FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a system for handling articles, more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system for holding and dispensing a plurality of tubular articles such as bottle of any shape.

BACKGROUND

Material handling robots are used to move articles to or from a location to another. A variety of material-handling robots are installed in industrial set-ups for facilitating loading and unloading articles from a machine to a conveyor. Manufacturing companies throughout the world are implementing material handling robots because they are faster, more accurate and efficient and offer unmatched quality and repeatability. However, in conventional system a number of robots may be required for performing a simple operation. For example, in case of an automated system for picking an article processed by a processing machine and placing the article over a moving conveyor, a pair of robots may be required, more particularly, different robots may be required for carrying picking/holding and releasing operations respectively, a first robot may pick the article from the processing machine and transfer the article to a second robot that releases the article to a conveyor. Such an automated system is less reliable as it requires two robots and transfer of articles between the two robots.

Accordingly, there is a need for an automation system that utilizes a robot with a tool attached thereto that facilitates in performing both holding and releasing operations by the robotic arm, thereby eliminating the need for different robots.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION:

An object of the present invention is to provide an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm that facilitates performing of both holding and releasing operations thereby.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm that makes picking and placing operation thereby economical.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm that makes picking and placing operation thereby reliable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm that is simple in construction.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm makes picking and placing operation convenient.

SUMMARY

An End of Arm Tool (EOAT) secured to a robotic arm for holding and dispensing articles is disclosed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) includes a planar body, atleast a first pair of piston cylinder arrangements, a second pair of piston cylinder arrangements and a pair of elongate sliding elements. The planar body includes a plurality of cavities and a pair of mounting elements or split body type. The cavities are disposed along a first edge portion and a second edge portion, wherein each cavity is adapted to receive at least one article therein. The mounting elements are centrally disposed on the planar body, wherein the first mounting element of the pair of mounting elements is disposed on a first extreme end and the second mounting element is disposed on a second extreme end of the planar body. Each piston cylinder arrangement of the first pair of piston cylinder arrangements is mounted on opposite sides of the first mounting and each piston cylinder arrangement of the second pair of piston cylinder arrangements is mounted on opposite sides of the second mounting element. Each sliding element of the pair of sliding member is connected to a piston cylinder arrangement of the first pair of piston cylinder arrangements and the second pair of piston cylinder arrangements to facilitate sliding of the sliding element towards and away from the cavities or splitting the body configured on planar body, thereby facilitating gripping and releasing of the articles received in the plurality of cavities.

Typically, the articles are bottles.

Generally, the at least one of the first pair of piston cylinder arrangement and the second pair of piston cylinder arrangement is hydraulically operated.

Alternatively, the at least one of the first pair piston cylinder arrangement and the second pair of piston cylinder arrangement is pneumatically operated.

Typically, the End of Arm Tool further includes a plurality of guides configured on the planar body for facilitating sliding of the sliding members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm, without tubular articles held therein;

Figure 2 illustrates an isometric view of an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm, with sliding members thereof in holding configuration for facilitating holding of tubular articles thereby;

Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm, with sliding members thereof in releasing configuration for facilitating releasing of tubular articles thereby; and
Figure 4 illustrates an isometric view of an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm holding tubular articles therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

A preferred embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The preferred embodiment does not limit the scope and ambit of the invention. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.

The present invention envisages a holding and dispensing system for holding and dispensing tubular articles that includes an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) secured to a robotic arm that facilitates performing of both holding and releasing operations by the robotic arm, thereby eliminating the need for separate robots for picking and releasing the articles and making the picking and placing operation reliable, convenient and simple.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrate an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) 100 secured to a robotic arm used for holding and dispensing a plurality of articles. The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) 100 includes a planar body 10. The planar body 10 has a first edge portion 10a, a second edge portion 10b, a first extreme end, a second extreme end and a intermediate planar portion 10c connecting the first edge portion 10a to the second edge portion 10b and the first extreme end to the second extreme end. Each of the first edge portion 10a and the second edge portion 10b includes a plurality of cavities 50 configured thereon and adapted to receive articles therein. The planar body member 10 further includes a pair of mounting elements 12a and 12b centrally disposed on the planar body 10. The first mounting element 12a of the pair of mounting elements is disposed on the first extreme end and the second mounting element 12b is disposed on the second extreme end of the planar body 10.

