Lead-Through Switch for Human-Cooperative Industrial Robot
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing human-cooperative industrial robots face inefficiencies and safety concerns during lead-through operations due to the need to simultaneously operate multiple switches, which increases operator burden and risks unintentional robot shutdowns when contact forces exceed safety thresholds.
Innovation Solution
A human-cooperative industrial robot design featuring a lead-through switch that enables and disables lead-through operations and contact force monitoring independently, using force sensors and torque sensors to detect operation and contact forces, allowing the robot to adjust its position and posture while ensuring operator safety by disabling contact force monitoring during lead-through and enabling it upon completion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contact force monitoring is enabled with a low threshold to ensure operator safety, then operator safety is improved, but the robot may be unintentionally stopped during lead-through operation when manipulation force exceeds the threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two operational modes: lead-through mode and contact force monitoring mode. The lead-through switch enables dynamic transition between these modes, allowing the contact force threshold to be effectively raised during lead-through operation while maintaining a low threshold when lead-through is disabled, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and operational continuity
2Reliability
If both servo enable switch and lead-through enable switch must be pressed simultaneously to enable lead-through operation, then robot safety control is improved, but operator burden increases and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functions of the servo enable switch and lead-through enable switch into a single lead-through switch. This single switch simultaneously controls both the servo power supply state and the lead-through operation state, eliminating the need for operators to manipulate two switches at once while maintaining safety through the interlocked control logic
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 design reduces operator burden, enhances operational efficiency, and ensures immediate safety by allowing seamless switching between lead-through and contact force monitoring states, preventing unintentional shutdowns and enabling quick restarts of the robot.
Implementation Method 1
an operation force detection part configured to detect an operation force applied to the robot when the lead-through operation is implemented
Implementation Method 2
a contact force detection part configured to detect a contact force applied to the robot when the operator and the robot come in contact with each other
Data Source
AI summary
A human-cooperative industrial robot includes a contact force detection part configured to detect a contact force applied to the robot when an operator and a robot come in contact with each other, a contact force monitoring part configured to either stop the robot or make the robot retreat in a direction in which the contact force is reduced if the contact force exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and an operation force detection part configured to detect an operation force applied to the robot when the lead-through operation is implemented. The robot also includes a lead-through switch for switching between the states of enabling and disabling the lead-through operation. When the lead-through operation is enabled, the contact force monitoring is disabled, and when the lead-through operation is disabled, the contact force monitor is enabled.