Carrier Device Turn Table Rotation for Wind Bias

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional carrier devices expose workpieces to biased wind during swiveling, leading to uneven drying and painting quality issues, especially when the workpiece surface is wet, causing dust or debris to adhere unevenly.

Innovation Solution

The carrier device features a swivel arm with turn tables that rotate by an integral multiple of 360 degrees with respect to the installation surface while moving between the working and carrying positions, ensuring the workpiece is not exposed to biased wind, achieved through a controlled swiveling mechanism and table rotation system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the turn table is not rotated with respect to the installation surface during swiveling of the arm, then the posture of the turn table is uniformed between working position and carrying in/out position, but the workpiece is exposed to biased wind during carrying

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposture uniformityVSAvoidbiased wind exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The turn table is configured to rotate dynamically during the arm's swiveling motion. Specifically, when the arm swings from the working position to the carrying in/out position, the turn table rotates by an integral multiple of 360 degrees relative to the installation surface. This dynamic rotation ensures that the workpiece surface exposed to wind changes continuously, preventing biased wind from affecting the same surface throughout the carrying operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The turn table performs periodic rotation during the arm's swiveling cycle. The rotation is synchronized with the arm's motion, completing full rotations (360 degrees or multiples) as the arm moves between positions. This periodic action ensures that all surfaces of the workpiece are periodically exposed to different wind directions, eliminating the biased wind problem while maintaining operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the turn table rotates by an integral multiple of 360 degrees during swiveling, then the workpiece is prevented from exposed to biased wind, but the mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebiased wind exposureVSAvoidrotation control mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The turn table rotation function is merged with the arm's existing swiveling mechanism. The turn table is driven by the arm's swiveling motion itself, utilizing the same motor and transmission system that controls the arm's movement. This integration means that one motor simultaneously controls both the arm's swinging and the turn table's rotation, eliminating the need for a separate rotation mechanism and reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The arm swiveling mechanism serves multiple functions: it positions the turn table between working and carrying positions, and simultaneously rotates the turn table by an integral multiple of 360 degrees during the swing. This multi-functionality allows a single mechanism to achieve both positioning and wind protection objectives, simplifying the device structure while preventing biased wind exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2647476B1Carrier device and robot system
Publication Date: 2015.05.27 YASKAWA DENKI KK
  • EP2647476B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2647476B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2647476B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A carrier device (1) according to embodiments includes: a swivel arm (11) that is provided on a base (6) installed on an installation surface (100) to be able to swivel around a central axis and whose leading ends can pass on a circular orbit (R); and turn tables (12) that are attached to the leading ends of the swivel arm (11) and can carry a predetermined workpiece (5) while placing thereon the workpiece (5) between a working position (41) and a carrying in/out position (40) provided on the circular orbit (R). The turn table (12) is rotated by an integral multiple of 360 degrees with respect to the installation surface (100) while the turn table (12) is moving from the working position (41) to the carrying in/out position (40) by swiveling the swivel arm (11).