Extendable Robot Arm Structure for Adjustable Working Radius
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial robots often require either a large working radius or high endurance load, leading to the need for expensive or high-performance robots, even when only one specific requirement is necessary, resulting in inefficient resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
A robot arm extension device that includes a housing, an adapter connected to the robot, a length extension part that can be pulled out or retracted, and a driving part to provide the necessary force for extension, allowing for adjustable working radius without the need for expensive or high-performance robots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the length of robot arm is increased to achieve wide working radius, then the working radius is improved, but the size and performance of motor and speed reducer become larger and higher
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm is divided into a base arm portion and an extendable extension portion. The extension portion can be pulled out or retracted independently, allowing the working radius to be segmented into base radius and extension radius. This segmentation enables the motor and speed reducer to maintain smaller sizes while achieving larger working radius when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm length is made dynamically adjustable through the extendable extension portion that can be pulled out or retracted during operation. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt the arm length to task requirements without permanently increasing the size of driving components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a higher performance robot is selected to meet both wide working radius and high endurance load requirements, then both requirements are satisfied, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm length is made dynamically adjustable through the extendable extension portion that can be pulled out or retracted during operation. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt the arm length to task requirements without permanently increasing the size of driving components.
Solution Approach 2:
The working radius parameter is made variable through the extendable extension portion. The system can change the effective arm length parameter based on task requirements, allowing a single robot configuration to serve multiple applications with different radius needs, thereby reducing costs.
3Length of moving object
If the length extension part is pulled out of the housing, then the working radius is increased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extension portion is nested within the housing when retracted, similar to a nested doll structure. This nesting approach allows the extension mechanism to be compact when not in use and minimizes the space required for the mechanism, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Only the necessary extension portion is extracted from the housing when needed, rather than having the entire arm be extendable. This selective extraction approach simplifies the mechanism by isolating the extension function to a specific component that can be independently controlled.
Data Source
AI summary
The objective of the present invention is to provide: a robot arm extension device capable of adjusting an operating radius according to the operation environment and requirements of a robot in industrial sites; and a robot including the robot arm extension device. The robot arm extension device according to the present invention comprises: a housing; an adapter formed on one side of the housing and connected to the robot; a length extending part embedded in the housing and withdrawn from or inserted into the housing; and a driving part for providing the driving power of the length extending part.