US 12,485,512 B2
Apparatus for active contact force control in machining and handling operations
Tomislav Staroveski, Zagreb (HR); Danko Brezak, Zagreb (HR); Miho Klaic, Dubrovnik (HR); and Zlatko Catlak, Zagreb (HR)
Assigned to AMTOS SOLUTIONS D.O.O., Zagreb (HR)
Filed by AMTOS SOLUTIONS d.o.o., Zagreb (HR)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/875,406.
Application 17/875,406 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2021/051847, filed on Jan. 27, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. P20200144A (HR), filed on Jan. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0362898 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B23Q 15/18 (2006.01); B23Q 5/40 (2006.01); B23Q 11/00 (2006.01); B23Q 17/09 (2006.01); B23Q 17/22 (2006.01)
CPC B23Q 15/18 (2013.01) [B23Q 5/40 (2013.01); B23Q 11/0032 (2013.01); B23Q 17/0966 (2013.01); B23Q 17/2266 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for active contact force control in machining and handling operations comprising:
an upper flange to mount a production tool to the apparatus, where, when mounted, the production tool acts with a predefined contact force on a workpiece surface in a production process;
a lower flange on a housing of the apparatus to mount the apparatus via the lower flange on a multi-axis machine which performs a spatial motion of the apparatus and the production tool when mounted to the upper flange of the apparatus; and
a linear actuator in the housing, the linear actuator including a ball screw and at least one ball screw lever connected as a sliding joint to at least one linear guide having a first end portion in the housing, where the at least one linear guide limits motion of the ball screw only for axial motion along a linear axis of the linear actuator, and where the at least one linear guide has a second end portion that is connected, according to a first mechanical connection, to the upper flange,
wherein the ball screw and the upper flange are connected according to a second mechanical connection that includes a force sensor configured to measure force by which the linear actuator is acting on the upper flange and thereby on the production tool,
wherein the second mechanical connection between the ball screw and the upper flange includes at least a first spherical joint and a mechanical dissipative element between the force sensor and the upper flange, where the first spherical joint is configured to eliminate any non-axial load, and
wherein the mechanical dissipative element includes an upper elastic dissipator and a lower elastic dissipator, with a disc plate between the upper and lower elastic dissipators, where the upper and lower elastic dissipators are fixed within the upper flange such that the disc plate forms a mechanical connection between the force sensor and the upper flange via the first spherical joint, and where the upper and lower elastic dissipators mechanically attenuate changes in contact force measured by the force sensor.