US 12,296,470 B2
Autonomous mobile vehicle
Anthony L. Swann, Lancaster, PA (US); Swapnilsinh Solanki, Harrisburg, PA (US); Kyle Mongold, Millersburg, PA (US); and Jeffrey Zerbe, Bressler, PA (US)
Assigned to TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH, (CH)
Filed by TE Connectivity Services GmbH, Schaffhausen (CH)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/933,011.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/923,877, filed on Oct. 21, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0116923 A1, Apr. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. B25J 5/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 5/007 (2013.01) [B25J 9/162 (2013.01); B25J 9/1674 (2013.01); B25J 13/086 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous mobile vehicle comprising:
an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) having a base, a motor coupled to the base, a wheel driven by the motor for moving the AGV, a battery coupled to the motor to power the motor, and an AGV controller for controlling movement of the AGV;
a platform assembly coupled to the base of the AGV and moved with the AGV, the platform assembly including a frame, the frame having sides extending between a top and a bottom defining a footprint of the platform assembly, the platform assembly including a collaborative manipulator controller;
a collaborative manipulator operably coupled to the collaborative manipulator controller, the collaborative manipulator having a movable arm and a gripper at a distal end of the arm being operated to manipulate parts, the collaborative manipulator mounted to a support plate of the platform assembly at the top of the frame; and
a safety sensor including a first proximity sensor and a second proximity sensor, the first proximity sensor being fixed relative to the frame remote from the collaborative manipulator at a home position at the top of the frame within the footprint, the second proximity sensor being coupled to the collaborative manipulator proximate to the gripper and being movable with the arm and the gripper, the safety sensor determining when the gripper is located at the home position relative to the frame proximate to the support plate within the footprint of the platform assembly by detecting the second proximity sensor in proximity to the frame by determining that the second proximity sensor is in proximity to the first proximity sensor, which is fixed to the frame at the home position.