Linear Delta Robot Platform With Base-Mounted Drive Units

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional delta robots are limited by only providing three degrees of freedom, which restricts their applications and capabilities, especially in environments requiring additional precision and mobility, such as medical robots, rehabilitation, and underwater applications, due to increased mass, volume, and drag caused by additional drive units and electronics.

Innovation Solution

A linear delta system with a frame, rails, linear actuators, pairs of parallel rods, and a platform, along with at least one degree of freedom imparting assembly that includes a profiled rod and a drive unit, allowing for additional degrees of freedom without adding mass or volume to the platform, by positioning the drive units at the stationary frame.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional drive units and electronics are added to the platform to provide more degrees of freedom, then the system gains additional degrees of freedom, but the platform mass and volume increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegrees of freedomVSAvoidplatform mass

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional architecture by moving drive units from the moving platform to the stationary base. This reversal allows the platform to remain lightweight while still achieving multiple degrees of freedom through the mechanical advantage of the parallel linkage system, directly resolving the contradiction between versatility and weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces parallel linkage mechanisms as intermediaries between the base drive units and the platform. These linkages transmit motion and forces from the stationary base to the moving platform, enabling additional degrees of freedom without requiring drive units on the platform itself, thus resolving the weight-versus-versatility contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional drive units and electronics are added to the platform to provide more degrees of freedom, then the system gains additional degrees of freedom, but the system inertia increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegrees of freedomVSAvoidsystem inertia

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the architecture and placing drive units on the stationary base rather than the moving platform, the patent eliminates the additional inertia that would result from adding motors and electronics to the platform. The mechanical advantage of the parallel linkage system compensates for this, maintaining versatility while reducing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional drive units and electronics are added to the platform to provide more degrees of freedom, then the system gains additional degrees of freedom, but the platform volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegrees of freedomVSAvoidplatform volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves the volume contradiction by inverting the architecture - drive units are placed on the stationary base where they occupy space that does not affect the moving platform's volume. The parallel linkage mechanism transmits motion efficiently, providing additional degrees of freedom without increasing platform dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Adaptability or versatility

If additional drive units and electronics are added to the platform to provide more degrees of freedom, then the system gains additional degrees of freedom, but water shear and drag increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegrees of freedomVSAvoidwater shear and drag

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the architecture and placing all drive units on the stationary base, the patent eliminates the sources of water shear and drag that would result from having motors and electronics on the moving platform. The parallel linkage system maintains versatility while the reduced platform volume and mass minimize hydrodynamic resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

5Stability of the object's composition

If significant framing is added to support and operate the delta robot, then the robot structure is stabilized, but the working space is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverobot structure stabilityVSAvoidworking space

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the support structure arrangement by anchoring the parallel linkages to the stationary base rather than requiring extensive framing around the working space. This allows the robot to maintain structural stability through the base-mounted support system while preserving maximum working space for operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

Enables more accurate and rapid movement with reduced inertia and drag, allowing the system to operate in harsh environments without excessive shielding, and provides cost savings by maintaining a lightweight platform while achieving complex motion capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

linear actuators, each linear actuator coupled to a respective rail and configured to translate along a longitudinal length of the respective rail

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical translation:

Implementation Method 2

a drive unit configured to rotate the profiled rod and disposed on the frame of the linear delta system, wherein the at least one degree of freedom imparting assembly is configured to impart a degree of freedom to the object

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRotational motion:

Data Source

PatentUS11059166B2Linear delta systems with additional degrees of freedom and related methods

Publication Date: 2021.07.13 BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE LLC

AI summary

A linear delta system includes a frame, rails secured to the frame, linear actuators, each linear actuator coupled to a respective rail and configured to translate along a longitudinal length of the respective rail, pairs of parallel rods each operably coupled to a respective linear actuator, a platform coupled to the pairs of parallel rods, structure configured to movable couple an object to the platform; and at least one degree of freedom imparting assembly including a profiled rod extending in a direction parallel to the rails and a drive unit configured to rotate the profiled rod, wherein the at least one degree of freedom imparting assembly is configured to impart a degree of freedom to the object.