Robot Gripper Positioning From Rack Imaging to Avoid Tube Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
In medical testing and processing systems, the close spacing of specimen containers in sample racks leads to jams, collisions, and jarring during robotic pick and place operations, causing damage and downtime due to mechanical tolerances and varying container sizes and orientations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that dynamically orient and position gripper fingers based on imaging data to minimize interference between the gripper and surrounding containers, adjusting opening distance, X-Y position, and rotational orientation for each pick or place operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If receptacles are tightly spaced to maximize machine footprint usage, then space utilization is improved, but the risk of jams, collisions, and jarring during robotic operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper positioning system dynamically adjusts its parameters (opening distance, X-Y position, rotational orientation) based on real-time imaging data of the sample rack configuration. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to operate reliably in tightly spaced receptacles by modifying gripper behavior according to the specific spatial arrangement of containers, thereby resolving the contradiction between compact spacing and operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes multiple gripper parameters simultaneously - opening distance, positional coordinates, and rotational orientation - based on imaging data analysis. These parameter changes enable the gripper to navigate and operate in tightly spaced receptacles without causing jams or collisions, thus maintaining both compact footprint and high reliability
2Device complexity
If fixed gripper positioning is used for pick and place operations, then device complexity is reduced, but the occurrence of jams and collisions due to mechanical tolerances and varying container sizes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses imaging data to obtain feedback about the actual configuration of specimen containers in the sample rack. This feedback is processed to determine optimal gripper positioning parameters, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to variations in container sizes and orientations, thereby improving reliability without requiring overly complex mechanical mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary imaging and analysis of the sample rack configuration before executing pick and place operations. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-calculate optimal gripper parameters based on the actual container arrangement, preventing jams and collisions before they occur while maintaining relatively simple device architecture
3Reliability
If dynamic positioning based on imaging data is implemented, then operational reliability is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system serves multiple functions: it captures images of the sample rack, identifies container positions and orientations, calculates optimal gripper parameters, and guides the robotic operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby improving positioning reliability while limiting the increase in overall device complexity
4Reliability
If dynamic adjustment of gripper opening distance and orientation is performed, then the occurrence of jams and collisions is reduced, but processing time for each pick and place operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs image capture and parameter calculation before the actual pick and place operation. By completing the dynamic positioning calculations in advance, the system minimizes the time added to each operation cycle while ensuring smooth operations without jams or collisions during the execution phase
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of positioning a gripper to pick or place a specimen container from a sample rack. One method includes providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable in a coordinate system by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles containing specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the specimen containers in the sample rack, and dynamically orienting the gripper based upon the data. The data may include population and/or configuration data and the dynamic orientation may include gripper finger opening distance, gripper finger rotational position, and/or gripper offset distance. Gripper positioning apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed, as are other aspects.