Explosion-Proof Feeding Cable for Industrial Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments with flammable gases, such as coating booths, electrical robots risk igniting due to sparks or high temperatures, posing a fire or explosion hazard due to the presence of flammable vapors from organic solvents.
Innovation Solution
A robot design with an explosion-proof structure, featuring a feeding cable with a thick, non-combustible sheath and insulator, and a cable ground filled with sealing material to prevent ignition, ensuring the robot's components are safely powered without risking ignition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional feeding cable with thin cover is used, then the cable is flexible and easy to install, but it cannot prevent sparks or high temperatures from igniting flammable gases in explosion-proof regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the cable cover to at least 10% of the cable's outer diameter, transforming a conventional thin-cover cable into an explosion-proof cable with sufficient thickness to prevent ignition of flammable gases while maintaining cable functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structure with multiple layers including inner cover, outer cover, and sealing material, combining different material properties to achieve both explosion-proof performance and flexibility without excessive complexity
2Reliability
If metal tubes are used to protect feeding cables in explosion-proof regions, then explosion-proof performance is improved, but installation complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the explosion-proof function from the traditional metal tube protection structure and integrates it directly into the cable itself through a thickened cover design, eliminating the need for separate metal tube installations and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the protection function previously provided by external metal tubes into the cable structure itself by designing a thick cover that inherently provides explosion-proof performance, combining multiple functions into a single integrated component
3Reliability
If the cable cover thickness is increased to prevent ignition, then explosion-proof performance improves, but cable flexibility and handleability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different material properties to different parts of the cable structure, with the cover providing rigidity and explosion-proof performance while the inner wiring maintains flexibility, achieving local optimization of both hardness and softness in different regions
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 design enhances explosion-proof performance, eliminating the need for metal tubes, improving handleability, and reducing installation complexity and costs, while ensuring reliable operation in hazardous environments.
Implementation Method 1
The cable ground includes a sealing filled portion that contains the plurality of wires pulled out of the cover and that is filled with a sealing material
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes a robot body and a feeding cable. The robot body is disposed in an explosion-proof region. The feeding cable is disposed in the explosion-proof region, and power is supplied to the robot body through the feeding cable. The feeding cable includes a plurality of wires and a cover. Each of the plurality of wires includes a conductor and an insulator covering the conductor. The cover covers the plurality of wires and has a thickness of equal to or greater than 10 percent of an outer diameter of the feeding cable.