Collaborative Robot Shock-Absorbing Tool for Human Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Collaborative robots lack effective countermeasures to reduce the risk of injury from collisions between their working tools and humans, particularly since the working tools attached to the robot arm move at high speeds and pose a significant safety risk when sharing a workspace.
Innovation Solution
A collaborative robot design that incorporates a shock-absorbing member around the working tool, a force sensor to detect external forces, and a control system to determine and prevent collisions with humans, using materials with lower rigidity than the tool components and an elastic outer layer to absorb impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a safety fence is provided around the robot's movable area, then human safety is improved, but the robot cannot share workspace with humans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a shock-absorbing member that covers the periphery of the working tool's base part. This shock-absorbing member is made of material with lower rigidity than the base part, creating a cushioning layer that absorbs collision forces before they reach the rigid tool components, thereby enabling safe workspace sharing without fences
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible shells by using a shock-absorbing member made of elastic material that covers the base part of the working tool. This flexible covering deforms under collision forces to absorb impact energy, allowing the robot to operate safely in shared workspace without rigid safety fencing
2Productivity
If the working tool moves at high speed to improve productivity, then operational efficiency is improved, but the collision risk with humans increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shock-absorbing member provides beforehand cushioning by being positioned between the high-speed moving working tool and potential human contact. The elastic material absorbs collision forces that occur during high-speed operations, enabling maintained productivity while reducing the harmful effects of potential collisions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful collision force into beneficial shock absorption by using elastic material that deforms under impact. The kinetic energy from high-speed tool movement is transformed into deformation energy of the shock-absorbing member, thereby protecting humans while allowing high-speed operation to continue
3Reliability
If a shock-absorbing member is added to the working tool, then human safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shock-absorbing member applies local quality by providing shock absorption only at the base part of the working tool where it contacts the robot wrist. This localized approach improves safety without requiring the entire tool structure to be modified, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity to only the necessary area
4Reliability
If the shock-absorbing member covers the entire working tool, then human safety is improved, but the working tool cannot perform its operational function
Solution Approach 1:
The shock-absorbing member covers only the base part of the working tool with lower rigidity material, while the operational parts (fingers, gripping surfaces, or tool-specific components) maintain their original rigid structure and functionality. This localized coverage ensures safety without interfering with the tool's operational capabilities
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
The solution effectively reduces the risk of injury from collisions by absorbing shock and automatically stopping the robot when a collision is detected, enhancing human safety in shared workspaces.
Implementation Method 1
a shock-absorbing member which covers the periphery of at least the base part of the working tool and which is made of a material having a rigidity lower than that of the base part and the movable part of the working tool
Implementation Method 2
an elastic outer layer to absorb impacts
Implementation Method 3
a detector which is provided for the robot arm, to detect an external force input via the shock-absorbing member
Data Source
AI summary
A robot shares a work space with a person, to perform an operation. The robot includes a shock-absorbing member which covers the periphery of at least a base part of a working tool attached to an robot arm, a detector which is provided for the robot arm, to detect an external force input via the shock-absorbing member, and a robot control device which stops the robot when determining, based on information of the detected external force, that the working tool collides with the person. The external force is transmitted from the working tool to the robot arm, and is detected by the detector.