Bendable Robotic Arm Assembly With Embedded Control Wires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for constructing robotic arm assemblies, particularly long and thin robotic arms, are challenging due to difficulties in forming control wire holes and threading thin, flimsy wires through individual links.
Innovation Solution
A method involving positioning control wires in a formation zone and forming the robotic arm body around them using additive manufacturing, such as 3-D printing, to enclose the wires, allowing for the integration of control wires within the arm's structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual links are separately formed with extruded or drilled holes and control wires are threaded through them, then the robotic arm can be constructed with modular links, but it becomes difficult to construct relatively long and/or relatively thin robotic arms with desired density of control wire holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate operations of forming links, creating holes, and threading wires into a single integrated additive manufacturing process. The robotic arm body is printed as one continuous structure with control wires embedded during fabrication, eliminating the need to separately form individual links and thread wires through them. This resolves the contradiction by making the manufacturing process easier while maintaining adaptability to various arm configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control wires are positioned in advance within the formation zone before the robotic arm body is formed around them through additive manufacturing. This preliminary positioning allows the wires to be accurately placed and integrated into the final structure without requiring post-manufacturing threading operations, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while achieving precise wire placement.
2Productivity
If control wires are threaded through separately drilled holes in individual links, then each link can be independently manufactured, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the manufacturing of links and the integration of control wires into a single additive manufacturing operation. Instead of separately manufacturing links and then threading wires through them, the process creates the entire robotic arm body with embedded wires in one continuous build, dramatically reducing construction time and eliminating manual threading operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process automatically integrates the control wires into the robotic arm structure during fabrication. The system serves itself by embedding the wires as part of the manufacturing process rather than requiring separate manual assembly operations, thereby eliminating time loss associated with manual wire threading.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control wires are positioned closely together in long and thin robotic arms, then the arm can achieve desired functionality, but the wires become extremely thin and flimsy making them difficult to thread
Solution Approach 1:
The control wires are positioned and supported within the formation zone before the robotic arm body is formed around them. This preliminary support structure prevents the thin, flimsy wires from bending or becoming misaligned during manufacturing, making them easy to handle and position accurately even when closely spaced, thereby resolving the difficulty of threading such wires.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process acts as an intermediary that automatically secures and positions the thin control wires within the robotic arm body during fabrication. This intermediary process eliminates the need for manual threading operations that would be difficult with thin, flimsy wires, as the manufacturing process itself handles the wire integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach facilitates the construction of long and thin robotic arms with tightly spaced control wires, reducing assembly time and costs while enhancing structural integrity and performance.
Implementation Method 1
forming the body of the robotic arm around the wire using an additive manufacturing process
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical arm assembly including a bendable arm. In some embodiments, the bendable arm includes a body including a plurality of links and a plurality of joints movably coupling the plurality of links; and a plurality of wires including one or more control wires. For example, the body encloses at least a portion of each of the plurality of wires and defines a plurality of openings with each wire in the plurality of wires extending through at least one respective opening of the plurality of openings. The one or more control wires may be moveably positioned within at least a portion of the body enclosing the one or more control wires. In some embodiments, each control wire terminates at a corresponding link. For example, a first control wire terminates at a first link and a second control wire terminates at a second link of the plurality of links.