Interchangeable Robot Drive for Granular Slopes and Solid Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bulk storage facilities for granular materials, such as grain bins, pose safety hazards due to steep slopes that can lead to entrapment and avalanches, and require manual intervention for management tasks like leveling and inspection, which is risky and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A robotic device with an auger-based drive system that can traverse and manipulate granular materials, allowing for remote-controlled or autonomous operation to level slopes, map surfaces, and manage granular material within bulk stores, reducing the need for human entry and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual intervention is used for management tasks like leveling and inspection, then operational flexibility is maintained, but safety risks increase due to steep slopes that can lead to entrapment and avalanches
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic device autonomously performs management tasks such as leveling, inspection, and material handling within the bulk store without requiring human intervention. The robot navigates independently on inclined surfaces and executes predefined operations, eliminating the need for manual entry into hazardous zones while maintaining operational effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated robotic system equipped with specialized drive mechanisms. The robot uses auger-based or tracked drive systems to traverse steep slopes and perform leveling tasks, substituting human physical labor with automated mechanical systems that eliminate safety risks associated with manual intervention
2Ease of operation
If a robot with auger-based drive system is used to traverse granular materials, then mobility on inclined surfaces is improved, but device complexity increases due to specialized drive mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic device employs interchangeable drive systems that can be swapped based on operational requirements. The system offers different drive configurations (auger-based drives for granular material traversal, tracked drives for inclined surfaces, wheeled drives for flat surfaces) that can be attached to the same robot platform, allowing parameter optimization for specific tasks without permanently increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The robot platform is designed with universal mounting interfaces and standardized control systems that accommodate multiple types of drive mechanisms. This multi-functional design allows a single robot base to perform various operations using different drive systems, reducing the need for multiple specialized robots while maintaining mobility capabilities across diverse terrain conditions
3Reliability
If remote-controlled or autonomous operation is implemented, then safety risks are reduced by eliminating human entry, but control precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system incorporates sensors and feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor its position, orientation, and operational status within the bulk store. This feedback enables the control system to make real-time adjustments, maintaining precise control over leveling operations and navigation on inclined surfaces without requiring excessive manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The robot executes pre-programmed operational sequences for tasks such as leveling, inspection, and material handling. These preliminary actions are carefully planned and tested beforehand, allowing the system to perform complex operations with high precision through automated control rather than real-time human input, thereby reducing safety risks while maintaining control accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A robot comprises a memory, a processor, a body and a drive system which are coupled. The drive system comprises one of auger-based surface interface portions and continuous tread surface interface portions. The auger-based surface interface portions and the continuous tread surface interface portions are interchangeable to adapt the robot to one of different operating conditions and different uses. The processor is configured to: control movement of the robot, via the drive system, to traverse across a first surface, wherein the first surface comprises piled granular material, in response to the drive system being configured with the auger-based surface interface portions; and control movement of the robot via the drive system to traverse across a second surface, which is a solid or semi-solid surface other than the piled granular material, in response to the drive system being configured with the continuous tread surface interface portions.