Vehicle Insulator Assembly Gripper for Underbody Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional manual attachment of vehicle insulators poses safety risks and musculoskeletal disorders for workers due to the need to work below the vehicle body, necessitating an automated assembly system to improve safety and processability.

Innovation Solution

An automated vehicle insulator assembly system utilizing a gripper with a guide pin, fastener-engaging portion, and vacuum suction to attach insulators to the lower panel, combined with a vision measuring device for position correction and a controller to manage the assembly robot, ensuring precise attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If manual assembly operation is used to attach insulator to vehicle lower panel, then flexibility and simplicity are maintained, but worker safety deteriorates due to the need to work below the vehicle body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of insulator assemblyVSAvoidcomplexity of assembly system

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical assembly operation with an automated robot system. The robot is equipped with a specialized gripper that can automatically grasp the insulator, position it, and attach it to the vehicle lower panel, eliminating the need for workers to manually operate below the vehicle body.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a specialized gripper as an intermediary tool between the robot and the insulator. The gripper includes a guide pin that fits into a guide hole of the insulator, providing precise positioning and stable grasping, which facilitates the automated assembly process while maintaining simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If automated assembly system is implemented to improve worker safety, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly speed and efficiencyVSAvoidcomplexity of automated system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot system is designed to perform multiple functions: grasping the insulator, positioning it precisely, and attaching it to the vehicle. The gripper itself serves multiple purposes by providing both mechanical support through the guide pin and secure grasping through the suction portion, reducing the need for additional specialized components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the positioning and grasping functions into a single integrated gripper structure. The guide pin for positioning and the suction portion for grasping are merged into one component, simplifying the overall system while maintaining high productivity through automated operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If manual operation is used for insulator attachment, then system simplicity is maintained, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to manual positioning limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of insulator positioningVSAvoidlevel of automated control

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual positioning with automated robotic positioning. The robot can precisely control the position and orientation of the insulator, ensuring accurate alignment with the vehicle lower panel without the limitations of manual operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide pin in the gripper serves as a mechanical intermediary that ensures precise positioning of the insulator. By fitting into the guide hole of the insulator, the guide pin provides accurate alignment and positioning, achieving high manufacturing precision through a simple mechanical mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 worker safety and processability by replacing manual labor with automated processes, improving precision and efficiency in attaching insulators to vehicle panels.

Implementation Method 1

a gripper provided with a guide pin, a fastener-engaging portion, and a vacuum suction portion for picking up an insulator loaded on a supply unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum suction: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS20250376227A1System for automatically assembling vehicle insulator and method therefor

Publication Date: 2025.12.11 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention relates to a system for automatically assembling a vehicle insulator, the system comprising: a gripper provided with a guide pin, a fastener coupling part, and a vacuum suction part for extracting an insulator loaded in a supply unit; an assembly robot for assembling the insulator to a lower panel of a vehicle; and a controller which moves the gripper to insert a guide pin into a fixing groove of the loaded insulator and fix the fastener coupling part to a fastener of the insulator, moves the gripper toward the lower panel of the vehicle in a state in which the insulator is fixed to the gripper by the vacuum suction part, and controls the assembly robot to assemble the insulator to the lower panel of the vehicle in a state in which the insulator is supported by the gripper.