The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) 100 further includes at least a first pair of piston cylinder arrangements and atleast a second pair of piston cylinder arrangements, wherein piston cylinder arrangement 20a of the first pair of piston cylinder arrangements is mounted on one side of the first mounting element 12a and piston cylinder arrangement 20b is mounted on the opposite side of the first mounting element 12a. Similarly, the piston cylinder arrangement 30a of the second pair of piston cylinder arrangements is mounted on one side of the second mounting element 12b and piston cylinder arrangement 30b is mounted on the opposite side of the second mounting element 12b. The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) 100 include a pair of elongate sliding elements 40a and 40b extending across the length of the planar body 10, wherein the first sliding element 40a is connected to the piston cylinder arrangement 20a and piston cylinder arrangement 30a and the second sliding element 40b is connected to the piston cylinder arrangement 20b and piston cylinder arrangement 30b. More specifically, the piston cylinder arrangement 20a and piston cylinder arrangement 30a facilitate sliding of the sliding element 40a over the intermediate planar portion 10c and the piston cylinder arrangement 20b and piston cylinder arrangement 30b facilitate sliding of the sliding element 40b over the intermediate planar portion 10c of planar body 10. The sliding elements 40a and 40b move towards and away from the plurality of the cavities 50 configured on the first edge portion 10a and the second edge portion 10b to respectively define a gripping configuration in which the sliding elements 40a and 40b grip the articles received therein and a releasing configuration in which the sliding elements 40a and 40b move away from the cavities 50 for releasing the articles received therein. The planar body 10 may further include a plurality of guides 70 configured thereon for facilitating sliding of the sliding elements 40a and 40b thereon.

Figure 2 illustrates an isometric view of an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) 100 for a robotic arm, with sliding members or splitting 40a and 40b thereof in holding/gripping configuration for facilitating holding of tubular articles such as bottles 60 thereby. More specifically, the sliding members or splitting 40a and 40b are illustrated in gripping configuration thereof, in which the sliding members 40a and 40b move towards the bottles 60 received in the cavities configured on the first edge portion 10a and the second edge portion 10b for gripping the bottles.

Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) 100 for a robotic arm, with sliding members 40a and 40b thereof in releasing configuration for facilitating releasing of tubular articles such as bottles 60 thereby. More specifically, the sliding members 40a and 40b are illustrated in releasing configuration thereof, in which the sliding members 40a and 40b move away from the bottles 60 received in the cavities configured on the first edge portion 10a and the second edge portion 10b for releasing the bottles 60.

Figure 4 illustrates an isometric view of the End of Arm Tool (EOAT) 100 for a robotic arm holding tubular articles 60 therein.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE:

Technical advantages of the present invention lie in providing an End of Arm Tool (EOAT) for a robotic arm used for holding and dispensing a plurality of tubular articles that.

• facilitates performing of both holding and releasing operations by the robotic arm;

• makes picking and placing operation thereby economical;

• makes picking and placing operation thereby reliable;

• is simple in construction; and

• makes picking and placing operation convenient.

"Whenever a range of values is specified, a value up to 10 % below and above the lowest and highest numerical value respectively, of the specified range, is included in the scope of the invention".

The numerical values given for various physical parameters, dimensions and quantities are only approximate values and it is envisaged that the values higher or lower than the numerical value assigned to the physical parameters, dimensions and quantities fall within the scope of the invention and the claims unless there is a statement in the specification to the contrary.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the forgoing descriptive matter to be implemented merely as illustrative of the invention and not as limitation.

We Claim:

1. An End of Arm Tool (EOAT) secured to a robotic arm for holding and dispensing articles comprising:

o a planar body comprising:

• a plurality of cavities disposed along a first edge portion and a second edge portion thereof, wherein each cavity is adapted to receive at least one article therein;

• a pair of mounting elements centrally disposed on said planar body, wherein a first mounting element of said pair of mounting elements is disposed on a first extreme end and a second mounting element is disposed on a second extreme end thereof;

o atleast a first pair of piston cylinder arrangement, with each piston cylinder arrangement mounted on opposite sides of said first mounting element and atleast a second pair of piston cylinder arrangement, with each piston cylinder arrangement mounted on opposite sides of said second mounting element; and

o a pair of elongate sliding elements extending across length of said planar body, wherein each sliding element is connected to a piston cylinder arrangement of said first and second pair

of piston cylinder arrangements to facilitate sliding of said sliding elements towards and away from said cavities configured on said planar body portion, thereby facilitating gripping and releasing of said articles received in said plurality of cavities.
2. The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said articles are bottles.

3. The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) as claimed in claim 1, wherein atleast one of said first pair of piston cylinder arrangement and said second pair of piston cylinder arrangement is hydraulically operated.

4. The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) as claimed in claim 1, wherein atleast one of said first pair of piston cylinder arrangement and said second pair of piston cylinder arrangement is pneumatically operated.

5. The End of Arm Tool (EOAT) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of guides configured on said planar body for facilitating sliding of said sliding members.