Gas Pressure Driven Valve for Robot Internal Pressure Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing internal pressure adjustment systems for robots operating in combustible gas environments are complex and lack a straightforward mechanism to manage gas supply pressure and exhaust gas effectively, particularly in switching between scavenging and normal operation modes.

Innovation Solution

An internal pressure adjustment system that includes a gas supply line, a gas supply pressure changing unit, an exhaust line, and a gas pressure-driven on-off valve, which switches the exhaust line's operation based on gas supply pressure, opening it during scavenging and closing it during normal operation, and detects pressure abnormalities using the gas flow rate in the exhaust line.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex control system with multiple timers and valves is used to manage gas supply and exhaust, then the pressure control reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure control reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust valve is designed to automatically open or close based on the gas supply pressure itself, without requiring external control signals or complex timing mechanisms. The system uses its own operating parameter (gas supply pressure) to control the exhaust operation, achieving self-regulation and simplifying the control system structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The exhaust valve is driven by the gas supply pressure through a pneumatic mechanism. When gas supply pressure increases, the exhaust valve automatically opens; when pressure decreases, the valve closes. This pneumatic drive eliminates the need for electrical controllers, timers, and complex control circuits, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable pressure control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If the exhaust line is always open to exhaust gas, then the pressure abnormality detection capability is improved, but the gas loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure abnormality detection capabilityVSAvoidgas loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust line's opening state is dynamically adjusted based on real-time gas supply pressure conditions. The exhaust valve automatically transitions between open and closed states according to pressure changes, allowing the system to maintain detection capability when needed while minimizing gas loss during normal operation. This dynamic control optimizes both detection effectiveness and gas conservation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses gas supply pressure as feedback to control the exhaust valve state. The pressure signal itself serves as the control input, creating a closed-loop system where the exhaust operation responds automatically to pressure conditions. This feedback mechanism ensures the exhaust line is open only when pressure abnormalities occur, maintaining detection capability while preventing unnecessary gas loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of substance

If the exhaust line is always closed to prevent gas loss, then the gas loss is reduced, but the pressure abnormality detection capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas lossVSAvoidpressure abnormality detection capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust valve dynamically responds to gas supply pressure changes, transitioning between closed (normal operation) and open (abnormality detection) states. This dynamic behavior allows the system to minimize gas loss during normal operation while automatically enabling detection capability when pressure abnormalities occur, resolving the contradiction between gas conservation and detection effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Gas supply pressure serves as the feedback signal that automatically controls the exhaust valve state. The system maintains the exhaust line closed during normal operation to prevent gas loss, but automatically opens it when pressure abnormalities are detected, ensuring both gas conservation and detection capability are optimized through pressure-based feedback control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 system simplifies the structure by effectively managing gas supply and exhaust operations, ensuring safe and efficient pressure control within the robot, and promptly detecting pressure abnormalities, thereby optimizing the internal pressure management.

Implementation Method 1

a gas pressure driven on-off valve configured to switch between opening and closing of the exhaust line in accordance with the gas supply pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

a gas supply line configured to supply incombustible gas to an internal space of a robot... changing a gas supply pressure from a gas supply line to an internal space of a robot

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas supply pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 3

detecting a pressure abnormality in the internal space, based on a gas flow rate in the exhaust line

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas flow rate:

Data Source

PatentEP3705244B1Internal pressure adjustment system, robot system, and internal pressure adjustment method
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 YASKAWA DENKI KK
  • EP3705244B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3705244B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3705244B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An internal pressure adjustment system 3 includes a gas supply line 100 that supplies incombustible gas to a housing space 51 of a robot 2, an exhaust line 300 that exhausts gas from the housing space 51, and an on-off valve 410 of a gas pressure driven type that switches between opening and closing of the exhaust line 300 in accordance with the gas supply pressure so that the exhaust line 300 is opened in response to an increase in the gas supply pressure and the exhaust line 300 is closed in response to a decrease in the gas supply pressure.