Compensating Element for Mobile Picking Robot Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile order picking robots face challenges in precise positioning of objects due to tolerances in target positions, leading to collisions, inefficient packing patterns, and reduced stability on pallets, especially with factors like package dimensions, pallet setup, and environmental disturbances.
Innovation Solution
A compensating element with flexible degrees of freedom, comprising a locking element, xy element, and z element, connected to the robot arm and pick-up tool, allows for relative movements and adjustments in x, y, z directions, and rotation, using a disc and clamping device for locking and elasticity elements for flexibility, with sensory monitoring to ensure precise placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If standard 6-axis industrial robots are used for order picking, then automation capability is improved, but the robot becomes too heavy and has kinematic limitations for mobile use
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system is divided into modular components: a mobile base unit, a lifting mast, and a robot arm with gripper. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling automation while reducing overall weight and improving mobility compared to standard 6-axis industrial robots.
2Reliability
If target position is determined based on sensor data with safety margins, then collision prevention is improved, but packing density decreases due to larger safety distances between packages
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation of storage positions using sensor data and calculated target positions before actual package placement. By pre-verifying positions and adjusting safety margins dynamically, the system maintains collision prevention while optimizing packing density through more efficient space utilization.
3Manufacturing precision
If locking element clamps the disk strongly, then positioning precision is improved, but the compensating element cannot adapt to positional deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element's clamping force on the disk is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. This allows the system to switch between strong clamping for precision positioning and relaxed clamping for adaptation to deviations, resolving the contradiction between positioning precision and adaptability to positional variations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a mobile picking robot (R) for the automatic picking of objects (9) with a load handling manipulator (M) comprising a robot arm (4, 5, 6, 7) and a picking tool (8) connected to the robot arm (4, 5, 6, 7) for picking up the objects (9), as well as a method for operating the picking robot (R). It is proposed that a compensating element (20) be provided between the robot arm (4, 5, 6, 7) and the picking tool (8), which allows relative movements between the robot arm (4, 5, 6, 7) on one side and the picking tool (8) on the other side.