Gantry Robot Fixed Chute and Maintenance Hatch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current waste sorting robots, such as delta and gantry robots, face limitations in handling varying conveyor belt sizes, require frequent maintenance, and pose safety risks due to complex configurations and dusty environments, leading to inefficiencies and increased downtime.
Innovation Solution
A waste sorting gantry robot with a fixed chute location and integral maintenance door design, allowing for simplified installation and maintenance, reduced operator risk, and improved operational efficiency by minimizing reprogramming and travel distances for the manipulator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a delta robot is used for waste sorting, then the robot can pick small light objects effectively, but the robot cannot lift heavy objects and is limited to narrow conveyor belts due to its inverted cone working volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional delta robot configuration by placing the manipulator at the top and suspending it from a fixed overhead structure, rather than suspending the manipulator from moving arms. This inversion allows the manipulator to maintain a consistent working volume across varying conveyor belt widths while preserving fast picking capabilities for small objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead manipulator system is designed to handle multiple object types and sizes simultaneously, accommodating both small light objects and larger items within its consistent working volume. The system can adapt to different conveyor belt configurations without requiring repositioning or reconfiguration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a gantry robot with movable chute is used, then the robot can adapt to different sorting locations, but the robot requires frequent reprogramming and increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the chute with the fixed overhead structure, integrating the discharge mechanism into the permanent installation rather than making it a separate movable component. This merging eliminates the need for repositioning chutes while maintaining sorting flexibility through the manipulator's ability to deliver objects to fixed discharge points.
Solution Approach 2:
The chute positions are predetermined and fixed during system installation, with their locations planned in advance to match the manipulator's working volume. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for operational adjustments or reprogramming during waste sorting activities.
3Volume of moving object
If the manipulator is suspended from the servo housing in a delta robot, then the robot structure is compact, but the servos must have sufficient power to move the manipulator and object, requiring the manipulator to be as light as possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the support structure by having the manipulator hang from a fixed overhead beam rather than being suspended from moving delta robot arms. This allows the manipulator to be supported by a stationary structure, freeing it from weight constraints and enabling the use of heavier, more robust manipulators capable of lifting heavier objects.
4Ease of operation
If a delta robot with universal joints is used, then the robot can achieve complex movements, but the universal joints are particularly susceptible to wear and malfunction in dusty environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex universal joints from the waste sorting system by eliminating the delta robot configuration. The overhead manipulator uses simpler joint mechanisms that are less susceptible to wear from dust and debris, significantly improving reliability in harsh waste sorting environments while maintaining operational flexibility.
5Device complexity
If the working volume of a delta robot varies across the width of the working space, then the robot structure is simplified, but the robot cannot manipulate objects at the same height across the width of the conveyor belt
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the working volume geometry by using an overhead fixed structure that provides a consistent, uniform working volume across the entire conveyor belt width. This allows the manipulator to maintain constant height and consistent working conditions for all objects on the conveyor, eliminating the height variation problem of delta robots.
Data Source
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AI summary
A waste sorting gantry robot comprises a gantry frame. The waste sorting gantry frame further comprises a manipulator for interacting with one or more waste objects to be sorted within a working area. The manipulator is moveably mounted on the gantry frame and the manipulator is moveable within the working area. A conveyor moves one or more waste objects to be sorted within the working area. The gantry frame comprises a chute for receiving sorted objects moved by the manipulator from the conveyor to a chute opening.