End Effector Rack Pinion Carrier Synchronization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing end effector designs for robotic arms in the packaging industry face challenges in efficiently picking up items from a first conveyor belt and placing them into packaging at a different pitch, with limited accessibility for maintenance and complex actuation mechanisms that complicate installation and repair.
Innovation Solution
The end effector incorporates a rack and pinion assembly with a robot interface, actuation rods connected to carrier assemblies, and cooperating members that allow indirect connection of carrier assemblies, enabling synchronized movement and easy maintenance access, along with vacuum ports for pick-up and placement operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If carrier assemblies are directly connected to actuation rods for synchronized movement, then movement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector divides carrier assemblies into two groups: directly connected carrier assemblies that are rigidly attached to actuation rods for precise synchronized movement, and indirectly connected carrier assemblies that move through cooperation with directly connected ones. This segmentation allows the system to achieve precise movement control while reducing overall complexity by not requiring all carriers to be directly actuated.
Solution Approach 2:
Cooperating members act as intermediaries between directly connected and indirectly connected carrier assemblies. The directly connected carriers serve as mediators that transfer motion to the indirectly connected carriers, enabling synchronized movement across all carriers without requiring complex direct actuation of each individual carrier.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex actuation mechanisms are used for pitch adjustment, then adaptability is improved, but ease of repair worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation system is segmented into modular components: rack assembly, pinion assembly, and spindle assembly. Each module can be independently accessed, inspected, and repaired. The rack and pinion mechanism provides adaptable pitch adjustment while maintaining simple, accessible components that can be easily maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The spindle assembly is designed to be extractable from the end effector structure, allowing easy removal and replacement without disassembling the entire mechanism. This extraction capability significantly improves maintenance accessibility while preserving the adaptability of the rack and pinion pitch adjustment system.
3Stability of the object's composition
If all carrier assemblies are directly connected to actuation rods, then movement synchronization is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Directly connected carrier assemblies serve as intermediaries that receive synchronized motion from actuation rods and transfer it to indirectly connected carrier assemblies through cooperating members. This intermediary approach maintains movement synchronization across all carriers while reducing device complexity by eliminating direct actuation connections for some carriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the functions of direct actuation and motion transfer by having directly connected carriers perform dual roles: receiving actuation input and simultaneously driving indirectly connected carriers through cooperating members. This merging reduces the number of independent actuation mechanisms needed while maintaining synchronization.
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
This design enhances the efficiency of picking and placing items by allowing flexible pitch adjustments and simplifies maintenance through improved accessibility, reducing complexity and increasing operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The rack and pinion assembly has a robot interface configured to be operatively connected to a robot's rotatable shaft at one end, and an actuation interface operatively coupled to actuation rods at the other end. The actuation rods are fixedly connected to one or more carrier assemblies, such that the carrier assemblies move in synch therewith.
Implementation Method 2
The end effector incorporates a rack and pinion assembly with a robot interface, actuation rods connected to carrier assemblies, and cooperating members that allow indirect connection of carrier assemblies, enabling synchronized movement and easy maintenance access, along with vacuum ports for pick-up and placement operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An end effector for the packaging industry comprises has a frame, a bridge on top of the frame, a rack and pinion assembly, actuation rods, carrier assemblies, and vacuum ports. The rack and pinion assembly is configured to be operatively connected to a robot's rotatable shaft, and to the actuation rods. The actuation rods are fixedly connected to one or more of the carrier assemblies. As the robot's shaft rotates, the rack and pinion assembly is actuated, which actuates the actuation rods, which causes the carrier assemblies fixedly connected to the actuation rods to move longitudinally along the frame. Each carrier assembly includes a carrier block and at least one pick-up member. Each carrier block has at least one arm with a grabber to cooperate with an adjacent arm with grabbers of an adjacent carrier block(s) of the same subgroup.