US5944476A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Unitary specimen prealigner and continuously rotatable multiple link robot arm mechanism
Assignee: KENSINGTON LABORATORIES LLC
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Filing: 1997-03-26
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Granted: 1999-08-31
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Expires: 2017-03-26
Abstract
Abstract A unitary prealigner and robot arm includes an upper arm, a forearm, and a hand that is equipped with vacuum pressure outlets to securely hold a specimen. The robot arm is carried atop a tube that is controllably positionable along a Z-axis direction. The prealigner is attached to the tube by a movable carriage that is elevatable relative to the robot arm. The prealigner further includes a rotatable chuck having a vacuum pressure outlet for securely holding a specimen in place within an edge detector assembly that senses a peripheral edge of the specimen. The prealigner may be elevated to receive a specimen from the robot arm or it may be lowered to allow clearance for the robot arm to rotate. In operation, the robot arm retrieves a specimen and places it on the prealigner, which performs an edge scanning operation to determine the effective center and specific orientation of the specimen. The robot arm then performs angular and extension correction operations to position the grasp center of the hand over the effective center of the specimen, thereby placing the hand in a predetermined alignment relative to the specimen. Finally, an exchange of vacuum pressure releases the specimen from the prealigner and secures it once again on the hand, and the robot arm delivers the specimen in the predetermined alignment to a processing station at a second elevation. Specimen processing throughput is increased because specimen retrieval and delivery require only single robot arm movements and because the robot arm and the prealigner move between the first and second elevations concurrently with the specimen being scanned and placed in the predetermined alignment.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Bacchi
- 👤 Paul S. Filipski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:55
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J9/00; B25J9/02; B25J9/04; B25J9/041; B25J9/042; B25J9/06; H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7602; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/135; Y10S414/136
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the robot arm and the prealigner mechanism each have a movable mass and in which the Z-axis mechanism includes a counterbalance system that provides a counterbalancing force that compensates for the movable mass of at least one of the robot arm and the prealigner mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the counterbalancing force is an adjustable counterbalancing force and the counterbalance system comprises a fluid pressure-assisted counterbalance system that provides the adjustable counterbalancing force.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which the fluid pressure-assisted counterbalance system further includes a piston slidable in a cylinder containing a controllable amount of a vacuum pressure to provide the adjustable counterbalancing force.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 4 in which at least one of a belt and a pulley couple the counterbalancing force from the piston to the movable mass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a structural backbone that supports the Z-axis mechanism and slidably supports the robot arm, the Z-axis mechanism including a motor turning a leadscrew that is coupled to the robot arm by a leadnut.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the Z-axis mechanism further includes a motor controller driving a motor and sensing an amount of motor current required to move the robot arm in the Z-axis direction, the motor controller providing to the counterbalancing system a signal responsive to the amount of motor current for adjusting the counterbalancing force required to compensate for the movable mass.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the Z-axis direction includes upward and downward directions and the signal is adjusted by the motor controller such that substantially a same amount of motor current is required to move the Z-axis mechanism in the upward and downward directions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the signal is further adjusted by the motor controller such that the counterbalancing force assists an acceleration of the movable mass in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the robot arm includes first and second motors having first and second spindles that cooperate to move the hand in the arcuate and radial directions, the first and second motors positioned in a concentric relationship such that their respective first and second spindles rotate about a common axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 10 in which the first and second spindles each have bearings that are journaled on a common structural element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the hand comprises at least one forked end having a vacuum pressure outlet for releasably grasping the specimen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the prealigner mechanism comprises a specimen edge detector and a rotatable chuck having a vacuum pressure outlet for releasably grasping the specimen, the robot arm and the prealigner mechanism cooperating to transfer the specimen from the hand to the rotatable chuck, the rotatable chuck rotating a peripheral edge of the specimen adjacent to the specimen edge detector to determine a center and an alignment of the specimen, and the prealigner mechanism and the robot arm cooperating to deliver the specimen in a predetermined alignment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including a motor-controlled moving carriage coupled to the Z-axis mechanism for moving the prealigner mechanism in the Z-axis direction relative to the robot arm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 14 in which the moving carriage is coupled to the Z-axis mechanism to effect movement of the prealigner mechanism in the Z-axis direction relative to the robot arm.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for orienting a specimen having an effective center and an alignment indicia in a predetermined alignment, the method comprising: providing a robot arm having a hand with a grasp center for releasibly grasping the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; providing a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; coupling a prealigner mechanism having an edge detector and a rotatable chuck to the robot arm, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction; retrieving with the robot arm the specimen from a first specimen location having a first Z-axis elevation; transferring the specimen from the hand to the rotatable chuck; manipulating the prealigner mechanism and the robot arm to orient the specimen in the predetermined alignment; transferring the specimen from the rotatable chuck to the hand; and placing the specimen in the predetermined alignment at a second specimen location having a second Z-axis elevation.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for orienting a specimen having an effective center and an alignment indicia in a predetermined alignment, the method comprising: providing a robot arm having a hand with a grasp center for releasibly grasping the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; providing a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; coupling a prealigner mechanism having an edge detector and a rotatable chuck to the robot arm, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction; retrieving with the robot arm the specimen from a first specimen location having a first Z-axis elevation; transferring the specimen from the hand to the rotatable chuck; manipulating the prealigner mechanism and the robot arm to orient the specimen in the predetermined alignment; transferring the specimen from the rotatable chuck to the hand; and placing the specimen in the predetermined alignment at a second specimen location having a second Z-axis elevation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
