Magazine Tower Inversion for Robot Gripper Dead Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
In applications involving the assembly of numerous different electrical components, such as top-hat rails, manual assembly is time-consuming and prone to errors due to the variety of shapes and sizes of terminals, and existing automated systems face challenges in efficiently transferring objects to a robot gripper without being affected by the dead weight of stacked components.
Innovation Solution
A magazine tower with cassettes, where objects are loaded at the upper end, allowing for the transfer of objects without dead weight issues, equipped with RFID transponders or QR codes for identification, and a spindle drive for precise lifting of objects, enabling efficient and error-free assembly by a robot gripper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If objects are stacked in magazines at the lower end for transfer to a robot gripper, then the system can provide objects for assembly, but the dead weight of stacked objects adversely affects the transfer process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional magazine orientation by stacking objects at the upper end instead of the lower end. This inversion allows the lightest objects to be at the top, eliminating the adverse effect of dead weight during transfer to the robot gripper, while maintaining efficient object provision capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of different components are assembled manually, then flexibility in handling various terminal shapes and sizes is achieved, but assembly time increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs RFID transponders or QR codes on components that enable automatic identification and data retrieval. This self-service mechanism allows the control system to automatically recognize component types, shapes, and sizes, eliminating the need for manual identification while maintaining versatility in handling various components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated system that uses magnetic fields (RFID) or optical scanning (QR codes) for component identification. This substitution enables the robot gripper to automatically select and assemble the correct components without manual intervention, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining adaptability.
3Reliability
If manual assembly is performed to ensure correctness of terminal installation, then assembly accuracy can be monitored, but 100% freedom from errors cannot be ensured and incorrectly installed terminals may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through RFID transponders or QR codes that provide real-time information about component identity and installation status. The control system continuously monitors whether the correct terminal is being assembled and can detect incorrect installations, ensuring 100% error detection capability while maintaining high productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Magazine tower (1) for providing objects for a gripper of a robot, wherein the magazine tower (1) is designed to receive several cassettes (4) which are each assigned to a specific type of object, wherein the magazine tower (1) comprises a rotary table (3) which has several circumferentially arranged positions for cassettes (4), of which each cassette (4) can be moved into a transfer position by rotating the rotary table (3) in order to lift objects contained in the cassette (4) by means of a drive in the longitudinal direction of the cassette (4) and to move the uppermost object into a transfer position for the gripper.