Foodstuff Bin Refill Assembly for Continuous Robotic Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic assembly systems face challenges in safely and efficiently refilling ingredients within foodstuff bins without interrupting robotic operations, requiring human intervention that can be hazardous and time-consuming, and lack efficient methods for continuous operation and cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A refill system with a base structure and support elements that facilitate the transition of foodstuff bins between pick and refill regions, allowing for one-handed operation and minimizing human-machine interaction risks, enabling continuous robotic operation and easy cleaning, while incorporating a force sensor for accurate ingredient measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human operators manually refill foodstuff bins in robotic workspaces, then refilling can be performed, but safety risks increase and operational continuity is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the workspace into distinct zones: a robotic workspace for automated operations and a refill workspace for human operators. Support elements create physical boundaries and designated areas, allowing simultaneous operation without interference. This spatial segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling both safety (separated workspaces) and productivity (continuous operation in both zones).
Solution Approach 2:
Support elements act as intermediaries between the robotic system and human operators during refilling operations. These elements provide structured pathways and designated refill regions that mediate the interaction, allowing humans to refill bins without entering the robotic workspace, thus ensuring safety while maintaining operational continuity.
2Measurement precision
If the robotic assembly system is stopped for refilling, then accurate ingredient measurement and refilling can be performed, but downtime increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates force sensors that continuously monitor ingredient levels and weights before complete depletion occurs. This preliminary detection allows refilling to be scheduled at optimal moments rather than waiting for empty bins, reducing downtime while maintaining measurement precision through continuous monitoring capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system continues operating in its designated workspace while refilling occurs in a separate refill workspace. Multiple foodstuff bins can be refilled in sequence without stopping robotic operations, maintaining continuous useful action. The support elements enable this parallel operation by providing stable refill regions that don't interfere with robotic movements.
3Productivity
If complex refilling mechanisms are added to maintain continuous operation, then productivity is maintained, but device complexity increases and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Human operators perform refilling manually in the designated refill workspace without requiring complex automated refilling mechanisms. The support elements provide simple structural guidance and positioning, but the actual refilling is a straightforward manual operation. This self-service approach maintains productivity through parallel operations while keeping the system simple and easy to operate.
4Ease of operation
If human operators enter the robotic workspace to refill bins, then refilling is straightforward, but safety risks and difficulty of detecting and measuring hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The workspace is segmented into a robotic zone and a refill zone with clearly defined boundaries created by support elements. Humans operate exclusively in the refill workspace, which is positioned outside the robotic workspace. This segmentation maintains ease of operation (simple manual refilling) while eliminating hazard detection difficulties, as humans and robots never occupy the same space simultaneously.
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 system enhances safety by reducing human intervention in robotic workspaces, enables continuous operation of robotic assembly systems, minimizes downtime, and facilitates efficient cleaning and accurate ingredient measurement, improving operational efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a force sensor for accurate ingredient measurement
Data Source
AI summary
The system can include: a base structure, a set of support elements, and/or any other suitable components. The system can optionally include a foodstuff bin and a force sensor. However, the system can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable set of components. The system functions to facilitate refilling of ingredients within foodstuff bins and/or replacement of foodstuff bins. Additionally or alternatively, the system can function to facilitate repeatable positioning of foodstuff bins within a workspace of the robotic arm and/or a robotic assembly module. Additionally or alternatively, the system can function to facilitate rapid calibration, servicing, and/or cleaning of foodstuff assembly modules.