Chain Joint Hub Structure for Internal Robotic Arm Cable Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic arm systems face challenges in cable routing, particularly in internal cable routing through chain joints, which can lead to cable damage, reduced strength capacity, and limited range of motion, while external routing affects the system's profile and increases the risk of cable entanglement.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a mechanical joint design with a hub that allows for internal cable routing without compromising the chain joint's strength or profile, using a flexible mechanical drive system with a hub that routes cables through dedicated passages, maintaining the chain's width and ensuring cables do not bend beyond their minimum radius, thus preventing damage and maintaining system integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cables are routed externally along the robotic mechanism, then cable routing is simple and accessible, but the outer profile is affected and cables are at risk of getting caught in objects
Solution Approach 1:
The cable routing system is nested within the robotic mechanism structure. Cables are routed through the interior of the robotic arm, passing through seals and guides integrated into the joint structure, allowing the mechanism to maintain a streamlined outer profile while keeping cables protected and accessible for maintenance
2Shape
If cables are routed internally through the robotic mechanism, then the outer profile is streamlined and the system is sealed against liquids and gases, but the strength capacity is decreased and joint size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hub structure is designed with differentiated local properties: the outer hub maintains full chain width for strength, while the inner hub creates a dedicated cable passage. This local differentiation allows the cable routing area to be optimized for cable protection while the surrounding structure maintains full load-bearing capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The cable passage is created by offsetting the inner hub relative to the outer hub, utilizing the radial dimension to create a dedicated cable routing path. This dimensional approach allows cables to pass through the joint without compromising the axial strength capacity of the chain connection
3Reliability
If cables are routed internally through the robotic mechanism, then the system is sealed against liquids and gases, but cables are at risk of damage via twisting, bending, and exposure
Solution Approach 1:
Seals are positioned at the interface between the inner and outer hubs, acting as intermediaries that prevent liquid and gas penetration into the cable passage. These seals protect the routed cables from environmental contaminants while allowing the cables to pass through the sealed barrier
Solution Approach 2:
The hub design preliminarily establishes a protected cable passage with integrated seals and guides before the cables are installed. This pre-configured structure ensures cables are immediately protected from bending, twisting, and environmental exposure upon installation, preventing damage before operation begins
4Ease of manufacture
If the chain width is reduced to accommodate cable routing, then cables can be routed internally, but the total strength capacity of the chain joint is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is segmented into an outer hub and an inner hub, with the chain passing through the outer hub and cables passing through the inner hub. This segmentation allows the chain width to be determined by the outer hub dimensions, maintaining full strength capacity, while the inner hub provides a separate, smaller passage for cables without interfering with the chain's load-bearing function
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to cable routing approaches that allow cables (1000) to pass through a traditional chain joint (100) without reducing the strength capacity or impairing the range of motion of the joint. The routing approaches permit the cables (1000) to be housed inside the structure of the robotic arm (150) and pass through the chain joint in a manner that does not limit the width of the chain (120).