111 words
The method of claim 16 in which the manipulating step includes: rotating the chuck to move a peripheral edge of the specimen past the edge detector to locate the effective center and the alignment indicia of the specimen; rotating the chuck such that the effective center is collinear with the alignment indicia and the axis of rotation of the robot arm; moving the hand in the arcuate direction such that the grasp center is collinear with the effective center, the alignment indicia, and the axis of rotation of the robot arm; and moving the hand in the radial direction such that the grasp center overlays the effective center of the specimen.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 16 in which the retrieving and placing steps include grasping the specimen with the hand, moving the hand in the radial direction, and transferring the specimen between the hand and the rotatable chuck.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 16 in which the hand and the rotatable chuck have associated vacuum pressure outlets for grasping the specimen, and in which the transferring steps comprise moving the rotatable chuck in the Z-axis direction relative to the hand and exchanging a vacuum pressure between the associated vacuum pressure outlets to grasp the specimen by one of the hand and the rotating chuck.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 16 further including moving the robot arm in the Z-axis direction concurrently with at least one of the retrieving, manipulating, transferring, and placing steps.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 20 in which the moving step is carried out between the first and second Z-axis elevations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 16 in which the first and second specimen locations are displaced from one another in at least one of the arcuate, radial, and Z-axis directions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
136 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a movable mass and including a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism having a movable mass and coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction; and a counterbalance system coupled to the Z-axis mechanism that provides a counterbalancing force that compensates for the movable mass of at least one of the robot arm and the prealigner mechanism.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
136 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a movable mass and including a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism having a movable mass and coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction; and a counterbalance system coupled to the Z-axis mechanism that provides a counterbalancing force that compensates for the movable mass of at least one of the robot arm and the prealigner mechanism.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which the counterbalancing force is an adjustable counterbalancing force and the counterbalance system comprises a fluid pressure-assisted counterbalance system that provides the adjustable counterbalancing force.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 24 in which the fluid pressure-assisted counterbalance system further includes a piston slidable in a cylinder containing a controllable amount of a vacuum pressure to provide the adjustable counterbalancing force.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 25 in which at least one of a belt and a pulley couple the counterbalancing force from the piston to the movable mass.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a structural backbone that supports the Z-axis mechanism and slidably supports the robot arm, the Z-axis mechanism including a motor turning a leadscrew that is coupled to the robot arm by a leadnut.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which the Z-axis mechanism further includes a motor controller driving a motor and sensing an amount of motor current required to move the robot arm in the Z-axis direction, the motor controller providing to the counterbalancing system a signal responsive to the amount of motor current for adjusting the counterbalancing force required to compensate for the movable mass.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 28 in which the Z-axis direction includes upward and downward directions and the signal is adjusted by the motor controller such that substantially a same amount of motor current is required to move the Z-axis mechanism in the upward and downward directions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 28 in which the signal is further adjusted by the motor controller such that the counterbalancing force assists an acceleration of the movable mass in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
143 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation, the robot arm including first and second motors having first and second spindles that cooperate to move the hand in the arcuate and radial directions, the first and second motors positioned in a concentric relationship such that their respective first and second spindles rotate about a common axis; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
143 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation, the robot arm including first and second motors having first and second spindles that cooperate to move the hand in the arcuate and radial directions, the first and second motors positioned in a concentric relationship such that their respective first and second spindles rotate about a common axis; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 31 in which the first and second spindles each have bearings that are journaled on a common structural element.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
106 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm including a hand having at least one forked end in which a vacuum pressure releasibly grasps and delivers the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
106 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm including a hand having at least one forked end in which a vacuum pressure releasibly grasps and delivers the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the Z-axis mechanism and movable relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
119 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; a motor-controlled moving carriage coupled to the Z-axis mechanism that moves in the Z-axis direction relative to the robot arm; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the motor-controlled moving carriage to move the prealigner mechanism relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
119 words
A unitary prealigner and robot arm apparatus for grasping, aligning, and delivering a specimen in a predetermined alignment, comprising: a robot arm having a hand for grasping and delivering the specimen, the hand being movable in an arcuate direction around an axis of rotation and movable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation; a Z-axis mechanism for moving the robot arm in a Z-axis direction; a motor-controlled moving carriage coupled to the Z-axis mechanism that moves in the Z-axis direction relative to the robot arm; and a prealigner mechanism for aligning the specimen, the prealigner mechanism coupled to the motor-controlled moving carriage to move the prealigner mechanism relative to the robot arm in the Z-axis direction.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-30 | 2003-03-01 | 2003-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-30 | 2007-03-01 | 2007-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-30 | 2011-03-01 | 2011-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |