Robotic processing system

Abstract

A robotic transport system including a drive section connected to a frame, an articulated arm operably coupled to the drive section providing the articulated arm with arm motion in at least one axis of motion moving at least a portion of the articulated arm in a collaborative space, corresponding to the frame, from a first location to another different location in the collaborative space, the articulated arm having an end effector with a workpiece grip having workpiece engagement members engaging and holding a workpiece during workpiece transport, by the arm motion in the at least one axis of motion, wherein at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant, having a frangible compliant coupling between a distal portion of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members and a base portion of the end effector from which the at least one of the workpiece engagement members depends.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A robotic transport system comprising:
 a frame;   a drive section connected to the frame;   an articulated arm operably coupled to the drive section providing the articulated arm with arm motion in at least one axis of motion moving at least a portion of the articulated arm in a collaborative space, corresponding to the frame, from a first location to another different location of at least the portion of the articulated arm in the collaborative space;   the articulated arm having an end effector with a workpiece grip having workpiece engagement members engaging and holding a workpiece during workpiece transport, by the arm motion in the at least one axis of motion;   wherein at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant, having a frangible compliant coupling between a distal portion of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members and a base portion of the end effector from which the at least one of the workpiece engagement members depends.   
     
     
         2 . The robotic transport system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant so that the at least one of the workpiece engagement members breaks away from the end effector during unintended contact between the at least one of the workpiece engagement members and an obstruction in the arm motion in the at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         3 . The robotic transport system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one of the workpiece engagement members breaks away from the end effector during unintended contact with an obstruction in each axis of the arm motion in at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         4 . The robotic transport system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant so that the at least one of the workpiece engagement members breaks away from the end effector at the frangible compliant coupling during unintended contact with an obstruction in arm motion in each axis of the at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         5 . The robotic transport system of  claim 1 , wherein the frangible compliant coupling has as a frangible interface between a coupling portion of the base portion of the end effector and a mating coupling portion of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members. 
     
     
         6 . The robotic transport system of  claim 1 , wherein the frangible compliant coupling is configured so that the at least one of the workpiece engagement members is substantially rigid relative to the base portion of the end effector with respect to each axis of the arm motion in at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         7 . The robotic transport system of  claim 1 , wherein the frangible compliant coupling has a workpiece engagement member interface with deterministic features repeatably positioning the at least one of the workpiece engagement members with respect to predetermined reference datum of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         8 . The robotic transfer system of  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined reference datum of the articulated arm is aligned with a workpiece transport plane defined in part by the arm motion in at least one axis of motion. 
     
     
         9 . The robotic transfer system of  claim 7 , wherein the frangible compliant coupling deterministic features define a snap on engagement interface mating with complementing features of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members. 
     
     
         10 . The robotic transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant so that break away from the base portion of the end effector complies with at least one of ANSI R 15.06 standards, ISO 10218-1 standards, or ISO/TS-15066 standards. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 providing a drive section connected to a frame of a robotic transport system;   providing an articulated arm having an end effector with a workpiece grip having workpiece engagement members, the articulated arm operably coupled to the drive section providing the articulated arm with robot motion in at least one axis moving at least a portion of the articulated arm in a collaborative space, corresponding to the frame, from a first location to another different location of at least the portion of the articulated arm in the collaborative space;   engaging and holding a workpiece with the workpiece engagement members during workpiece transport, by the arm motion in the at least one axis of motion;   wherein at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant, having a frangible compliant coupling between a distal portion of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members and a base portion of the end effector from which the at least one of the workpiece engagement members depends.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising breaking the at least one of the workpiece engagement members away from the end effector during unintended contact between the at least one of the workpiece engagement members and an obstruction in the arm motion in the at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising breaking the at least one of the workpiece engagement members away from the end effector during unintended contact with an obstruction in each axis of the arm motion in at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising breaking the at least one of the workpiece engagement members away from the end effector at the frangible compliant coupling during unintended contact with an obstruction in each axis of the arm motion in at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the frangible compliant coupling has as a frangible interface between a coupling portion of the base portion of the end effector and a mating coupling portion of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the frangible compliant coupling is configured so that the at least one of the workpiece engagement members is substantially rigid relative to the base portion of the end effector with respect to each axis of the arm motion in at least one axis of motion of the articulated arm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising repeatably positioning the at least one of the workpiece engagement members with respect to predetermined reference datum of the articulated arm with deterministic features of a workpiece engagement member interface of the frangible compliant coupling. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined reference datum of the articulated arm is aligned with a workpiece transport plane defined in part by the arm motion in at least one axis of motion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the frangible compliant coupling deterministic features define a snap on engagement interface mating with complementing features of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant so that breaking away from the base portion of the end effector complies with at least one of ANSI R 15.06 standards, ISO 10218-1 standards, or ISO/TS-15066 standards.