Care Transfer Robot with Planetary Tilting Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Caregivers face a heavy burden and occupational disorders like lower back pain due to the difficulty in transferring care receivers, and there is a shortage of caregivers, especially in Japan, where existing care robots are complex and hard to operate.
Innovation Solution
A robot with a movable block, rising & falling block, tilting block, and pair of arms equipped with a planetary gear mechanism and locking mechanism, allowing one caregiver to easily transfer care receivers by tilting and rotating the arms to lift and move them safely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a carrier is used to transfer care receivers, then the transfer capability is improved, but the device complexity increases making it hard to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The robot is divided into distinct functional modules: movable block for position adjustment, rising & falling block for vertical movement, tilting block for angle adjustment, and operating block for control. Each module performs a specific function, making the overall complex system manageable through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot autonomously performs the transfer operation by integrating the movable block, rising & falling block, and tilting block into a coordinated system that automatically positions and transfers the care receiver without requiring complex manual operation or assembly by the caregiver.
2Ease of operation
If two caregivers are used to transfer care receivers, then the safety and ease of operation is improved, but the loss of time increases due to caregiver shortage
Solution Approach 1:
The robot autonomously performs the transfer operation that previously required two caregivers, eliminating the time loss associated with caregiver shortage while maintaining transfer safety through its automated control system and stable mechanical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot creates a controlled and stable transfer environment through its rigid mechanical structure and precise control mechanisms, ensuring safe transfer operations without relying on multiple human caregivers.
3Productivity
If one caregiver operates the robot, then the productivity is improved by reducing caregiver burden, but the ease of operation must be maintained despite the complex mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The robot autonomously coordinates the complex movements of the movable block, rising & falling block, and tilting block through integrated control mechanisms, allowing one caregiver to operate it without needing to understand or manage the complex individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The control functions for the movable block, rising & falling block, and tilting block are merged into a single operating block, allowing one caregiver to control all functions through a unified interface rather than managing separate complex controls.
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
Enables the safe and efficient transfer of care receivers from beds to wheelchairs by one caregiver, reducing the burden on caregivers and alleviating occupational disorders such as lower back pain, while being easy to operate and addressing the caregiver shortage.
Implementation Method 1
the main tilting part has a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear and a pair of planetary gears arranged symmetrically to the sun gear
Implementation Method 2
the auxiliary tilting element is tilted by the rotating force of the planetary gear through a force transmitting mechanism
Implementation Method 3
a right-side screw type rising & falling shaft (3R) and a left-side screw type rising & falling shaft (3L)
Implementation Method 4
the auxiliary tilting element has a locking mechanism which locks the arm at a prescribed position
Data Source
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AI summary
A robot which is operated easily and is able to transfer a care receiver by one caregiver alone is provided. The robot R comprises a movable block M1, a rising & falling block M2 arranged on the movable block M1, a tilting block M3 set to the rising & falling block M2, an operating block M4 arranged on the tilting block M3 and a pair of arms 20; wherein the tilting block M3 has a main tilting part 30 and an auxiliary tilting part 40 arranged on the main tilting part 30; and the auxiliary tilting part 40 has auxiliary tilting elements 44, 48, holding the arms 20, rotatably set at the both ends of a main tilting element 31 of the main tilting part 30 respectively.