Assistance Robot Dynamic Sitting Path Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing assistance robots require pre-set values for seat height and care receiver physique, which are not adaptable to varying conditions, making it difficult to assist care receivers with different seat heights and physicalities during sitting and standing operations.

Innovation Solution

An assistance robot with a base, holding member, and control device that supports movement in up-down and front-rear directions, using multiple movement paths and operation processing to adjust the holding member's position based on a fixed sitting path, allowing for reliable assistance without pre-set values, accommodating varying seat heights and care receiver physiques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If pre-set values for seat height and care receiver physique are used, then the control system is simple, but the adaptability to varying usage conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidadaptability to varying seat heights and physiques
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes control parameters dynamically based on detected usage conditions. The control device adjusts the holding member's movement path and final position based on the detected seat height and care receiver physique, allowing the same hardware to adapt to varying conditions without complex reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically detects usage conditions and adjusts its behavior without requiring manual input or pre-programming. The control device self-adjusts the sitting path parameters based on real-time detection, eliminating the need for operators to enter set values for each usage scenario

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If fixed sitting position is used as endpoint, then the sitting operation is reliable, but the position must be adjusted for different seat heights

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of sitting operationVSAvoidadaptability to different seat heights
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The fixed sitting position is transformed into a dynamic reference point. The control device maintains the structural framework of a fixed endpoint approach but dynamically adjusts the actual coordinates and characteristics of this endpoint based on detected seat height and care receiver physique, combining the reliability of fixed-point control with adaptability to varying conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3417841B1Assistance robot
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 FUJI CORP
  • EP3417841B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3417841B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3417841B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An assistance robot capable of supporting a sitting operation of a care receiver in various usage states. In the assistance robot, operation processing based on the sitting path includes: a retracting process for retracting a holding member and lowering or raising the holding member to a fixed sitting position at which a buttock portion of the care receiver is positioned at a specified height from a floor surface and above a seat; and a lowering process for lowering the holding member from the fixed sitting position until the care receiver is sitting on the seat.