Separable Robotic Interface

• Main Authors: Bolton, William George, Goff, Jonathan Andrew
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.05.2023
• Subjects: CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOTDIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT; DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g.ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; HAND TOOLS; MACHINE TOOLS; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OFPARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; MANIPULATORS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; TRANSPORTING

A method is provided. The method includes axially aligning a carrier portion of a separable robotic interface with a probe portion, the carrier portion coupled to a free end of a robotic arm, sliding the carrier portion over the probe portion in response to radially orienting a first alignment feature between the probe portion and the carrier portion, and in response compressing a spring-loaded plug in the carrier portion to release one or more ball bearings to make contact with an outer surface of the probe portion, the plug radially coupled to the carrier portion through a second alignment feature, seating the one or more ball bearings into matching recesses in the outer surface in response to sliding the carrier portion over the probe portion a predetermined distance, and rotating a locking ring of the carrier portion to axially lock the carrier portion to the probe portion.