Ultrasonic ranging control system for industrial robots

Patent · Tue Jun 16 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6430260

Caughman, D O; Plumley, W J

An ultrasonic ranging control system is described for a robot having a movable arm. The system comprises: an ultrasonic transducer array for transmitting an acoustical pulse and for detecting a reflected echo; transducer array is mounted proximate to the distal end of the movable arm so as to be arcuately pivotable in both a horizontal and vertical direction; the ultrasonic transducer array includes ultrasonic transducers arrayed in an angularly manner to emulate a single transducer with a wide transmit and receive pattern in substantially the horizontal plane; each transducer has an individual beam width of approximately 10 degrees to each side; the individual transducers are arranged arcuately about a horizontal plane approximately 20 degrees apart with a quantity of five such transducers; a horizontal beam width of approximately 100 degrees is attained; and circuit means for measuring the elapsed time between initial transmission and echo detection by the transducer array and for providing an output signal indicative of the elapsed time and for conversion of elapsed time to a signal representative of distance;

• Assignee: Lockheed Corp., Calabasas, CA
• Patent Number(s): US 4674057
• OSTI ID: 6430260
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 18 Mar 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
ROBOTS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
AZIMUTH
MANIPULATORS
POSITIONING
PULSES
SIGNALS
SONIC PROBES
TIMING CIRCUITS
TRANSDUCERS
ULTRASONIC WAVES
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
EQUIPMENT
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
PROBES
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
SOUND WAVES
320303* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Equipment & Processes
990220 - Computers
Computerized Models
& Computer Programs- (1987-1989)