the x-, y- and z-directions.
The device according to the third embodiment may be designed to produce longitudinal and transverse seams in the region of the bottom side 30 of the section 1 in order to connect the individual components to form a finished section 1. Furthermore, the manipulator systems 73, 74 are also guided close to the ground by the guiding elements such that short lever arms result in relatively high positioning accuracy. The device shown also allows to flexibly construct sections of different sizes, such as sections with different diameters and/or lengths, in just one versatile and universal device. In one embodiment, the system allows for rotation of the section 1, such that the device of
In all three of the embodiment described above, according to FIGS. 1 to 3 the device according to one embodiment of the invention also allows largely fully-automatic production of seams, such as by drilling, riveting, welding, bonding or the like, for largely shape-independent and/or size-independent connection of individual components to form sections for aircraft. By using the device according to one embodiment of the invention, sections of different cross-sectional geometric shapes and/or different lengths may be formed at least partly automatically by connecting individual components.
With the device according to one embodiment of the invention, sections for a broad range of aircraft types and/or various derivatives of an aircraft type may be constructed, at least partially automatically, from various individual components using one and the same device. Moreover, the device is also suitable for the shape-independent and/or size-independent assembly of sections made of individual components for other transport vehicles, for example, for land craft and water craft.
It should be noted that the terms “comprising” and “including” do not exclude other elements or steps and the “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
List of Reference Characters
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2004 056 285.7 | Nov 2004 | DE | national |
