| ABB AB Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20110083480 | LOCK DEVICE - The present disclosure relates to a lock device, such as for safety functions, which includes a displaceable lock bolt, which can cooperate with a receiver in order to provide a locked position and unlocked position. The lock bolt includes a guide portion in a second lock bolt portion which, in response to a guiding device applying a force to the lock bolt, guides the lock bolt from the unlocked position to the locked position. The guiding device, in the locked position, is prevented from displacing the lock bolt to the unlocked position. The lock bolt is arranged to be displaced from the locked position to the unlocked position through influence of an external force applied to a first lock bolt portion. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110036698 | ACTUATOR DEVICE AND AN ELECTRIC SWITCH DEVICE PROVIDED THEREWITH - An actuator device including a holder element provided to be fixed against a device operated on by the actuator device. An actuator body is displaceable in a longitudinal direction along the holder element. A guide member is provided so as to guide the actuator body along the holder element. The actuator body includes a first part that is operable from outside the actuator device, and a second part that is movable in the longitudinal direction in relation to the first part. The actuator body is displaceable to a first, non-actuated position, in which the first part and the second part of the body are movable in the longitudinal direction and a second, actuated position, in which the second part is rotationally displaced in relation to the first part and abuts an abutment surface on the holder element such that motion of the second part in the longitudinal direction towards the first position is inhibited. The first part includes a rotational locking member that engages the second part in the second position and locks the second part rotationally in the second position. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20100249973 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OPTIMIZATION OF FLATNESS CONTROL IN THE ROLLING OF A STRIP - A method and a device for optimization of flatness control in the rolling of a strip using any number of mill stands and actuators. A mill model is used represented by a mill matrix that includes information of the flatness effect of each actuator. Each actuator's flatness effect is translated into a coordinate system having a dimension less than or equal to the number of actuators used. The actual flatness values are monitoring/sampling across the strip. A vector of the flatness error/deviation is computed as the difference between the monitored/sampled strip flatness and a reference flatness vector. The flatness error is converted into a smaller parameterized flatness error vector. A dynamic controller is used to calculate optimized actuator set-points in order to minimize the parameterized flatness error, thereby achieving the desired strip flatness. Also a system for optimization of flatness control in rolling a strip. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100236362 | DEVICE FOR SUBMERGING MATERIAL INTO LIQUID METAL BY AN ELECTROMAGNETIC STIRRER - A furnace plant including at least one furnace vessel comprising side walls, a bottom and a roof. At least one heater is configured to heat metal in the furnace vessel. A compartment includes sidewalls lined with refractory material. The compartment forms an extension of the furnace vessel. At least one electromagnetic stirrer is arranged outside and adjacent to the compartment. A refractory plate is arranged inside the compartment. The refractory plate includes an upper edge configured to be positioned below a meniscus of molten metal and includes a lower edge positioned spaced apart from a bottom of the compartment. The plate is arranged such that a gap between the plate and a wall of the compartment increases toward the bottom of the compartment. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100217434 | Method and Device for Controlling Motion of an Industrial Robot With a Position Switch - A method for controlling a multi-axis industrial robot or manipulator arranged with a robot control unit. The robot or the control unit includes at least one first computer running a servo controller. A motion limit is configured for at least one axis of the robot arm. A reference signal for a robot position is sent to a robot controller together with a measurement of a position of the robot arm. The reference position is processed and the measured position and the processed reference position are then compared in an evaluator for the purpose of limiting the motion of an arm of the robot. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100109766 | Method and Device for Demodulation of Signals - A method and device are provided for demodulation of an output signal from a transducer ( | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100043587 | INDUSTRIAL ROBOT WITH PRESSURIZED AIR SUPPLY IN BALANCING DEVICE - An industrial robot including a first robot part and a second robot part arranged to be moved in relation to each other. A balancing device is arranged between the first robot part and the second robot part. The balancing device is arranged to counteract a gravitational force upon relative movement of the robot parts. The balancing device includes a mechanical spring and a spring housing arranged enclosing the spring. The spring housing includes at least one air inlet adapted for pressurized air supply. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100036526 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT - A control system for controlling an industrial robot including a manipulator. The control system includes a plurality of modules adapted to handle various functions. A first of the modules is a drive module adapted to control the motors driving the movements of the manipulator. A second of the modules is a main computer module adapted to execute a program with instructions for the movements of the manipulator and to plan the movements of the manipulator based on the executed instructions. The control system is adapted to communicate with one or more external devices via an external network. The control system includes an internal network. Each of the modules is arranged as a node in the internal network and includes communication elements for communicating with the other nodes in the internal network. The internal network includes a first part adapted for normal communication and a second part adapted for time critical communication. The main computer module is arranged as a node in both the first and second parts of the internal network and the drive unit is arranged as a node in the second part of the internal network. