US 12,285,867 B2
Dual mounting for automated repair systems
Aaron K. Nienaber, Lake Elmo, MN (US); Brett R. Hemes, Woodbury, MN (US); Thomas J. Strey, River Falls, WI (US); Christie L. Vitale, Hudson, WI (US); Nathan J. Herbst, Woodbury, MN (US); and Jonathan B. Arthur, Hudson, WI (US)
Assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/779,218
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 24, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/061076
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 24, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/105867, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 3, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/940,950, filed on Nov. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0013731 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1633 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1653 (2013.01); B25J 11/0065 (2013.01); B25J 11/0075 (2013.01); B25J 13/081 (2013.01); B25J 13/085 (2013.01); B25J 13/089 (2013.01); B25J 15/0066 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dual mounted end-effector system mounted on a motive robot arm for preparing an object surface, the end effector system comprising:
a first tool configured to contact and prepare the object surface;
a second tool configured to contact and prepare the object surface;
wherein the first tool and the second tool are arranged such that the tools are rotationally 180° apart from one another;
a single force control to control force for both the first tool and the second tool; and
wherein the force control is configured to align, in a first state, with the first tool in position to contact and prepare the object surface and, in a second state, with the second tool in a position to contact and prepare the object surface,
the first and second tools are coupled to the same surface of the force control, and the force control enables interchange of the first and second states by 180° rotation of the first and second tools,
wherein the first tool has a first motor configured to operate the first tool when the system is in a first position, and wherein the second tool has a second motor configured to operate the second tool when the system is in a second position.