Ceiling Robot Cable Routing via Hollow Arm Nesting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ceiling-mounted robots with wide movement envelopes face issues with relay cables becoming entangled with the articulated arm, leading to increased load on the cables due to direct connections to external devices.

Innovation Solution

The ceiling-mounted robot incorporates connector portions on the second arm portion, routing the relay cable through the arm to prevent entanglement, with one connector exposed on the bottom surface and another on the side surface, allowing for shorter connection paths and preventing cable sagging, and includes a hollow movable shaft for additional device connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a relay cable is directly connected to an external device outside the articulated arm, then the connection is simple and accessible, but the cable becomes entangled with the articulated arm during movement and experiences increased load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable connection accessibilityVSAvoidcable entanglement and load
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The relay cable is routed through the hollow interior of the articulated arm, nesting the cable within the arm structure. This prevents the cable from being exposed to external entanglement risks while maintaining connection functionality through connector portions that access the cable inside the arm.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The articulated arm acts as an intermediary structure that protects and guides the relay cable. The cable passes through the arm rather than connecting directly outside, using the arm's hollow space as a protective conduit that prevents entanglement while allowing cable access to external devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the connector portion is positioned on the side surface of the second arm portion, then the connection path is longer, but the cable can be connected above the bottom surface to prevent sagging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable sagging preventionVSAvoidconnection path length
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Different connector portions are positioned at different locations on the articulated arm (bottom surface vs. side surface) to serve different functional needs. The bottom surface connector optimizes for short connection paths, while the side surface connector optimizes for cable sagging prevention, allowing each location to have specialized quality characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2942161B1Ceiling mounted robot
Publication Date: 2018.03.21 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP2942161B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2942161B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2942161B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A ceiling mounted robot (1) includes a first member (10) ; a first arm portion (21) that is turnably provided on the first member (10) via a first joint portion (23) ; a second arm portion (20) that is turnably provided on the first arm portion (21) via a second joint portion (20); a wiring portion that is inserted into the first arm portion (21) and the second arm portion (20); and a connector portion (31) that is connected to the wiring portion.