US 12,404,616 B2
Systems and methods for robotic arm end effector for tailored through thickness reinforcement
Vijay V. Pujar, San Diego, CA (US); Katherine E. Waugh, San Diego, CA (US); Christopher C. Koroly, Spring Valley, CA (US); Peter W. Aziz, San Diego, CA (US); and Lamia Salah, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to Rohr, Inc., Chula Vista, CA (US)
Filed by Rohr, Inc., Chula Vista, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/978,104.
Prior Publication US 2024/0141571 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. D04H 18/02 (2012.01); B29C 70/54 (2006.01)
CPC D04H 18/02 (2013.01) [B29C 70/54 (2013.01); D10B 2505/02 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An end effector for through thickness reinforcement of a fibrous preform, the end effector comprising:
a body;
a first presser foot and a second presser foot mounted to the body and moveable with respect to the body;
a first needle and a second needle mounted to the body and moveable with respect to the body,
wherein the first needle is configured to move between a first extended position and a first retracted position;
a first sensor configured to detect whether the first presser foot has contacted the fibrous preform and whether the first presser foot is exerting a first predetermined force on the fibrous preform; and
a second sensor configured to detect whether the second presser foot has contacted the fibrous preform and whether the second presser foot is exerting a second predetermined force on the fibrous preform, the second predetermined force being different from the first predetermined force,
wherein the first needle extends through the first presser foot and the second needle extends through the second presser foot.