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100017164 | Method and a System for Adaptive Compensation of the Temperature Drift of a Sensor - A method for adaptive compensation of a temperature drift of a sensor, designed to measure the torque of a shaft or a drive train or the force in mechanical equipment during operation. A sensor signal is recurrently measured. An associated temperature is determined. An offset value is calculated as a function of temperature based on measured and stored data. The measured signal value is compensated using the calculated offset value. When the sensor is unloaded or nearly unloaded is detected. When the sensor is unloaded or nearly unloaded the signal sensor signal value and the associated temperature value are stored in a memory and a model of the sensor offset is updated. A system and computer program product for adaptive compensation of the temperature drift of such a sensor signal offset. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100004938 | SOFTWARE LICENSING SYSTEM - A software management method, including storing customer identifying information in a customer register, storing a subscription agreement of a customer in a subscription agreement register, creating at least one license corresponding to the subscription agreement, storing the license in a license register, generating at least one key corresponding to a scope of the license, and providing the key to the customer. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20090315572 | Method and Apparatus for Estimating a Mechanical Property - An apparatus for estimating or supervising one or more internal mechanical properties of a metal alloy object with a known chemical composition based on the resistivity of the metal alloy object. The apparatus includes a device for measuring the resistivity of the metal alloy object, and a computation unit adapted to calculate the content of dissolved alloying elements in the metal alloy object based on the measured resistivity and the known chemical composition of the metal alloy, and based thereon to calculate at least one internal mechanical property of the metal alloy object. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090276093 | MULTI-INPUT CONTROL OF AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT SYSTEM - An industrial robot system with increased flexibility and control accuracy. The industrial robot system uses a common data bus connecting a master controller, different drive devices, and sensors. The sensors forward sensor data to the drive devices via the common data bus. A controller unit in the drive devices processes sensor data received via the common data bus for control of at least one electric motor being connected to the drive devices. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090259412 | SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITION AND ORIENTATION OF AN OBJECT IN DEPENDENCE ON RECEIVED FORCES AND TORQUES FROM A USER - A system for controlling position and orientation of an object. A first part is adapted to receive forces and torques from a user. A sensor is adapted to measure forces and torques caused by changes in position and orientation of the first part relative to a second part. A data processing unit is arranged to receive measured data from the sensor and based thereon to control the position and orientation of the object. The sensor includes a semiconductor chip with integrated sensor elements. The measuring assembly includes a spring arrangement mounted between the first and second parts and mechanically connected to the sensor for converting forces and torques from the user to changes in position and orientation of the first part relative to the second part. The sensor is adapted to measure forces and torques from the spring arrangement caused by the changes in position and orientation of the first part. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090255642 | STIRRER - A device for casting of metal. The device includes a mold, a casting tube via which molten metal is supplied to molten metal in the mold in a region at a distance below a meniscus of the molten metal, and at least one stirrer including an iron core and a coil arranged around the iron core. The iron core is arranged to be elongated along the broad side of the mold and adapted to apply a magnetic field to the molten metal for stirring the melted metal. An upper part of the iron core is positioned at a distance from the meniscus of from 50 mm above the surface of the meniscus to 195 mm below the surface. The length of the iron core in relation to the length of the broad side of the mold is between at least 50% and 80% of the length of the broad side. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090249893 | MEASURING DEVICE INCLUDING A LAYER OF A MAGNETOELASTIC ALLOY AND A METHOD FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF - A measuring device including a layer of a magnetoelastic alloy formed on a load-carrying member. The layer is intended for measuring stresses induced by a force applied to the load-carrying member. An average grain size of the layer is in the range of 100 nm to 10 000 nm. A method for production of the layer. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090208665 | Device and a Method for Controlling Thickness - A device for controlling the thickness of a metallic coating on an elongated metallic element formed by continuously transporting the element through a bath of molten metal. The device includes at least one pair of electromagnetic wiper members and a second wiper member associated with the at least one pair of electromagnetic wiper members. The second wiper member is designed to apply to the element a jet of gas with a target area essentially according to a line transversely of the element with respect to the direction of the transport path in order to assist the electromagnetic wiper member in the wiping of superfluous molten metal from the element. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090187277 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT - A control system for controlling an industrial robot and a method thereof. A control unit generates a control signal for controlling the motor. At least one drive unit controls the motor. The drive unit includes a switching unit adapted to convert DC current to alternating current to the motor in dependence on the control signal. A safety unit generates a stop signal for stopping the robot upon occurrence of a safety event. The drive unit disables the switching unit upon receiving the stop signal. The safety unit generates the stop signal with a time delay with respect to the safety event. The control unit generates the control signal in such a way that the motor is electrically braked during the time delay. The control system transfers the stop signal to the brake, which mechanically brakes the motor upon receiving the stop signal, and delays the stop signal to the drive unit so that the brake receives the stop signal before the drive unit to ensure that the mechanical brake is applied before the switching unit is disabled. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090164202 | SYNCHRONIZATION OF A GRAPHICAL PROGRAM AND A ROBOT PROGRAM - A device and a method for synchronization of a robot program and a graphical program. The device includes a first converter adapted to convert a graphical program into a first sequence of tokens representing data for motions and actions contained in the graphical program. A second converter is adapted to convert the robot program into a second sequence of tokens representing data for motions and actions contained in the robot program. A modification command generator is adapted to compare the first and second sequences of tokens and based thereon generate modification commands. The first converter is adapted to receive the modification commands and edit the graphical program based on the modification commands so that the token sequence of the graphical program matches the token sequence of the robot program. The second converter is adapted to receive the modification commands and edit the robot program based on the modification commands so that the token sequence of the robot program matches the token sequence of the graphical program. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090139364 | Wrist Unit to a Robot Arm - A wrist unit to be arranged in an industrial robot including a control system and a manipulator. The manipulator includes a robot arm and a wrist unit arranged on the robot arm and including a wrist housing arranged for rotation about a fourth axis of rotation, a wrist part/tilt pivotally journalled in the wrist housing for rotation about a fifth axis of rotation. A second transmission is configured to transmit rotation form a second drive unit to the turn disc about the sixth axis of rotation where the control system controls the first and second drive units. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090128079 | Industrial Robot System - An industrial robot system including at least one industrial robot including at least one manipulator located in a robot cell, a control unit for controlling the manipulator, a portable operator control device for teaching and manually operating the manipulator, a detecting unit detecting when the portable operator control device leaves the robot cell, and a warning generator producing a warning to the operator upon detecting that the portable operator control device leaves the robot cell. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090114053 | Arm part of an industrial robot as well as an industrial robot provided therewith - An arm part of a manipulator of an industrial robot has at each end thereof a connector for connecting the arm part to a gear and a stiffener for stiffening the end region of the arm part. At least one aperture is arranged in a hollow structure of the stiffener for providing access to connecting members. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090096403 | MOTOR CONTROL - A method of controlling a current of a three-phase electric motor with a three-phase controller. The firing angles are adjusted so as to leave a range of firing angles in which DC components appear. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090088899 | Industrial robot - An industrial robot including a tool flange at an end of an outer arm of the robot. A tool is secured to the tool flange. A sensor is configured to sense forces and/or torques applied to a tool secured to the tool flange. The sensor is built into the structure of the robot in the region of the tool flange. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090069936 | CONTROL METHOD FOR ROBOTS - A method of an industrial robot including a control unit and a manipulator including a tool including a defined tool center point and a device for determining a distance error between an inaccurately programmed position for a spot on a surface of a work piece and a corresponding actual position. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090058408 | METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC MEASUREMENT OF THICKNESS AND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY - A method for non-contact determination of sought properties of an object to be measured by using electromagnetic induction. An electromagnetic field is generated in a transmitter coil placed on one side of the object to be measured. The magnetic field penetrates through the object to be measured and is detected by a receiver coil placed on the other side of the object to be measured. A control coil is placed near the transmitter coil generating a change in the magnetic field of the transmitter coil. A field change in the detecting is detected in the control coil. The field is detected in the receiver coil. The difference in time is determined for the detection of the field change in the control coil and in the receiver coil, respectively. The time of penetration through the object to be measured is determined, and the thickness or electrical conductivity of the object to be measured is determined therefrom. