End Effector Memory Integration for Reliable Robot Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robot controllers face issues in reliably obtaining control information corresponding to the attached end effector, leading to erroneous operations due to separate management of control information, which is not properly synchronized with the end effector.

Innovation Solution

Integrating a memory unit within the end effector to store control information, allowing the robot controller to directly access and utilize this information for precise operation control, including work programs and display settings, thereby ensuring compatibility and reducing the need for excessive arithmetic functions in the controller.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If control information is saved separately from the end effector (e.g., in USB memory), then the robot controller can access control information, but the correspondence between end effectors and control information cannot be reliably managed, leading to erroneous operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of obtaining correct control informationVSAvoidcomplexity of managing correspondence between end effectors and control information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control information storage function directly into the end effector by providing a memory unit within the end effector itself. This integration ensures that when the end effector is attached to the robot, the corresponding control information is automatically available, eliminating the need for separate management and preventing mismatches between end effectors and their control information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If control information is stored in the end effector itself, then the robot controller can reliably obtain corresponding control information, but the end effector structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of obtaining correct control informationVSAvoidstructural complexity of the end effector

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the memory unit for storing control information directly within the end effector structure. This integration ensures that control information travels with the end effector, guaranteeing reliable matching while the modular design keeps the added complexity minimal and contained within the end effector module.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If control information is managed separately, then the robot controller has flexibility in control, but management burden increases and errors occur due to improper synchronization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of managing control informationVSAvoidsynchronization between end effector and control information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The end effector autonomously carries its own control information in an integrated memory unit, making the control information self-attached to the corresponding end effector. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external management and synchronization processes, reducing both management burden and error risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250360620A1Robot system, robot device, robot controller, end effector and end effector control method

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

The memory unit 34 storing the control information (API 521 and operation macro code 522) used by the robot controller 4 (robot controller) to control the end effector 3 is provided in the end effector 3. Therefore, by obtaining the control information from the memory unit 34 provided in the end effector 3 to be controlled, the robot controller 4 can reliably obtain the control information corresponding to this end effector 3 (Steps S102 to S104).