Compliance Unit Locking Mechanism for Home Position Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compliance units fail to securely maintain the home position of workpieces when air supply to the returning mechanism is shut off, leading to positional deviations and potential damage during workpiece transportation and alignment.
Innovation Solution
A compliance unit with a locking mechanism that uses a ball and conical hole system, combined with a return spring and pressure chamber, and a locking member with a spring and unlocking piston, to lock the returning mechanism in place even if air supply is interrupted, ensuring the first and second bodies remain at the home position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a returning mechanism using air is used to cause the second body to return to the home position, then the second body can be restrained at the home position to prevent workpiece displacement, but if air supply is shut off during workpiece transportation, the returning mechanism fails to function and the second body becomes displaced
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is activated in advance to mechanically lock the return piston and second body at the home position before air supply interruption occurs. The locking member engages with the return piston to prevent any displacement, ensuring that even if air supply is shut off during workpiece transportation, the second body remains securely positioned and workpiece displacement is prevented.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism serves as a protective measure prepared in advance against the potential failure of the air supply system. By providing a mechanical locking backup before air interruption occurs, the system cushions against the harmful effect of positional deviation that would otherwise occur when the pneumatic returning mechanism fails.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to mechanically lock the return piston in place, then the second body can be restrained even if air supply is interrupted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is integrated with the existing returning mechanism components. The locking member is disposed within the first body and engages with the return piston, merging the locking function with the existing pneumatic structure. This integration allows the locking mechanism to be added without significantly increasing overall device complexity, as shared components and compact arrangement are utilized.
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 compliance unit effectively prevents positional deviations and ensures safety by locking the second body in place, even if air supply is shut off, maintaining the home position and preventing workpiece displacement during transportation and alignment processes.
Implementation Method 1
a return spring and a return pressure chamber that cause the return piston to generate thrust in a direction in which the ball is pressed against the conical hole
Implementation Method 2
a locking spring that presses the locking member toward the locking position
Implementation Method 3
a return port for supplying air to the return pressure chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A compliance unit includes a return piston that causes a first body and a second body to return to a home position and a locking mechanism that locks the return piston in the home position. The locking mechanism includes a locking member that is capable of being freely displaced to a locking position where the locking member is fixed in place by being in contact with the return piston and to a non-locking position where the locking member is not in contact with the return piston and is not fixed in place, a locking spring that presses the locking member toward the locking position, an unlocking piston that presses the locking member toward the non-locking position, an unlocking pressure chamber that causes the unlocking piston to generate thrust, and an unlocking port for supplying air to the unlocking pressure chamber.