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20080306630 | System of Manipulators and Method for Controlling Such a System - A system of manipulators including several manipulators, namely robots and/or external axes, such as workstations or transport tracks, whereby each manipulator is controlled by a control system via communication means and is programmed to carry out a plurality of tasks. The system of manipulators is movable in a first coordinate system. A second coordinate system is defined for each manipulator, so that one part of the manipulator, e.g. its tool center point, stands still in the second coordinate system, which is movable relative to the first coordinate system. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080275593 | Industrial System Comprising an Industrial Robot and a Machine Receiving Movement Instructions From the Robot Controller - An industrial system including a machine for processing or producing a product. The machine includes at least one actuator providing a repetitive sequence of movements of a machine part, and a regulator controlling the movements of the actuator in response to a reference value. An industrial robot is adapted to tend the machine. The robot includes a drive unit and a robot controller adapted to generate control signals to the drive unit based on a control program including movement instructions for the robot. The robot controller is adapted to generate the reference value to the regulator based on a control program including movement instructions for the machine part. The regulator may also be an integrated part of the robot controller. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080272092 | Spot Weld Gun - A spot weld gun with thereto belonging power transmission being achieved by means of a rotating transformer including one primary side and one secondary side for transporting electrical power over a rotating joint. The one secondary side is adapted to provide both required power to the weld current and any required auxiliary power. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080264195 | Industrial Robot - An industrial robot including a drive package with a motor and a gear between an output shaft of the motor and a third shaft of the robot in immediate proximity to the third shaft for rotation of an upper arm of the robot relative to a lower arm. The gear is a multistage gear transmission with parallel gear-wheel axes and one of the gear wheels of the gear is secured to the third shaft. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080262652 | Method for an Industrial Robot - The invention relates to a method for an industrial robot that comprises a manipulator and a control system comprising a processor and a computer program that influences the processor and is adapted to control a process, wherein the computer program comprises a plurality of cooperating objects ( | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080252248 | Device and Method for Calibrating the Center Point of a Tool Mounted on a Robot by Means of a Camera - A device and a method for tool center point calibration of an industrial robot. The device is intended to calibrate an industrial robot with respect to a tool mounted on the robot. The device includes a camera designed to take a plurality of images of at least part of the robot tool for a plurality of different tool orientations, an image-processing unit designed to determine the positions of the robot tool in the orientations based on the images, a calculation module adapted to calculate the position of the center point of the robot tool, based on the determined positions, and a control module adapted to calculate the corrective movements of the robot. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080234861 | Control System, Method and Computer Program For Synchronizing Several Robots - A control system for controlling the movements of a plurality of mechanical units. The control system includes a program that includes a plurality of mechanical unit programs. Each program includes movement instructions for at least one of the mechanical units. The control system also includes a plurality of path planners. At least one of the path planners is adapted to receive instructions from more than one of the mechanical unit programs and on basis thereof determine how the mechanical units should move in order to synchronize their movements. The control system further includes switches adapted to switch a mechanical unit program from one path planner to another, whereby the movements of the mechanical units are synchronized when their mechanical unit programs are connected to the same path planner and the movements of the mechanical units are independent when their mechanical unit programs are connected to different path planners. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080203072 | Method and a Device for Providing Feedback on Weaving Parameters - A method and a device for providing feedback on weaving parameters in connection with programming an industrial robot provided with a tool to perform a weaving movement. The device includes a simulation unit receiving the weaving parameters and on basis thereof performing a simulation of the weaving movement with a mathematical model of the weaving movements, a graphical unit receiving the calculated trace and on basis thereof producing a graphical representation of the weaving movement, and a display unit displaying the graphical representation of the weaving movement. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080197715 | Method and Device For Controlled Reclosing of a Circuit Breaker - A method for controlled reclosing of branch elements in an electric power system that has been subjected to a disturbance and that includes at least one branch element and at least one circuit breaker connected thereto. The angular difference between voltage vectors on both sides of the circuit breaker or at two end points of the branch element is detected and compared with a comparison value. In dependence on a magnitude of a deviation of the angular difference from the comparison value, the reclosing is either completed or blocked. The comparison value is updated automatically and regularly in such a way that an adaptive value is obtained. A system includes an element arranged to update the comparison value automatically and regularly in such a way that an adaptive value is obtained. | 08-21-2008 |
