US 12,459,123 B2
Robot system with object detecting sensors
Pei Jui Wang, New Taipei (TW); and Gerry Vannuffelen, Danville, CA (US)
Assigned to Mantis Robotics, Inc., Danville, CA (US)
Filed by Mantis Robotics, Inc., Danville, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/167,851.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,116, filed on Feb. 16, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,272, filed on Feb. 19, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0256606 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/00 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); G01S 13/00 (2006.01); G01S 13/58 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1676 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1694 (2013.01); B25J 13/086 (2013.01); G01S 13/58 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot system comprising:
a base;
a plurality of movable linkages driven by joints with actuators, wherein a movable linkage in the plurality of movable linkages farthest from the base has a tool end and is configured to drive the tool end along an axis, the joints comprise a pivot joint hinging a proximal linkage and a distal linkage from the plurality of movable linkages, the pivot joint has at least one pivot axis, and the pivot joint is located in an elbow or a wrist of the robot system;
at least one joint monitoring sensor configured to monitor the joints;
one or more object detecting sensors mounted to at least one movable linkage of the plurality of movable linkages, wherein the one or more object detecting sensors are oriented to exhibit a total field of view that covers a direction selected from the group consisting of:
an axial direction of the at least one pivot axis of the pivot joint,
a radial direction of the at least one pivot axis of the pivot joint; and
a direction oriented between the axial direction and the radial direction of the at least one pivot axis of the pivot joint; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the joint monitoring sensors and the one or more object detecting sensors, the one or more processors being configured to:
detect an external object based on information generated by the one or more object detecting sensors, and
when the external object is detected intruding on a first monitoring zone, reduce a moving speed of at least one movable linkage of the plurality of movable linkages, wherein at least one non-overlapping space between fields of view of the one or more object detecting sensors has a projection in the first monitoring zone, and wherein an overlap of the projection with the external object is smaller than a size of the external object when the at least one movable linkage is moving in a set movable range.