Cable Robot Dynamic Configuration for Cluttered Space Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable robots for additive manufacturing are not versatile, pose safety risks due to pendulum effects when cables break, and require extensive space, making them unsuitable for congested areas and frequent relocations.
Innovation Solution
A parallel robot with cables that includes a control unit to adjust cable lengths, allowing suspended and strut cables to change configuration dynamically, and a retraction device to move obstructing cables out of the way, enabling safe movement in cluttered environments and reducing the need for large workspaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cable-driven parallel robot is used for additive manufacturing, then the robot can move extrusion head in three-dimensional space, but if one of the cables breaks, the extrusion head is likely to crash to the ground or swing wildly, causing damage and injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by implementing a control system that continuously monitors cable tension and predicts potential cable failures. When a cable is about to break or does break, the system has already prepared compensatory actions by adjusting other cables to prevent the extrusion head from crashing or swinging wildly, thereby cushioning the harmful effects before they fully manifest.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through sensors that continuously monitor the state of cables and the position of the extrusion head. This real-time feedback allows the control system to detect cable failures immediately and adjust the tension of remaining cables to maintain stable operation, preventing catastrophic failures and ensuring worker safety.
2Reliability
If cable-driven robot requires large unobstructed space free of human presence, then worker safety is improved, but the robot cannot be used in congested construction sites or factories
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a cable-driven robot system that can function safely in multiple environments including congested construction sites and factories. The advanced control system with real-time monitoring and active compensation mechanisms enables the robot to maintain safety standards regardless of the work environment, making it universally applicable rather than restricted to open spaces only.
Solution Approach 2:
Through continuous feedback from sensors monitoring cable tension and extrusion head position, the system can adapt to congested environments by detecting nearby objects and workers, and adjusting cable tensions to prevent harmful movements even in spaces where human presence cannot be completely eliminated.
3Stability of the object's composition
If ground-anchored pillars and crane are used to support cables, then the robot structure is stable, but the infrastructure becomes cumbersome and inflexible for frequent relocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the support structure into modular components that can be independently configured. Instead of requiring permanent ground-anchored pillars and crane installations, the system uses segmented support points that can be positioned flexibly and reconfigured for different locations, maintaining structural stability while enabling frequent relocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the cable support system adaptable and reconfigurable. The support points and anchoring mechanisms can be dynamically adjusted and relocated, transforming the previously static and cumbersome infrastructure into a flexible system that maintains stability during operation but can be easily repositioned for different work sites.
4Measurement precision
If cables are kept taut to maintain robot control, then positioning precision is improved, but cables intersect with elements in the work environment during movement, requiring large clear spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor the position of the mobile tool and the tension in each cable. This real-time information allows the control system to maintain precise positioning by adjusting cable tensions dynamically, while also detecting when cables might intersect with environmental elements and making preemptive adjustments to avoid collisions, thereby enabling accurate operation in congested spaces.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cable-based parallel robot comprising a mobile tool (10, 12) which is intended to be moved along a target path (15) in a working environment; a plurality of cables (21; 22; 23) each having a first end (21a; 22a; 23a) connected to the mobile tool (10,12) and a second end (21b; 22b; 23b) connected to an anchor point of a fixed structure arranged in the vicinity of said working environment; a plurality of cable actuators; a control unit (40) of the actuators, characterised in that said plurality of cables comprises at least one suspended cable (21) and at least one strut cable (22; 23) configured to be arranged so that said second end of the cable (22b, 23b) is lower than said first end (22a; 23a) of the cable while the mobile tool is being moved along said target path (15).